Australian rules football in New South Wales | |
---|---|
Governing body | AFL NSW/ACT |
Representative team | NSW/ACT |
First played | Sydney 17 June 1865; 159 years ago (17 June 1865)[1] |
Registered players | 71,481 (2023)[2] |
Club competitions | |
Sydney AFL | |
Audience records | |
Single match | 72,393 (2003). Sydney Swans Football Club v. Collingwood Football Club. (Telstra Stadium, Sydney) |
InNew South Wales, Australian rules football dates back to the colonial era in 1866, with organised competitions being continuous since the 1880s. Today, it is popular in several regions of the state, including areas near the Victorian and South Australian borders—in the Riverina, Broken Hill, and South Coast. These areas form part of an Australian cultural divide described as the Barassi Line. To the east of the line, it is known as "AFL", named after the elite Australian Football League competition. AFL NSW/ACT is the main development body, and includes the Australian Capital Territory.
Two teams currently compete in the professional Australian Football League (AFL): the Sydney Swans and the Greater Western Sydney Giants. The Swans in 1982 became the first professional Australian sporting team to move interstate. The Giants debuted in the 2012 AFL season and compete against the Swans in the Sydney Derby (also known as "The Battle of the Bridge").
The representative team, nicknamed the Blues, played Interstate matches against other Australian states and Territories between 1881 and 1988. The long standing rivalry with Queensland has been evenly matched since their first meeting in 1880. The Blues defeated Victoria in 1923, and in 1990 under State of Origin rules at the Sydney Cricket Ground. WR 'Billy' McKoy holds the record for the number of representative caps for New South Wales with 31.[3] Sydney hosted the national carnivals of 1914, 1933, 1960 and 1974. The underage Blues also claimed national AFL Under-19 Championships in 1974 and 1975 as well as a Division 2 title in 1993. The 1993 merger by the AFL into a composite NSW/ACT team ended over a century of representative competition.
Two leading pioneers of the sport, cousins Tom Wills and H. C. A. Harrison, were born in New South Wales. Over 400 New South Welshmen have competed in the AFL including two Legends in the Australian Football Hall of Fame: Haydn Bunton Sr. and Jock McHale. Current player Tom Hawkins holds the AFL record for playing the most games and scoring the most goals for a born and raised male with 332 games and 741 goals. Sophie Casey and Zarlie Goldsworthy hold the record for the most games (63) and most goals (16) respectively for a born and raised female.
On 26 May 1865, calls were put out to form a Sydney Football Club. The club was incorporated on 17 June 1865 with Richard Driver as its first president and up to 60 members, of whom were mostly cricketers.[1] It played its first match shortly thereafter in Hyde Park, Sydney, and in August against Sydney University.[4] Two other clubs, the Australian Club and a Sydney University team, played football matches against the Sydney club in 1865.[5] Though it is not known under what code, de Moore (2021) notes that accounts point to strong similarities with the Victorian code but with a strong influence of rugby.[6] Early matches were low scoring, cancelled mid game, and were subjected to frequent disputes over the rules. The Sydney University club is often noted as "The Birthplace of Australian Rugby" in 1863; however, historical records show its incorporation in 1865 and that it did not begin playing regularly under rugby rules until 1869.
At its first annual meeting on 8th May 1866,[7] the Sydney Football Club announced that it had formally adopted the Victorian football rules and encouraged Victorian clubs to travel north for intercolonial matches.[8] On 26 May 1866, the rules were published in Bells Life in Sydney.[8] The Australian Club formally adopted the code shortly after.[6]
During the 1860s, Sydney being a much smaller city than Melbourne had far fewer clubs than Melbourne's 12.[9] Like Brisbane, it struggled to recruit enough football players for organised football matches. Without intercolonial competition and with few playing, newcomer clubs soon disbanded.[10] Newcastle revised the Rules of Football (the Victorian Rules), and was published in the press in that city.[8]
One of the first Sydney schools to adopt the code was Newington College in 1867.[11] With a growing rivalry between the New South Wales and Victorian colony, local journalists panned the code in 1868, protesting that the "old English game of football" would be preferable to Sydneysiders than any game imported from the rival colony.[12] As a result by 1869, Newington College had switched codes, and in doing so became the first Australian school to play rugby.[11]
Despite the formation of football clubs adopting English rules, rugby footballers could manage just four matches prior to the 1870s.
In 1868, a new Sydney Football Club was founded with Victorian rules to play over rugby, citing the popularity of the code in Melbourne as a reason for choosing those rules. Details of matches played under the Victorian rules were scant; however, a match was held against the 60th Queen's Own Regiment on 11 July 1868.[13] The new Sydney club would soon suffer the same fate as its predecessor and organised football team disappeared completely.
In the 1870s, rugby was integrated into schools, later producing organised competitions between clubs. Soon after, rugby spread throughout the colony. The cause of the code's disappearance in New South Wales was that the newly formed New South Wales Rugby Union in 1874 banned member clubs from playing matches under Victorian rules.
Some players, I am aware, can't swallow the idea of adopting the Victorian Game, simply because it is supposed to hail from the sister colony.
