Australian Football now a sanctioned sport in NZ schools
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 1:43 pm
Good news on the NZ development front. =D> =D> =D>
St Kilda eyes New Zealand clash on Anzac Day
Michael Warner
Herald Sun
March 03, 201212:00AM
ST KILDA will make history by staging the first AFL match for premiership points on foreign soil as early as next season.
The Saints have held talks with AFL chiefs about playing in the New Zealand capital of Wellington in a deal similar to Hawthorn's arrangement in Tasmania.
St Kilda is keen to host a game on Anzac Day - against a yet-to-be determined opposition - immediately after the Collingwood-Essendon MCG blockbuster.
It is unclear whether the Magpies and Bombers are aware of the plan.
The St Kilda board has been examining the NZ proposal for several months and is keen to pursue it.
"We have had very preliminary discussions with the AFL," Saints chief executive Michael Nettlefold said last night.
"We plan to continue those discussions ... but at this point nothing has been agreed."
The matches would be played at Westpac Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium that is home to A-League club Wellington. The stadium holds 35,000 fans.
Hawthorn has reaped millions of dollars playing four home matches a year in Launceston in a deal with the Tasmanian Government.
The Saints, who in January announced a $1.5 million operating loss, see potential for the same sort of financial riches in NZ.
Last night the club said: "With the recent inclusion of AFL as a sanctioned sport in schools in New Zealand, the Saints would like to develop the game further through engagement with the community.
"The Saints also see an opportunity to build player talent pathways for local talent to play AFL and potentially play games for premiership points in Wellington in the future."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6287510957