Australian rules football in the Northern Territory

Australian rules football in the Northern Territory
Tiwi Islands Football League Grand Final 05/06 at Nguiu stadium—Mulluwurri vs Pumurali.
Governing bodyAFL Northern Territory
First playedDarwin 12 February 1916; 108 years ago (12 February 1916)
Registered players7,158 (adult)
3,917 (child)[1]
Club competitions
Northern Territory Football League
Central Australian Football League

Barkly Australian Football League
Big Rivers Australian Football League
CAFL Country League
Elcho Island Football League
Gove Australian Football League
Groote Eylandt Football League
Gunbalanya Football League
Lajamanu Football League
Maningrida Football League
Ngukurr Football League
Ramingining Football League
Wilurrara Tjataku Football League
Tanami Football League
Tiwi Islands Football League
Wadeye Football League
Audience records
Single match17,500 (Aboriginal All-Stars vs Carlton; 2002; AFL pre-season practice; Marrara Oval, Darwin)

In the Northern Territory (NT), Australian rules football is a popular participation and spectator sport, particularly among the many remote Indigenous Australian communities of the outback such as the Tiwi Islands but also in the capital Darwin and other cities particularly Alice Springs. There are more than 15 regional competitions across the territory, the highest profile being the semi-professional Northern Territory Football League based around Darwin and Central Australian Football League around Alice Springs. It is governed by AFL Northern Territory. 7,158 adults and 3,917 children play it, of which about a third are female.[1] Participation per capita has fallen from 18% in 2017 when it had the highest rate for a team sport in Australia[2] to 3.4% in 2024 and fourth behind soccer, basketball and cricket.[1]

The territory's men's team made a single interstate representational appearance at the 1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival. Selected under State of Origin criteria and featuring such names as Maurice Rioli, Michael Long and Michael McLean it went through undefeated to take out the Division 2 premiership with big wins against Tasmania, the VFA and the national amateurs team. In 1993 it was merged with Queensland to create a composite side which has not appeared since. Northern Territory had a standalone representative side in the underage National Championships between 1979 and 2016, this side won three Division 2 titles—Under 16 in 1999, and Under 19 in 2004 and 2012. Since 2021, the Northern Territory Academy has participated in the Talent League. The NT is home to the Indigenous All-Stars and Flying Boomerangs representative teams. The All-Stars hold the current attendance record for any football code in the Territory - 17,500 set in 2002. A professional club, the Northern Territory Football Club (NT Thunder) was formed in 2008 and competed in the second tier semi-national NEAFL competition.

Since the first Australian Football League (AFL) match played in Darwin during the 2004 AFL season, attendances have averaged 9,320. They have steadily declined from a peak of 14,100 in 2006 (featuring the Western Bulldogs). Under the 2020 arrangement with the Gold Coast Suns and Melbourne FC, the NT receives two matches in Darwin (Marrara Oval) and one in Alice Springs (Traeger Park) each year. In addition, Darwin hosted the 2020 Dreamtime match including the first AFL Women's (AFLW) fixture during the 2024 season.[3] The AFL's Gold Coast Suns have access to the best junior talent from the Territory through its recruitment zone and the Gold Coast Suns Academy. In 2021, following a 2018 scoping study, AFL Northern Territory launched an official bid to enter a team into the national AFL competition. This bid is under consideration by the league for entry around 2030.[4]

Since the debut of Reuben Cooper in 1969,[5] over 100 of born-and-raised Territorians have played in the AFL and AFLW. However, a significant percentage have launched their professional football careers from other states, particularly South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. Nevertheless the sport in 2017 produced more professional players per capita AFL than any other state or territory. Two dynasties from the NT have together produced numerous prominent footballers: the Rioli and Long families. Australian Football Hall of Famer Maurice Rioli was known also for his career in the WAFL prior to playing in Victoria. Hall of Famer Andrew McLeod is often considered the most accomplished AFL player born and raised in the NT, and Hall of Famer Nathan Buckley is the only Territorian to win the Brownlow Medal. Darwin-born Shaun Burgoyne holds both the Territorian AFL games and goals records, with 407 games and 302 goals. Shaun Burgoyne and Cyril Rioli have played in 4 AFL premierships, more than any other Territorian. In the AFLW, Danielle Ponter of the Rioli-Long family is the most prominent NT player, having kicked the most goals and played the most games.

