Australian rules football in New Zealand

Australian rules football is a sport first introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s and after a half century hiatus of organised competition, has grown rapidly in participation.[2] Today there are more than five organised competitions located in various regions across the country including Auckland; Canterbury; Wellington; Waikato; Otago, Queenstown and a four-team national competition with a national draft has been contested at the North Harbour Stadium in Auckland since 2016. The national team, The Hawks, have competed against the AFL Academy and were crowned International champions in 2005.

Australian rules football in New Zealand
New Zealand player takes a mark in a 2008 International Cup match
CountryNew Zealand
Governing bodyNew Zealand AFL
National team(s)New Zealand
First played1871, Wellington
Registered players30,000[1]
Clubs19
Club competitions
Audience records
Single match22,546 – 2013 St Kilda vs Sydney. Westpac Stadium, Wellington

The first Australian Football League match in New Zealand was played in 1991 and the first AFL premiership match played outside of Australia was the April 25, 2013 match held in Wellington between the Sydney Swans and St Kilda in 2013.[3] The average attendance for AFL premiership matches is 16,027.[4] New Zealand is now considered as having the potential to host a professional team.[5][6] The sport's athletes from New Zealand have become a major talent pool for both professional Australian rules and rugby football competitions. More than 25 players have been listed by clubs in the Australian Football League and more than 15 in the AFLW since 2010, including descendants of both Māori and European New Zealanders.[7][8]

History of Australian rules football in New Zealand

Beginnings

Victorians accounted for more than half of New Zealand's Gold Rush immigrants, including those at Otago, Aorere and Coromandel in the 1850s and 1860s[9] and the associated settlements were later to exhibit influences of early Australian football.

The Christchurch Football club, founded in 1863[10] and playing according to its own rules,[11] one of which was the running bounce (every 4 yards) a feature which appeared 2 years later in Victorian rules. The club adopted rugby rules in 1876.[10][12]

Australian Football is thought to have been first organised in New Zealand around 1868. The Nelson Football Club was formed this year and played a hybrid version of Victorian and Association (soccer) rules in its first two seasons.[13][14][15] By the 1860s, there was regular trade between New Zealand ports and Victoria, and the Victorian rules would have been known by some of the immigrants.[16] The Nelson Club was the first club in New Zealand to adopt Rugby rules, in 1870.[17]

The Wellington Football Club was formed on 12 May 1871.[18] The club initially adopted Victorian rules, but it soon switched to Rugby rules "principally for the reason that the clubs in adjoining provinces play under those rules, and as the club contemplate playing a match with the Nelson club before long the necessity of such a course is apparent." The last match played under Victorian rules was on 24 June 1871.[19] This was not the end of the matter, however, with the club for a short period in 1875 adding the Victorian rule of bouncing the ball. The club reverted to full Rugby rules soon thereafter.[20]

The Dunedin Football Club, formed in 1872, initially played under its own rules. Shortly thereafter, a second club in Dunedin, the Union Club, was formed; it is thought to have adopted Victorian rules. Poor weather meant that few games were played in both the 1873 and 1874 seasons. The Dunedin Club adopted Association (soccer) rules in 1875, while the Union club retained Victorian rules.[21] The clubs were able to compromise, and the first match between the clubs that year was played under Victorian rules on 19 June 1875.[22] The return match was played under Association rules a few weeks later. In 1876, a hybrid match was played between the two clubs. The first half was played according to rugby rules, and the second half according to Victorian Rules.[23] By 1877, both clubs had adopted Rugby rules.[21]

"At the annual meeting of the Union Club in 1877 it was decided by 17 votes to five to adopt the Rugby Union Laws, the club in all its matches with the D.F.C. previous to that date having stipulated for one spell of every game being under Victorian rules."[24]

The first games of football in Auckland were played in 1870 with the rules being a mix of Victorian and Association. In 1873, the Auckland Football Club adopted Rugby rules following a visit by two members of the Wellington Club.[15] At the 1874 AGM of the Auckland Football Club, discussion continued around rules, with motions put to either adopt the Victorian Rules of 1866, or form a committee to consider other rules. These motions were defeated in favour of continuing with Rugby rules.[25]

