Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / AFL NT CEO Sam Gibson explains what’s in store this footy season including a new women's Tiwi/Tracy Village team

Transcript

AFL NT CEO Sam Gibson explains what’s in store this footy season including a new women's Tiwi/Tracy Village team · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: But by Thursday, surely we should just be talking about sport,
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: particularly when the AFL season here in the Northern Territory
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: is about to kick off. And joining me on the
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: line right now is AFL t CEO Sam Gibson. Good
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: morning to you, Sam.
• 0:15
  Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. Thanks for having me.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Oh mate, great to have you on the show and
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: great to see that foot is back kicking off? Is
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: it tomorrow night.
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: At East Tomorrow night? We've got the national comp out
• 0:26
  Speaker 2: of the way and we can get into the ChFL now.
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: And what bitter way to kick off than Grand Final
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: rematch War's Saint Mary's down at Garden's Oval.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: Oh, that'll be an absolute cracker, no doubt about it.
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, Look it'll be. It'll be a more competitive match
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: in the AFL Grand Final.
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: Actually, yeah, ended up the old AFL Grand Final, didn't
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: The Cats, you know, just thump them.
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: But it was a bit of a surprise. I thought
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: I thought of very closer than that. But I think
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: that's I think that's four Grand finals in a row
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: that have been a bit of blowout in the national competition,
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: so you know, hopefully we'll get some close ones in
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: the future.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt and I'm sure that well with the
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: NTFL it will be closer, much closer matches. Mate, how
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: did the launch go last night?
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: Look, yeah, we haven't launched the season formerly yet, but
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: obviously been working with their clubs and stakeholders pretty closely
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: for the last couple of months to set things up.
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: And there's been a lot of well not a lot
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: of change, but certainly some changes in the competition this
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: year with PINT coming into the Men's Premier League and
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: Tee Wee joining up with Tracy Village in the formation
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: of a Women's Premier League team. So got a lot
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: of work done with people over the last couple of
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: months and we're it's excited, but it's almost upon us.
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: Yeah, hey, talk me through Pint coming into the Men's
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: Premier League and you know what sort of has to happen,
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: I guess from from your perspective in terms of supporting them,
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: you know, to make sure that as they integrate into
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: into the Premier League that it all goes quite smoothly.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, it hasn't just happened overnight. It might have
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: been in the Women's Premier League for a number of
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: years and have actually won one of those competitions, which
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: probably shows you know, how well they are set up
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: as a club. We step through a pretty sort of
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: rigorous process with them around you know, how they how
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: they structured up as the club, and their financial sustainability
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: and you know, their plans into the future around you
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: on and off field sorts of things, and what what
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: sort of became pre you apparent to us that was
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: that you know, as a club, they're really they're really
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: quite good, They're quite professional, They've got a lot of
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: good stuff in place, and and you know, we've provided
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: them with some some point concession the player point concessions
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: this year which will which will hopefully help them be
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: really competitive. So you know, we're pretty confident in them,
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: you know, based on the least profile they have and
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: what they do off the field, and.
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: Is it a pretty important step do you reckon four
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: pint in the sense that you know you've sort of
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: got juniors coming up through the ranks and when it
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: comes to those pathways within a club.
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah, junior pathways is one of the things were really
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: honed in on with them, and they've done a lot
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: of work in the last few years in creating os
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: kick and tens and twelve and these sorts of things.
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: And you know, as you know, like you if you're
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: playing at a club and you know they're they're sort
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: of their top level, isn't the premier level? That can
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: sort of create a little bit of uncertainty for people
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: and family. So you want to be able to see
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: your pathway, be it be it directly with that club
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: or in conjunction with another. So you know, for Pints
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: to round out the pathway into the Premier League. Now
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: that will give their sort of better juniors a bit
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: of hype that they can continue.
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: Yeah, hey, I'm talking through that change that you mentioned
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: as well. When it comes to the women's competition, which
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: team was that?