History

Football at Town Oval in Darwin, 1916
In 1940 football had become so popular with the Indigenous community in Darwin that most match officials (time keeper, siren sounder and scorer were indigenous)
A football match being played in Darwin in 1943.
Pioneers Central Australian Football Association Premiers 1953

Prior to separation from South Australia, during the 1870s and 1880s the local media reported almost equally on both Australian rules and rugby, there was a growing awareness of international rugby and also of both American football and soccer. Australian rules began to gain favour in the Northern Territory late 1880s due mainly to South Australia's involvement in intercolonials with Victoria. Apart from the difficulties presented by distance and population, attempts to form a local football club were hampered by the lack of an oval, with the only available oval in being by destroyed white ants.[6] Following separation from South Australia in 1911, association football was the first form of football played in the NT, with a match against British sailors from the HMS Prometheus taking place in 1912. However, there were insufficient local footballers to field a full team.[7]

Reuben Cooper Snr, an Iwaidja person, is credited with introducing Australian rules football in Darwin in 1915 after learning the game while boarding at St Peter's College, Adelaide.[8] The first rugby match was played on 3 February 1916, and an Australian rules match was also planned for that day but proved difficult to organise due to insufficient numbers.[9] The first recorded match of Australian rules football in Darwin was played on Saturday, 12 February 1916, on Darwin Town Oval between Red and Blue (32) and Red and White (20).[10] It was followed by a second match the following Saturday organised as a Red Cross fundraiser.[11] The NT Football Association was formed shortly thereafter with its first regular competition matches beginning in March 1916.[12]

The Northern Territory Football League chose to play in the Northern Territory's 'wet season', primarily due to hard playing surfaces during the 'dry season'. Games were played on the Esplanade or Town Oval.[13] Most other leagues in Australia operate during the winter, but since the NT does not have a winter, it is played at different times. The Wanderers Football Club were the founding members of the league in 1916.

Australian rules was introduced to Port Keats (now Wadeye) by Father Richard Docherty with the commencement of the local mission Werntek Nganayi in 1935.[14]

By 1940, football matches in Darwin were not only highly popular with the Indigenous community but also highly multicultural, with a high percentage of the crowd being Chinese.[15]

John Pye and Andy Howley introduced Australian rules football to the Tiwi Islands in 1941, which grew to become the most popular sport there.[16] Within a couple of decades, the major Australian leagues began to take an interest with the first player offered a contract being Joe Saturninas in 1955[17] followed by the more successful David Kantilla in the SANFL and later by Maurice Rioli in the VFL. Today, around a third of the Territorians in the national AFL are from the islands. The Tiwi Islands Football League is a strong competition which feeds players into the NTFL. Skills of the TIFL players are widely celebrated. The TIFL Grand Final is the largest event on the island and a major tourist drawcard.

The Central Australian Football Association began in 1947 and quickly became Alice Springs most popular sport.

In 1954, the NTFL moved from the ageing Darwin Town Oval to the newly opened Gardens Oval.[18]

It was established on the Goulburn Island at Warruwi in 1959.[19]

In 1974, the Gove Australian Football League began, establishing the sport in Arnhem Land and the Gove Peninsula. In 1988, competition began in the Katherine region with the establishment of the Katherine District Football League. At the inland townships of Tennant Creek and to a lesser extent Katherine, rugby league is popular due to it being established earlier (at Tennant Creek in the 1930s and Katherine in the 1960s) and the strong Queensland influence being close to the inland route between Queensland, Darwin and Alice Springs. Nevertheless, the Barkly Australian Football League was formed in 1991 to cater for increased popularity of Australian rules in the remote communities of the region.[citation needed]

In 1991, Marrara Oval was increased in capacity, and became the new home for the NTFL and AFL matches. The first AFL pre-season fixture between Collingwood and West Coast was played in February 1992 in front of a crowd of 11,000 spectators.[20]

In 1991, Darwin hosted the first Arafura Games, the first international competition to include Australian rules football, and local teams have competed against nations from around the world. The city has hosted the competition ever since.

