AFL North Coast celebrated 40 years of footy in the region with a Festival of Footy pre-season carnival in Coffs Harbour.

The Festival of Footy saw 13 teams play matches in wet conditions at the Ce.x Coffs International Stadium and the Coffs Coast Sport & Leisure Park.

Scores were not kept for the round robin matches as teams prepared for the season proper which gets underway tomorrow.

AFL North Coast clubs played their final pre-season matches before taking part in the 40th anniversary season in 2021.

In 2021, AFL North Coast becomes one of the oldest uninterrupted leagues in the region.

Nothing has stopped Australian rules competition in NSW’s north coast since 1982 – no natural disaster too
large, no pandemic too prolific.

Six teams contested the first season (then called North Coast AFL) in 1982: North Coffs Kangaroos, South Coffs Swans, Grafton Tigers, Urunga Hawks, Woolgoolga Blues, Port Macquarie Magpies, with Woolgoolga the inaugural Premiers.

Community Football and Competition Manager for AFL North Coast, Paul Taylor, said AFL North
Coast provided a pulse for many communities.

“Footy is loved right up and down the North Coast.” he said.

“It’s been that way for 40 years and we’re proud to see our game go from strength to strength in this
area.”

The 40th AFL North Coast season gets underway tomorrow afternoon.

 

By Aiden BURGESS