IN THE first Australian football match between the two countries at any level, the Under-17 AIS-AFL Academy squad overcame the New Zealand Hawks by 91 points at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.

Hawks defender Stephen Gilham recently travelled across the Tasman to present the Club's newest International Scholarship holder Ben Miller with his Hawthorn guernsey.

WHEN we think of sporting clashes with our neighbours across the Tasman Sea, we generally picture netball, cricket and rugby, however this Saturday history will be made when an Australian AIS team clashes with the New Zealand Hawks in Australian Football.

Please be advised of the following details for the AGM.and Members Forum

Date:                      Saturday 24^th March 2012

Venue:                    Sports House

                               Stadium Drive

                               North Harbour Stadium

                               Albany

Time:                     12pm Forum

                               2.30pm AGM

Tickets will be available at the gate for $5 with Children Under 16 Free.

For pre booking go to the Ticketek link below.

New Zealand Hawks Assistant Coach Wayne Schwass was interviewed at Waverley today following the New Zealand Hawks training session.

The Melbourne NZ based players will make their way to Wellington on Wednesday the 25th to perpare for their game against the AIS AFL Academy team at Wellington Stadium on Saturday the 28th of January 12.00pm.

Click below to watch Wayne Schwass interview

Click for associated story from the AFL Website

Click below the latest interview with Kiwi, Shane Savage

New Zealand-born Hawk Shane Savage today hosted eight players from AFLNZ at the Club’s open training session at the Ricoh Centre.

New Zealander SHANE Savage is determined to cement his place on a wing for Hawthorn FC this season, but he knows there are plenty of others after the same spot.

The AIS-AFL Academy will send a squad of Australia’s brightest future AFL stars to New Zealand for a nine day tour in January 2012.

An amazing list of players with New Zealand heritage have been listed in the initial New Zealand squad in a move that will drive the AFL bloggers into a frenzy.

The New Zealand Hawks Under 16 team has won the 2011 Oceania Chamiponships with a strong victory over Nauru. The young Hawks team were in front by 37 points at half time in a dazzling display against the only other undefeated team in the competition.

A large amount of credit must go to a successful Secondary Schools Hawks Cup Programme that resulted in students from 22 different schools selected within the New Zealand team. The selection of seven players Hawks in the Oceania Under 15 team to particpate in the New South Wales zone chamiponships and 8 players in the South Pacific team to compete in the Australian Under 16 National Championships next year highlights the potential of a new breed of footballers from Aotearoa.

The rest day before final fixtures saw 40 players selected for testing via AFL protocols. Some great results with New Zealanders Ben Miller and Rhys Paui-Leth both cracking the 3 second barrier for the 20 metre sprint and Shem Tatupu beating the current AFL standing vertical leap with an 80 cm jump.

The Under 16 New Zealand Hawks moved into the grand final to play Nauru for the Oceania Cup in Fiji with two wins against Fiji and Vanuatu.

Captain Rhys Panui-Leth

With 7 Wellington players and a Club Captain flying to Fiji with the NZ Under 16’s, it was agreed to hold the Grand Final mid-week instead on Thursday 8 December 2011.

Teams arrived both teams accepted players from other clubs to support their players. Captains shook hands, umpires got themselves set and other officials were all ready

In the audio clip below Tony Woods speaks to Radio Australia's Geraldine Coutts about the early stages of the competition and the off field activities.  Funding of the tournament is also discussed although no numbers are detailed

Hawks defeat Tonga All Stars 7 4 48 to 2 2 14.

AFL International Development Manager Tony Woods interviews players from the Under Tournament and features Hawks Captain Rhys Panui-Leth.

First day of competition saw the Hawks with a loss against Papua New Guinea and wins against Fiji and Tonga

THE New Zealand Hawks are aiming to win the Australian Football League (AFL) Fiji Oceania Cup when the tournament gets underway tomorrow.

After a sixth place finish at the last year's tournament in Tonga, the Kiwis want to be the best team this year.

Over 550 Primary School students from Kauri Park and Birkdale North Primary Schools converged on a sunny Onepoto Domain last Thursday the 8th of December at the first AFL KiwiKick Festival Day for the Birkdale/Beach Haven KiwiSport Project.