Since the late 1990s, the Indigenous All-Stars have gained large support from Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory.[citation needed]

Recent history

Central Australian Football League match at Traeger Park, Alice Springs in 2007.

In 2000, the Tanami Football League was formed in the Yuendumu region.[citation needed]

In 2002, a record crowd of 17,500 attended an AFL pre-season practice between the Indigenous All-Stars and Carlton Football Club.[citation needed]

However, in a deal struck with the Northern Territory government, Melbourne based Western Bulldogs AFL side has played several home games a year at Marrara Oval.[citation needed]

The first NT women's league was founded in 2004 as a division of the NTFL in Darwin.[citation needed]

In 2004, Alice Springs main ground Traeger Park was re-developed and has hosted several AFL exhibition matches.[citation needed]

In 2007, a representative side began in earnest a campaign to join a major league, the SANFL, WAFL or QAFL with the new team split between Alice Springs and Darwin. A decision was reached in late 2008, with the Northern Territory Football Club, known as the Thunder, formed to field a team in the Queensland competition from the 2009 season onwards. The Thunder now play in the NEAFL, an elite competition for clubs from Queensland, New South Wales and Canberra as well as the reserve teams of four AFL clubs (Sydney, GWS Giants, Brisbane and Gold Coast).[citation needed]

In 2009, a league was established on Groote Eylandt which quickly became popular. In 2012, the Wilurrara Tjataku Football League was established due to the substantial obstacles faced by remote communities to travel to Alice Springs.[21]

In 2017, the AFL's Melbourne Football Club and Melbourne Cricket Club began a fundraiser to turf the desert football ground surface at Northern Territory home of the Ltyentye Apurte Community 80 km south east of Alice Springs. Completed in 2021, the softer ground helped establish a new league, the CAFL Country League Premiership.[22]

NT women will play a prominent role in the Crows team, with the teams playing under a combined Northern Territory/South Australia banner.[23] There are eight clubs in the competition. As of the start of 2017, these NT teams have contributed the following players:

  • Wanderers: Sophie Armitstead, midfield/defender; Stevie-Lee Thompson, midfielder.
  • Waratahs: Ange Foley, midfielder; Abbey Holmes, forward; Heather Anderson, defender; Lauren O'Shea defender/ruck.
  • St Marys: Tayla Thorn, utility.
  • Tracy Village: Sally Riley, utility.
  • Darwin Buffaloes: Jasmine Anderson, midfielder.[24]

Competitions

Club Competitions

Men's

Active in competition
League Years with NT clubs Senior NT clubs Divisions Headquarters Notes
Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) 1916- 15 2 Darwin Affiliate of AFLNT
Central Australian Football League (CAFL) 1947- 16 2 Alice Springs Affiliate of AFLNT
Tiwi Islands Football League (TIFL) 1968- 8 1 Wurrumiyanga Formerly the Nguilla Football League. Affiliate of AFLNT
Gove Australian Football League 1974- 5 1 Nhulunbuy Affiliate of AFLNT
Top End Australian Football Association (TEAFA) 1978-2009 8 1 Darwin
Masters Australian Football NT 1981- 3 1 Darwin
Big Rivers Australian Football League (BRFL) 1988- 8 1 Katherine Formerly known as the Katherine District Football League. Affiliate of AFLNT
Ramingining Football League 198?, 2016- 8 1 Ramingining Restarted in 2016 after pause between 2009-2016 due to violence[25]
Barkly Australian Football League (BAFL) 1991- 8 1 Tennant Creek Affiliate of AFLNT
AFL Mt Isa 1993- 1 1 Mt Isa, Queensland Alpurrurulam. Affiliate of AFL Queensland
Tanami Football League 2000- 5 1 Yuendumu
Queensland Australian Football League 2008-2010 1 Brisbane, Queensland NT Thunder
Wadeye Football League 2009- 7 1 Wadeye
APY League 2009- 1 1 Pukatja, South Australia Aputula. (Run by the South Australian National Football League)
Groote Eylandt Football League 2009- 5 1 Alyangula
Elcho Island Football League (EIFL) & Galiwinku Football Association 2010 8 1 Galiwinku
Wilurrara Tjataku Football League 2011- 7 1 Papunya
North East Australian Football League 2011-2019 1 Sydney, New South Wales NT Thunder Foxtel Cup (Folded)
League Championship Cup 2011-2013 1 Melbourne, Victoria NT Thunder Discontinued
Lajamanu Football League 2012- 7 1 Lajamanu
Maningrida Football League 2012- 10 1 Maningrida Affiliate of AFLNT
Ngukurr Football League 2013- 5 1 Ngukurr
Gunbalanya Football League 2014- 5 1 Gunbalanya
CAFL Country League 2021- 4 1 Ltyentye Apurte Community

