AFL WOMEN'S COMPETITION TO PLAY IN DARWIN

AFL WOMEN'S COMPETITION TO PLAY IN DARWIN

AFL Northern Territory is delighted the NAB AFL Womens competition will head to Darwin in 2017.

AFL Northern Territory is delighted the NAB AFL Womens competition will head to Darwin in 2017.

As part of the inaugural fixture announced by the AFL today, the Round 6 game between Adelaide and Melbourne will be played at TIO Stadium at 5:40pm on Saturday March 11.

It will be the perfect opportunity for Territory fans to immerse themselves with the Adelaide Crows womens team, which features nine NT-based players.

It also comes on the same day that is earmarked to celebrate local female football – NTFL Womens Premier League Grand Final day.

The day will feature the U15, U18 and Womens NTFL grand finals before the AFLW game between Adelaide and Melbourne.

It will be the first game the Adelaide Crows women play for points in the Northern Territory with the first game they play being a pre-season practice game against Fremantle on January 14.

AFLNT CEO Michael Solomon said the games would highlight the depth of talent filling the Crows team.

Territorians are a proud bunch and theres no doubt the practice game on January 14 and the Round 6 game in March will excite them.

They will get to see just how committed our local women are, while being exposed to the talent that is hard at training in Adelaide, ready to take on a strong contender in the Melbourne Football Club.

March 11 will be a huge day for women’s football in the Top End and it culminates with a national broadcast of our great game in the NTs backyard, Solomon said.

Minister for Tourism and Culture Lauren Moss also welcomed the fixture.

This will be a great opportunity to see some of the best female athletes in the country right here in Darwin, Ms Moss said. 

Being able to watch our Territory born and bred stars in action at TIO Stadium will be a very special moment and I hope a match of this magnitude will inspire more girls and women to take up the sport.

Solomon also acknowledged that the NAB AFLW game created challenges with fixturing of the NTFL.

We were delighted that the overwhelming feedback from NTFL clubs was that if the Men’s Premier League preliminary final had to be moved that the Friday night option was their preferred choice, thus giving each of the competing clubs an eight day break leading into the TIO NTFL Mens Grand Final.

Football operations will update the fixture accordingly to allow a great weekend of football for all involved, Solomon said.