An Auckland team undertook the first inter-provincial Rugby tour in late 1875. This sparked additional interest in Rugby in regions such as Canterbury and Dunedin where several codes were being played. Ultimately, the success of this led to further representative tours, and proved to be a catalyst for Rugby to become the dominant code in the main regions.[15][21]

Brief Revivals

The Reform Football Club was formed in Wellington in 1879 to "play under the Victorian rules".[26][27] In the same article, several clubs are also reported to have been formed in Dunedin[28] as well as one in Nelson. The Reform club's first practice match was held in the Hon. J. Sheehan's paddock, Hobson St, on 5 April 1879 in front of a "considerable number of spectators".[27] The Reform club enjoyed a reasonable amount of press coverage throughout 1879, though faded into obscurity from 1880. A Victorian Football competition continued to operate with several clubs across New Zealand until 1884.

In 1880, a proposal was put forward to send an Australasian team of players from Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide to New Zealand and combine and tour England. Otago, one of the game's last strongholds, along with Auckland, pledged to send players for the tour.[29] However the only football team that set sail was the Australian (New South Wales) rugby side in 1881. This helped dispell assurances from Australasian Rules advocates that the Australasian game was fast overtaking Rugby in popularity in Sydney[30] the reaction that year was that in its Otago stronghold 5 of the 8 clubs affiliated with the Otago Rugby Union and saw the code's popularity across the country plummet.[30]

H C A Harrison toured Auckland in 1883 with the cricket team and met with the governing body of Rugby Union proposing that it switch to Victorian Association Rules and would be in turn raising the idea of a universal form of football with football authoritties in England. New Zealand football officials also noted English officials rejection of Harrison's suggestion during his visit to London that rugby clubs there adopt some of the Victorian Rules.[31] The fallout would lead to the continually sharp decline in the fortunes of the game locally.

The 1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team matches saw a Māori team visit Victoria, as part of a year long tour of the UK and Australia, to play a program of Victorian Rules games. The team played eight games, winning three and losing five. It defeated South Melbourne Football Club,[32] which at that stage was Victoria's premier club.

New Century: Australasian rules booms
Eden Football Club. Australian Football League of Auckland premiers 1907

After being virtually nonexistent since the 1880s, interest in Australian football was rekindled on the back of a wave of immigration from Australia in the first decade of the 20th century.[33] In 1903, the 'New Zealand Association of Australian Football' was formed in Christchurch by a committee of expat Victorians.[34] The league had 4 clubs (City Wanderers, Sydenham, Woolston, and Imperial with a fifth, Carlton, formed a year later). By 1904, a number of leagues were being established throughout the country. In Wellington, a league of five clubs was formed (City, Newtown, Petone, Wanderers, and Federal),[35] and Auckland had three clubs in the new league (Auckland Imperial, Victoria, and Austral football clubs).[36] Other centres also had clubs form in 1904, including Dunedin (Australian Pioneer Football Club[37]), Kaitangata (Wanderers[38]), Waihi and Waikino.

The first inter-provincial match was held between Wellington and Christchurch in August 1905.[39]

New Zealander high marking in the team's 1908 defeat of New South Wales

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.[40] The North and South Islands did not receive separate representation.[41]

The Auckland league expanded from 1906 to feature additional clubs including the Eden Football Club (who won back-to-back Auckland Australian Football League premierships in 1907 & 1908)[42] and a thriving junior competition.[43] On the south island, regular matches began to be played in Invercargill.[44] All told in 1906 there were more than 60 clubs across 8 associations including the centres of Auckland, Dunedin, Wellington, Palmerston, Christchurch and Napier.[45]

The first national body, the New Zealand Football League, formed in 1907 at the Naval & Family Hotel in Auckland, including representatives from all provinces, which set about planning for the Australian tour, noting the rapidly growing popularity of the code across the country.[46] At the meeting, the NZFL adopted a national code of laws and elected its first president Dr Tracy Inglis.[47]

However the Australasian Football Council president Con Hickey in 1907 was quick to pour cold water on the game's growth in New Zealand, declaring that despite the game being played overseas the primary focus should be on developing the game in Australia, promoting inter-state competition, and that there would be no attempt to "oust rugby" in places where it was growing in popularity.[48]

Wellington defeated Canterbury in a match between the two provinces in July 1907.[49]

