Australian rules football in Tonga
- Australian rules football in Tonga
Sport overview
country = Tonga
sport = Australian rules football
imagesize =
caption =
union = Tonga Australian Football Association
nickname =
first = 1985, Haʻutu-Fāhefa, Tongatapu
registered = 150 (total)
50 (adult)
100(junior)
clubs =
match =
league =
national1 = Tonga Australian Football Association
club1 =
club2 =
club3 =
club4 =
country
Australian rules football in Tonga has been played on an organised basis since 2003, when the Tonga Australian Football Association was founded. Previous to this, the sport had also been played in schools through the assistance of Australia physical education teachers in the 1980s and 1990s.
A schools competition has been played yearly since then, including a tour to Samoa. Development officers from Australia have visited to islands to assist in creating development programs. There are now over 150 Tongan players. [ [http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php?story=20050301074107992 World Footy Census - Summary] ]
There is a TAFA PTH junior Scholarship which in 2006 saw promising youngster Alex Fungavaka placed at Norwood Morialta High School in Adelaide. [ [http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20060624225314292 Young Tongan loving his footy and time in Adelaide] ]
International competition
The senior men's representative team is known as the Black Marlins and hosted Australian amateur team the Fitzroy Reds in late 2006. A team representing the Melbourne Tongan community also competed at the 2004 Australian Football Multicultural Cup.
Although the Black Marlins could not commit to the full draw of the 2008 Australian Football International Cup, the Tongan side did arrive in Australia and participate in the multicultural division of the competition against Team Africa.
Notable Tongan players
Fatui Ataata managed 35 games in the Collingwood Football Club reserves between 1983-8. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22291413-11809,00.html Meeting Hafey gives Melbourne Rebel a cause] ]
References
External links
* [http://www.tafa.to Tonga Australian Football Association]
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