Women's

Active in competition
League Years with NT clubs Senior NT clubs Divisions Headquarters Notes
NTFL Women's 2004- 10 1 Darwin
EIFL Women's 2011- 4 1 Galiwinku
CAFL Women's 2013- 6 1 Alice Springs
BRFL Women's 2022- 4 1 Katherine
Wadeye Football League Women's 2021- 3 1 Wadeye
BAFL Women's 2022- 5 1 Tennant Creek
TIFL Women's 2023- 5 1 Wurrumiyanga

Juniors

Active in competition
League Years with NT clubs NT clubs Notes
NTFL Juniors (U12-U18) 7
CAFL Juniors (M U15, U18; F: U17) 5
CAFL Country League Juniors (M U15, U18; F: U16) 6
BAFL Juniors (Mixed U14; M: U17; F: U17) 5
BRFL Juniors (M: U12, U16) 5
Gapuwiyak Football League (M: U12, U17) 2012-2013 4 Held in Gapuwiyak
National Championships (U16) 1979-2016 (M), 2017- (M & F) 1 Northern Territory Academy
National Championships (U18) 1979-2016 (M) 1 Northern Territory Academy
Women's National Championships (U16, U18) 2017- 1 Northern Territory Academy
Talent League Boys (M U19) 2000-2016, 2021- 1 Northern Territory Academy
Talent League Girls (F U19) 2021- 1 Northern Territory Academy

Team of the Century

On 3 September 2016, the AFLNT named their team of the 20th century.[26]

Backs: Joel Bowden Russell Jeffrey Bill Dempsey
Half Backs: Nathan Buckley Michael Athanasiou Michael McLean
Centres: Michael Long Andrew McLeod (c) John Tye
Half Forwards: Michael Graham Joe Bonson Maurice Rioli
Forwards: Darryl White Dennis Dunn Clifford Lew Fatt
Followers: David Kantilla Reuben Cooper Sr Cyril Rioli Jr
Interchange: Gilbert McAdam Jimmy Anderson Walter Lew Fatt
Cyril Rioli Sr

Coach of the Century: John Taylor.

Representative teams

The Northern Territory was represented in early Interstate matches in Australian rules football, before being incorporated into the QLD/NT and then Australian Alliance representative sides. They won the Australian National Football Carnival (Div 2) Championship in 1988.

At Under 16 and Under 18 level, the NT fields teams in the national championships.

The Indigenous All-Stars, a team composed of indigenous Australian players mostly from the AFL and all over the country, are based in Darwin. Darwin is also home of the Flying Boomerangs, the junior indigenous side, which has toured the world to play matches against other countries.

Audience

Attendance record

Major Australian rules events in the Northern Territory

Players

Participation

According to Ausplay, participation in the NT has declined rapidly in recent years, from over 10,000 participants and 7% per capita participation to just over 7,000 and 3.6% in just a few years.[1]

In 2017, AFLNT reported 44,729 direct participants in Australian rules football through official competitions or programs, which makes up 18% of the NT population. There are also around 15,000 more participants in AFL promotional activities.[citation needed]

Around half of all participants are in non-metropolitan areas of the Northern Territory, and a growing 34% of participants are women.[27]

The Tiwi Islands is said to have the highest participation rate in Australia (35%) [1].

