Australian rules football in the Northern Territory#Representative Sides

File:Football in Darwin, 1916.jpeg

File:Darwin Football is Different from The Herald 9 March 1940 pg 35.png

File:Football at darwin 1943.jpg

File:The_Pioneers_CAFA_premiers_1953_from_the_Centralian_Advocate_23rd_April_1954.png

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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47998377 |title=The North Australian. |newspaper=North Australian (Darwin) |volume=VI |issue=5 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=30 June 1888 |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3267958 |title=NEWS & NOTES |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |volume=XXXVII |issue=1991 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=5 January 1912 |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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.ABORIGINAL HISTORY 1992 pg 17. Editors: John Mulvaney, Peter Grimshaw. 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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3277085 |title=Monday's Football Match. |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |volume=XL |issue=2203 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=27 January 1916 |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3277533 |title=Football Match. |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |volume=XL |issue=2206 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=17 February 1916 |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} It was followed by a second match the following Saturday organised as a Red Cross fundraiser.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3277579 |title=Classified Advertising |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |volume=XL |issue=2206 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=17 February 1916 |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} The NT Football Association was formed shortly thereafter with its first regular competition matches beginning in March 1916.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3277998 |title=Classified Advertising |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |volume=XL |issue=2209 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=9 March 1916 |access-date=11 April 2022 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) was incorporated in 1917 and 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.{{Cite web|url = http://www.aflnt.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/Images/Downloads/NTFL_History_BOOK-_Latest.pdf|title = AFL NT|date = December 1995|access-date = 1 May 2015|website = Northern Territory Football League}} 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.[https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/the-true-magic-of-wadeye/ The True Magic Of Wadeye] by Wesley Hull for the Footy Almanac 7 January 2015

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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243232080 |title=In Darwin Football Is Different |newspaper=The Herald |issue=19599 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=9 March 1940 |accessdate=1 June 2022 |page=35 |via=National Library of Australia}}

John Pye and Andy Howley introduced Australian rules football to the Tiwi Islands in 1941, which grew to become the most popular sport there.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83756102 |title=Football No. 1 Sport' For Island Natives |newspaper=The Daily News |volume=LXVI |issue=22,861 |location=Western Australia |date=19 July 1948 |access-date=17 May 2022 |page=3 (HOME) |via=National Library of Australia}} 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{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91199574 |title=Adelaide Offer To Aboriginal Footballer |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=29 |issue=8,548 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=28 May 1955 |access-date=17 May 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49487280 |title=Easy Wins in Aussie Rifles Opening |newspaper=Northern Standard |volume=9 |issue=31 |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=28 October 1954 |accessdate=5 April 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

It was established on the Goulburn Island at Warruwi in 1959.Football teams, Warruwi, Goulburn Island. Swain, Colin. Photo number: PH0049/0333 https://hdl.handle.net/10070/856439

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 after Tennant Creek withdrew from the Central Australian to form its own local competition {{cite web |url=https://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-4008-0-0-0 |title = About Us - Barkly Australian Football League - GameDay}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133930162 |title=Matthews angry at trek north to lose |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=66 |issue=20,756 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=10 February 1992 |access-date=3 May 2022 |page=21 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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.

File:Traeger Park 4916.jpg match at Traeger Park, Alice Springs in 2007.]]

In 2000, the Tanami Football League was formed by the Yuendumu Substance Misuse Aboriginal Corporation.Warlpiri elders work with petrol sniffers. Liam Campbell and Andrew Stojanovski. Indigenous Law Bulletin 2001, 5 (6) July. 8–11.