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: So seawhere have come in. What we've actually been able
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: to achieve is a complete alignment between the men's and
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: women's Premier League competitions, so all of the teams are
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: now the same, which on game. They create this opportunity
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: for our clubs to have Premier League men, Premier League reserves,
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: and Premier League women all sort of playing in and
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: around each other, which it's like footy down south. It
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: creates this great opportunity for clubs to do what they
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: do best. Which has created these great social environments for
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: their people. So part of that is, yes, Tea were
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: joining forces with Tracy Village to come into the comp
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: petition for the first time, and we're really confident that
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: it's obviously a bit of elite for tee wee football
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: having not been involved in the competition. It's a good
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: It was a good competition with Tracy Village to ensure
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: that the pathway remains for their women. You know from
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: all reports, I've got a few bit of talent between
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: between the two of them running onto the park this weekend,
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: So that's that's a really exciting addition to the to
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: the women's pathway.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that sounds awesome and one of the other big
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: things obviously that seems to be happening. I guess it
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: always does, but there seems to be some massive names
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: this year, some fantastic players coming to take part at
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: different times throughout the season in the men's Premier League.
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it does seem to happen a year in year
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: out that we probably haven't had what we've had this
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: year in the past. For Gary Ablet to be committed
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: to coming up and playing at least game in mid
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: November is he is pretty spectacular. I mean he'd be
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: one of the best players of the modern era to
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: play the game nationally and you know, in conjunction with
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: you know, his ex teammate Mattie Stokes and playing with
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: Eddie Betts and a few other x AFL players as
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: part of the Palmston team who will play Saint Mary.
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: He's on a on a Friday night at how I
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: mean that that gives me the competition a real shot
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: in the arm. And whilst it's not a you know,
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: he's not going to be around all year and we
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: won't see him on Grand Final day, I would think that,
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: you know, at the same time, nationally he gives the
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: competition a shot in the arm and then then roped
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: down into the grassroots for juniors and local players to
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: be engaging with these sorts of players is really good
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: for them as well.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: Sam, Let's talk about about those juniors and about the
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: grassroots stuff. When do the juniors kick up and how
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: are those numbers looking?
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: Yes, kick off in a few weeks and we're just
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: finalizing with the clubs the their sort of junior team entries.
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: Look it, it's been a massive growth area for us
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: for the last few years, in particular in the in
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: the girls space, women and girls football across the territory, sorry,
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: across the top end, austraen eighty five percent in the
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: last two years. Wow, you know, and that the majority
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: of that has been through the junior and youth grade.
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: So you know, our big challenge now is trying to
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: find enough grounds and improving the venues that we have
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: and supporting our club volunteers who who make it work
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: for them. And you know, with that growth coming through,
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: it's you know, it's a tough gig that they have
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: week in wake out to make it happen. And we're
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: playing football six days a week now, which you know
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: is quite unique. But you know that that's that's great
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: for the game, it's great, great for the future game.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: But you know we've got to make sure that we're
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: investing in it appropriately as well.
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's massive, I mean an eighty five percent increase
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: in the last few years. That like, that's phenomenal when
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: you talk about young girls picking up a football and
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: deciding to play.
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, well it's great, it really is. And obviously the
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: afl W nationally has has been great for shining the
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: light on what women can do in our game, and
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: then a lot of work is done, you know by
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: seeing it's clubs over the last probably five or so
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: years to set the pathways up and you know, the
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: structures to enable that. You know, we've got you know
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: a number of territory girls playing in that competition now,
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: and you know there's a fever bit of talent through
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: the ranks. So we're going to see you know, that
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: started start to really inject itself into the national competition
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: and and you know, I think we're we're about across
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: the territory as a percentage of our player registrations, it's
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: about thirty five percent now who are women and girl.
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: So's that's a really high percentage when you consider the
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: history of the game.
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: Yeah, how wonderful. I think it's fantastic to see. And
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: I know that we've had some of our umpires from
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: the Northern Territory doing phenomenally well around the nation as well.
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: Yeah we have. Yeah, it's another pathway. I think that
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: that we need to celebrate. And you know, having three
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: upires now officiating the l W competition over the last
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: few weeks, I mean, that's that's fantastic and you know
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: what a great experience that they're all pretty young. You
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: know what a great experience for them to travel down
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: and associate at the highest level at at Marvel Stadium
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: or brought down in Adelaide, and you know they bring
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: that back to the territory for this season and hopefully
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: inspire a few others to you know, take on what
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: can be pretty challenging role. As I'm pouring again.
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: Yeah, all good stuff. Will Sam Gibson, the af l
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: NTC are really good to catch up with you this
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: morning and and speak further about what is going on
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: this year or this season, I should say, when it
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: comes to footy. No doubt we'll talk again over the
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: coming weeks. Thanks, good on you, Thank you,