Adult players
2016 2021/22 2023/24
8,519[28] 10,021[29] 7,158[1]

Greats

The Northern Territory has produced a disproportionate amount of talent for elite leagues such as the Australian Football League, South Australian National Football League and West Australian Football League, including many Indigenous Australian players.

Territorian Hall of Famers include: Maurice Rioli, Michael Long, Andrew McLeod and Nathan Buckley.

Notable Territorian players in the AFL include: Shaun Burgoyne, Michael McLean, Daryl White, Aaron Davey, Cyril Rioli, Joel Bowden, Brad Ottens, Mathew Stokes, Ronnie Burns, Peter Burgoyne, David Kantilla, Jared Brennan, Matthew Whelan, Daniel Motlop, Richard Tambling, Gilbert McAdam, Fabian Francis, Xavier Clarke and Dean Rioli.

Other greats who did not play in the AFL include Bill Dempsey, Michael Graham and David Kantilla.

Men's

AFL players from the NT

Player NT junior/senior club/s Representative honours AFL years AFL games AFL goals Connections to Northern Territory, notes and references
Patrick Snell Southern Districts, Northern Territory Academy 2024- - - Born, raised in Darwin
Andy Moniz-Wakefield Nightcliff, Northern Territory Academy 2024- 1 - Raised in Darwin
Lloyd Johnston Wanderers, Northern Territory Academy 2023- 9 3 Raised in Borroloola (Yanyuwa, Garrwa)
Jack Peris Nightcliff, Northern Territory Academy 2023- 1 - Raised in Darwin
Alwyn Davey Jr. Palmerston, Northern Territory Academy 2023- 20 9 Born and raised in Darwin
Jesse Motlop Wanderers 2022- 33 26 Raised in Darwin
Maurice Rioli Jr St Mary's U16 (2017, 2018), U18 (2019) 2021- 11 11 Raised in Pirlangimpi, Melville Island, Tiwi Islands and Darwin
Joel Jeffrey Darwin, NT Thunder 2021- 4 2 Born and raised in Darwin (Wulwulam)
Malcolm Rosas Jr Darwin, NT Thunder 2020- 7 4 Born and raised in Darwin (Ngalakgan, Rembarrnga)
Keidean Coleman - 2020- 17 8 Born in Katherine, raised in Barunga (Dalabon, Jawoyn)
Sam Walsh Nightcliff U12 2019- 98 37 Played junior football
Willie Rioli - 2018- 40 51 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands
Zac Bailey Southern Districts 2018- 79 72 Raised in Darwin
Brandan Parfitt Nightcliff, Northern Territory Academy 2017- 95 41 Born and raised in Darwin (Warumungu, Larrakia)
Ben Long St Mary's, Northern Territory Academy 2017- 64 26 Born in Darwin, raised on Tiwi Islands (Anmatyerr, Malak-Malak and Tiwi)
Ryan Nyhuis Nightcliff, Northern Territory Academy 2017-2019 17 5 Raised in Darwin
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti Tiwi Bombers U18 (2011, 2012) 2016-2023 133 157 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands
Daniel Rioli St Mary's 2016- 123 90 Raised on Tiwi Islands
Jake Long St Mary's, Northern Territory Academy 2016-2019 5 1 Raised in Darwin (Anmatyerr)
Nakia Cockatoo Humpty Doo Bombers, Southern Districts, Northern Territory Academy 2015- 38 30 Raised at Humpty Doo (Iwaidja, Marrithiyal)
Jake Neade - U18 (2012) 2013-2018 66 55 Born and raised in Elliot (Jingili)
Jed Anderson Northern Territory Academy 2013- 85 29 Born and raised in Katherine (Warumungu)
Dom Barry Federal 2013-2018 10 0 Raised in Alice Springs
Curtly Hampton Pioneer, NT Thunder 2012-2018 60 12 Raised in Alice Springs and Darwin (NT Zone Selection) (Warlpiri, Arrente)
Shaun Edwards St Mary's 2012-2017 24 10 Raised in Darwin (Larrakia)
Steven May Southern Districts U18 (2010) 2011- 179 23 Born and raised in Darwin (Larrakia)
Steven Motlop Wanderers U18 (2008) 2011- 212 228 Raised in Darwin (Larrakia)
Liam Patrick Lajamanu, Wanderers 2011-2013 13 6 Born and raised in Lajamanu
Allen Christensen St Mary's 2010-2020 133 114 Raised in Darwin
Troy Taylor South Alice Springs 2010 4 3 Born and raised in Alice Springs
Relton Roberts Arnhem, Wanderers, NT Thunder 2010 2 0 Born in Ngukurr and raised in Katherine and Darwin
Liam Jurrah Yuendumu, Nightcliff 2009-2012 36 81 Born and raised in Yuendumu
Cyril Rioli St Mary's U16 (2005) 2008-2018 189 275 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands and Darwin
Austin Wonaeamirri Muluwurri, St Mary's, Tiwi Bombers U18 (2007) 2008-2011 31 37 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands and Darwin
Marlon Motlop Wanderers 2008-2011 5 2 Born and raised in Darwin
