CHALLENGE CUPU18 VAFA v U18 NZ HawksAFL INTERNATIONAL YOUTH GIRLS CUP

Australian Breeze v U18 NZ Kahus

O F F I C I A L P R O G R A M M E

F R I D AY 3 T O M O N D AY 6 , O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4

AFL New ZealandAs the great game of AFL develops within New Zealand, it is visits from touring teams that provide us a measure of how far the sport has come in recent years.

This weekend we will once again see the Victorian Amateur Football Association visit our shores, in what will be their 6th consecutive year. The links between our organisations have never been stronger. Many New Zealanders currently play in VAFA teams, and the Senior New Zealand Hawks recently played Ormond AFC as preparation for their International Cup campaign.

For the U18 New Zealand Hawks, the VAFA series is the most important date on the calendar. Our boys will be striving to be the first New Zealand team to defeat VAFA, and with the constant improvements in the AFL New Zealand High Performance Programme, they have every chance.

The U18 New Zealand Kahus will have the honour of playing their counterparts from Australia in a full International Series. The last 12 months have been an exciting time for female AFL participants in New Zealand. More female students than ever are involved than ever at Primary and Secondary schools, and in 2014 AFL New Zealand awarded the first ever Female Player of the Year Award.

These exciting developments are mirrored in Australia, with players from last year’s series against the New Zealand Kahus starring in the inaugural female draft and match between the Melbourne Demons and Western Bulldogs. As the code develops on both sides of the Tasman, we look forward to International matches being an integral and prestigious aspect of female AFL.

AFL has never been stronger in New Zealand than it is now. With tens of thousands of people participating every year, and hundreds of thousands watching AFL on Sommet Sports, the game is more visible than it has ever been.

To everyone who has made the trip to Aotearoa, we welcome you, and warmly invite you to enjoy what is sure to be a great weekend of football.

Robert Vanstam CEO AFLNZ

VAFAThe Victorian Amateur Football Association is an AFL institution. The story of VAFA began in 1892, and predates the Victorian Football League.

VAFA is the largest amateur league in Australia, featuring seven senior divisions. The Association covers Metropolitan Melbourne, and has a long and proud history of representative football, commencing in 1925.

VAFA now involves vast numbers of Melburnians participating in leagues, with 250 teams from 74 clubs playing. More than 12,000 players lace up their boots in VAFA matches every year.

Since 2009, VAFA have been selecting an Under 18 representative team to travel to New Zealand and take on the New Zealand Hawks. Many of the players who have been part of those selections are still involved in football, and some have even gone on to play at high levels of the sport.

Over the years, representative teams have also competed against VFL, VCFL and VFA selections.

The VAFA see this tour as a chance to showcase the opportunities available through participating in VAFA clubs, and also to reward some of the key players in the U18 leagues.

On behalf of the VAFA, we wish to thank AFL New Zealand for their hospitality, and we look forward to an exciting weekend of football.

Brian Goodman VAFA General Manager of Football and Umpiring

BreezeThe Australian 16s Youth Girls team, Breeze, is excited about taking on the New Zealand Kahus in the second Trans Tasman female challenge.

The trip is an ambassadorial one and aims to:

• Provide a leadership opportunity for the players and coaching staff of the Australian team;

• Provide a challenge for the NZ Kahus to test their brand of AFL and

• Continue to build on the strong partnership between NZ and the AFL

The players were selected by their peers and coaching staff during the 2014 AFL Academy and by State Game Development staff based on how they performed in club and state programs. Selection criteria included leadership qualities, what the players had given back to the game and interpersonal skills as well as AFL knowledge and skills. It is an incredible opportunity for the players and the outstanding coaching staff leading the tour to really challenge their leadership skills and impart their knowledge to help the NZ participants who are still in their AFL infancy.

The team includes three girls selected in the All Australian team from the 2014 National Youth Girls: Lily Mithen, Sarah Allan and Shae Gundlach. Most of the players are in their 16th year.

Head Coach Alicia Eva (Victoria) steps up from her 2013 tour role of Assistant Coach. Cooper is delighted that Eva can take up the opportunity saying, “progressing the coaching skills of Alicia Eva is an important step in her coaching career as her previous roles have been that of assistant coach. Eva will be joined by Northern Territory’s Natasha Bennett who works in a remote community but who displays excellent people and AFL coaching skills. Together they make a formidable combination to hugely benefit both the Australian and New Zealand players.”

The tour also provides professional development for state based Game Development staff who are leading the tour. Chyloe Kurdas (AFL Victoria) is again the Tour Director. She will be joined by Libby Sadler (AFLNSW/ACT) who has previously been manager of the AFL’s Academy where the Breeze were selected from. Emma Gibson (SANFL) joins the tour as Head Trainer whilst assistant coach, Natasha Bennett (AFLNT) was released from her teaching duties on Tiwi Island off the back of back to back Kickstart premierships.

