Australian rules football has been introduced to a wide range of places around Australia and the world since the code's inception in 1848. Much of this expansion can be directly attributed to exhibition matches in countries where the code has been played as a demonstration sport. The Big Men Fly - high marking is a key skill and spectator attribute of Aussie Rules Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the most important skill in Aussie Rules Footy Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy... An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no gain or loss from whether the competitors are victorious are not in any competition. ... A demonstration sport is a sport which is played in order to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also on other sporting events. ...

International expansion

After the 1960s, the Victorian Football League, realising that finding new markets were essential to the prosperity of the competition began to belatedly pursue a series of international exhibition matches to raise the profile of the game overseas. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The Victorian Football League, formerly known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA), is a second-tier Australian rules football league. ...

The longest and most persistent of these was Great Britain, which was seen as an opportunity primarily due to the high number of ex-patriate Australians living there, and the availability of cricket grounds. For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ...

Serious efforts to grow the game were not realised until the 1980s. Games played in this decade began to spawn infant leagues in Japan named the "Aussie Bowl", the United States of America and Canada, which have since been represented at the Australian Football International Cup in 2002 and 2005. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Australian Football International Cup is an international Australian rules football competition hosted by the Australian Football League. ...

During the 1990s, regular exhibition matches became part of the growth strategy of the renamed Australian Football League, which began to realise that the effects of globalisation would threaten the future of the sport in the face of world sports like soccer. The focus of the AFL in this decade was New Zealand and South Africa. See also 1990s, the band Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... The Australian Football League (AFL) is the Australian national competition in the sport of Australian rules football. ... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ...

Future International Australian Football exhibition matches

Exhibition matches are regularly scheduled for The Oval in London, which has in the past been an event for ex-patriate Australians. The event has been annual as the "AFL Challenge Trophy" since 2002 and although it has not always been annual event, a small amount of interest in the games has grown amongst locals. The famous gasometers, which are now listed buildings. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Since sell-out game in Los Angeles, USA in early 2006, club officials of the Sydney Swans have called for regular games (similar to the London matches) including the possibility of a premiership match. Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ...

The WAFL has also announced intentions to play an exhibition match in Mumbai, India in late 2006 between the grand finalists. [1] The West Australian Football League (WAFL) (pronounced waffle) is the premier state based Australian rules football league in Western Australia. ... Mumbai (IPA: ,Marathi: मुंबई), formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, and the most populous city of India, with an estimated population of about 13 million (as of 2006)[1]. Mumbai is located on Salsette Island, off the west coast of Maharashtra. ...

In November 2005, AFL club Melbourne made an announcement that it was investigating playing an exhibition match in 2006 or 2007 in the Chinese metropolis Tianjin, with Beijing or Shanghai possible alternative hosts. [2] The Melbourne Football Club (MFC), nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: TiānjÄ«n; Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is one of the four municipalities of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Beijing [English Pronunciation] (Chinese: 北京 [Chinese Pronunciation]; Pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ), a city in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Shanghai (Chinese: ; pinyin:  ; Shanghainese: ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the largest city of the Peoples Republic of China and the eighth largest in the world. ...

In February 2006, AFL club Essendon's CEO indicated the possibility of an exhibition match in Japan in 2007 to mark 20 years since the last Aussie Bowl between the Bombers and Hawthorn. [3] Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ...

