New Zealand

AN ISLAND nation in the south-west Pacific, the Land of the Long White Cloud was discovered by Polynesian Maoris around 800A.D. The British started settling in 1840 and New Zealand’s population now stands at around 4.17 million.

Famous for: Dan Carter, sheep, Once Were Warriors, the endangered Kiwi bird, Footrot Flats, great skiing, ‘fush ’n chups’.

In 1999, Helen Clark became New Zealand’s second female Prime Minister, succeeding Jenny Shipley.

Australian football history
New Zealanders have been playing Australian football for just as long as Aussies have. In 1882 there were 36 New Zealand clubs playing the sport. By 1901, they had 115 Australian football teams.

Today four leagues operate under the banner of AFL New Zealand – six clubs in Auckland, four 500km south in Wellington, another four in Canterbury on the South Island and three teams in the newly-established Waikato league, two hours south of Auckland. Football is played during summer to accommodate rugby and soccer schedules.

National jumper
Black featuring a silver fern.

New Zealand’s Mr Football
Rumoured to be 38 this year (though that estimate may be on the low side), Paul Gunning has played in all of New Zealand’s International Cup sides and been a fixture of the NZAFL for as long as anyone can remember.

Gunning currently lives in Perth and plays for the Warnbro Swans in the Western Australian Amateur Football League. He has returned to New Zealand for training camps and trials and will once again represent his country in this year’s International Cup.

Secret weapon
Six or seven players who share the goal scoring, and an ability to stick to a game plan.

Australia has Fev and Bryan ‘Straughnie’ Straughan, New Zealand has…
Like any true-blue Aussie side, the Falcons boast their own quirky but lovable characters.

John Mailing is the prankster of the team. According to teammate Marcus Jones, he’s the type of guy who will walk up to an opponent, grab one of his butt cheeks, kiss him on the cheek and say: “Have a great game, darlin’.” This strategy of distraction may just be a winning tactic.

Then there’s ‘Dorothy’, the player who showed up to training in gleaming shiny red boots, and his local club sidekick, ‘Toto’ (apparently the pair are inseparable).

Hardest thing about playing football in NZ
Fitting it in around other sports. Australian football is a minor sport in New Zealand, played largely by rugby and soccer players during the summer to maintain fitness. That may change as exposure increases and more players see the opportunity to do something that soccer and rugby can’t offer them – the chance to play for their country.