Reporter, The Sydney Mail[14]
In June 1877, Sydney's Waratah Rugby Football Club (now defunct) accepted a challenge from Victoria's Carlton Football Club to reciprocal matches in their respective codes. The first match, hosted by Waratah, was played at the Albert Ground under rugby rules in front of 3,000 spectators—then the largest ever football crowd in Sydney—was won by Waratah 2–0. Defunct newspaper publication The Argus noted that the Victorians were not lacking in skills, just their knowledge of the game.[15] The second match was played in front of a smaller crowd of about 1,500 at the Albert Ground with the result being Carlton 6–0. Among the best players were George Coulthard, who showed a particular prowess in both codes despite having never played rugby. When Waratah toured Victoria in July 1878, a crowd of 8,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground witnessed Carlton and Waratah draw scores in rugby, while a smaller crowd of 6,000 witnessed a surprise victory against Carlton by 2 goals in Victorian rules.[16]
By 1880, Waratah and other Sydney clubs began initiating changes to rugby rules.[17] Rugby interests, however, repeatedly rejected suggestions to switch codes or even play intercolonial matches under alternating rules against Victoria.[citation needed] In response, the proponents of the Australian game formed the New South Wales Football Association (NSWFA) in 1880. In 1881, the first Australian rules game between NSW and Victoria was played in Sydney.[18] The NSWFA only had a few clubs, including Waratah which switched codes in 1882. Until 1889, competition wasn't present when clubs competed for the Flanagan Cup. Despite this, the Sydney Rugby Football Union, seeing the new competition as a threat, enforced a strict ban on every one of its member clubs playing Victorian rules.[19]
Australian Football was introduced to the Riverina region of New South Wales in Wagga Wagga in 1881, with a match between sides from the Wagga Wagga Football Club and Albury Football Club.[20] Subsequently, a local competition formed in 1884 around Wagga Wagga.
South Melbourne was the second club to visit New South Wales in 1883, defeating Sydney by just a single goal in front of a large crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground,[21] and in a goal in front of 600 spectators during a game against East Sydney Football Club.[22] Waratah played against South Australia in 1884 at Moore Park.[23]
In 1883, a touring South Melbourne Football Club defeated a combined Northern District team by only one goal. In 1888, a touring defeated Wallsend by 10–5. The following year, Wallsend defeated Fitzroy. Isaac Heeney was drafted by the Sydney Swans in 2014, making him the first Newcastle-born footballer to play in the AFL.
The game was introduced to Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1883 when the Wallsend and Plattsburg Football Club was formed by miners from Ballarat.[24] By 1888, the Black Diamond Cup, Australia's oldest existing and active sporting trophy, was first awarded to the champion team in the region.[24][25][26] In 1889, a donation of five guineas[clarification needed] each from Northern Districts Football Association (Australian Rules) patron[27] Mr. Stewart Keightley and the proprietors of the Newcastle Morning Herald led to the procurement of the Junior Challenge Cup.[28] This Cup was supplied by A. J. Potter (Alfred John Potter), watchmaker, and jeweller of Hunter Street Newcastle.[29] Five clubs were established in the Newcastle area: Newcastle City, Wallsend and Plattsburg, Northumberland, Lambton, and Singleton.
New South Wales competed against Queensland in 1884, initially losing to its northern neighbour before gaining primacy in their 1886 matches. It also competed against a touring New Zealand Native football team on 29 June 1889, with the result being a 4–4 draw.[30]
Australian football was first played in Broken Hill in 1885 between Day Dream and Silverton. Informal competition began in 1888 between four clubs. The Barrier Ranges Football Association formed in 1890, which later became the Broken Hill Football League.
The Northern District Football Association around Newcastle began in 1886, with teams from 1888 competing for the Black Diamond Cup, though participation by local clubs continued to be sporadic from 1881.[31]
The NSWFA had trouble gaining access to enclosed grounds and gate receipts. With its two clubs divided, it collapsed in 1893.[32]
With the Federation of Australia, the Australian code was revived. The NSW Football League, later the NSW Australian Football League (NSWAFL), was formed on 12 February 1903 at a meeting held in the YMCA Hall in George St. The NSWAFL promoted the game in schools and lobbied for VFL exhibition matches in Sydney to promote the code.
The first Victorian Football League match played in Sydney was with Fitzroy Football Club 7–10, defeating the Collingwood Football Club 6–9 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 24 May 1903.[33] The large attendance of 20,000 saw the exhibition hailed as a success and inspired the league to continue scheduling more matches in Sydney. However, follow-up matches quickly began to attract cynicism from the Sydney football public, as a VFL push when Geelong Football Club 8.7 (55) defeated Carlton Football Club 6.9 (45) at the SCG a few months later. The matches were seen by the Sydney media as an attempt to force-feed the Victorian game to Sydneysiders who had plenty of rugby to attract their ongoing interest. The crowd of 5,000 was much smaller than those of rugby games in the city.[34] In 1904, Melbourne Football Club 9–17 (71) defeated Essendon Football Club 6–3 (39) in front of 6,000 people.[35] Without any interest, top-level VFL disappeared from Sydney for decades.
In contrast to the reception of the game at professional level, the grassroots level was having enormous success, growing the game in the schools with 48 in Sydney, including all the Roman Catholic schools playing Australian Football, by 1905.[36]
In 1907, New South Wales defeated South Australian powerhouse Port Adelaide Football Club 8–9 to 5–14 in front of 4,000 spectators at Sydney Showground.[37] Another South Australian club, Norwood Football Club, toured with Victorian club Carlton, playing a match in front of 7,000 at the Showgrounds.[38] North Adelaide Football Club also toured in 1910 to play against New South Wales at Erskineville Oval, which attracted 2,000 spectators.[39] In 1911, Geelong toured and played a combined Sydney side at Alexandria in front of 6,000 spectators.[40] Dally Messenger contributed to the paid football code of rugby league; as a result, rugby established itself into the culture of Sydney in 1908.
Although Australian football remained popular, the NSWAFL was still denied access to enclosed grounds, and the new professional code of rugby league further lured players from Australian rules. By 1911, however, Australian rules were supported more than the rugby union, according to The Referee.[41]
Popularity peaked in 1921 when attendances at the Sydney competition grew from hundreds to thousands.[42] While increased gate takings were funding an increase in playing standard and junior development, the local league had exclusive access only to Erskineville Oval and Hampden Oval, relatively small grounds, and had difficulty scheduling matches used by the rugby authorities.[42]
During the 1920s, funded by a NSWAFL in Sydney and a thriving schoolboys competition, NSW defeated Victorian sides on several occasions at home, notably Melbourne Football Club on 28 July 1923,[43] the VFL at the SCG in 1923, and again at Erskineville Oval by one point on 15 August 1925.[44]
The Australian National Football carnival of 1933 was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Several matches drew large crowds, particularly those involving New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and West Australia.
