Australian rules football in New Zealand
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| Australian rules football in New Zealand | |||
| Governing body | New Zealand AFL | ||
| National team | New Zealand | ||
| First played | 1876, Dunedin | ||
| Registered players | 16,000 (total) 536 (adult) |
||
| Clubs | 19 | ||
| Competitions | |||
| Club | |||
| - Auckland AFL | |||
| - Canterbury AFL | |||
| - Wellington AFL | |||
| - Waikato AFL | |||
| Audience records | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Single match | 11,666 - 2000 Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn Football Club. Westpac Stadium, Wellington | ||
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Australian rules football in New Zealand is currently a minority sport in a nation where rugby union is the national sport and predominant football code. Australian rules has a long history in New Zealand and is one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
Contents |
[edit] History of Australian rules football in New Zealand
[edit] Early Beginnings
The Christchurch Football club, founded in 1863 played football according to its own rules, one of which was to bounce the ball every 4 yards, very much similar to the modern game of Australian Football. The club adopted rugby rules in 1876.
Australian Football was introduced to New Zealand in 1876. A hybrid match was played in Dunedin, New Zealand. First half played according to rugby rules, second half according to Victorian Rules.
It quickly grew to a formidable league of 115 clubs.
In 1889, a Māori team visited Victoria to play a program of Australasian Rules games. The team plays 13 games, winning six and losing seven. It defeated South Melbourne Football Club, which at that stage was Victoria’s premier club.
In 1905, two New Zealand representatives (one from the north island and one from the south) attended the Australasian Football Conference where the Australasian Football Council was formed.
In 1908, New Zealand defeated both New South Wales and Queensland at the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival, an event held to celebrate 50 years of Australian Football.
[edit] Hiatus
The outbreak of World War I and the popularity of rugby union signalled a hiatus in the game in New Zealand. No clubs survived after the war.
New Zealand was no longer represented and without any overseas delegates, the council reverted to the Australian Football Council.
Nevertheless, some efforts were made to rekindle interest in the code during these years.
In 1960, the Melbourne Football Club played some demonstration games in New Zealand.
From the 1970s, Australian Football League (then known as the VFL, or Victorian Football League) highlights began to be televised in New Zealand.
[edit] Modern Competition
In 1974 senior competitions began in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.
In 1995, the competition had grown sufficiently strong to field a national team, the Falcons.
The Arafura Games gave the side the first opportunity to compete at an international level. In 1995, 1997 and 1999, New Zealand took the silver medal in Australian Football at the event in Darwin, Northern Territory, running second to Papua New Guinea.
In 1997, the New Zealand Australian Football Development Foundation (NZAFDF) was formed.
1998 saw the debut of New Zealand born Trent Croad into the Australian Football League, the beginnings of what is a successful career at elite level.
In 1999, NZAFDF incorporated as governing body and was renamed New Zealand AFL.
[edit] Exhibition Matches
The years of 1991, 1998, 2000 and 2001 saw official Australian Football League exhibition matches staged in New Zealand so that the AFL could gauge local support.
[edit] International Success
In the inaugural Australian Football International Cup in 2002, New Zealand finished 3rd.
In 2003, local Aussie Rules convert Nick Evans debuted for the famous All Blacks rugby union side against England.
2005 was a huge year for Australian Football in New Zealand. The national team, the Falcons defeated Papua New Guinea to win the International Cup and were later invited to send a team to the Australian Country Championships.
Since 2004, there were talks of a New Zealand Australian Football League franchise or club relocation as a possible expansion plan for the league. New Zealand fields teams in several international club competitions in other football codes including Super 14 rugby, the National Rugby League and A-League.
The country became considered as a 7th Australian state by the Australian Football League's international development department.
2006 saw the first ever live regular season Australian rules football matches on television (the AFL) were shown by SKY Network Television [1]. Previously only highlights packages and finals matches were shown by some pay TV channels.
In 2006, New Zealander Adam Campbell debuted for the Fremantle Football Club in the AFL.
[edit] Notable NZ Players
New Zealand leagues have not yet produced local talent, however the country has had some locally born and bred players find their way into the AFL.
[edit] Current Players
- Trent Croad (Fremantle/Hawthorn)
- Adam Campbell (Fremantle)
[edit] Past Players
- Wayne Schwass (North Melbourne/Sydney)
- Peter Bennett (Hawthorn/Essendon)
- Donald Dickie (Port Adelaide)
- Warren Jones (Carlton/St Kilda)
- Daniel McAlister (Essendon)
- Marty McDonnell (Footscray)
- Tom O'Halloran (Richmond)
- Joe Sellwood (Geelong)
[edit] Participation
The New Zealand AFL currently has around 536 senior players. New Zealand, like Papua New Guinea and Queensland has experienced a boom in junior participation in recent years with reports of as many as 10,000 junior players in 2005 [1] growing the total participation to as many as 16,000 in 2006 [2].
[edit] Leagues & Competitions
- Auckland Australian Football League
- Canterbury Australian Football League
- Waikato AFL
- Wellington AFL
[edit] Governing Body
The governing body for Aussie Rules in New Zealand is the New Zealand AFL.
[edit] National Team
The national team is the Falcons. The Falcons were Silver medallists in the Arafura Games in 1995 and 1997, runners up in the international championship in 2002, international champions in 2005.
[edit] Audience
[edit] AFL Exhibition Matches
| Date/Year | Location | Stadium | Teams | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/10/1991 | Auckland | Geelong v. St Kilda | 8,500 | |
| 1/03/1998 | Wellington | Basin Reserve | Melbourne v. Sydney | 7,820 |
| 29/01/2000 | Wellington | Westpac Stadium | Western Bulldogs v. Hawthorn | 11,666 |
| 2001 | Wellington | Westpac Stadium | Brisbane Lions v. Adelaide | 7,500 |
[edit] Television
- SKY Network Television (live AFL matches)
[edit] References
- ^ World Footy Census 2004
- ^ Aussie rules expands globally article from the National
- International Australian Football Council
- Australian Football League
- World Footy News
- AFL New Zealand
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Google Video of Falcons performing the 'Haka' at the 2005 International Cup
- AFL looks to NZ for expansion
- NZ Herald Australian Rules News Section
- Video of Aussie Rules from YouTube
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Australian rules football in New Zealand |
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| Governing Body | |
| National Team | |
| Major Leagues |
Auckland AFL | Canterbury AFL | Waikato AFL | Wellington AFL |
| Countries playing Australian rules football |
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Oceania |
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Asia & Middle East |
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Europe |
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