The Australian Government through its PacificAus Sports program has launched their partnership with the Australian Football League (AFL) in Papua New Guinea.

PacificAus Sports has partnered with the AFL to develop Pacific high performance pathways. The initiative will be delivered in partnership with the AFL associations of PNG, Fiji, and Nauru and in collaboration with the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns AFL Academies.

The partnership was launched locally today at Colts Oval at Amini Park, Port Moresby.

Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, commented on the shared history and deep love of sport between Australia and Papua New Guinea, “Aussie rules football is a uniquely Australian sport.

This partnership opens new doors for PNG athletes to achieve their dreams through development of a national AFL talent academy and support for talent identification camps in the Pacific”.

Ekoni Peni, AFL PNG Development’s Chairman said “Strengthening the AFL PNG Development pathway from grassroots, through Smart Start Niukick programs, to the AFL in Australia is vital to the success of our game across PNG, and we are delighted to join the PacificAus Sports partnership”.

“This partnership provides real opportunities for male and female Papua New Guinean players, coaches & umpires to be the best they can be and follow in the footsteps of our very own home-grown AFL player Hewago “Ace” Oea at the Gold Coast Suns”, he added.