Following the successful interstate football carnival in 1933, a proposal by the New South Wales Rugby Leaguetoamalgamate Australian football and rugby league was investigated. A report, with a set of proposed rules known as Universal football, was prepared by the secretary of the NSWRL, Harold R. Miller, and sent to the Australian National Football Council. A trial game was held in secret, but plans were never instituted.
Three of the original NSWAFL clubs are still in existence and currently play in the Sydney AFL: North Shore, East Sydney (now UNSW-ES), and Balmain, but the league remained almost entirely amateur[clarification needed] with limited audience following and sponsorship.
World War II proved a massive setback for the code in Sydney; the government insisted that the league cease operations. Struggling Sydney clubs were propped up by visiting servicemen from traditional Australian rules states. Despite this, between 1953 and 1957, the game survived in parts of Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong. Several junior clubs and leagues were established.[45] The St. George and Sutherland Shire Junior Australian Football Association was established in southern Sydney and consisted of Penshurst Junior Australian Football Club (JAFC) Panthers, Miranda JAFC Bombers, St. Patrick's Ramsgate (later Ramsgate JAFC Rams), Heathcote JAFC Hawks, Cronulla JAFC Sharks, Peakhurst, Como-Jannali, Boys' Town, Cronulla Blues, and St. Patrick's Sutherland.
Top level VFL returned to the SCG on 14 June 1952 when Collingwood 10–12 (72) defeated Richmond 5–6 (36) in front of 24,174 spectators. However, the league would not return for another few decades.
The game was first played on the South Coast at a senior level in 1969.[46] There are eight teams that compete in the AFLSC senior's competition and 11 teams in the reserves. In terms of junior numbers, there has been a significant expansion since 1999.[47] AFL players originating from the South Coast include Arthur Chilcott, Aidan Riley, and Ed Barlow.[48]
The game was first played in the Coffs Harbour area as late as 1978. The North Coast Australian Football League was formed in 1982 and grew rapidly with up to eight clubs by 2000. In recent years, the number of clubs has declined due to Woolgoolga, Nambucca, Kempsey, and Urunga folding. North and South Coffs were forced to merge before the start of the 2015 season due to lack of player numbers.
In 1977, Ron Barassi proposed the VFL setting up a club in Sydney, which he offered to coach believing that it would help spread the code in the state.[49] The following year, the league investigated playing Sunday matches at the SCG.[50] The VFL scheduled 2 premiership matches for the SCG in 1979. One of them, between the previous year's grand finalists North Melbourne and Hawthorn, drew a record 31,395 to the gates. Researching and testing the market, the VFL scheduled four matches for the SCG in 1980 with an average attendance of 19,000. In April 1980, the VFL stated that its market study showed there was sufficient support for a Sydney team, finding that there was an increase in television ratings in Sydney and sustained attendance at matches and that it intended to have a team in Sydney, possibly as soon as 1982.[51] Fitzroy Lions, in a financial struggle, was prevented from conducting a feasibility study into the possibility of moving to North Sydney; a proposal was put forward, but was voted down by its board in 1980.[52]
A 1981 report by Graham Huggins concluded that there was an "untapped market in Sydney which represented an excellent opportunity for the league."[53] The report claimed that 60,000 people in Sydney had stated that they would regularly support the new club: 90% of these supporters would watch VFL on television from Sydney, 80% of these supporters had not attended rugby, and 92% believed that Australian rules could become popular in Sydney.[54] Following the report, the VFL announced that the league had decided to put a team in Sydney in 1982.[53] Financially struggling VFL club South Melbourne, fearing a missed opportunity to establish a new market, announced its decision to play all 1982 home games in Sydney. After playing, the VFL formally approved the Swans shift to Sydney on 29 July 1981,[55] becoming the first team based outside of Victoria.
In 1982, the club was renamed the Sydney Swans. The relocation of Swans from South Melbourne to Sydney included sponsorship away from the local Australian rules football clubs and leagues, and there was an initial decline in the sport locally. The Swans' debt, much of it to the AFL, not only hung over attempts to establish the Sydney Swans but now burdened Australian rules football in New South Wales.
During the 1980s there was a small increase in professional players recruited from Sydney, one of the highest profile of which was Russell Morris. Up to this point however the majority of the Swans players were either Victorian or from the Riverina. This began to change as the Swans were given a dedicated zone from which to recruit players from the local competition. One of the first locally recruited players was Mark Roberts who debuted in 1985.
On 31 July 1985, Dr. Geoffrey Edelsten, through Powerplay Limited, bought the Sydney Swans for $2.9 million[clarification needed] in cash with debt payments, funding and other payments spread over five years. Powerplay was floated and sold shares to supports and the public, but with only a licence for the team and debts, the uptake was poor. Within less than twelve months, Edelsten resigned as chairman, and by 1988, the licence was sold back to the VFL for just $10. The AFL appointed a board to operate the team in order to take control of the club's financial losses. Board members Mike Willesee and Craig Kimberley, together with Basil Sellers Peter Weinert as a consortium known as the Private Ownership Group, purchased the licence and operated the Sydney Swans until 1993, when the AFL again took over ownership of the team.
With substantial monetary and management support from the AFL, the Sydney Swans continued and with player draft concessions in the early 1990s, has fielded a competitive team throughout the decade. In 1996, the Swans lost the grand final to North Melbourne, which had been their first appearance in a grand final since 1945. The game was played in front of 93,102 at the MCG.
