AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report 1 HALL OF FAME 2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 2 AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report Current NTFL Premier League men’s and women’s teams at TIO Stadium AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report 3 CONTENTS CHAIRMAN’S REPORT...................................5 REMOTE PROJECTS..................................... 20 CEO’S REPORT................................................6 MICHAEL LONG LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP CENTRE (MLLLC)................... 22 AFLNT DIRECTORS.........................................8 FACILITIES.................................................... 24 EXECUTIVE TEAM....................................... 11 TALENT & PATHWAYS................................ 26 STAFF............................................................ 12 COMMERCIAL & MARKETING.................. 28 COMMUNITY FOOTBALL........................... 14 COMMUNICATIONS & DIGITAL ............... 30 GAME DEVELOPMENT & PARTICIPATION....................................... 18 FINANCIALS................................................. 32 4 AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report Cameron Ilett accepts his second Nichols Medal AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report 5 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Welcome to the 2018 AFLNT Annual Our Remote Programs continue to produce great Report and as Chairman I take this outcomes for young Territorians and this year following a presentation by two of our remote opportunity to highlight some of the staff to the AFL Executive in Alice Springs in May, major items for the year. the team then did a further presentation to the This year commenced with a changing of the AFL staff and Commission in Melbourne. This guard at a CEO level as we welcomed back Stuart culminated with the AFL Commissioner including Totham into the fold of NT Football. Stuart has the great work of our programs in his Grand Final certainly added his home-grown flavour to the Day address promoting how programs such as position and he has remodelled and built a this assisted the AFL to deliver better outcomes strong team who deliver many AFL programs all for Australians involved in our game. year round right across the Territory. To outgoing There is so much more I could mention but I will CEO Michael Solomon we say a big thank you close by thanking Stuart and all his team involved for his two year contribution to our game and at AFLNT for your commitment and “driven by an acknowledge his commitment to developing outcomes approach” that continues to achieve so areas of our business that now see us as leaders much. To our Competitions, Clubs, Committees, in the sporting arena in the Northern Territory. Volunteers and Supporters a big thanks stated What a great spectacle it was for the AFL game with an understanding that we can only make in Alice Springs with the local traditional cultural it work and continue to grow our game with a on display that was broadcast Australia-wide. strong commitment and willingness to work It was six hours of prime time viewing that together. showcased not only our game but Alice Springs Finally thank you to the AFLNT Board of Directors as a tourist destination and by allowing the for their ongoing commitment to Territory local cultural inheritance to be seen by a huge football. viewing audience. We thank Channel 7, the AFL and all involved for the work required to achieve Thanks again to you all and I look forward to all such a fantastic outcome. To the Melbourne that 2019 holds for our great game of AFL in the Football Club, their outgoing CEO Peter Jackson, Northern Territory. many thanks for your commitment to games in the NT and in particular for your engagement Ross Coburn throughout Central Australia. Chairman AFLNT As mentioned last year, the NT entered the VFLW competition this year and achieved some great results. Finalists in our first year with many young local women experiencing for the first time their chosen sport at this level with the potential exposure for AFLW recognition and selection. We look forward to further developing our VFLW credentials and watching our NT representatives at the Adelaide Crows in 2019. 6 AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report CEO’S REPORT It is a pleasure to present my first CEO’s report, reflecting on the previous 12 months of activity for AFL Northern Territory. I feel fortunate to have been given the opportunity by the AFL and AFLNT Board to lead AFLNT through its next phase of growth and development. The game across the Territory The “Footy Forums” held in has continued to grow and Alice Springs were well thrive in 2018, with baseline attended and generated participation increasing 9% significant goodwill between 237 to 48,815 over the year. Club AFLNT and stakeholders. This participation increased 1.5% engagement has resulted in STUDENTS overall and school program the development of a plan THROUGH THE engagement rose 13.5%. Female for football