Newcastle & Regional NSW AFL Club Bid

Great to see a Newcastle product get his chance. Well done Max – wishing you every success on your AFL journey with the Swans.

With the 49th pick in the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft, the have matched bid for player, Max KIng.

Sydney Swans return to Newcastle this December 🤍❤️

The AFL has confirmed the Sydney Swans will head to Newcastle for a special Community Camp from 1 to 3 December.

Participation across the Hunter Central Coast is up 12 per cent this year, with more than 30 per cent of players now female, making it one of the fastest growing AFL regions.

AFLNSWACT Head Andrew Varasdi said the Hunter Central Coast is “crucial to the ongoing growth of Aussie Rules Football in New South Wales” while Swans star and Cardiff Hawks Aussie Rules Club junior Isaac Heeney said he’s looking forward to “showing the boys where I’m from” and inspiring the next generation in Newcastle.

As the game continues to grow across northern NSW, visits like this help strengthen the connection between our communities and the code.

Sydney Swans return to Newcastle for Community Camp this December - Play AFL The AFL has today confirmed the Sydney Swans will travel to Newcastle this December for a special pre-season Community Camp in the Hunter region.

‘Probably playing League’ 😮

Newcastle’s Max King says he’d “probably be playing rugby league” if not for the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

A look on how the AFL is winning hearts in NSW, how the Swans Academy helped shape his journey, and how the northern academies are inspiring more kids in places like Newcastle to choose the Sherrin.

👉 bit.ly/47xVbpg

'PROBABLY PLAYING LEAGUE' 😮

If it wasn’t for the Sydney Academy, Max King might’ve been a rising rugby league player.

And that’s the serious reality for plenty of young kids in New South Wales.

He chats to Fox Footy about the AFL-NRL battlegrounds, dealing with expectation and his athletics background.

FEATURE >> bit.ly/47xVbpg

Suns v Giants today. Expansion Cup. Born from bold AFL vision to grow the game. One day, we’ll be playing for it too.

Precious cargo 🏆

Great opportunity for young Aussie rules players in Newcastle and across Northern NSW to trial for the 2026 QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

🦢 Trials for the 2026 QBE Sydney Swans Academy are now open to players who live within the Academy Zone.

The assessment will include:
• AFL skill drills
• Athletic testing
• Small-sided games
All participants will receive a written feedback report following the assessment period.

Players selected at the trials will join the QBE Sydney Swans Academy in 2026.

📲 Learn more and register: https://tinyurl.com/7avwk4zv

If you are interested in AFL expansion stories, Here Come The GIANTS is well worth a listen. It follows the early days of the GIANTS, from concept to competition. Available on major podcast platforms or via the GIANTS website. If you know of any other great podcasts on AFL history or expansion, let us know.

Here Come the GIANTS: A New Podcast The GIANTS are proud to launch a new podcast detailing the creation of the GIANTS.

Rugby league used to dominate the Gold Coast. Now the SUNS are rising. 🌞
AFL > NRL? It’s starting to look that way.

Fifteen years ago, the Gold Coast Suns didn’t exist and the city was rugby league heartland.
Today? The Suns are starting to shine brighter.

✅ More members
✅ Greater junior participation
✅ A growing supporter base
✅ And the most exciting academy in the country

That last point isn’t just talk. The SUNS Academy is producing serious talent and it’s about to be on full display at the 2025 AFL Draft:

- Zeke Uwland is right in the mix for pick one
- Dylan Patterson has serious wheels
- Koby Coulson is tough as nails
- Beau Addinsall, Jai Murray, Cooper Collins and Max Hudson are all catching recruiters' eyes

That draft group is just the latest in a long line of SUNS Academy talent:

AFL players:
Connor Budarick, Sam Clohesy, Alex Davies, Caleb Graham, Will Graham, Joel Jeffrey, Lloyd Johnston, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers, Malcolm Rosas Jnr, Bodhi Uwland, Jed Walter, Lachie Weller, Lachie Gulbin, Leo Lombard, Jack Bowes and Bailey Scott

AFLW players:
Lauren Bella, Kiara Bischa, Daisy D'Arcy, Sienna McMullen, Wallis Randell, Lucy Single, Nyalli Milne, Tara Harrington, Heidi Talbot, Mia Salisbury, Havana Harris, Ellie Hampson, Dee Heslop, Fleur Davies, Serene Watson, Kalinda Howarth, Jasmyn Smith, Giselle Davies and Kaylee Kimber

The SUNS are proving what’s possible with the right investment and a long-term view.

AFL can thrive beyond the Barassi Line.

📍 And that's exactly what we're hoping to build.

Relocation or New Club?

People have asked whether our proposed AFL club would come through relocation or a brand-new license.

The short answer is we’d support either option.

🟥 Relocation – like the Swans, who made Sydney home
🟧 New license – like the Giants or Suns, built from the ground up

Whatever the path, we’re focused on building something we can all get behind.

Sydney Derby # #
GIANTS v Swans

Both Sydney clubs.
Both fighting for bragging rights in Sydney.

We’re just over here, representing the rest of NSW, watching, learning, stretching…
and waiting for our turn.

Pick us, coach.

AFL Hall of Fame legend Kevin Sheedy says the AFL is destined to grow to 20 or even 22 teams, and that it’s just a matter of time.

“It’s always about population and money… Newcastle could get the team.
With a team in west Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane, we’ve got Newcastle sitting there waiting for their opportunity…
One day, it’s going to happen.
Everywhere is an AFL part of the world. Let’s reset the map…
You just never know where the great players are going to come from.”

Sheedy sees it. We see it. The AFL keeps talking about growing the game. This is how.

Sheedy’s prediction for further AFL expansion — NT News AFL legend Kevin Sheedy has provided a unique perspective on where the AFL’s 19th team could come from if the Devils weren’t to enter the competition. And why he believes it’s a “matter of time” for further growth.

Help Build Regional NSW & Newcastle’s AFL Club Bid

We’re building a push for a professional AFL club based in Newcastle that represents all of regional NSW — and we’re calling on passionate people to help shape it from the ground up.

Our long-term goal is to establish a regional NSW men’s and women’s team in the AFL. In the short term, we’re working to bring more elite footy to Newcastle and lay the foundations for a future club.

To date, we’ve set up our legal structure, secured key IP, and started shaping the strategy. Now we’re ready to expand.

We’re looking for hands-on volunteer board members — people who believe in the power of footy and want to be part of something meaningful. You don’t need board experience — just time, commitment, and a willingness to get involved.

Board areas include:
🛠️ Governance
🤝 Fundraising & Partnerships
📣 Media & Community Engagement
🏟️ Infrastructure & Football Pathways

📋 Express your interest: https://forms.gle/qb1iyZtKscpxufAX8
👍 Follow the journey: https://www.facebook.com/nswfc
💬 Join the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124174135450242

Help us build something that will outlast all of us.

Board Expression of Interest - Help Shape the Regional NSW & Newcastle AFL Club Bid We're building a push for a professional AFL club based in Newcastle that represents all of regional NSW — and we're looking for passionate, capable people to join our board. These are volunteer roles, but they’re hands-on — we’re after doers who are ready to help shape the club’s future. ...