Celebrate Australian Football 150 years

THE AFL today announced it was aiming for up to two million people across Australia to attend an Australian Football match on the Community Football Weekend as part of the Australian Football 150 Years celebrations.

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou today detailed a series of initiatives as part of the 150 celebrations, including Community Football Weekend to be held on the weekend of May 9-10, which coincides with the Hall of Fame Tribute match.

He said supporters, former players and administrators of community football were being encouraged to turn out to watch their old clubs on that weekend and said many leagues across Australia had scheduled their own rivalry rounds to maximise crowds.

“The celebration of 150 years of Australian Football is about recognising our game at every level,” Mr Demetriou said.

“While we have several events that we will celebrate in the AFL year, much of the activity will be at the community level. We want every community football supporter, every club and every league to celebrate their own rich history.”

Mr Demetriou said the celebration of the 150 years was about connecting with community football and said the AFL had provided a template and opportunity but that many of the activities would be driven at local club and league level.

On Saturday, May 9 the Victorian team, coached by Mark Thompson and captained by Jonathon Brown will play the Dream Team, representing all the other states and territories and coached by Mark Williams and captained by Andrew McLeod.

Mr Demetriou said the game would feature the best players in the competition in a match that paid tribute to all the members of the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

“This game is 150 years in the making. It is an opportunity for the best players of today to pay tribute to the best players of all time who helped to shape the game as it is today and the response we have had from players such as Jonathon Brown and Andrew McLeod indicates they can’t wait.

“You will have the best of the best on the field – while we will have the biggest collection of former heroes watching from the stands.”

He said many AFL players that were not playing in the Hall of Fame Tribute match would visit community clubs on the weekend of May 9-10.

“We want as many of our AFL players as possible back in the community. We want as many people as possible at the games and – it is possible that we could have up to two million people attending Australian Football matches on one single day.

In other initiatives as part of the Australian Football 150 Years celebrations, Mr Demetriou outlined:

• The Australian Football Experience, travelling as part of the NAB 150 Tour which would visit 90 towns, mainly in regional Australia over the next eight months taking fun football activities to primary schools and local communities. Features a football shaped dome containing football history, the Big Kick – a goal-kicking competition and a fun handball target as well as appearances from AFL Ambassadors at specific stops. The NAB 150 Tour, including the Australian Football Experience, will travel to every state and territory.

• Kick Around The World Day will take place on Thursday, August 7 and encourage Australians around the world to kick a football on the day. People will also be urged to bring a footy to work, school etc and have a kick. A special Schools Program has also been put in place leading up the day.

• 150 Moments, a painting by Australian artist, Jamie Cooper will depict images from all aspects of Australian Football. 150 great football moments will also feature in the Herald Sun, Adelaide Advertiser and Hobart Mercury over 150 days. The public will be encouraged to vote for the favourite weekly moment online at www.150years.com.au. The painting will be launched at the beginning of the Finals.

• Two feature length documentaries about Australian Football will screen on Channel 7 and Foxtel in August 2008.

• Round 19 of the 2008 Toyota Premiership Season has been named the Tom Wills Round in honour of  one of the men involved in the early development of the game of Australian Football. The round will feature a match between long-standing rivalries, Melbourne and Geelong, which will celebrate the Melbourne Football Club’s 150^th anniversary. 

• This years Melbourne International Film Festival will feature an evening dedicated to showcasing the best 10 short films about Australian Football. Filmmakers have been encouraged to create a short film focusing on what football means in the community. The event will be held at ACMI, Melbourne on the evening of August 7, followed by public screening of films in
  Federation Square
  on the same night.

“As much as we are celebrating 150 years of our sport, we are also celebrating the role of Australian football in society and reinforcing its strength and position within the Australian community,” Mr Demetriou said.

“This is the celebration of 150 years of Australian Football, not 150 years of the AFL so we are encouraging every league and every club to use the year to organise their own functions and events.”

- Patrick Keane
(1089)