On 3 September 2001, the businesses of the formerly independent Northern Territory Football League Incorporated (NTFL) were taken-over by the Melbourne-based AFL and became AFL Northern Territory (AFL NT).[https://www.nationalredress.gov.au/institutions/afl-northern-territory-limited-marrara AFL Northern Territory Limited, Marrara (2001—)] National Redress Scheme

In 2002, a record crowd of 17,500 attended an AFL pre-season practice between the Indigenous All-Stars and Carlton Football Club.[https://www.afl.com.au/news/97046/all-stars-too-hot-for-blues All Stars too hot for Blues] By Howard Kotton 8 February 2003

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.[https://ntindependent.com.au/three-afl-games-again-for-the-nt-government-put-no-cost-on-deal/ Three AFL games again for the NT, government put no cost on deal] Independent 7 December 2022

The first NT women's league was founded in 2004 as a division of the NTFL in Darwin.[https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/5-facts-about-the-nts-historic-st-marys-football-club/37pdabfxb 5 facts about the NT's historic St Mary's Football Club] Sophie Verass for SBS 17 January 2017

In 2004, Alice Springs main ground Traeger Park was re-developed to AFL standards with a view of hosting preseason matches.[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-11-23/no-firm-date-yet-for-alice-afl-practice-match/590432 No firm date yet for Alice AFL practice match] ABC 23 November 2023

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 participated 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). Despite its success, the NT Thunder was wound up in 2019 due to financial stresses on the NT AFL.[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-14/nt-thunder-demise-blamed-on-declining-crowd--draft-numbers/11512052 NT Thunder demise blamed on declining crowd numbers, draft picks] By Matt Garrick 14 September 2019

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.[https://caylus.org.au/s/WTFL-comic.pdf History of the Wilurrara Tjataku Football League]

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.[https://mcc.org.au/whats-on/latest-news/2021/june/grassy-cafl-country-league-debut-on-santa-teresa-oval Grassy CAFL Country League debut on Santa Teresa Oval] from Melbourne Crisket Club 20 June 2021

NT women played a prominent role in the Crows inaugural AFLW team, with the teams playing under a combined Northern Territory/South Australia banner.{{cite web|url=http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/local-afl/st-marys-and-federal-win-flags-while-territory-thunder-makes-a-change-at-the-top/news-story/6f05bcae0a619349b4df37a8b2ad5de9|title=St Mary's and Federal win flags while Territory Thunder makes a change at the top|last=McGowan|first=Marc|date=27 December 2016|website=ntnews.com.au}} As of the start of 2017 players included Sophie Armitstead, Stevie-Lee Thompson of Wanderers, Ange Foley, Abbey Holmes, Heather Anderson and Lauren O'Shea of the Waratahs, Tayla Thorn of St Mary's, Sally Riley of Tracy Village and Jasmine Anderson of the Darwin Buffaloes.{{cite web|url=http://www.afc.com.au/news/2017-01-12/afl-womens-quick-guide-|title=AFL Women's Quick Guide|date=12 January 2017|website=afc.com.au}}

{{see also|List of Australian rules football clubs in Northern Territory}}

{{Location map+|Australia Northern Territory|width=800|float=right

|caption = Locations of regional governing bodies with active competitions (yellow is competitions run from other juridictions with NT clubs with points indicating approximate epicentres of NT clubs)

|alt = Locations of regional governing bodies with active competitions and participating NT clubs (yellow is competitions run from other juridictions with NT clubs with points indicating approximate epicentres of NT clubs)

|places =

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-12.4555| 130.8426}}|label_size=80|label=Northern Territory Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-23.7089| 133.8747}}|label_size=80|label=Central Australian Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-19.6436| 134.1928}}|label_size=80|label=Barkly Australian Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-14.4675| 132.2702}}|label_size=80|label=Big Rivers Australian Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-12.1884| 136.7893}}|label_size=80|label=Gove Australian Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-11.7591| 130.6364}}|label_size=80|label=Tiwi Islands Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-13.8492| 136.4164}}|label_size=80|label=Groote Eylandt Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-22.2509| 131.7939}}|label_size=80|label=Tanami Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-14.2419| 129.5155}}|label_size=80|label=Wadeye Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-23.2081| 131.9119}}|label_size=80|label=Wilurrara Tjataku Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-24.1284| 134.3737}}|label_size=80|label=CAFL Country League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-18.3377| 130.6382}}|label_size=80|label=Lajamanu Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-14.7320| 134.7343}}|label_size=80|label=Ngukurr Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-12.322| 133.0567}}|label_size=80|label=Gunbalanya Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-12.0266| 135.5679}}|label_size=80|label=Elcho Island Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-12.3313| 134.9275}}|label_size=80|label=Ramingining Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-12.0515| 134.2237}}|label_size=80|label=Maningrida Football League}}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-25.5782| 134.5748}}|label_size=80|label=APY League |mark = Orange_pog.svg }}