In 1999, the AFL established the AFL NSW/ACT Commission Limited to govern its expansion in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. The league began a push for a second team, with Sydney becoming the target for the proposed relocation of the North Melbourne Football Club. However, poor attendance at the club's home matches, low television viewership, and strong opposition from the Sydney Swans soon saw an end to the initiative.[56]
The culmination of the recent success was the 2005 premiership against the West Coast Eagles, played in front of 91,898 at the MCG, taking the flag to Sydney for the first time and breaking a 72-year drought for the club from when it was based in South Melbourne. It also broke the longest premiership drought in the history of the competition.[57]
In 2005, the AFL went on a Sydney-centric recruitment drive, offering a NSW scholarships program and young apprentice scheme.[58] By 2007, at least two of the NSW and ACT scholarship recipients had been officially promoted to AFL rookie lists, qualifying them for selection in the senior squad in the event of long-term injury to listed players.
In 2008, the AFL stated their intention to establish a second team in Sydney to be based in the western suburbs, as part of the expansion of the competition.
The Swans again came to prominence with the club's win in the 2012 AFL Grand Final.[59]
The Greater Western Sydney Giants were established in 2011, playing a season in the North East Australian Football League prior to commencing competition in the Australian Football League in 2012. The Giants struggled in their early years, winning only three games in their first two seasons, but since then, made gradual progress up the ladder, culminating in a Grand Final appearance in 2019.[60] Although the Giants have been somewhat successful on the field, despite more than $200 million in AFL investment, the club has made little impact in growing attendance, television viewership, or participation in the region.[61][62]
During the 2010s there was a dramatic increase in AFL players coming from the Sydney region, and in 2007, a total of 11 AFL players identified themselves as coming from this region.[63]
GWS was awarded a license for the inaugural AFL Women's season with the Sydney Swans, deciding not to bid for entry until later.[64]
Sydney was awarded a license in 2021 and made its debut in round 1 AFL Women's Season 7 match against St Kilda at the North Sydney Oval. It set a new record for a crowd in a stand-alone women's Australian rules football in New South Wales on 27 August 2022, with 8,264 in attendance.[65] In 2023, the Swans had the highest average home attendance of any club in the league, at 4,637 – over 500 clear of minor premiers Adelaide. This included a season-high attendance of 5,722 for their round nine clash against CollingwoodatHenson Park.[66][67] Also that season, the Swans conjured a remarkable turnaround; after going winless in its inaugural season in 2022, they finished eighth and defeated Gold Coast in its elimination final before losing to Adelaide by 67 points in the semi-final.[68]
Ausplay reported that there were 69,168 regular participants in Australian rules in New South Wales in 2019.[69]
While lower than the AFL reported figure for 2011 of 131,829 (which included the ACT and 41,626 Auskick registrations), the state has now eclipsed rugby union participation in New South Wales.[70]
In 2012, the figure was 148,230 people of which 48,965 were Auskick registrations.[71] In 2013, the number of Australian football participants in NSW, and the ACT had jumped up to 177,949, of which 47,888 were Auskick participants.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics "Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, Australia, Apr 2009" estimated 18,000 Australian rules football participants in NSW and 1,400 in the ACT.[72] The ABS used a small sample size of 20,126 private dwelling in obtaining their data of participation numbers for the 2011/12 season.[73]
In 2007, there were 7,225 senior players in NSW and the ACT and in 2006, a total of around 95,100 participants.[74] Although Australian rules football was one of the fastest growing sports in the state, the overall participation per capita was only about one percent, the lowest in Australia.[1][dead link]
2016 | 2019 | 2023 |
---|---|---|
51,177 | 69,168 | 71,481 |
In 2006, the Sydney Swans averaged 41,205 people through the gate per home match. In 2013, the average had decreased to 29,104, with the suggestion that this was partly due to the redevelopment of the Bradman Stand at the SCG.[75]
A number of notable players have been born in New South Wales or played the majority of their junior careers in New South Wales; many of these players have been from the traditional Australian rules football areas of Broken Hill or the Riverina. Australian football pioneers Tom Wills and H. C. A. Harrison were born in New South Wales in the 1830s.
Notable players from the Riverina include: Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend Haydn Bunton, Sr. (Albury), who was the first player born in New South Wales to win the Brownlow Medal and the Sandover Medal, in 1931 and 1938 respectively; Bill Mohr of Wagga who kicked 735 league goals; Paul Kelly from Wagga the first New South Welshman to win the Brownlow; Shane Crawford (Finley) who won the Brownlow in 1999; and Wayne Carey (Wagga), who won the Leigh Matthews Trophy twice in the 1990s. Notable players from Broken Hill include Dave Low, Robert Barnes and Bruce McGregor, who all won Magarey Medals in the 1910s and 1920s, and Jack Owens, a three-time South Australian National Football League (SANFL) leading goalkicker.
Players from Broken Hill include Steve Hywood one of the best back flankers ever to play the game,[76] Dean Solomon, Brent Staker, and Taylor Walker.