Cameron Stokes Darwin 2008-2010 20 8 Raised in Darwin
Alwyn Davey Palmerston 2000 2007-2013 100 120 Born and raised in Darwin
Nathan Djerrkura Wanderers U18 (2006) 2007-2012 25 8 Born and raised in Yirrkala
Matt Campbell - 2007-2012 82 79 Born and raised in Alice Springs
Malcolm Lynch - 2007 2 0 Born and raised in the Tiwi Islands
Joe Anderson Darwin 2007-2010 12 0 Born and raised in Darwin
Mathew Stokes Palmerston U16 (2005) 2006-2016 200 209 Born and raised in Darwin (Larrakia)
Richard Tambling Southern Districts 2005-2013 124 62 Born in Northern Territory, raised in Jabiru and Darwin
Tom Logan Waratah 2004-2014 117 27 Raised in Darwin
Aaron Davey Palmerston 2004-2013 178 174 Born and raised in Darwin
Raphael Clarke St Mary's 2004-2012 86 9 Born in Yirrkala and raised in Darwin
Anthony Corrie Nightcliff 2004-2010 56 50 Born and raised in Darwin
Jared Brennan Southern Districts U18 (2002 c) 2003-2013 173 101 Raised in Darwin
Trent Hentschel Palmerston 2003-2010 71 94 Raised in Darwin
Jason Roe Nightcliff 2003-2009 50 7 Born and raised in Darwin
Richard Cole Pioneer 2002-2007 63 6 Raised in Alice Springs
Xavier Clarke St Mary's 2002-2011 106 49 Raised in Darwin
Shaun Burgoyne - 2001-2021 407 302 Born in Darwin (Awarai)
Daniel Motlop Wanderers 2001-2011 130 208 Born in Darwin
Patrick Bowden Rovers 2001-2007 75 70 Raised in Alice Springs
Aaron Shattock Southern Districts 2000-2006 68 16 Raised in Darwin
Matthew Whelan Darwin 2000-2009 150 15 Born and raised in Darwin
Shannon Rusca Southern Districts 2000-2002 2 0 Raised in Darwin
Shannon Motlop Wanderers 1999-2006 64 36 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands and Darwin
Dean Rioli Waratah 1999-2006 100 91 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands
Fred Campbell Pioneer 1999-2000 12 7 Raised in Alice Springs
Brad Ottens - 1998-2011 245 261 Raised in Katherine
Peter Burgoyne St Mary's U18 (1995) 1997-2009 240 193 Raised in Darwin
Joel Bowden West Alice Springs U18 (1993) 1996-2009 265 171 Raised in Alice Springs
Steven Koops Southern Districts 1996-2005 89 49 Raised in Darwin
Ronnie Burns St Mary's 1996-2004 154 262 Raised in Pirlangimpi, Melville Island, Tiwi Islands and Darwin
Mark West Darwin 1996-1998 16 3 Raised in Darwin
Gary Dhurrkay Wanderers 1995-2000 72 66 Raised in Darwin
Scott Chisolm St Mary's 1995-2000 81 33 Raised in Darwin
Andrew Mcleod Darwin U18 (1993) 1995-2010 340 275 Born and raised in Darwin and Katherine (Wardaman)
Robert Ahmat Darwin 1995-2001 67 68 Raised in Darwin
Shawn Lewfatt Darwin 1995 3 2 Raised in Darwin
Warren Campbell St Mary's 1994-1995 19 17 Born and raised in Darwin
Lachlan Ross West Alice Springs 1994 2 1 Raised in Alice Springs
Nathan Buckley Nightcliff, Southern Districts U18 (1983, 1984), QLD/NT (1993) 1993-2007 280 284 Raised in Darwin
Adrian McAdam Southern Districts NT (c) 1993-1995 36 92 Born and raised in Alice Springs and Darwin
Daryl White Pioneer U18 (1990), QLD/NT (1993) 1992-2005 268 165 Born and raised in Alice Springs (Arrernte)
Adam Kerinaiua North Darwin 1992 3 1 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands
Fabian Francis Southern Districts QLD/NT (1993) 1991-2000 109 61 Born and raised in Darwin
Allen Jakovich Southern Districts 1991-1996 54 208 Lived there, played in NTFL prior to AFL career
Gilbert McAdam Southern Districts QLD/NT (1993) 1991-1996 111 89 Born and raised in Alice Springs and Darwin
Matthew Ahmat Darwin 1991-1994 8 1 Born and raised in Alice Springs and Darwin
Brian Stanislaus St Mary's 1991 1 0 Born and raised on the Tiwi Islands
Michael Long St Mary's 1988, QLD/NT (1993) 1989-2001 190 143 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands
Kevin Caton Darwin 1988 1988-1991 18 18 Raised in Darwin
Bob Jones Waratah 1988 1988-1989 20 2 Raised in Darwin
Greg McAdam - 1985 10 13 Born in Alice Springs
Russell Jeffrey St Mary's, Wanderers 1988 1987-1992 50 4 Raised in Darwin
Michael McLean Nightcliff 1988, QLD/NT (1993 vc) 1983-1997 184 40 Born and raised in Darwin
Maurice Rioli St Mary's 1988 (3 caps) 1982-1987 118 80 Born and raised on Tiwi Islands and Darwin
Kelly O'Donnell Nightcliff 1988 1979-1984 80 67 Lived there
Reuben Cooper Darwin 1969 2 0 Born and raised in Darwin
Elkin Reilly - 1962-1966 51 2 Born in Alpurrurulam

