High Performance

The 2022 AFL New Zealand High Performance programme was severely impacted by Covid-19, which saw the cancellation and postponement of several international programmes over the past 12 months.

A disappointing result for our community that certainly worked towards these pinnacle events. The community showed great support and understanding and many changing their focus towards their local clubs and improving domestic leagues.

AFL New Zealand Academy

The AFL New Zealand Academy selects its participants from the AFL New Zealand Youth Competition with the opportunity for selection to also take place from Secondary School Competitions and programmes throughout New Zealand.

The following High Performance Programmes were cancelled due to Covid 19 Travel restrictions;

Mornington Peninsula Junior Football League Tour of New Zealand

Zealanders now playing in competitions in Australia. The match is scheduled to take place at Marvel Stadium as a curtain raiser to an AFL match over the ANZAC weekend and has taken place since 2012.

The contest is the centrepiece of the Falcon’s five-day trip to Melbourne, which also includes touring the St Kilda Football Club, attending the Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance and attending the ANZAC Day AFL clash between Essendon and Collingwood in front of over 90,000 passionate fans.

The AFL New Zealand Academy improves the skills and fitness of athletes, through a training and development programme that assists athletes that in some cases, have had no previously exposure to AFL. Academy athletes will participate in skill development, athletic testing and measurement, game play and personal development to provide a pathway for them to excel in AFL.

The AFL New Zealand Academy Level 1, Academy Level 2 & Academy Youth Girls, each play two matches against the Mornington Peninsula Blue Scope Steelers who were due to return to New Zealand for the fifth year. The tour has previously held significant links to the ANZAC spirit, accentuating the links that exist between New Zealand and Australia over our histories. Those who make the Academy teams travel from all over New Zealand to compete in a four day event that includes the welcome functions, after match functions and the AFL New Zealand High Performance Awards, to compliment the scheduled matches.

AFL New Zealand Falcons Under 18 Tour

The Academy consists of three levels:

Level 1: for athletes that are new entrants to Academy and the New Zealand representative pathway (ages 13 to 15)

Level 2: for athletes continuing their Academy and New Zealand representative pathway with their next step, U18 or Senior New Zealand representation (ages 15 to 17)

Youth Girls: for female athletes aged between 14 to 17 years of age, both new and continuing in the Academy and New Zealand representative pathway

Further opportunities arising from the AFL New Zealand Academy include, selection into New Zealand Academy teams, New Zealand Kahu Youth Girls, AFL New Zealand National Combine selection, access to talent scouts and AFL International Scholarships.

The Under 18 team tours Melbourne over the ANZAC period where they played two matches against a local College and an Inter League side from the Mornington Peninsula Junior Football League. The six-day trip to Melbourne, includes touring the St Kilda Football Club, attending the Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance and attending the an AFL match. The tour has been a regular part of the calendar for the past 5 years.

New Zealand Falcons vs AFL Academy

The NAB AFL Australian Under-17 team comprises primarily of players who were selected as NAB AFL All-Australians at Under 16 level last year as well as several 17-year-olds who have performed well over the year.

The open aged New Zealand team comprises of players who were recently selection in recent National League matches as well as several New