Many notable players have also been recruited from Sydney, with football having been played in the city since 1880, pre-dating other major sports.[77] Despite the lack of media attention the game has received, Sydney has still generated many players of high quality. Notable Sydneysiders have included: Jack Ashley (1914 Magarey medallist and Port Adelaide premiership player recruited from Balmain), Bob Merrick (a leading goal kicker in the 1920s recruited from East Sydney), Roger Duffy (1954 premiership player who was recruited from Newtown), Mark Maclure (multi-premiership player and Carlton FC captain), Michael Byrne (1983 premiership player with Hawthorn who was recruited from the Sydney club of North Shore), Mark Roberts (202-game AFL player from 1985 to 1999 who played junior football for Ramsgate AFC and senior football for St. George AFC before playing in the AFL for the Sydney Swans), Brisbane Bears, and North Melbourne, notably in their 1996 premiership, Greg Stafford (a 200-game player recruited from Western Suburbs in Sydney), Jarrad McVeigh (2012 AFL premiership captain) and his brother Mark (who played for Essendon), Lewis Roberts-Thomson (2005 and 2012 premiership player for the Swans) and Lenny Hayes (2010 Norm Smith Medallist), amongst others.[78]
This article is missing information about players. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (March 2023)
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Currently on an AFL senior list |
Player | NSW junior/senior club/s | Representative honours | AFL Draft | Pick | AFL Years | AFL Games | AFL (Goals) | Connections to NSW, Notes & References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caiden Cleary | Glebe Juniors, Sydney University, Sydney Swans Academy, Sydney | 2023 | #24 | 2024- | - | - | Raised in Sydney | |
Shadeau Brain | Finley | 2023 | Rookie (Category B) | 2024- | - | - | Raised in Finley | |
Connor O'Sullivan | St Patricks Junior, Thurgoona, Albury | U17 (NSW-ACT) | 2023 | #11 | 2024- | - | - | Raised in Albury |
Patrick Voss | Turvey Park, GWS Giants Academy | 2023 (Preseason) | 2024- | 3 | 2 | Raised in Wagga | ||
Harvey Thomas | Turvey Park, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2023 | #59 | 2024- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Wagga | |
Lachlan McAndrew | Manly-Warringah, St Augustine's College, Sydney Swans Academy, Sydney Swans reserves, Sydney | 2021 (Mid Season rookie) | Rookie (#12) | 2023- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Sydney | |
Marc Sheather | Pennant Hills, Sydney Swans Academy, Sydney | 2020 (Rookie) | Category B Rookie | 2023- | 2 | 1 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Jacob Bauer | Wollondilly Redbacks (U12), Western Suburbs (U17), Inner West Magpies, Sydney Swans Academy | 2022 (Mid Season rookie) | Rookie (#10) | 2023- | 1 | 0 | Raised in South Western Sydney | |
Harry Rowston | Griffith, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2022 | #16 | 2023- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Binya and Griffith | |
Tylar Young | North Albury | 2022 (Rookie) | Rookie (#26) | 2023- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Albury | |
Campbell Chesser | Lavington Panthers | 2022 | #14 | 2023- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Albury (Lavington) | |
Patrick Parnell | Albury | 2021 | Rookie (mid-season) | 2021- | 15 | 0 | Raised in Albury | |
Errol Gulden | Maroubra Saints, UNSW-Easts, Sydney | 2020 | #32 | 2021- | 40 | 32 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Matt Flynn | Narrandera, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2015 | #41 | 2021- | 24 | 9 | Raised in Narrandera and recruited from Sydney | |
Braeden Campbell | Westbrook, Pennant Hills, Sydney | 2020 | #5 | 2021- | 22 | 3 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Alex Davies | - | 2020 | Pre-draft selection | 2021- | 18 | 8 | Born in Wollongong | |
James Peatling | Pennant Hills, GWS Giants Academy, GWS Giants (VFL), Greater Western Sydney | 2021- | 29 | 10 | Raised in Western Sydney | |||
Cooper Sharman | Leeton-Whitton, GWS Giants Academy | Rookie | 2021- | 15 | 13 | Raised in Leeton | ||
Kieren Briggs | Pennant Hills, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2018 | #34 | 2021- | 9 | 3 | Raised in Sydney | |
Samson Ryan | Merimbula, Pambula | 2020 | #40 | 2021- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Pambula | |
Daniel Turner | Albury | 2021 (Rookie) | Rookie (#24) | 2021- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Albury | |
Nick Murray | Henty, Ganmain-Grong Grong Matong, GWS Giants Academy | 2021 (Pre season) | 2021- | 29 | 1 | Raised in Henty | ||
Matt Rowell | - | 2019 | #1 | 2020- | 42 | 10 | Born in Sydney | |
Luke Parks | St Ives, North Shore, Sydney Swans Academy | 2020 (Rookie) | Rookie (#8) | 2020-2021 | 6 | - | Raised in St Ives (Sydney) and recruited from Sydney | |
Sam Wicks | Manly Bombers, Sydney Swans Academy, Manly Warringah Wolves/Giants, Sydney | 2018 (Rookie) | Category B Rookie | 2019- | 70 | 19 | Born and raised in and recruited from Manly (Sydney) | |
Nick Blakey | East Sydney Bulldogs, UNSW-Easts, Sydney | 2018 | #10 | 2019- | 75 | 32 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Lachie Schultz | - | 2018 | #57 | 2019- | 75 | 32 | Raised in Moama | |
Tarryn Thomas | - | 2018 | #8 | 2019-2023 | 69 | 56 | Born and raised in Sydney | |