History of official International Australian rules football exhibition matches

Sources : International Australian Football Council, SurreyCricket.com London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... The famous gasometers, which are now listed buildings. ... The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League with a rich history. ... The Port Adelaide Football Club, often referred to as simply Port, is an Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. ... Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area    - City 1,290. ... Binomial name Ucla xenogrammus Holleman, 1993 The largemouth triplefin, Ucla xenogrammus, is a fish of the family Tripterygiidae and only member of the genus Ucla, found in the Pacific Ocean from Viet Nam, the Philippines, Palau and the Caroline Islands to Papua New Guinea, Australia (including Christmas Island), and the... Kangaroos Football Club logo The North Melbourne Football Club, trading as the Kangaroos Football Club, and informally known as the Shinboners or the Kangaroos plays Australian rules football in the Australian Football League. ... The Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... The famous gasometers, which are now listed buildings. ... Alwyn Davey, the younger brother of electrifying Melbourne speedster Aaron, is set to start pre-season training with the Demons in the hope of being selected by an AFL club in the upcoming drafts. ... Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers and known unofficially as the Fremantle Dockers and informally as Freo, is one of 16 teams in the Australian Football League. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... The famous gasometers, which are now listed buildings. ... The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies after the black and white striped guernseys worn by the players, is an Australian rules football club, playing in the elite Australian Football League. ... Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers and known unofficially as the Fremantle Dockers and informally as Freo, is one of 16 teams in the Australian Football League. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... The famous gasometers, which are now listed buildings. ... The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. ... Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke in Māori) is the capital of New Zealand, the countrys second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. ... External shot of the main entrance to Westpac Stadium, emphasising the Cake Tin aspect. ... The Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club (the trading name for the Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy Football Club) are an Australian Football League club based in Brisbane, Queensland. ... The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed chokers, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Adelaide, South Australia. ... The Melbourne Football Club (MFC), nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League, based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... The Western Bulldogs, formerly known, and occasionally still referred to, as the Footscray Football Club, is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based at the Whitten Oval in Footscray, an inner western suburb of Melbourne. ... The Hawthorn Hawks are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. ... For more coverage of cricket, go to the Cricket portal. ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2... The Carlton Football Club is one of the oldest and most successful Australian rules football clubs. ... The Auckland Metropolitan Area, or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest urban area in New Zealand. ... Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown, PDX Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Mayor Tom Potter Area    - City 376. ... PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium, a name still used by locals; originally Multnomah Stadium) is a stadium located in Portland, Oregon. ... Rogers Centre, also known by its original name SkyDome,[1] is a multi-purpose stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower near the shores of Lake Ontario. ... This article is about the city in Florida. ... Dolphins Stadium (originally named such, later named Joe Robbie Stadium and then Pro Player Stadium, and now back to Dolphins Stadium) is an American football and baseball stadium in Miami, Florida. ... Varsity Stadium was a collegiate stadium, primarily used for Canadian football, but occasionally playing host to soccer and other events, that was situated on the grounds of the University of Toronto on Bloor Street West, roughly at its intersection with St. ... Vancouver (pronounced: ) is a city in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. ... The North Melbourne Football Club, trading as the Kangaroos, and informally known as the Shinboners or the Kangaroos Football Club plays Australian rules football in the Australian Football League. ... BC Place Stadium is Canadas first domed stadium. ... Tokyo , literally Eastern capital)   is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, the home of the Japanese Imperial Family, and the de facto[1] capital of Japan. ... Yokohama Stadium is a stadium in Yokohama, Japan. ...

Interstate expansion

Australian rules football was introduced early in the 1880s to most of the states of Australia through a series of exhibition matches.

Leagues quickly formed in all states, and in many of these states, the code has become the most popular sport.

Although drawing significant crowds and interest early, the states of Queensland and New South Wales elected at official level to adopt the rugby codes in 1908. This was widely recognised as being due to the game's association with the tag "Melbourne Rules" or "Victorian Rules" and the fierce rivalry that Sydney has with Melbourne. With a lack of players, and grounds, support for Australian rules football decreased dramatically. Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Const. ... Emblems: Floral - Waratah (Telopea speciosissima); Bird - Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas); Animal - Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus); Fish - Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Const. ... Rugby football, often just referred to as rugby, refers to sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School in England. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Melbournes Yarra River is a popular area for walking, jogging, cycling, rowing and for relaxing on the banks with a picnic Melbourne (pronounced either or [1]) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ...

Support in these states has since grown in recent years, with "Australian Rules" gaining the status of national sport and local clubs established in the national competition in both Queensland and New South Wales during 1980s. Although the game is followed by the majority of the Australian population and states, there are still many in New South Wales (the most populous state) that associate the game with Melbourne or "the game they play in Victoria". For other states without teams in the national competition, the AFL has tried to maintain participation through regular exhibition games. Map of the World showing the most popular sports by nation. ...