Jan Cooper AFL Female Development Manager

TEAM LISTNO. FIRST NAME LAST NAME CLUB, STATE NOTES

1 Jessica Stramandinoli Ainslie, ACT

3 Jade Ransfield Calamvale FC, Q

4 Emma Lynch Ballarat, V

5 Hannah Davidson Rockhampton Panthers, Q

6 Lily Mithen Newtown Chilwell, V

7 Sarah Allan Mt Gambier, SA

8 Shae Gundlach Salisbury, SA

9 Rachel Ortlepp Coastal Titans, WA

12 Claire Ortlepp Coastal Titans, WA

13 Katherine Smith Whitehorse, V

18 Courtney Musico South Morang, V

21 Erin O’Brien Claremont Youth Girls, WA

Australian Breeze Youth Girls

STAFF

Head Coach Alicia Eva

Assistant Coach Natasha Bennett

Tour Director Chyloe Kurdas

Team Manager Libby Sadler

Trainer Emma Gibson

TEAM LISTNO. FIRST NAME LAST NAME SCHOOL NOTES

1 Rosie Schuster Aorere College

2 Tegan Cooper Whangarei Girls High School

3 Dayna Harris Kaitaia College

4 Tayla Cross Albany Senior High School

5 Krystal Williams Western Springs College

6 Aleisha Taylor Takapuna Grammar

7 Hope Schuster Aorere College

10 LoReta Kaitai-Fraser Auckland Girls Grammar

11 Setareh Brown Whangarei Girls High School

12 Kiana Lang Albany Junior High School

13 Maria Aleni Aorere College

14 Kayla Paniora Western Springs College

15 Marie Aleni Aorere College

16 Olivia Atkins Rutherford College

17 Jessie Parr Whangarei Girls High School

Under 18 New Zealand Kahus

STAFF

Head Coach Lisa Roper

Assistant Coach Mike Gregson

Assistant Coach Jamie Hunt

Team Manager Mareta Kaitai-Fraser

Physio Felicity Stevens

Physio Livvy Duggan

TEAM LISTNO. FIRST NAME LAST NAME CLUB NOTES

1 Ezubalew Ramsay UHS-VU

2 Francis Palleschi Mazenod

3 Giovanni (Johnny) Ross Old Melburnians

4 Brodie Meadows Williamstown CYMS

5 Brandon Droessler Kew

6 Patrick O’Brien Westbourne Grammarians

7 Stephen Forster Mazenod

8 Matt Sier Mazenod

9 Ryan Malt Whitefriars

10 John Cayhan St Bedes/Mentone Tigers

11 Ben Dickson Beaumaris

12 Corey Peele Parkdale Vultures

13 Brenden Miller Westbourne Grammarians

14 Craig Sterling Parkdale Vultures

15 Daniel Wiles Mazenod

16 Billy Shute Kew

17 Jack Toouli Hampton Rovers

18 John Humphrey Therry Penola

19 Michael Caven St Bernards

20 Jordan Tabakman Ormond

25 Zach O'Halloran St Bernards

26 Will Considine St Bernards

27 Callum Cusack Beaumaris

VAFA Under 18

STAFF

Tour Manager Brian Goodman

Team Manager Sam Confait

Head Coach Owen Lalor

Assistant Coach David Gately

Assistant Coach / Runner David Kinsella

Umpire Anthony Edmonds

Physio Mark Tomlinson

Trainer Kylie Da Fonte

Timekeeper John Robinson

TEAM LISTNO. FIRST NAME LAST NAME NOTES

1 Christian Blackie Otago Boys High School

2 Nathan Lenihan St Patrick's College, Silverstream

3 Mitchell Te Whata Waitakere College

4 Hamish Lucas Bream Bay College

5 Te Kopa Tipene-Thomas Bay of Islands College

6 Jonty Hall Burnside High School

7 Joshua Copeland Westlake Boys High School

8 Kalib Lewis Aorere College

9 Rawiri Milne Western Springs College

10 Gray Samuels Green Bay High School

11 Masiu Vainikolo Western Heights High School

12 Francis Pedersen St Patrick's College, Silverstream

13 Connor Cooper Bream Bay College

14 Heta Scarf-Matthews Otago Boys High School

15 Carlos Donnell-Brown Green Bay High School

16 Waylon Baker Porirua College

17 Kieran Brunel Paraparaumu College

18 Te Rei Clark Whanagarei Boys High School

19 Siope Ngata Aorere College

20 James Little Takapuna Grammar

22 Taylor Alaelua Green Bay High School

23 Giovanni Mountain-Silbery Aorere College

24 Eugene Hanna Green Bay High School

New Zealand Hawks Under 18

STAFF

Coach Chris Mundell

Assistant Coach Shannon Wall

Assistant Coach Warwick Kain

Team Manager Joey Te Whata

Physio Zak Nichols

Runner Shane Leat

ItineraryFriday 3rd October//Grandstand Room, Trusts Arena, Waitakere6.00pm Welcome Function

Saturday 4th October//Parrs Park, Oratia, Auckland12.00pm New Zealand Kahus U-18 vs Australian Breeze Youth Girls

GAME 1 Q1 Q2 Q3 FULLTIME

BREEZE

KAHUS

2.00pm New Zealand Hawks U-18 vs VAFA U-18

GAME 1 Q1 Q2 Q3 FULLTIME

VAFA

HAWKS

Monday 6th October//Parrs Park, Oratia, Auckland11.00am New Zealand Hawks U-18 vs VAFA U-18

GAME 2 Q1 Q2 Q3 FULLTIME

VAFA

HAWKS

1.00pm New Zealand Kahus U-18 vs Australian Breeze Youth Girls

GAME 2 Q1 Q2 Q3 FULLTIME

BREEZE

KAHUS

Notes