Women's

Without a local AFLW club, the NT government had an investment partnership with Adelaide women's club between 2017 and 2019 and the club played home games in NT. Early in the AFLW many of the women's players started their career in Adelaide with the Adelaide Crows until the introduction of expansion clubs. As such there was a very strong NT influence in the early years of the Adelaide women's side.

AFLW players from the NT

Player NT junior/senior club/s Representative honours AFLW Draft Selection AFLW years AFLW games AFLW goals Connections to Northern Territory, notes and references
Annabel Kievit Waratah 2023 #52 2024- 1 0 Raised in Darwin
Mattea Breed Darwin, NT Thunder 2023 (Supplementary) Supplementary (#4) 2023- 9 1 Raised in Darwin (Tiwi)
Ashanti Bush NT Thunder 2021 #8 2022- 10 2 Born and raised in Wugularr and Darwin (Maiawali, Iwaidja, Yolngu)
Janet Baird Palmerston, NT Thunder 2020 #54 2021- 4 0 Raised in Arnhem Land (Tiwi)
Stephanie Williams Darwin 2020 #27 2021- 13 2 Born in Darwin, raised in Mandorah (Larrakia)
Danielle Ponter St Mary's 2018 #48 2019- 59 66 Born and raised in Darwin (Marranunggu, Tiwi and Anmatyerr)
Jordann Hickey NT Thunder 2018 #31 2019-2021 9 1 Raised in Alice Springs
Jasmyn Hewett St Mary's 2017 #16 2018- 16 3 Lived in Darwin
Stevie-Lee Thompson Wanderers 2016 #106 2017- 75 24 Lived in Darwin
Ange Foley Waratah 2016 Priority selection 2017- 61 6 Lived in Darwin
Abbey Holmes Waratah 2016 #103 2017-2018 11 3 Lived in Darwin
Alicia Janz - 2017-2021 20 0 Born in Katherine
Sally Riley Tracy Village 2016 #39 2017-2021 14 4 Raised in Darwin
Tayla Thorn Southern Districts 2016 #90 2017-2020 8 0 Born and raised in Humpty Doo (Iwaidja)
Sophie Armitstead Wanderers 2016 #55 2017-2018 4 0 Raised in Darwin
Heather Anderson Waratah 2016 #10 2017 8 0 Lived in and recruited from Darwin