Jacob Koschitzke | Albury, GWS Giants Academy | 2018 | #53 | 2019- | 36 | 45 | Born, raised in and recruited from Albury | |
James Bell | Shellharbour Swans Junior, Sydney | 2017 | Category B Rookie | 2019- | 28 | 10 | Born, raised in and recruited from Shellharbour | |
Liam Stocker | - | 2018 | #19 | 2019- | 28 | 2 | Born in Sydney (Camperdown) | |
Zach Sproule | GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | Category B Rookie | 2019-2022 | 17 | 13 | Raised in Albury | |
Jarrod Brander | Wentworth District, Greater Western Sydney | 2017 | #13 | 2019-2022 | 27 | 9 | Raised in Wentworth | |
Michael Gibbons | Lavington | Rookie | 2019-2021 | 3 | 2 | Raised in Albury | ||
Doulton Langlands | North Albury | Rookie | 2019-2020 | 47 | 35 | Raised in Lavington | ||
Charlie Spargo | NSW/ACT Rams, Albury, GWS Giants Academy | 2017 | #29 | 2018- | 83 | 52 | Born, raised in and recruited from Albury | |
Esava Ratugolea | - | 2016 | #43 | 2018- | 59 | 38 | Born and raised in Griffith | |
Nick Shipley | St George, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2017 | #65 | 2018-2021 | 6 | 0 | Born and raised in Campbelltown | |
Josh Dunkley | - | 2015 | #25 | 2017- | 118 | 65 | Born in Sydney | |
Jack Buckley | Maroubra Saints, UNSW-Easts, Sydney Swans Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2017 | Category B Rookie | 2017- | 15 | - | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Harry Perryman | Collingullie-Glenfield Park, GWS Giants Academy | 2016 | #14 | 2017- | 70 | 19 | Born, raised in Collingullie and recruited from Sydney | |
Isaac Cumming | North Broken Hill, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #20 | 2017- | 23 | 1 | Raised in Broken Hill | |
Todd Marshall | GWS Giants Academy | 2016 | #16 | 2017- | 76 | 102 | Raised in Deniliquin | |
Jamaine Jones | - | 2016 | #48 | 2017- | 43 | 20 | Born in Broken Hill (Barkindji) | |
Will Setterfield | Albury, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #5 | 2017- | 36 | 10 | Raised in Albury | |
Max Lynch | Jindera, Albury | 2017 (Rookie) | Rookie (#15) | 2017- | 10 | 4 | Raised in Jindera and Albury | |
Ryan Garthwaite | Lavington Panthers, Corowa-Rutherglen | 2016 | #72 | 2017-2021 | 14 | 0 | Raised in Corowa | |
Ben Davis | UNSW-Easts, Sydney Swans Academy | 2016 | #75 | 2017- | 6 | 1 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Jake Stein | Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | Category B Rookie | 2017-2022 | 20 | 1 | Born, raised in and recruited from Penrith (Sydney) | |
Harry Himmelberg | Mangoplah-CUE, Greater Western Sydney | 2015 | #16 | 2016- | 126 | 149 | Born and raised in Wagga Wagga | |
Daniel Lloyd | Kilarney Vale, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 (Rookie) | Rookie (#26) | 2016- | 67 | 58 | Raised in and recruited from Central Coast | |
Callum Mills | Mosman Swans, North Shore, Sydney Swans Academy, Sydney | U18 (2014, 2015) | 2015 | #3 | 2016- | 132 | 17 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney |
Matthew Kennedy | Collingullie-Glenfield Park, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2015 | #13 | 2016- | 78 | 36 | Raised in Collingullie, recruited from Sydney | |
Jacob Hopper | Leeton-Whitton Crows, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2015 | #7 | 2016- | 114 | 42 | Born and raised in Leeton, recruited from Sydney | |
Isaac Heeney | Cardiff, Sydney Swans Academy, Sydney | 2014 | #18 | 2015- | 152 | 195 | Born in Maitland, raised in Newcastle, recruited from Sydney | |
Jeremy Finlayson | Culcairn Lions, Sydney Hills, Greater Western Sydney | 2014 | #69 | 2015- | 76 | 104 | Born in Jindera, raised in Culcairn, recruited from Sydney | |
Dougal Howard | - | 2014 | #56 | 2015- | 102 | 15 | Born and raised in Wagga Wagga | |
Aaron vandenBerg | Tathra | 2015 (Rookie) | Rookie (#2) | 2015- | 47 | 23 | Raised in Tathra | |
Sam Naismith | North Shore, Gunnedah, Sydney | 2013 (Rookie) | Rookie (#59) | 2014- | 30 | 3 | Born in Narrabri, raised in Gunnedah, recruited from Sydney | |
Jake Barrett | Temora, NSW/ACT Rams, Greater Western Sydney | 2013 | #97 | 2014-2018 | 23 | 19 | Raised in and recruited from Temora | |
Dane Rampe | UNSW-Easts, Sydney | 2013 (Rookie) | Rookie (#37) | 2013- | 214 | 7 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Zac Williams | Narrandera, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2013 (Rookie) | Rookie (#55) | 2013- | 127 | 32 | Born, raised in Normanhurst (Sydney), recruited from Sydney | |
Dan Robinson | NSW/ACT Rams, St Ignatius College, Riverview, Sydney | 2013 (Rookie) | Rookie (#51) | 2013-2018 | 25 | 6 | Raised in Sydney | |
Harry Cunningham | Turvey Park, Sydney | 2012 (Rookie) | Rookie (#93) | 2012- | 161 | 48 | Born, raised in and recruited from Wagga Wagga | |
Jarrod Witts | St Ives, Sydney University | 2011 | #67 | 2012- | 143 | 29 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Michael Hartley | Penrith | 2012 (Rookie) | Rookie (#87) | 2012-2021 | 49 | 2 | Born, raised in Sydney (Penrith) | |
Anthony Miles | Howlong, NSW/ACT Rams, Greater Western Sydney | Zone | 2012-2020 | 88 | 31 | Born in Albury, raised in and recruited from Howlong (Albury) | ||
Jacob Townsend | Leeton-Whitton, Greater Western Sydney | U16, U18 (2010) | Zone | 2012-2021 | 62 | 44 | Born and raised in Leeton | |
Kurt Aylett | Leeton-Whitton, Greater Western Sydney | Zone | 2012-2015 | 3 | 0 | Born and raised in Leeton | ||