The New Zealand Under 16 team will once again compete in the Under 16 Oceania Cup with this years event to be hosted by Fiji from December 12th to December 19th 2011.

Coached by AFL New Zealand Secondary Schools Coordinator MIck Coultard, the Hawks are hopeful that the talented youth from Otago, Auckland, Wellington, Cantebury and Bay of Plenty, will have the time of their lives and secure a potential future in the sport through Interntational Scholarships up for grabs.

Daniel Pearce - who was born in New Zealand and relocated to Australia with his family when aged four - aims to make a name for himself on the football field.

What was originally meant to be a casual trip to the park has instead begun a potential sporting career for Hamilton schoolboy Cody Max.

The year 10 Hamilton's Fraser High School student began playing Australian Rules Football just four months ago, but on Monday he sets off with the New Zealand under-16 team to compete in the Oceania Cup tournament in Fiji.

Whenever Blues and Magpies are involved in a Grand Final you can expect an epic struggle and the 2011 Auckland AFL Grand Final did not dissappoint.

The stage was set with the Waitakere Magpies, 2010 Champions against arch rivals University Blues 2009 champions.

Whangarei Pathway Project

In October 2011 AFL New Zealand completed the AFL KiwiKick Pathway Project in Northland, specifically the Whangarei Region. The project was headed by former Sport Northland employee Paul Hope who commenced work with AFL New Zealand in March 2011.

The partnership involving $15,000 of KiwiSport funding through the Sport Northland Regional Trust, involved the delivery of the AFL KiwiKick fundamental movement skills programme.

Six sessions were delivered during school time to nine Primary School and 2650 students as well as the involvement of two secondary schools Whangarei Boys and Girls Colleges.

The 2011 Junior Secondary Schools Championships have just completed the North Island Championships with Kelston Boys High taking out the Junior Boys title against 2009/10 winners Papatoetoe College.

2011 also saw the inaugural North Island Hawks Cup Junior Girls competition with Aorere College winning a tight contest against Tangaroa College.

The highlight of the finals besides the display of some very talented athletes was the excellent coaching abilities of Shane Leat of Kelston Boys and Sami Tuitupou of Papatotoe College.

Both coaches are previous participants in the Hawks Cup and now as Senior students coaching the Junior School. Both have represented New Zealand Hawks at an Under 20 level.

The Canterbury Cobras went through their second successive undefeated campaign to claim back to back championships in the AFL New Zealand Senior NPC held at Wellington at Hutt Park.

Link to Tournament Photos

The tournament featured great facilities and great weather and was well supported by the Wellington AFL organizing committee. Led by League President Mark Langdon and Secretary Margaret Lavery, their efforts were rewarded with a most enjoyable weekend.

 Canterbury Best Sam Dickson

It was a perfect day for football and the crowd came out in force to watch the much anticipated showdown between the best two sides of the 2011 season. The Bulldogs had lost a lot of talent since their 2010 triumph, but had picked up some usefull imports, including 2011 Best and Fairest winner, Wayne Sullivan.

The AFL have announced Toni-Maree Carnie as the AFL New Zealand newly Appointed Director.

Currently, Ms Carnie is the Chief Executive of Harbour Sport and has been in this role for the past four years and is responsible for setting vision and policy in consultation with the Harbour Sport Board and for leading Harbour Sport so that strategic and business plans are achieved.

In March 2011, the ASB Community Trust granted AFL New Zealand the amount of $40,000 in support of two junior development programmes.

The inception of two new programmes, AFL KiwiKick and Hawks Cup have substantially increased participation rates in primary, intermediate and secondary schools and after school programmes. Currently in 9 of 17 sporting trust regions,

The Senior National Provincial Championships will be held at Hutt Park Wellington on November 5th and 6th 2011.

The competition involves four regional leagues who select players from weekely fixtures to compete in this annual event.

2010 winners Canterbury, 2009 winners Wellington, 2008 winners Auckland and the Waikato Thunder will be in attendance to vie for national honours.

For more details surrounding the tournament click on the following links.