Regional AFL exhibition matches

In 2005, to bring the game to regional centres, the AFL began a series of pre-season practice matches before the Wizard Cup called the Wizard Regional Challenge Series. The Wizard Home Loans Cup (commonly just Wizard Cup) is the pre-season/night series competition of the Australian Football League. ...

The 2005 series included such Morwell, Port Lincoln, Joondalup, Lavington, Carrara, Alice Springs, Newcastle and Bendigo with a total attendance of 117,552. Features of the competition included a game between Collingwood vs Sydney in Newcastle in front of 5,002 spectators and Essendon vs Geelong in Bendigo in front of 13,000. Morwell is a large country town in the Gippsland area of eastern Victoria. ... Port Lincoln (postcode 5606) is a small city of 15,000 people in the Australian state of South Australia. ... . Joondalup is a suburban centre 26 km north of Perths centre, and a Local Government Area of Western Australia. ... Lavington is a northern suburb of Albury, New South Wales, Australia about 20 km squared in area and a population of about 15 000 people. ... Carrara is a suburb of the Gold Coast, Australia. ... Alice Springs CBD, NT Alice Springs is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at . ... Newcastle CBD Newcastle is the sixth largest and the second oldest city in Australia and the second largest in the state of New South Wales. ... Bendigo is a regional city in central Victoria, Australia, located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ...

AFL exhibition matches played in New South Wales

See Australian rules football in New South Wales

Although the Sydney Swans Australian football club are based in Sydney, the AFL holds an annual exhibition match between the Essendon Bombers and Sydney Swans at the North Sydney Oval. Regional NAB Challenge matches have been played in Newcastle and Wollongong. Australian rules football has been played in New South Wales since the 1870s, however it has a troubled history in the state, suffering heavily from sporting politics and currently lags in popularity behind rugby league, rugby union and soccer. ... The Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... Essendon Football Club logo Essendon Football Club is an Australian Rules Football club that is part of the Australian Football League. ... North Sydney Oval is a multi-use sporting facility primarily used for Rugby League (as home ground of the North Sydney Bears) and Rugby Union but is also utilised for Cricket, Australian Rules Football and Soccer. ... Newcastle CBD Newcastle is the sixth largest and the second oldest city in Australia and the second largest in the state of New South Wales. ... Wollongong is an industrial city located on the eastern coast of Australia in the state of New South Wales. ...

AFL exhibition matches played in Canberra/ACT

See Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory

With no team in the national competition, and heavy competition with both rugby league and rugby union, the VFL/AFL has long shown interest in the nation's capital, largest inland city and 8th largest urban area. The city of Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory, formed in the 1920s and due to proximity generally followed the lead of New South Wales to adopt rugby league, but later adopted Rugby Union after the success of the ACT Brumbies. Since 2001, the Kangaroos Football Club have been working to build up a local supporter base by playing home games at Manuka Oval [4]. Crowds at Manuka have averaged around 10,000, with a record of 14,891 set in 2004 for the Kangaroos vs Sydney Swans. Australian Rules football is a popular team and spectator sport played in the Australian state of the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. ... Rugby league is a team sport played by two teams of 17 players, with 13 on the field at any one time and 4 on the bench (reserves). ... A rugby union scrum. ... Emblems: The floral emblem of the ACT is the Royal Bluebell and the faunal emblem is the Gang-gang cockatoo Motto: For the Queen, the Law and the People Slogan or Nickname: (none) Other Australian states and territories Capital Canberra Government Const. ... Rugby league is a team sport played by two teams of 17 players, with 13 on the field at any one time and 4 on the bench (reserves). ... A rugby union scrum. ... The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberras hinterland. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The North Melbourne Football Club, trading as the Kangaroos, and informally known as the Shinboners or the Kangaroos Football Club plays Australian rules football in the Australian Football League. ... Manuka Oval hosts AFL matches in winter and cricket in summer. ...