Luke Breust | Temora | 2009 (Rookie) | Rookie (#47) | 2011- | 260 | 481 | Born, raised in and recruited from Temora | |
Taylor Duryea | NSW/ACT Rams | 2009 | #69 | 2010- | 173 | 25 | Raised in Corowa | |
Isaac Smith | Wagga Hawks, Wagga Tigers | 2010 | #19 | 2011- | 258 | 195 | Born in Young, raised in Cootamundra and Wagga Wagga | |
Taylor Walker | North Broken Hill, NSW/ACT Rams | 2007 | #75 | 2009- | 238 | 536 | Born, raised in and recruited from Broken Hill | |
Nic Naitanui | - | 2008 | #2 | 2009- | 213 | 112 | Born in Penrith | |
Tom Hawkins | Finley | 2006 | #41 (father-son) | 2007- | 327 | 732 | Born and raised in Finley | |
Matt Suckling | East Wagga-Kooringal, Wagga | 2007 (Rookie) | Rookie (#22) | 2007-2020 | 178 | 85 | Raised in Wagga | |
Dylan Addison | St George | U18 (2005) | 2005 | #27 | 2006-2015 | 93 | 30 | Raised in Sydney |
Daniel Pratt | - | 2000 | #42 | 2004-2011 | 119 | 10 | Born in Sydney | |
Mark Alvey | - | 1998-2005 | 59 | 31 | Raised in Curlwaa | |||
Darren Bennett | 1988 | #13 | 1987-1993 | 78 | 305 | Born in Sydney | ||
Billy Brownless | Jerilderie | 1998-1992, 1993 | 1986-1997 | 198 | 441 | Born and raised in Jerilderie | ||
Robert Anderson | Queanbeyan | 1980-1984 | 16 | 6 | Recruited from Queanbeyan | |||
Col Anderson | Mulwala | 1972 | 2 | 0 | Raised in Mulwala | |||
Alfred Andrew-Street | - | 1933-1934 | 6 | 0 | Born in Sydney (Bondi) | |||
Jack Anderson | Balldale | 1931-1933 | 42 | 46 | Raised in Balldale | |||
Doug Ayres | Newtown | 1927, 1930 | 1931 | 1 | 1 | Born and raised in Sydney (Randwick) | ||
Alby Anderson | Mangoplah, Royal Stars, Wagga United Football Association | 1924-1926 | 14 | 7 | Born and raised in Wagga | |||
Tim Archer | Mangoplah | 1923-1924 | 22 | 12 | Born and raised in Wagga | |||
George Anderson | - | 1911-1917 | 104 | 8 | Raised in Wagga | |||
Arthur Adamson | - | 1902-1903 | 28 | 0 | Born in Gulgong, recruited from Broken Hill | |||
Stan Enfield | - | 1897 | 3 | 3 | Born in Sydney |
Currently on an AFLW senior list |
Player | NSW junior/senior club/s | Representative honours | AFLW Draft | Selection | AFLW Years | AFLW Games | AFLW (Goals) | Connections to NSW, Notes & References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zara Hamilton | GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | - | - | - | Raised in Wagga | |||
Teagan Germech | Bathurst, East Coast Eagles, GWS Giants Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2023- | 1 | - | Raised in Bathurst | |||
Alice Mitchell | Pittwater, Mosman, Gunnedah, Sydney | 2023- | 1 | - | Raised in Sydney | |||
Tanya Kennedy | Inner West Magpies, UTS, Sydney | 2023- | 1 | - | Recruited from Sydney | |||
Brianna McFarlane | Lower Clarence | 2023- | 1 | - | Raised in Yamba | |||
Dominique Carruthers | North Shore, Macquarie University | 2023- | 1 | - | Raised in Sydney | |||
Madeline Hendrie | East Sydney, UNSW-Eastern Suburbs, Sydney Swans Academy | 2023- | 1 | - | Raised in Sydney | |||
Eleri Morris | Northern Districts, Wollongong, Inner West Magpies, GWS Giants Academy | 2023 | Supplementary (#13) | 2023- | 1 | - | Raised in and recruited from Illawarra | |
Isadora McLeay | Willoughby-Mosman, North Shore, Greater Western Sydney | 2023- | 3 | - | Raised in Sydney | |||
Jessica Doyle | Pittwater, Manly Warringah, Sydney Swans Academy, Greater Western Sydney | 2021 | #49 | 2022- | 24 | 12 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Zarlie Goldsworthy | Lavington Panthers, Western Magic, Greater Western Sydney | 2022 | #20 | 2022- | 18 | 16 | Raised in Albury | |
Eilish Sheerin | Inner West Magpies, Newtown Breakaways | 2022 | #58 | 2022- | 22 | 1 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Ella Heads | Inner West Magpies, Sydney Swans Academy, Sydney | 2022- | 22 | - | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |||
Grace Hill | UTS | 2022-2024 | 9 | - | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |||
Georgina Fowler | St Ives, East Coast Eagles, GWS Giants Academy | 2022- | 3 | - | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |||
Brodee Mowbray | Camden, Southern Power | 2022- | 12 | 3 | Raised in Camden, Greater Western Sydney | |||
Browdee Mowbray | Camden, Southern Power, Greater Western Sydney | 2022- | 20 | 4 | Raised in Sydney | |||
Ally Dallaway | East Coast Eagles, Greater Western Sydney | 2022- | 30 | - | Raised in Sydney | |||
Cambridge McCormick | Port Macquarie, Greater Western Sydney | 2022- | 18 | - | Raised in Port Macquarie | |||
Ally Morphett | East Wagga-Kooringal, Greater Western Sydney, Sydney | 2022- | 16 | 1 | Raised in Gumly Gumly (Wagga) | |||
Jasmine Simmons | North Broken Hill, Gol Gol | 2022- | 8 | - | Raised in Broken Hill | |||
Ruby Sargent-Wilson | Southern Power, Sydney Swans Academy | U18 (2019) | 2022- | 4 | - | Raised in and recruited from Wollongong (Woonona) | ||
Gabrielle Biedenweg-Webster | Wollongong | 2022- | 1 | 0 | Raised in Wollongong (Wiradjuri) | |||
Ruby Svarc | - | 2021- | 23 | 6 | Raised in Corowa | |||
Tarni Evans | Tathra, Queanbeyan, Greater Western Sydney | 2020 | #9 | 2021- | 19 | 1 | Raised in Tathra, recruited from Queanbeyan | |
Cathy Svarc | - | 2020- | 43 | 12 | Raised in Corowa | |||
Gabrielle Colvin | - | 2019 | #77 | 2020- | 25 | 0 | Raised in and recruited from Wagga Wagga | |
Lisa Steane | Nelson Bay, Greater Western Sydney, Sydney | 2019 | #23 | 2020- | 27 | 0 | Born, raised in and recruited from Nelson Bay | |