Tournament Information

Competition Rules

Draw and Itinerary

The Victorian Amatuer Football Association Under 18's defeated the New Zealand Under 20;s in both of the two matches over the weekend,

Game 1 VAFA 16 13 109 defeated New Zealand 4 8 32

Game 2 VAFA 14 11 95 defeated New Zealand 7 11 53

AFL New Zealand would like to thank Vivid Networks for the supply of Individual medical kits for players.

New Zealand Match Reports

At this years Brownlow Medal night  for the 2011 AFL season, the Christchurch local football community was recognised for its efforts for its undaunting passion of AFL even though faced with personal hardship.

Christchurch Bulldogs President Steve Langridge was invited to attend to represent Christchurch along with further representatives from the Tokyo disaster as well as the Queensland and Victorian floods.

New Zealand Hawks Under 20 representative Sam Blackler has recently become a  father. AFL KiwiKick is the first target followed by Hawks Cup, HANZ UP! Cup, the Canterbury Australian Football League, New Zealand Hawks and finishing off with 200 games for the Hawthorn Football Club.

The pathway is now complete in New Zealand.

The Great Australian Doorstep is a series hosted by former AFL superstar Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt and his kiwi born and raised wife Sheree.
It's an informative yet entertaining travel show about all things caravan, camping & 4-wheel driving around Australia.
With Sheree’s strong Kiwi heritage and their vibrant personality clashes it will make for entertaining viewing, as the Everitts travel Australia in their Jayco motorhome & caravan with their children.

The introduction of AFL to children aged 5 to 12 in New Zealand is a relatively new to Auckland’s North Harbour Region.

The formation of the Oteha Valley KiwiSport project saw the collaboration of 8 primary schools and 8 sports in that region

AFL New Zealand’s ‘AFL KiwiKick’ programme is one of the sports delivered and focuses on developing fundamental movement and ball skills for boys and girls between 5 to 12 years of age.

New Zealand  Under 20 Captain and International Cup representative Sami Tuitupou was recently involved in a testing combine in Melbourne .

During the combine players were tested for vertical leap, speed and skill with Tuitupou breaking the AFL record for handball accuracy.

The Haka South Pacific Style

Former Sydney Swans Premiership player and International Cup Ambassador Brett Kirk, has finalised his football trip around the world.

" I feel very fortunate that I have been a part of it. The last 7 months will go down as some of most memorable moments in my life and I would like to thank you and your team for creating an energy that was infectious. I am sure if you are like me it has taken a little time to get over the IC but know all your contributions and investment will play a big role when it is time to decide how do we continue to grow this great game. I want to let you know I will continue to be an advocate for footy outside the shores of Australia."

Thank you again.Your friend Brett Kirk

 Brett forwarded a link to a story published recently in the Melbourne Age Newspaper

The 2011 AFL Grand Final will be televised live on SKY Television on Saturday October 1st 2011. The Telecast is currently scheduled for 4.30pm New Zealand time and a decision is yet to be made whether the prelude and Grand Final breakfast will be screened.

Grand Final Parties. Forward your parties details to the link below.

Appointed Director AFL New Zealand

The Board of AFL New Zealand is seeking to fill a board vacancy.  The position is for an Australia Football League Appointed Director.

The AFLNZ Board is responsible for overseeing the governance, promotion and development of the sport of Australian Football in New Zealand and to provide opportunities for all New Zealand residents to enjoy this exciting football code.  A dedicated team that reports to the Board through the CEO undertakes the day-to-day promotion and development of the game

The Victorian Amateur Football Association will once again visit New Zealand for a two game series to be played at Parrs Park Oratia Auckland on October 8th and 10th 2011.

This will be the third visit by the VAFA with previous visits to Auckland in 2009 and Christchurch 2010. On each occasion the VAFA has been victorious with winning margins of 23pts/ 23pts/ 24pts and 40pts.

The formation of the inaugural HANZ UP! Cup competition for Under 17 players will see 300 participants competing at three venues in the Auckland region.

HANZ UP! (Hawks Australia New Zealand) is the three year agreement involving AFL New Zealand and Hawthorn Football Club.