The New Zealand team that played against South Australian state football team on the Adelaide Oval on 1st of September 1908

In 1908, New Zealand defeated both New South Wales and Queensland at the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival an event held in Melbourne, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, to celebrate 50 years of Australian Football.[40] Despite the country's onfield success, the Australasian Football Council decided to allocate just 20% of its game promotion fund to New Zealand, with the majority going to New South Wales (50%) and Queensland (30%).[50]

By 1909, the game was rapidly growing had become established in Auckland, Waihi, Poverty Bay, Canterbury, Otago, Taihape and Utiki and moves were being made to establish a league in the Southland at Invercargill.[51]

1910s: Decline and reported Rugby League "takeover" in Australia
See also: Universal football

Many of the leagues went into rapid decline around the end of the decade due to the departure of a number of the Australian players back home. Leagues were also beginning to encounter interference from rugby authorities. The Wellington League of Australian Football for example had encountered issues accessing its primary venue the Basin Reserve from 1908[52][53] and lack of suitable venues led to it folding.

Since the inception of the AFC Victoria (VFL) and South Australia (SAFL) had been pushing for support for the game overseas to be wound up so that the funds could be used to nationalise it and with only one voting member, New Zealand was powerless to defend its position. New Zealand's AFC delegate, E. L. McKeon, in 1908 with the support of AFC president Con Hickey (Victoria), had begun promoting the idea of universal football (amalgamation with rugby league) as the solution to help stave off increased competition to rugby.[54] South Australia's delegate R. F. C Sullivan, strongly in support of the pure Australian Football again moved to exclude New Zealand from the council in 1910[55] and while the motion was defeated[56] the chair Hickey (Victoria) passed a motion that would withdraw all funding to senior competition, a move which the New Zealand delegate called a "death warrant for the sport" in the country. The AFC continued to strongly promote amalgamation with rugby league as a solution for the New Zealand senior football problem. In 1911, the Council decided to reduce New Zealand's funding to £50 (compared to £225 for New South Wales and for £125 for Queensland) and only on the condition that all of it be spent on juniors (no such restrictions were placed on the Australian member states).[57]

The AFC's withdrawal of funding had a detrimental impact with almost all of the senior competitions folding within a year. The last of them, the Auckland competition, folded in 1912 with clubs unable to field sufficient players, and only the junior competition continuing.[58] When New Zealand failed to provide the AFC details on how its 1912 propaganda funds were spent, no subsequent funds were provided in 1913[59] causing the junior competitions also to fold.

The impact of rugby league's expansion was also significant in the sport's decline. Since the early introduction of both codes, New Zealand media regularly took greater interest in interstate contests across all codes between New South Wales and Queensland, particularly in comparing the popularity and progress of rugby football. Though New Zealand teams had toured Australia, due to AFC policy, no Australian Rules teams ever visited New Zealand. Recently introduced, rugby league had steadily grown amongst union followers since its introduction. When the New South Wales rugby league team toured in 1912, the focus on Australian Rugby League generated the perception of a decline in prominence of the Australian game in Australia,[60] There was an awareness in the growing gap between New South Wales and Queensland, and the closing financial gap between the Sydney and Melbourne professional competitions, with league offering paying opportunity for rugby players.[61]

The war was not all doom for the code however, the formation of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps had a positive effect. In Auckland, 8 clubs reformed at the start of the war with some promising growth prior to the major campaigns.[62]

The Australasian Football Council had begun to promote the Amalgamation of Rugby League and Australian Football in an attempt to stay relevant amid a decline in interest, however this played right into the rugby league's hands. Erroneous media reports widely circulated in 1914 declared the proposed amalgamation to be more of a planned takeover bid by the rugby league[63] that would supplant Australian rules as the Australia's national football code.[64][65][66] It was also reported that the Australian national team to tour New Zealand would be playing the new National Rugby League code.[67] By the time that the proposed takeover was no longer being reported as a "sure thing" the confusion caused had already been done to the confidence of the code locally, already on hold everywhere but Auckland due to the war, and with a new focus on sending a League team to compete against the National League professionals from Australia with matches to be played in Sydney and Brisbane in June 1915 with the replacement for Australian Rules to be played as a curtain-raiser.[68][69][70] Adding to the view that the Australian code would not survive the war, the South Australian Football League's ceasing of its competition was widely reported.[71] With the return of the code in Australia and the failure of the NZ league tour, some had regetted taking the focus on sending a League team to tour Australia[72] with most commentators generally agreeing that despite the hype from Sydney, that Union offered a superior spectacle to League.[73]

The council again moved to exclude New Zealand in 1914.[74] Ultimately, New Zealand withdrew itself from the council after World War I[75] and it removed the reference to Australasia.

