Australian rules football in South Africa

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Australian rules football in South Africa
Governing body	AFL South Africa
National team	South Africa
Nickname(s)	Buffaloes
First played	1898
Registered players	7,800 (total) 2,000 (adult) 4,800 (junior)
Clubs	100
Competitions
Club
- North West Province Australian Football League
- Gauteng Province Australian Football League
Audience records
Single match	10,123 (1998). Brisbane v. Fremantle. (Cape Town)

Australian rules football in South Africa is a fast growing team sport, having grown in participation by 160% between 2005-07.^[1]

Since 1996, the sport has been growing quickly amongst indigenous communities, beginning in the North West province and later spreading to Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape Province through the work of development officers.

South Africa's national team made history in 2007 by competing against Australia's best Under 17 players as well as defeating a touring Australian amateur senior team for the first time.

[edit] History of Australian Rules in South Africa

Australian rules football was first played in South Africa in 1898 when Australian soldiers on Boer War service in South Africa played the game behind the lines.

Following this time, the game was played by some local teams.

It is generally believed that interest and support for Australian rules football died following World War I.

In 1967, it was reported in the VFL Record's "Footy Facts" column that Australian football clubs existed in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town and that the VFL was optimistic about the future of the game in South Africa.^[2] Little is known of how these clubs formed or what later became of them.

In 1997, the Australian Defence Force visited the North West Province and the first talks of re-introducing the game began. The key benefits of the game were seen to be the apartheid racial issues which plagued the nation's national sport, rugby union and providing potential indigenous athletes with other choices a chance to possibly play a professional sport besides football (soccer), which is popular amongst indigenous communities. Australian Football is highly popular with indigenous Australian communities, and the potential for cross-cultural links was also regarded as an opportunity.

In 1998, an experimental exhibition match was played between the Brisbane Lions and Fremantle Dockers Australian Football League clubs in Cape Town. The game attracted 10,123 spectators and media interest. The South African Government declared Australian rules football the sport for "the new South Africa".^[3] Later that year an Under 16 South African team competed in inaugural Jim Stynes Cup in Canberra. In the same year the Adelaide Crows conducted coaching clinics in South Africa.

In 2000, talented South African born indigenous player Damian Cupido (who moved to Perth, Western Australia as a youngster) debuted for AFL club Brisbane Lions, stirring further Australian interest in the country as a source of potential talent.

In 2001, the first AFL development officer was appointed.

In 2002, South Africa sent its first national team, the Buffaloes to the Australian Football International Cup held in Melbourne. The team was not successful, but improved greatly when it returned in 2005.

AFL South Africa was formed in 2003, as a development organisation and secured funding from the North West Academy of Sport, as well as Ausaid, Australian Volunteers International and Tattersalls.

With the success of the program, the Australian Football League began to contribute development funds in 2004, seeing the country as a potential source of playing talent.

In 2005, the Australian Convicts toured South Africa.

South African born indigenous West Australian Football League player Paul "Gumby" Magambwa began entertaining crowds with spectacular skills.^[4]

In 2006, the AFL announced it would send an All-aboriginal juniors side (from the Clontarf Foundation's Clontarf Football Academy ^[5]) headed by former Essendon star Michael Long and Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes to play 3 matches, including an International Rules match against local sides in South Africa ^[6]. Although the Australian team won easily ^[7] the AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou wants South Africa to join an International Rules tri-series and believes that a junior from South Africa will eventually play at the AFL level^[8].

South Africa sent a side to the 2006 Barassi International Australian Football Youth Tournament, showing some improvement, but losing games to New Zealand, the ACT and Australian aboriginal side.

South African born Luke van Rheenen was selected in the 2007 rookie draft by the St Kilda Football Club.

In February 2007, a youth side toured Australia, playing a curtain raiser to the Aboriginal All-Stars match in Darwin as well as games in Kakadu and Perth all against indigenous youth sides.

In March, the Australian Convicts returned to play a series of matches, and were defeated for the first time by the South African Buffaloes.^[9]

On the 14th of April, 2007, Australia's AIS Under 17 squad competed against the South African national Australian rules football team at North West Cricket Stadium in Potchefstroom, South Africa.^[10]

In April 2007, a large scale junior program, similar to Auskick called "Footy Wild" was launched.

The Geelong College toured South Africa in June/July, playing netball and Aussie Rules matches at junior level against each of the main provinces. Although winning convincingly, The Geelong College formed positive relationships with the players and the trip proved to be a great investment for football in South Africa.^[11]

[edit] Governing Body

The governing body for Australian rules football in South Africa is AFL South Africa.

[edit] Participation

A map of South Africa highlighting in green the provinces in which development officers co-ordinated organised Australian rules football competitions in 2007.

The game has grown rapidly in South Africa. From no players in 1997 to 160 senior and 540 junior players in South Africa in 2004. ^[12] By the end of 2005, it was reported by the AFL that there were over 3,000 players in the country. The AFL has set a target of 20,000 players in South Africa by 2009.

By the end of 2007, the figures recorded a total of 25,377,800 participants including 25,373,000 senior players, 800 juniors and 4,000 Footy Wild (Auskick) participants.^[13] This represents a growth in participation of 8500% between 2005-07.

[edit] Notable Players

• Damian Cupido (AFL / SANFL)
• Luke van Rheenen (AFL)
• Mtutuzeli Hlomela (SANFL)
• Paul Magambwa (WAFL)

[edit] Audience

[edit] Attendance Record

• 10,123 (1998). Brisbane v. Fremantle. (Cape Town)

[edit] National Team

The Buffaloes are South Africa's national team.

[edit] Leagues

• North West Province Australian Football League
• Gauteng Province Australian Football League

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• AFL South Africa
• Australian Convicts

[edit] External links

• Australian Volunteers International article on development of RSA footy http://www.theconvicts.com/ The Australian Convicts 2nd tour to promote Australian footy in South Africa.
• Learning to play by Australian Rules from Time magazine/CNN
• Video of Aussie Rules from YouTube