Australian Rules Football in Western Sydney has enjoyed a bumper year for junior participation with a 27 per cent increase in 2012.
Approximately 36,000 juniors from across the 14 local government areas of Greater Western Sydney have pulled on the boots this year as the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS joined the AFL competition.
AFL NSW ACT Manager for Western Sydney, Dean Connors said that the AFL is thrilled with this year’s increase and hopes that it will continue as the GIANTS continue to build their fan base in the area.
"We've grown at this stage by 27 per cent from last year's participation, which was 28,306. We're up around that 36,000-37,000 mark in participation in Greater Western Sydney,” Connors said.
“What we have seen towards the end of the year, as opposed to the start of the year, is a significant interest in the Giants as a club.
"People have been asking a lot more questions. It certainly played a part in adding to our programs.”
Connors said that the AFL has been targeting schools and University affiliations to help grow their junior participation rates in 2012.
"What we classify as a participant is a no-less-than-six-weeks paying customer.
“So they're through our Auskick programs, through our clubs and our community programs."