{{Location map~|Australia Northern Territory|coordinates={{coord|-20.9857| 137.8473}}|label_size=80|label=AFL Mt Isa |mark = Orange_pog.svg }}

}}

On 3 September 2016, the AFLNT named their team of the 20th century.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-03/mcleod-captain-as-aflnt-team-of-the-century-named/7811490 McLeod captain, Riolis prominent in AFLNT Team of Century]

Coach of the Century: John Taylor.

The Northern Territory was represented in early Interstate matches in Australian rules football, before being incorporated into the QLD/NT and then Allies 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.

• 17,500 (Aboriginal All-Stars vs Carlton; 2002; AFL pre-season practice; Marrara Oval, Darwin)

• Northern Territory Football League Grand Final
• Tiwi Islands Football League Grand Final
• Arafura Games (quadrennial)
• Australian Football League Premiership Season (Melbourne 'home' games)

{{see also|List of VFL/AFL and AFL Women's players from the Northern Territory}}

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.

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|date=November 2024}}

Around half of all participants are in non-metropolitan areas of the Northern Territory, and a growing 34% of participants are women.{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

The Tiwi Islands is said to have the highest participation rate in Australia (35%) [http://www.theage.com.au/news/northern-territory/even-a-cyclone-cant-stop-the-footy/2005/03/19/1111086063413.html].

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.

File:Anthony_McDonald-Tipungwuti_2017.2.jpg|Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is from the Tiwi Islands

File:Steven_Motlop_2018.2.jpg|Steven Motlop is from Darwin

File:Shaun_Burgoyne_2018.2.jpg|Shaun Burgoyne was born in Darwin

File:Cyril_Rioli_2017.1.jpg|Cyril Rioli is from the Tiwi Islands

File:Matthew_Stokes_2011_(cropped).jpg|Mathew Stokes is from Darwin

File:Alwyn_davey.jpg|Alwyn Davey is from Darwin

File:Richard_Tambling_2015.jpg|Richard Tambling is from Darwin

File:Aaron_Davey.jpg|Aaron Davey is from Darwin

File:Jaredbrennan.jpg|Jared Brennan is from Darwin

File:Xavier_Clarke_20.12.16.jpg|Xavier Clarke is from Darwin

File:Daniel_Motlop_Port_Power.JPG|Daniel Motlop is from Darwin

File:Brad_Ottens_playing_for_Geelong.JPG|Brad Ottens was raised in Katherine

File:Amcleod_(cropped).jpg|Andrew McLeod is from Darwin

File:Matthew_whelan.jpg|Matthew Whelan is from Darwin

File:Peter_burgoyne.jpg|Peter Burgoyne is from Darwin

File:Joel_Bowden_(cropped).jpg|Joel Bowden lived in Alice Springs

File:Nathan_Buckley_2017.jpg|Nathan Buckley lived in Darwin

File:Michael_Long_on_The_Long_Walk_2014_(52525633344)_(cropped).jpg|Michael Long is from the Tiwi Islands

File:Gilbert_McAdam_2019.2.jpg|Gilbert McAdam is from Alice Springs

• AFL Northern Territory
• Northern Territory Football League

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.aflnt.com.au/ Official website of AFL Northern Territory]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060428090626/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/northern_territory.htm NT Team of the Century from Full Points Footy]}}

{{Aussie Rules in the Northern Territory}}

{{Australian rules football in Australia}}

{{Aussie Rules Playing Nations links}}

Category:Australian rules football in the Northern Territory

Northern

Category:History of Australian rules football