Principal venues

Darwin Alice Springs Darwin
Marrara Oval Traeger Park Gardens Oval
Capacity: 14,000 Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: Unknown

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Commission, Australian Sports Commission; jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Sports. "AusPlay results". Sport Australia. Retrieved 5 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Participation rates in the NT is greatest of all". AFL Northern Territory. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ AFLW Dreamtime heads to Darwin By essendonfc.com.au 31 May 2024
  4. ^ Northern Territory AFL taskforce pushes ahead with ambitious bid to establish locally-based team By Housnia Shams for ABC News 16 Apr 2022
  5. ^ Morris, Grey (9 May 2008). "First of NT's legion of stars". Northern Territory News.
  6. ^ "The North Australian". North Australian (Darwin). Vol. VI, no. 5. Northern Territory, Australia. 30 June 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "NEWS & NOTES". Northern Territory Times and Gazette. Vol. XXXVII, no. 1991. Northern Territory, Australia. 5 January 1912. p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ ABORIGINAL HISTORY 1992 pg 17. Editors: John Mulvaney, Peter Grimshaw.
  9. ^ "Monday's Football Match". Northern Territory Times and Gazette. Vol. XL, no. 2203. Northern Territory, Australia. 27 January 1916. p. 18. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Football Match". Northern Territory Times and Gazette. Vol. XL, no. 2206. Northern Territory, Australia. 17 February 1916. p. 7. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Classified Advertising". Northern Territory Times and Gazette. Vol. XL, no. 2206. Northern Territory, Australia. 17 February 1916. p. 10. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Classified Advertising". Northern Territory Times and Gazette. Vol. XL, no. 2209. Northern Territory, Australia. 9 March 1916. p. 13. Retrieved 11 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "AFL NT" (PDF). Northern Territory Football League. December 1995. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  14. ^ The True Magic Of Wadeye by Wesley Hull for the Footy Almanac 7 January 2015
  15. ^ "In Darwin Football Is Different". The Herald. No. 19599. Victoria, Australia. 9 March 1940. p. 35. Retrieved 1 June 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Football No. 1 Sport' For Island Natives". The Daily News. Vol. LXVI, no. 22, 861. Western Australia. 19 July 1948. p. 3 (HOME). Retrieved 17 May 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Adelaide Offer To Aboriginal Footballer". The Canberra Times. Vol. 29, no. 8, 548. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 May 1955. p. 8. Retrieved 17 May 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Easy Wins in Aussie Rifles Opening". Northern Standard. Vol. 9, no. 31. Northern Territory, Australia. 28 October 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 5 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ Football teams, Warruwi, Goulburn Island. Swain, Colin. Photo number: PH0049/0333 https://hdl.handle.net/10070/856439
  20. ^ "Matthews angry at trek north to lose". The Canberra Times. Vol. 66, no. 20, 756. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 February 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 3 May 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ History of the Wilurrara Tjataku Football League
  22. ^ Grassy CAFL Country League debut on Santa Teresa Oval from Melbourne Crisket Club 20 June 2021
  23. ^ McGowan, Marc (27 December 2016). "St Mary's and Federal win flags while Territory Thunder makes a change at the top". ntnews.com.au.
  24. ^ "AFL Women's Quick Guide". afc.com.au. 12 January 2017.
  25. ^ Remote community Ramingining gets its footy competition back after five-year hiatus By Emilia Terzon from ABC Radio Darwin 16 February 2016
  26. ^ McLeod captain, Riolis prominent in AFLNT Team of Century
  27. ^ "Participation rates in the NT is greatest of all". AFL Northern Territory. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  28. ^ Ausplay Participation by Activity/State
  29. ^ AUSPlay Australian Football in NT