AFL NSW-ACT introduce new opportunities for metropolitan leagues

AFL Canberra and AFL Sydney are the big winners and will combine to reintroduce representative football for both men and women.

A combined representative team from both AFL Canberra and AFL Sydney will take on AFL Tasmania twice next year.

It is part of an initiative by AFL NSW-ACT to offer a number of new opportunities for metropolitan footballers to show off their skill at an 'elevated setting'.

It comes on the back of the Allies' under 18 national championship victory this year and the success that followed at last week's AFL Draft.

Then earlier this week, Wagga's Ally Morphett was one of two NSW-ACT players selected in the AFL Women's (AFLW) All Australian team, while Albury's Zarlie Goldsworthy won the AFLW Rising Star Award.

Head of AFL NSW-ACT Tiffany Robertson believes the reintroduction of representative football will only further benefit footballers in Canberra and Sydney.

"I am incredibly excited to see senior players from AFL Canberra and AFL Sydney get the opportunity to strive for representative selection in 2024," Robertson said.

"The rep side is a chance to showcase Canberra and Sydney footy interstate and I'm sure our players and brand of footy will do us proud."

The combined AFL Sydney and AFL Canberra team will take on AFL Tasmania as part of a men's and women's double header in Canberra on May 18.

They will then play a return bout in Launceston on July 20.

As part of the move, AFL NSW-ACT has also launched a new pre-season competition for AFL Canberra first grade and AFL Sydney premier division teams.

It will be held across the first three weekends in March and offers clubs the opportunity to get in some football ahead of the season proper. It has also been designed to allow players vying for representative selection to put their best foot forward.

Lastly, AFL NSW-ACT have also expanded the Summer Series.

On the back of the success of the Women's Summer Series in 2022, a series in which a dozen footballers were drafted from, the competition will return in 2024.

This time it will be played for males and females and include under 22 teams, again representing the senior competitions from AFL Sydney and AFL Canberra. They will take on Sydney Swans and Giants Academy teams.

"The Summer Series and pre-season invitational are exciting prospects too," Robertson said.

"We saw the success of the Women's Summer Series a couple of years ago in developing and identifying AFLW prospects and I see this series in same light for male players and female players, whether in the academies or selected from AFL Sydney or AFL Canberra.

"I can't wait to see what the players bring in these high-intensity competitions."