“This is an outstanding opportunity for these young men to develop on and off the field. The tour will also share with South Africa the AFL’s experience of utilising sport as a vehicle to generate lifestyle outcomes for Indigenous people and communities,” Jason Mifsud - CEO AFL Foundation


Just like the unique hunting stick of Australian Indigenous culture, the Flying Boomerangs keep coming back.

For the next fortnight, the most promising young Indigenous AFL talent from ‘down under’ return to South Africa for the third time, as the game  of Australian Football continues to expand its footprint internationally.

On Sunday January 24 twenty-five Indigenous teenagers departed for a two-week South African tour as members of the 2010 Flying Boomerangs.

The Flying Boomerangs will be coached by recently retired AFL players Michael O’Loughlin (300 game legend of the Sydney Swans) and Chris Johnson (Triple Premiership player with the Brisbane Lions). Western Bulldogs young gun Malcolm Lynch will also be on board, having toured South Africa with the Flying Boomerangs in 2006 before being drafted to the Melbourne-based club.

The Flying Boomerangs will play two matches against South African teams and will conduct footyWILD (Australian Football) clinics in Potchefstroom and Cape Town townships.

AFL Foundation CEO Jason Mifsud said the tour would benefit and promote both nations’ Indigenous programs and the International development of AFL outside of Australian shores

“This is an outstanding opportunity for these young men to develop on and off the field. The tour will also share with South Africa the AFL’s experience of utilising sport as a vehicle to generate lifestyle outcomes for Indigenous people and communities,” Mr Mifsud explained.

The AFL has identified South Africa as the priority market for the International development of the code with more than 15,000 participants across four Provinces; Gauteng, North West, Kwa Zulu Natal and Western Cape.

Led by local hero Mtutuzeli Hlomela, the South African Lions National team came third in the 2008 International Cup tournament from 16 countries .with four young South Africans chosen to participate in last year’s Australian Institute of Sport / AFL Academy Camp program in Canberra.

“AFL experts in Australia predict that the first South African will be drafted to an AFL Club within the next 2-3 years’ said Mtutu in his role as AFL South Africa Talent Manager.