Post-war efforts

Nevertheless, some efforts were made to rekindle interest in the code during these years. For instance, in 1930 a call was put out through The Sporting Globe for Australians in New Zealand to restart the sport there.[76] An opinion piece in The Argus in Melbourne's 1935 also proposed that the Australian Football Council might be remiss not to put some effort into promoting the game there.[77]

In 1961, the Melbourne Football Club toured New Zealand during its off season, becoming the first VFL/AFL club to do so.[78]

In 1965 Sydney club Western Suburbs Magpies AFC toured New Zealand an played an exhibition match in Auckland which attracted more than 700 spectators, prompting calls for a local club to compete against visiting sides.[79]

Modern Competition

In 1974, senior competitions began in Christchurch (The Canterbury Australian Rules Football Association),[80] Auckland (Auckland Australian Football League)[81] and Wellington.

In 1978 New Zealand sent a representative team to play against a representative test against the South West Gippsland Football Association.[82]

In 1980, the game's premier league at the time, the VFL, sold its first ever television broadcasting rights to New Zealand, with highlight packages with the Grand Final going live into the country.[83]

In 1995, the competition had grown sufficiently strong to field a national team, the Falcons.

In 1996, the Australian Defence Force side visited New Zealand to conduct clinics and promote the game.[84]

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.

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.

Date/YearLocationStadiumTeamsCrowdMedia
5 October 1991AucklandWestern Springs StadiumGeelong v. St Kilda8,500Video on YouTube
1 March 1998WellingtonBasin ReserveMelbourne v. Sydney7,820
29 January 2000WellingtonWestpac StadiumWestern Bulldogs v. Hawthorn11,666
2001WellingtonWestpac StadiumBrisbane Lions v. Adelaide7,500

International Success
Richard Bradley takes a spectacular mark against India in the 2008 International Cup

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.[85]

Since 2004, there have been 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 Australian competitions in other football codes including the National Rugby League and A-League.

The country came to be regarded as an Australian state by the Australian Football League's international development department.

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.

2006 saw the first-ever live regular season AFL matches on television, which were shown by SKY Network Television.[86]

In November 2008, 17-year-old Liam Ackland was invited to the AIS/AFL academy.[87]

The Hawthorn Football Club, which had been involved in New Zealand since about 2004 and at one point in 2009 had 3 players from New Zealand on its senior list,[88] stepped up its involvement in 2009 with development funding to set up a school competition, the "Hawks Cup", for recruiting and talent identification.[89] The sport boomed at junior levels after approved by the New Zealand Secondary Sports Council.[90] Kurt Heatherley of Tauranga accepted an AFL scholarship in 2010.[88]

2016 saw the successful introduction of a high-level four-team national competition, featuring a national draft with games played out of North Harbour stadium.

In 2021 All Blacks Will Jordan expressed an interest in trialling with an AFL club, describing it as a “a cool game to watch", Jordie Barrett admitted he's a fan, describing it as a "cool sport".[91]

Participation
Map of New Zealand showing regions where Australian rules football in 2007 was organised in green

In 2007 New Zealand had around 600 senior players.[92] In 2010, the AFL hoped to increase registered secondary school participants with the introduction of in-school programs.[90] This introduction was highly successful and at the end of 2012, 25,000 Kiwikick participants had been recorded.

By 2016 the number of registered participants had increased to 35,000.