growth in Central MLLLC PROGRAM involvement continues to thrive Australia; a plan that we will with a 11.5% increase recorded start executing during 2019. IN 2018 for participation in club In conjunction with the Tiwi competitions during 2018. Bombers Football Club, AFL, AFLNT coordinates community Essendon Football Club and football competitions in Darwin, numerous stakeholders, we Alice Springs, Katherine and have also produced a draft plan 9% Tennant Creek, and continues to for football on the Tiwi Islands. provide opportunities for young We look forward to further INCREASE men and women to engage in engagement with the football our game. IN BASELINE communities in Katherine, PARTICIPATION Congratulations to the premiers Tennant Creek and Gove over in each of these competitions: 2019 to develop plans for NTFL – Southern Districts the growth of the game in (Men) / Waratah (Women); these regions. CAFL – Rovers/ Alkamilya; BRFL: Congratulations to Southern Katherine South Crocs/ Eastside Districts on being the 2017/18 20% and BFL – Janapurlalki Eagles. TIO NTFL Men’s Premier League A special mention to Shaun INCREASE IN premiers. A special thank Cusack who coached the Rovers you to John Paterson, Matt SOCIAL MEDIA men and Alkamilya women’s Campbell, Shannon Rusca and teams to premierships in 2018, AUDIENCE Dave Sanderson for engaging a fantastic achievement. and working with the AFLNT We continue to have strong Executive team to work through broadcast backing for the NTFL issues that impacted the through Channel 7, NITV and scheduling of the Grand Final ABC Radio, I thank them for due to Cyclone Marcus. their continued support of the But what a fantastic display game up in the Top End. of Territory football the During 2018 we also conducted historic mid-week grand final planning sessions with ended up being, with 5,500 stakeholders for football in in attendance and 45,000 Central Australia and on the watching the streaming of Tiwi Islands. the game live throughout the AFL | 2017-18 Annual Report 7 country. A professional Waratah outfit was again Thanks to the support of the NT Government, triumphant in the Women’s Premier League AFL and Melbourne Football Club we again division, congratulations on maintaining a hosted two AFL games in the NT. The Melbourne dominance of this competition. vs Fremantle game in Darwin was again well supported by the Top End public with a crowd Our remote programs continue to have significant of 8,000. The match in Alice Springs between positive social impact on the communities the Demons and Crows proved the major that coordinate football competitions and highlight with the curtain-raiser game between related activities. In partnership with Deloitte the Redtails and Top End Storm, the cultural Access Economics and the AFL, we are currently ceremony and a sell out crowd. progressing a “Social Return on Investment” project that will evaluate our programs and value The focus for AFLNT over the coming 12 months the positive social impact that they have, thus will hone in on a few key areas, including the quantifying the positive impact that football has future governance of the game in the NT, the in remote communities in the NT. evolution of our talent and team programs, engaging with communities around the future The Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre of the game, facility development, AFLNT Team (MLLLC) continues to be a pivotal component of scoping project and creating more opportunities what we do at AFLNT. The demand from remote for people to be involved in our game. and regional schools to engage in the MLLLC program is growing. The program saw 237 A big thank you to AFLNT staff, the executive students through the centre in 2018 and this team, AFL, the Northern Territory Government number is expected to nearly double during 2019 and all our stakeholders for your support of the thanks to a $55K investment to reconfigure the game here in the Northern Territory. accommodation that will allow us to have two My first 12 months has been challenging as groups in at any one time. I have settled in, however I have thoroughly Our flagship NEAFL Thunder team, after a enjoyed every moment and feel the organisation promising start, had a disappointing season. is well placed to grab the opportunities that We undertook a “mid-season review” which lie ahead and meet the challenges that will no identified some key areas that we need to doubt head our way. improve in. We are confident that we have See you at the footy! addressed these areas and with a new football structure and coach are looking forward to a much-improved season in 2019. Stu Totham A highlight of the year was the introduction and CEO | AFL Northern Territory. performance of our VFLW team in its inaugural season. The team won 11 of the 14 games and lost its final to finish fourth, a fantastic start for a team that will no doubt be hurting from an early finals exit and will be aiming to improve in 2019. The relationship with the Adelaide Crows continues to be a crucial element in the development of NT talent and the pathway to the top level.