Speaking at the announcement on Monday of a tour by a team of indigenous teenagers to South Africa next month for a three-match series against local youngsters, Demetriou said: "I think it's inevitable."
"It would be terrific if that happened and what a great thing it would be. Their skill set and natural affinity to our game is quite extraordinary.
"Their athletes show incredible potential and a lot of similarities with our indigenous players in the way that they take to the game. They've got a natural aptitude for the game which is really remarkable."
Former Brisbane and Essendon forward Damian Cupido is a product of South Africa - born in Cape Town and raised in Australia from the age of six - and AFL Game Development Manager David Matthews said plans are in place to discover and nurture more like him.
"AFL South Africa has an objective of trying to get a player in the AFL competition within the next three to four years, and we're really keen to see what Michael (Long) and Adam Goodes think of the talent and the way in which they're coached," Matthews said.
"What we see with this trip is a really unique opportunity to link both what we're doing internationally with what we're doing domestically with our indigenous programs.
Long, who recently stood down as the AFL's Indigenous Programs manager, and Goodes, a 2003 Brownlow Medalist and a member of Sydney's 2005 premiership line-up, are leading the two-week tour starting on February 19.
Matthews said he believed regular competition at junior level between Australia and South Africa could be just "a couple of years" away.
"We want to determine the feasibility of bringing South Africa in as a third country initially at Under-17 level in our International Rules Series against Ireland, and we think that is a game they'll be most suited to.
"This is a game that appeals to the black and coloured communities over there and it's a game that provides them with an opportunity that at the moment other sports aren't providing.
"And it is a game that is being used as a vehicle to achieve better outcomes," he said.