Leagues & Competitions
CompetitionCommencedClubsNational Provincial Championship (NPC) side
Auckland19746Auckland Buccaneers
Canterbury19744Canterbury Cobras
Wellington19744Wellington Tigers
Waikato20043Waikato Thunder
Otago20182Otago Riot

National team

The National men's team is the Hawks. Up to 1908 it was known as the "All Blacks" or the "Silver Ferns" like their rugby counterparts. When the team was reformed it adopted the moniker of the Falcons in 1995. In 2018, a poll was held by AFL New Zealand to rename the side with the current named selected. The team intercolonial tests were for the 1908 tour to Australia, when it competed in the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival and travelled throughout Australia playing regional sides. However the team was dormant for three quarters of a century until the first internationals at the Arafura Games where they were Silver medallists in 1995 and 1997. The side has competed internationally since the inaugural Australian Football International Cup in 2002, and was crowned International champions in 2005.

A national women's side, the New Zealand Kahu, began as an under 18 national team in 2015[93] before representing women's senior football in 2019 with the aim of debuting internationally for the Australian Football International Cup women's division.[94]

AFL games

AFL club St Kilda signed a historic agreement with, the AFL and Wellington City Council, the Saints will play in New Zealand on Anzac Day each year from 2013 through 2015.[95] They play for the Simpson-Henderson Trophy.

Round/DateHostScoreGuestScoreWinner and MarginVenueAttendanceMedia
April 25, 2013St Kilda9.9 (63)Sydney11.13 (79)Sydney by 16 pointsWestpac Stadium, Wellington22,546Video on YouTube
April 25, 2014St Kilda11.13 (79)Brisbane Lions12.10 (82)Brisbane by 3 pointsWestpac Stadium, Wellington13,409Video on YouTube
April 25, 2015St Kilda12.9 (81)Carlton18.13 (121)Carlton by 40 PointsWestpac Stadium, Wellington12,125Video on YouTube

Source: Footy Wire

Principal venues
Wellington Auckland
Wellington Regional Stadium (AFL standard) Outer Oval, North Harbour Stadium
Capacity: 34,500 Capacity: 5,000

Audience

Attendance

The record attendance for an Australian rules game in New Zealand is 22,546 which was set in 2013 beteeen St Kilda vs Sydney at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. The average attendance for AFL premiership matches played in New Zealand is 16,027.

