Conclusion

Australian football has struggled to develop outside of Australia partly because the game is highly resource intensive. A game requires the use of a large cricket oval (which generally are not be available for such use), many players (40 including interchanges) and several officials.

The adaptation of the game to rugby, soccer and gridiron fields requires far fewer players and a playing field that is more readily available, and as a result, many more people are being introduced to the game outside of Australia.

Whilst ARI is firmly committed to the development and expansion of 18-per-side football internationally, it has been shown that AFL 9s offers an ideal development tool which permits significant and rapid spread of the sport. Indeed, the highly successful EU Cup has only been possible due to the existence of the 9-a-side game.

Given the lack of space in some parts of the world as compared to Australia, and indeed the proliferation of soccer & rugby grounds, there is no doubt that AFL 9s will continue to play a vital role in the future growth of the sport internationally.

The benefits are not just confined offshore either. AFL 9s can be of great benefit in developing domestic markets such as NSW and Queensland, where plenty of rugby and soccer fields fill the sporting landscape.

The success of both Rugby Sevens and Twenty 20 Cricket demonstrate that Australian football also needs a modified version if it is to realise its true potential as an international sport. AFL 9s will allow that potential to finally be realised.

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