Georgia Garnett | East Coast Eagles, Greater Western Sydney | 2019 | #90 | 2020- | 24 | 7 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Brenna Tarrant | Emu Plains Glenmore Lions (juniors), Kellyville Rouse Hill Magpies (juniors), East Coast Eagles (seniors), Sydney | 2019 | #72 | 2020- | 25 | 1 | Raised in Blaxland (Blue Mountains), recruited from Sydney | |
Emily Goodsir | East Coast Eagles, Greater Western Sydney | 2019 | #76 | 2020- | 10 | 0 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Tarnee Tester | West Broken Hill | 2019 | #56 | 2020-2021 | 4 | 1 | Born and raised in Broken Hill (Barkindji) | |
Alyce Parker | Thurgoona, Greater Western Sydney | 2018 | #12 | 2019- | 42 | 4 | Raised in Holbrook, recruited from Thurgoona | |
Chloe Dalton | Greater Western Sydney | 2018 | Rookie | 2019- | 22 | 6 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Taylah Davies | Greater Western Sydney | Rookie | 2018- | - | - | Born, raised in and recruited from Wollongong | ||
Jodie Hicks | Greater Western Sydney | 2017 | #5 | 2018- | 30 | 4 | Born, raised in and recruited from Hay | |
Ashleigh Brazill | - | 2017 | #34 | 2018- | 24 | 4 | Born, raised in and recruited from Wollondilly (Sydney) | |
Sophie Casey | Holbrook, Riverina | 2016 | Free agent | 2017- | 53 | 2 | Raised in Holbrook, recruited from Wagga Wagga | |
Rebecca Beeson | UNSW-Eastern Suburbs, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #32 | 2017- | 41 | 7 | Born in Sydney, raised on Central Coast | |
Erin McKinnon | Mosman, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #48 | 2017- | 46 | 1 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Nicola Barr | Sydney University, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #1 | 2017- | 48 | 9 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Maddy Collier | UNSW-Eastern Suburbs, Greater Western Sydney, Sydney | 2016 | Priority | 2017- | 39 | 3 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Haneen Zreika | Auburn-Penrith Giants, Greater Western Sydney | 2017 (Rookie) | Rookie (#1) | 2017- | 39 | 7 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Hannah Dunn | Queanbeyan, Greater Western Sydney | Backup | 2017- | 35 | 0 | Recruited from Queanbeyan | ||
Leah Kaslar | - | 2016 | #31 | 2017-2021 | 36 | 3 | Born Caringbah (Sydney) | |
Ellie Brush | Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | Rookie | 2017-2020 | 20 | 1 | Recruited from Sydney | |
Amanda Farrugia | Macquarie University, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #64 | 2017-2019 | 21 | 2 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Renee Tomkins | Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #96 | 2017-2019 | 12 | 0 | Born, raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Nikki Wallace | Sawtell Toormina Saints | 2016 | #114 | 2017 | 8 | 0 | Raised in Coffs Harbour | |
Kristy De Pellegrini | Southern Power, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #81 | 2017 | 6 | 0 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Stephanie Walker | Sydney University, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | #113 | 2017 | 3 | 1 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney | |
Codie Briggs | Newtown, Greater Western Sydney | 2016 | Free agent | 2017 | 3 | 0 | Raised in and recruited from Sydney |
The New South Wales representative team, nicknamed the Blues, played Interstate matches against other Australian states and Territories. The team wore a blue uniform with a Waratah symbol badge and, until the 1970s, was the only representative team to buck the trend of sleeveless guernseys fit with the fashions in rugby. The Blues defeated the Victoria team in 1923 and again in 1990 under State of Origin rules at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Its final appearance was at the 1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival.
In 1993, the game's new governing body, the AFL Commission created a composite team with the Australian Capital Territory, the NSW/ACT Rams. Notable New South Welshmen in this team included Wayne Carey and Brownlow Medalist Shane Crawford. Senior players have not represented the state since.
NSW was an inaugural participant in the National underage titles. It competed from 1993 to 2016 as NSW/ACT, after which it was dropped from the national championships and instead now competes in the TAC Cup.
The following venues are the largest that meet AFL Standard criteria and have been used to host AFL (National Standard) or AFLW level matches (Regional Standard) and have hosted such matches in the last decade:[79]
Sydney | Sydney | Sydney |
---|---|---|
Stadium Australia | Sydney Cricket Ground | Sydney Showground Stadium |
Capacity: 82,500 | Capacity: 48,000 | Capacity: 25,500 |
Record: 72,393 (2003)[80] | Record: 46,323 (2017)[81] | Record: 21,924 (2013)[82] |
Sydney | Sydney | Albury |
Henson Park | North Sydney Oval | Lavington Sports Ground |
Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 16,000 | Capacity: 13,000 |
Record: 5,722 (2023)[83] | Record: 9,654 (2005)[84] | Record: 20,169* (2013)[85] |
Wagga Wagga | Western Sydney | Sydney |
Robertson Oval | Blacktown ISP Oval | Drummoyne Oval |
Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 6,000 |
Record: 7,944 (2014)[86] | Record: 10,000* (2011)[87] | Record: 4,952 (2018)[88] |
Western Sydney | ||
Tom Wills Oval | ||
Capacity: 3,000 | ||
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