Media Release
Hawks to visit NZ
Friday 18 June 2010
Players from Australian Rules Football Club Hawthorn will visit a number of schools around New Zealand next week as part of the Hawks’ HANZ-UP! AFL Program.
Hawks Premiership defender and New Zealand born Trent Croad will lead a group of players and Hawks staff in a series of skills clinics and school presentations as the Hawks continue to raise awareness and participation of AFL in New Zealand.
Media are welcome to attend any of the following school visits. Players will be made available to discuss the program as requested and great vision opportunities available.
Monday 21 June – CHRISTCHURCH
9am - 11am Christchurch South Intermediate, 204 Selwyn Street, Sydenham
12.25pm - 1.15pm Cashmere High School, Rose St, Somerfield
1.30pm - 3pm Papanui High School, 30 Langdons Road, Pananui
Tuesday 22 June – WELLINGTON
9am – 10.15am Wellington College, Dufferin St, Wellington
11.20am – 1pm Tawa College, Duncan St
2.15pm – 3.30pm Hutt International Boys, Granville St
Wednesday 23 June - AUCKLAND
9am - 11am St Paul's College, 183 Richmond Road, Ponsonby
11.35am – 1pm Takapuna Grammar, Lake Road, Auckland
2.15pm – 3.45pm Wesley College, Paerata Road, Pukekohe, Auckland
HANZ-UP! NZ Ambassador: Trent Croad
Hawks players: Xavier Ellis, Shane Savage and Jarrod Kayler-Thomson
Hawks staff: Dayna Mackenzie and Daniel Mallia
AFL NZ: Rob Vanstam (Auckland only) and Tom O’Keefe
Media contact:
Dayna Mackenzie
Community Manager
Hawthorn Football Club
m | +61 416 641 614
e | daynam@hawthornfc.com.au
More about HANZ-UP! AFL Program
HANZ-UP! AFL Program – an acronym for Hawks Australia New Zealand - was launched in October 2009 and is expected to attracted over 5,000 children to participate in the KiwiKick AFL skills program in New Zealand over the next 12 months.
HANZ-UP! AFL Program is an unprecedented alliance between Hawthorn Football Club and AFLNZ and sees the Hawks promote AFL football in New Zealand through a variety of activities including KiwiKick, the Hawks Cup, Trent Croad Scholarship Scheme and annual clinics with Hawthorn players.
In another initiative, all New Zealand AFL teams participating from U16 to senior level will play under the banner of NZ Hawks with the official uniforms displaying the Hawks emblem.
The program will also include a national talent identification network which will identify young sportsmen suitable to be listed under the AFL International Scholarship Scheme. Kurt Heatherley, from Tauranga - 220km SE of Auckland, is the first of these young players to sign with the Hawks. A keen sportsman, Kurt will undertake specialist training and coaching with the Hawks – both in Australia and New Zealand.
He will participate in various AFLNZ player programs at U16 and U18 levels in the
Oceania Region ahead of being eligible to be listed as a senior player with the Hawthorn FC in 2013.
A dedicated website has also been established to keep Hawks supporters up-to-date with the latest activities surrounding the HANZ-UP! AFL Program - hanzup.co.nz
Additional notes:
KiwiKick
KiwiKick is the junior football activity based on the Auskick program in Australia.
The pilot program, conducted in 2009 for 500 boys and girls in New Zealand aged between 5 and 13 years, was such a success it will be rolled-out to approximately 5,000 kids in 2010, with AFLNZ’s plans to expand the program to more than 10,000 kids in 2011.
All children who participate will learn the basic skills associated with AFL football while receiving souvenir kits printed in Hawks colours and logos.
Hawks Cup
The Hawks Cup schools competition for Year 9 and 10 students is based on the annual NEC Tassie Cup in Tasmania. It will be played by boys and girls from schools throughout New Zealand using modified rules.
Schools from the Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch regions will participate in the Hawks Cup competitions with an expanded national championship being developed for the future.
Junior talent squads will also be selected from the Hawks Cup for further skills training over the following 12 months with a view to New Zealand players representing an Oceania team in the AFL U16 Championships.
Trent Croad Scholarship Scheme
The Trent Croad Scholarship Scheme is directed at players in New Zealand aged between 15 and 23 years suitable for signing under the AFL International Scholarship Scheme.
Young sportsmen displaying the athletic qualities appropriate for AFL football will be eligible for one of up to four scholarships being offered by Hawthorn Football Club each year.
In addition to ongoing specialist training, scholarship recipients (and their families) will receive travel and accommodation to Australia for a week’s training at Hawthorn Football Club during pre-season, with one player to be selected to undertake a further week of training with the AIS/AFL Academy at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
Hawks player clinics
Hawthorn FC players will conduct annual skills clinics for boys and girls in major cities throughout New Zealand each year. The clinics will be based around the KiwiKick programs in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Hawks players will also visit schools, hospitals and other community organisations while promoting the HANZ-UP! AFL Program in New Zealand.
Hawthorn’s New Zealand listed players
Trent Croad
Selected at no.3 in 1997 AFL National Draft
Traded to Fremantle in 2001
Traded to Hawthorn in 2003
DOB – 09.03.1980
AFL/Hawthorn debut – Round 1, 1998
Games – 222 (Fremantle 38)
Goals – 189 (Fremantle 60)
Hawthorn 2008 Premiership player
Trent has a very proud New Zealand background with his maternal grandfather, Eric Boggs, representing the All Blacks from 1946-49.
Trent was born in Rotorua and moved to Australia with his family at age five. Both Trent’s parents are from New Zealand and he has family still in Auckland. Trent now has a young family of his own and visits New Zealand every year.
Brent Renouf
Selected at no.24 in 2006 AFL National Draft
DOB – 03.05.1988
AFL/Hawthorn debut – Round 12, 2008
Games – 23
Goals – 1
Hawthorn 2008 Premiership player
The Renouf family name is well known in New Zealand. The Wellington Town Hall, Renouf Tennis Centre and the Renouf Stadium (indoor basketball stadium and gymnasium) are all named in honour of Brent’s great uncle Sir Francis Renouf.
Although born in Sydney, Brent holds a New Zealand citizenship and heads to Wellington every year with his family to visit his cousins and extended family. Brent’s father is from Wellington, while his mother is from Christchurch.
Brent and his family moved to Queensland while he was growing up and he played rugby union from 5-16 years before making the switch to AFL.
Shane Savage
Selected at no.75 in 2008 AFL National Draft
DOB – 05.01.1991
AFL/Hawthorn debut - Round 20 2009
Games - 3
Shane was born in Auckland in 1991 and his family moved to Australia in 1993 due to his father’s work commitments. The family settled in Melbourne’s south eastern suburb of Dandenong.
Sidney (Shane’s father) grew up in Whakatane on the north-west coast and is of Maori heritage, while Shane’s mother Julie grew up in Auckland. Shane started playing rugby union as a young kid but switched to AFL with his school friends. Shane’s brother continues to play rugby.
Shane believes he has adopted the speed and courage his father possessed as a rugby player into his progression as an AFL player. This is Shane’s first trip to New Zealand since he was a child and is a “proud, born and bred New Zealander”.
Media contact:
Dayna Mackenzie
Community Manager
Hawthorn Football Club
m | +61 416 641 614
e | daynam@hawthornfc.com.au