SA Footy

The AFL have appointed a development officer on a full time basis in Sth Africa and he is a Sth Aussie who many may know from his work in the N.T. . Well Done Tony Kelly (originally a Jamestown boy). The Roosters are on the way to help show em how it's done!

Gotta say I am fully supportive of this initiative of taking Aussie Rules to Africa. From what I understand this idea was born in the twilight of the post aparthied era, when Mandela became president and some South Africans began searching for a new sport to unite Blacks and Whites. The Blacks had Soccer, the Whites had Rugby, and Aussie Rules became identified as the new sport for all. So a young Black man who humbly went by the name of "Cliff" when he was in Australia, played a season with the Sturt Football Club junior grades during our success starved 90's, and took all he learnt back to South Africa. From what I have heard since that initial contact was made, the AFL have sent a few high level players over sometimes to host clinics, and now North and a WAFL club are going over to help push along the cause.
With all the marketing Aussie Rules has had in the North American continent, Europe and other places to try and sell the game overseas, it is heartening to hear of a country that is actually asking for more exposure, and moreover, sees it as going at least some of the distance to bridging problems they have had since their country's foundation.
All the best North.....this time.

therisingblues wrote:Gotta say I am fully supportive of this initiative of taking Aussie Rules to Africa. From what I understand this idea was born in the twilight of the post aparthied era, when Mandela became president and some South Africans began searching for a new sport to unite Blacks and Whites. The Blacks had Soccer, the Whites had Rugby, and Aussie Rules became identified as the new sport for all. So a young Black man who humbly went by the name of "Cliff" when he was in Australia, played a season with the Sturt Football Club junior grades during our success starved 90's, and took all he learnt back to South Africa. From what I have heard since that initial contact was made, the AFL have sent a few high level players over sometimes to host clinics, and now North and a WAFL club are going over to help push along the cause.
With all the marketing Aussie Rules has had in the North American continent, Europe and other places to try and sell the game overseas, it is heartening to hear of a country that is actually asking for more exposure, and moreover, sees it as going at least some of the distance to bridging problems they have had since their country's foundation.
All the best North.....this time.

hooray, now us North supporters can claim we re-united South Africa too!

therisingblues wrote: So a young Black man who humbly went by the name of "Cliff" when he was in Australia, played a season with the Sturt Football Club junior grades during our success starved 90's,

Cliff, or Tutu as he's nicknamed now, was at Sturt in '98: a great year, GF loss aside.
Tony was one of the Kellys I taught in Jamestown, and I played cricket with his older brother Jack, and worked with his sisters.
I watched the highlights of the South Africa U18s V Indigenous U17s on ABC digital last week. Lots of athletic ability; they probably just left it a bit late to take up the game. The next wave could be a rich recruiting ground.

gonzo wrote:

therisingblues wrote: So a young Black man who humbly went by the name of "Cliff" when he was in Australia, played a season with the Sturt Football Club junior grades during our success starved 90's,

Cliff, or Tutu as he's nicknamed now, was at Sturt in '98: a great year, GF loss aside.
Tony was one of the Kellys I taught in Jamestown, and I played cricket with his older brother Jack, and worked with his sisters.
I watched the highlights of the South Africa U18s V Indigenous U17s on ABC digital last week. Lots of athletic ability; they probably just left it a bit late to take up the game. The next wave could be a rich recruiting ground.

98' Hey? Strewth, I have a shocking memory! I thought it was earlier than that. I'll put th ememory to test again and say that I believe he played a couple of games in the reserves side, natural athlete, he was.

P.S Punky, Sturt reunited South Africa by educating young Cliff about the game of footy, I refuse to idly sit by why you North supporters shamelessy take all the credit for this

Tutu was interviewed after the above-mentioned game. He talked about "the Sturt Double Blues": didn't mention no Roosters but!
In '05 [?] when there was a "rest of the world" Aussie Rules championship played in Melbourne, Tutu represented S.Africa and made the World side. He's still only mid-20's.
As I mentioned before, the S.African U18s were very athletic and fit, but still lacked in some skill areas. They had a white rover-a Jarrod Twitt lookalike-who seemed to have played before though.
The AFL hopes to have 20,000 registered players there soon. It would make a lot of sense for SANFL clubs to set up scholarships whereby promising lads could get a couple of years playing underage and attending a footy-focus local school. Some of these boys would go on to become very good players.

The scholarships would be a good idea. There is a growing African community in Adelaide and a number of public schools that have football scholarships.