Television

Notable players

Men's
Currently on an AFL senior list
PlayerVFL/AFL Years*VFL/AFL Matches*Clubs played for/plays forConnections to New Zealand, References
Mykelti Lefau2022--Richmond (VFL)/ Casey (VFL)Born, Samoan father, New Zealand mother[98][99]
Misilifi Faimalo2022--Richmond (VFL)Born, Maori[100]
Archie Perkins2021--Essendon (AFL)Both parents[101]
Toby Wooller2021--Brisbane (AFL)Born[102]
Louis Butler2021-3Western Bulldogs (AFL)Born[103]
Connor Ballenden2018–2Brisbane (AFL)Born[104]
Zac Fisher2017–64Carlton (AFL)Mother Maori[105]
Rowan Marshall2017–52St Kilda (AFL)Born Taranaki[106][107]
Jake Patmore2017–2020-Port Adelaide (AFL)Maori: Ngati Maru[108]
Callum Moore2016-202010Richmond (AFL)Parents[109][110][111]
Rupert Wills2016–202023Collingwood (AFL)Born and raised[106][107]
Joe Baker-Thomas2014–2017-New Zealand / St Kilda (AFL)Born and raised[112] (international scholarship)
Kurt Heatherley2014–20185Hawthorn (AFL)Born and raised in Tauranga[113] (international rookie)
Shem Tatupu2013–2016-Hawthorn (VFL + AFL) / Melbourne Storm (NRL)Born and raised[114] (rookie)
Maia Westrup2013–2015-Melbourne (AFL)Born and raised[115] New Zealand High Performance Acadeny. (international scholarship)
Siopi Ngata2013–2015-Hawthorn (AFL)Born and raised[116] AFL Combine. (international scholarship)
Barclay Miller2013–2018-New Zealand / St Kilda (AFL)Born and raised[117] (international scholarship)
Mark Blicavs2013–179Geelong (AFL)Father[118][119][120]
Marley Williams2012–202081North Melbourne (AFL)Father (Maori)[121]
Daniel Pearce2012–20156Western Bulldogs (AFL)Father[121]
Jasper Pittard2011–2020115Port Adelaide (AFL)Mother[121]
Karmichael Hunt2011–201444Gold Coast (AFL)Born Auckland, father from Cook Islands, mother from Samoa[122]
Max Gawn2010–74Melbourne (AFL)Raised in Greymouth[123][124]
Dustin Martin2010–178Richmond (AFL)Father (Maori: Ngati Maru)[125]
Shane Savage2009–202056St Kilda (AFL)Born Auckland; Father (Maori)[126][127]
Jay van Berlo2009–201232Fremantle (AFL)Both parents[128]
Greg Broughton2009–2015110Fremantle / Gold Coast (AFL)Father (Maori)[129]
Brent Renouf2008–201468Hawthorn (AFL)Born, both parents[127][130]
Paul Bower2006–201270Carlton (AFL)Maori mother[131]
Adam Campbell2006–200913Fremantle (AFL)Born Christchurch, Parents[132]
Heath Grundy2005–2019139Sydney (AFL)Mother[133]
Nathan Van Berlo2005–2016182Adelaide (AFL)Both parents[128]
Jordan Russell[121]2005–2013125Carlton / Collingwood (AFL)Mother[128]
Brett Peake2005–2012118Fremantle / St Kilda (AFL)Maori[131]
Beau Maister2005–201444West Coast / St Kilda (AFL)Mother from Christchurch[134]
Aaron Edwards2003–201491Kangaroos (AFL)Father, Samoan mother[135]
Ben Rutten2003–2014229Adelaide (AFL)Mother[121]
Trent Croad1998–2009222Hawthorn (AFL)Born, Parents[136]
Simon Black1998–2013322Brisbane (AFL)Father (born)[121]
Daniel McAlister1997–20026Essendon (AFL)Born, part Maori[131]
Danny Dickfos1996–199965Brisbane (AFL)Part Maori[137]
Donald Dickie1996–200055Port Adelaide (AFL)Born, part Maori
Wayne Schwass1988–2002282North Melbourne/Kangaroos (VFL/AFL) / Sydney (AFL)Born, part Maori[138]
Warren Jones1978–1988123Carlton (VFL/AFL)Born Wellington[139]
Brian Peake1974-197766Geelong (VFL/AFL)Maori[131]
Peter Bennett1944–1954103Hawthorn / Essendon (VFL/AFL)Born[140]
Marty McDonnell1939–195092Footscray (VFL/AFL)Born[141]
Joe Sellwood1930–1945181Geelong (VFL/AFL)Born[142]
Arthur Watson19292Hawthorn(VFL/AFL)Born Onehunga[143]
Barney Wood19285Melbourne (VFL/AFL)Born Wellington[144]
Thomas O'Halloran1925–1934142Richmond (VFL/AFL)Born[145]
Jack Barnett1924-2613Richmond (VFL/AFL)Born Auckland[146]
Harry Haughton1912–19113Carlton (VFL/AFL)Born Whanganui[147]
Frank Macky19117Melbourne University (VFL/AFL)Born Auckland[148]
Bill Mearns19103St Kilda (VFL/AFL)Born Tokatoka[149]
Dave McColl19085South Melbourne (VFL/AFL)Born Dunedin[150]
Tom Watson1902-190415Richmond (VFA), Carlton / Melbourne (VFL/AFL)Born Dunedin[151]
Charlie Meadway1879-19074Carlton / Collingwood (VFL/AFL)Born Dunedin[152]
Bob Bryce1899-190218South Melbourne / Collingwood (VFL/AFL)Born Dunedin[153]
Jim Cowcher18985Carlton (VFL/AFL)Born Napier[139]
Artie Machin18983South Melbourne (VFL/AFL)Born Timaru[154]
Abe McDougall1898-190259Fitzroy (VFL/AFL)Born Auckland[155]
Jack Southern1891-189931South Melbourne (VFA,VFL/AFL)Born Dunedin[156]

