International Ambassadors

We all appreciate the champion qualities of such players as Nathan Buckley, James Hird and Shane Crawford. Step off a plane in another country, however, and the reality is that these players will be totally unknown.

As such it is incumbent upon us to find high-profile Australians to promote Australian football in the international marketplace. Names that spring to mind are The Wiggles, Paul Hogan, Lleyton Hewitt and Greg Norman.

The Wiggles are massive in the USA. They have the No. 1 program on Playhouse Disney, which is America's No. 1 cable TV station for kids. A video featuring them singing 'Aussie Rules, Aussie Rules' (perhaps accompanied by a star AFL player) would be pure gold in terms of attracting American children to our code.

Paul Hogan became the face of Australia in the 1980s with the - 'Put a shrimp on the barbie' tourism ads showing in USA and UK. Huge success came to Hogan on a worldwide basis with his movie Crocodile Dundee and sequel.

Lleyton Hewitt, the former No. 1 tennis player in the world, is a huge Adelaide Crows fan and includes kicking a footy as part of his fitness regime.

Greg Norman also has a great international profile. Although a Queenslander, the fact that he named his boat 'Aussie Rules' seems to indicate he is not adverse to the code.

Engaging such people as official Aussie Rules Ambassadors to promote Australian football overseas would be a great boost to our code.

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