22 Apr 2010

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Australian Football League (AFL) Academy under-17 team has scored a huge 149-point win against the South African Lions at the Sahara Park, Newlands in Cape Town on 11 April.

The AIS/AFL Academy team played the match as part of its South Africa tour and despite the comfortable victory, kicked some major goals for the promotion of Australian rules football.

This tour provided a fantastic opportunity for some of Australia’s best young football talent to improve their skills and gain valuable experience, in representing Australia and developing the game internationally within South African communities.

As part of the tour the AIS/AFL Academy played interstate matches against the Sydney Swans reserves at Blacktown Olympic Park on 3 April, and West Perth at
Subiaco Oval on 16 April.

AIS/AFL High Performance Coach Jason McCartney was impressed by strong performances and skill levels of the under-17 team that defeated the South African Lions.

‘It was an unbelievable day at Cape Town — it was 26 or 27 degrees — and the backdrop of Newlands was spectacular, although it was a small ground,’ McCartney said.

‘Our boys played really well and although it was quite convincing on the scoreboard … but the pleasing thing for us was getting good ground time and everyone got some good confidence from the game.’

AIS/AFL athletes Sam Day and Tom Mitchell were among the best players, in developing their skills and experience in preparation for the elite AFL level.

‘Sam was jumping hard and took some strong contested marks and Aaron Young was also good as a small forward and kicked three goals,’ McCartney said.

‘Tom’s ability in the contested situation and around the stoppage was [outstanding]. He's a one-touch player and he continually wins the clearances.’
The AIS/AFL Academy squad also helped to promote Australian rules football through the innovative Footy Wild program in the Nyanga township of Cape Town.

Footy Wild is a modified version of the AFL’s Auskick program specifically designed to give South African footballers an opportunity to learn how to play the game in a fun and safe setting.

In other results the AIS/AFL Academy narrowly lost its first match to the Sydney Swans reserves by 19 points, but bounced back by comfortably defeating West Perth by 77 points.

At the end of the international and interstate tour, AIS/AFL Academy athlete Tim Golds was awarded the Ben Mitchell Medal — named after a former squad member who tragically lost his life in a car accident on the way to training in 2002 — for his exceptional personal qualities on and off the field. 

Previous winners include: 2004 Garry Moss (Hawthorn), 2005 David Myers (Essendon), 2006 Jack Grimes (Melbourne), 2007 Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne) and 2008 Josh Toy (Gold Coast).
The AIS/AFL Academy is a central part of the organisations’ commitment to support the training and development of Australia’s best young talented footballers.