Women's
Currently on an AFLW senior list
PlayerAFLW Years*AFLW Matches*Clubs played for/plays forConnections to New Zealand, References
Makaela Tuhakaraina2021–6FremantleBorn and raised[157]
Lucy Single2021–9Gold CoastRaised in New Zealand up to age of 10[158]
Indy Tahau2021–8BrisbaneFamily[159]
Vaomua Laloifi2020–15CarltonBorn in Samoa, raised in New Zealand[160][161]
Dee Heslop2020–16Gold CoastBorn and raised in Auckland[162]
Poppy Kelly2020–6RichmondBoth parents born (Maori mother)[163]
Mhicca Carter2020-20211West CoastRaised in Blenheim[164]
Angelique Stannett2019–25FremantleBorn[165]
Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw2019–25BrisbaneBorn and raised in Ashburton to Aucklander mother and Christchurch father.[166] Maori.
Brooke Walker2019–16CarltonBorn and raised in Christchurch[167]
Tahlia Randall2017–46Brisbane / North MelbourneMother from Titirangi[168][169]
Stevie-Lee Thompson2017–41AdelaideMaori parents, raised in Hawke's Bay from age of 4[170]
Richelle Cranston2017–34Melbourne / Geelong / Western BulldogsMaori, raised in New Zealand[171]
Lauren Pearce2017–33MelbourneFather[172]
Jacinda Barclay2017–202023GWSBoth parents[173]
Moana Hope2017–201920Collingwood / North MelbourneMaori mother[174]
Jade Ransfield2016–2017-BrisbaneBorn, moved to Australia as child[175]

See also

References
  1. Herald Sun – New Zealand AFL CEO Rob Vanstam says there is growing interest in the game across the Tasman
  2. NZ coverage reaches new heights
  3. stuff.co.nz – AFL confirmed for capital next year
  4. St Kilda v Brisbane Lions – AFL.com
  5. Wilson, Caroline (26 April 2013). "We want AFL team: Kiwis". The Age.
  6. Thompson, Matt (2 November 2013). "Saints could find themselves relocated to NZ, warns Thomas". AFL.com.au.
  7. AFL players with international backgrounds#New Zealand
  8. stuff.co.nz – Heatherley waiting for word on his AFL future
  9. Inflow from the Australian Colonies
  10. Christchurch Football Club – Club History
  11. RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL – HISTORY – 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
  12. Mosley, M. (1885), Illustrated Guide to Christchurch and Neighbourhood, J. T. Smith & Co., p. 120
  13. Swan, Arthur C. (1948). History of New Zealand Rugby Football, Vol. 1, 1870–1945.
  14. "Early Rugby in the Manawatu – Talk" Clive Akers, 10 April 2008
  15. Camilla Obel, "Unions, Leagues and Franchises: The Social Organisation of Rugby Union in New Zealand", University of Canterbury thesis, 2001
  16. Blainey, Geoffrey (2003), A game of our own: the origins of Australian football, Black Inc, p. 142
  17. Turley, A. (2009). Rugby-The Pioneer Years, How Rugby Captured the Heart of a Nation, Auckland, N.Z.: Harper Collins.
  18. Wellington Independent, 12 May 1871
  19. Wellington Independent, 24 June 1871
  20. Evening Post 3 May 1875 & 12 May 1875
  21. Rex W. Thomson, "Provincial Rugby in New Zealand: Otago's Academic Pioneers", Fall 1996
  22. Otago Witness, 26 June 1875
  23. "When 'Rules' ruled Sydney". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 March 2008.
  24. Otago Witness, 6 June 1889, Page 26
  25. Daily Southern Cross, 2 May 1874.
  26. OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 5342, 3 APRIL 1879, PAGE 2
  27. EVENING POST, VOLUME XVII, ISSUE 379, 27 MARCH 1879, PAGE 3
  28. EVENING STAR, ISSUE 5050, 12 MAY 1879, PAGE 2
  29. EVENING STAR, ISSUE 5545, 14 DECEMBER 1880, PAGE 2
  30. OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 1756, 18 JULY 1885, PAGE 20
  31. AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE 4533, 9 DECEMBER 1884, PAGE 2
  32. Ryan, Greg (1993). Forerunners of the All Blacks. Christchurch, New Zealand: Canterbury University Press. p. 144. ISBN 0-908812-30-2.
  33. Jock Phillips. 'History of immigration – Migration: 1900 to 1914', Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 12 June 2013
  34. Otago Witness, 1 April 1903, Page 50
  35. Evening Post, 3 June 1904 and 22 June 1904
  36. New Zealand Herald, 14 May 1904
  37. Otago Witness, 11 May 1904, page 53
  38. Bruce Herald, 7 June 1904, Page 5
  39. PRESS, VOLUME LXII, ISSUE 12284, 30 AUGUST 1905, PAGE 5
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