AFL exhibition matches played in Northern Territory

See Australian rules football in the Northern Territory

With no team in the national competition, and heavy competition with rugby league, the VFL/AFL has maintained a strong following in the Northern Territory through exhibition matches. Like the Kangaroos in Canberra, the Western Bulldogs have recently expermented with home games in Darwin at Marrara Oval. Other exhibition matches have included the Aboriginal All-Stars in pre-season practice matches against various AFL clubs. The games at Marrara have averaged about 10,000 spectators, with a record of 17,500 witnessing the Aboriginal All-Stars vs Carlton match in 2002. Alice Springs has also hosted pre-season matches. In 2004, an AFL pre-season Regional Challenge match between Collingwood Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club at Traeger Park attracted a sell-out crowd of 10,000. Editing Australian rules football in the Northern Territory has a history dating back to the 1910s and is the most popular sport in the state. ... Rugby league is a team sport played by two teams of 17 players, with 13 on the field at any one time and 4 on the bench (reserves). ... The Western Bulldogs, formerly known, and occasionally still referred to, as the Footscray Football Club, is an Australian Football League (AFL) club based at the Whitten Oval in Footscray, an inner western suburb of Melbourne. ... Marrara Oval is a sports ground in Darwin, Australia Hosted two cricket Tests 2003-04 ... The ATSIC Aboriginal All-Stars are an Australian rules football team composed purely of indigenous Australians. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of... The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies after the black and white striped guernseys worn by the players, is an Australian rules football club, playing in the elite Australian Football League. ... The Port Adelaide Football Club, often referred to as simply Port, is an Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. ... Traeger Park is a small stadium located in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. ...

AFL exhibition matches played in Queensland

Before the advent of the Brisbane Bears, VFL/AFL exhibition matches were occasionally played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. Exhibition matches have more recently been played in the Gold Coast and Cairns. Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Const. ... The Brisbane Bears Football Club was the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League. ... The Brisbane Cricket Ground, colloquially The Gabba, is a major sports arena in the Queensland capital of Brisbane. ... Gold Coast City is located in the South-east corner of Queensland, Australia. ... Cairns is a regional city located in far north Queensland, Australia. ...

See Australian Rules football in Queensland

Australian Rules football is a rapidly growing team and popular spectator sport played in the Australian state of Queensland. ...

AFL exhibition matches played in Tasmania

See Australian rules football in Tasmania

Australian rules football is very popular in Tasmania, however there is no team in the national competition due to lack of corporate spornsorship. The population is sparsely spread and possibly not able to support an AFL team despite several bids and backing of the Tasmanian government. The Tasmanian Devils were recently created to participate in the Victorian Football League and has a large following, but has not quelled the desire for elite matches. As a result, many exhibition matches have been played in Tasmania. Tasmanian State of Origin guernsey. ... Emblems: Flora - Tasmanian Blue Gum; Mineral - Crocoite Motto: Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Slogan or Nickname: The Apple Isle; Holiday Isle Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Const. ... The Tasmanian Devils Football Club is an Australian Rules Football team, in the Victorian Football League in Australia. ... The Victorian Football League, formerly known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA), is a second-tier Australian rules football league. ...

The first VFL match was played on the 14th of June 1952 at North Hobart Oval between Fitzroy and Melbourne before 18,387 fans. North Hobart Oval is an Australian Rules Football stadium located in Hobart, Australia. ...

Since 2001, both Hawthorn and St Kilda have played AFL home games at Aurora Stadium in Launceston, Tasmania. Average crowds of around 15,000 have attended these games, with a record of 18,112 witnessing Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide in 2002. The Hawthorn Hawks are an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). ... The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. ... York Park (now known as Aurora Stadium) is the major Australian rules football ground located in the city of Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. ... Launceston City Council, Coat of Arms Launceston City Council, Tasmania Launceston is a small city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, population approximately 98,000, located at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers. ...

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