Australian rules football in canada
| Australian rules football in Canada | |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Governing body | AFL Canada |
| National team | Canada |
| Nickname(s) | Northwind |
| First played | May 1989, Toronto |
| Registered players | 825 (total) 525 (adult) 300 (junior) |
| Clubs | 21 |
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Club competitions
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Audience records
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| Single match | 32,789 (1987). Melbourne v. Sydney (B.C. Place, Vancouver) |
Australian rules football is a rapidly growing sport in Canada. Australian football is currently played in six Canadian provinces - Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and British Columbia. Saskatchewan is in the formative stages of development. The Ontario league, centred on Toronto but also including sides from cities as far afield as Guelph, Hamilton and Ottawa, is considered the largest league outside of Australia. In western Canada, there are clubs in Edmonton, Calgary and a six-team league in the Vancouver area.
There is also a number of junior and women's clubs across Canada. This has increased dramatically after the introduction of the Aussie x program in Ontario and Vancouver. Also the performance of Canadian Mike Pyke in the 2012 AFL Grand Final has brought added publicity to the game of Australian Football in Canada.
Between 1987 and 1989, the Australian Football League staged several exhibition matches in Canada, attracting large crowds and much interest. The 1987 game holds the record for a VFL/AFL match held outside of Australia.
In the late 1980s, regional ESPN broadcasts in Canada showed highlights of the Victorian Football League from Australia.
The Canadian Australian Football League was established in May 1989 when two clubs, the Mississauga Mustangs and the Toronto Panthers, were formed and played in the inaugural Conacher Cup game in Toronto, Ontario. Since then, the game of Australian football in Canada has expanded considerably nationwide.
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