The AFL wishes to advise the annual AFL National Female Diversity Championships will begin today in Byron Bay, New South Wales.
Providing a pathway into the Rio Tinto AFL Woomeras and Medleys programs, the Female Diversity Championships will see over 200 participants from Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds come together to compete at the week-long tournament.
Currently in its second year, the 2017 AFL National Female Diversity Championships will encompass the Rio Tinto AFL National Under-15 Kickstart program, which has been running for five years, and the Australia Post AFL National Under-15 All Nations Cup.
AFL General Manager Game Development, Andrew Dillon, said the 2017 AFL National Female Diversity Championships will again incorporate participants from both Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds across fourteen teams representing all states and territories.
“With the great response to the national NAB AFL Women’s competition, these championships will showcase the talent of aspiring young female footballers with Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds from across the country,” Mr. Dillon said.
“Not only does the Championships provide players with the chance to showcase their talent and engage in a number of educations sessions, it also provides development opportunities for those in the Diversity Umpiring Academy.
“Having Brisbane Lions’ Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Ally Anderson, Fremantle’s Akec Chuot, Adelaide Crows’ Tayla Thorn, GWS Giants’ Codie Briggs, Carlton’s Natalie Plane and Melbourne’s Emma Humphries involved, will allow the young participants the opportunity to engage with elite NAB AFL Women’s players who are role models to so many.”
Managing Director Rio Tinto Australia, Joanne Farrell said:
“We are enormously proud of our partnership with the AFL supporting their Indigenous programs, which are now reaching more young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than ever before,” Ms. Farrell said.
“With the creation and success of the NAB AFL Women’s competition we look forward to seeing many more young Indigenous women fulfil their AFL dream, while also developing important skills for success off the field.”
Each respective Grand Final will be held on Friday 13 October at Cavanbah Sports Centre in Byron Bay, with the official closing ceremony to follow.
Twenty-five of the best performing participants from the Rio Tinto AFL National Kickstart Championships will be selected to represent the Rio Tinto AFL Woomeras team, and twenty-five of the best performers from the Australia Post AFL National All Nations Cup will be selected to represent the Medleys.
The selection panel will feature Katriina Heikkanen (AFL), Chris Johnson (AFL Victoria) and Richie Lyons (AFL Queensland).
2017 AFL National Female Diversity Championships Fixture
Monday 9 October
6:30pm: Opening Ceremony at Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay.
Tuesday October 10
(Kickstart matches at Oval 1, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – SA v VIC
9.00am – WA v NSW/ACT
10.00am – QLD v NT
11.00am – NSW/ACT v VIC
2.00pm – TAS v NT
3.00pm – WA v SA
4.00pm – TAS v VIC
Tuesday October 10
(All Nation matches at Oval 2, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – TAS v VIC
9.00am – WA v SA
10.00am – TAS v NT
11.00am – VIC v NSW/ACT
2.00pm – NT v QLD
3.00pm – WA v NSW/ACT
4.00pm – SA v VIC
Wednesday October 11
(Kickstart matches at Oval 1, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – QLD v VIC
9.00am – TAS v SA
10.00am – WA v NT
11.00am – QLD v NSW/ACT
2.00pm – SA v NT
3.00pm – NSW/ACT v TAS
4.00pm – QLD v WA
Wednesday October 11
(All Nation matches at Oval 2, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – NSW/ACT v TAS
9.00am – SA v NT
10.00am – QLD v NSW/ACT
11.00am – WA v NT
2.00pm – QLD v VIC
3.00pm – TAS v SA
4.00pm – WA v QLD
Thursday October 12
(Kickstart matches at Oval 1, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – QLD v SA
9.00am – TAS v WA
10.00am – NT v NSW/ACT
11.00am – VIC v WA
2.00pm – TAS v QLD
3.00pm – NT v VIC
4.00pm – NSW/ACT v SA
Thursday October 12
(All Nation matches at Oval 2, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – NT v VIC
9.00am – NSW/ACT v SA
10.00am – WA v VIC
11.00am – TAS v QLD
2.00pm – NT v NSW/ACT
3.00pm – QLD v SA
4.00pm – TAS v WA
Friday October 13
(Matches at Oval 1, Cavanbah Centre, Byron Bay)
8.00am – All Nations Grand Final
9.00am – Kickstart Grand Final
10.00am – Championship Presentation
Rio Tinto is the principal partner to all of the AFL’s Indigenous Programs. Rio Tinto is one of Australia’s largest employers of Indigenous people, employing some 1600 Aboriginal men and women across the nation.
Australia Post is the principal partner to all of the AFL’s Multicultural Programs.
