State Clubs

AFL and AFLW are among the most popular sports in the country with many of the games most respected professional players serving as role models for Australians all over the country. However, few people stop to acknowledge where their idols gained their preparation skills and the places that gave them their professional career. 

State level AFL and AFL clubs are quietly shaping the future of our much loved Aussie game. Here players sharpen and accumulate their skills, fans build loyalty and the Aussie rules spirit thrives beyond the boundary. 

From local grounds to preparing upcoming players for Australia's biggest stage, state clubs are more than just teams, they are the pulse of Australian Rules Football. 

The state clubs that shape our upcoming players offer more than just training grounds, gameplay opportunities and higher level coaching. Instead, there are times where character is forged as the purpose of this level is not just to prepare the skills of our players, but also the mindset that a player will be required to have when making it to the professional level. 

Whether its community involvement, mentoring other young players or learning to conduct themselves in professional settings, state clubs strive to provide the opportunity for both men and women to become the role models that young Australian's admire. 

SANFL and SANFLW Glenelg talent manager Rod Jameson states that players "need to be a good human, have good character, team orientated aspirational to better themselves, can make the team better and are willing to put in the work" if they wish to be recruited by not only the state clubs, but players also need to consider if they have these attributes to make a national club. 

Whilst these requirements are specific to each player  and their individual personalities, Rod states that "Based on my own personal history in men’s football, playing, operational board and being involved with women’s football for some time, same principles across both genders." meaning that often, clubs look for the same skills and same player attributes. This is a strong indication point towards promoting gender equality by having the same rules regardless of gender. 

Whilst the AFL and AFLW national leagues gain the attention of those all around the world, its the state clubs that form the backbone of both the male and female player that we see today. 

Each state includes their own state competition that involves both men and women, for example the SANFL (mens) and the SANFLW (women's) is the South Australian Football League that preps all its its state players to be drafted to the big leagues. 

There are a broad variety of state level clubs that individuals can be invited to join. These include indepentantly ran clubs that play at a state level, however do not have direct pathways or associations with an AFL club, and AFL club associated clubs which often have the same or very similar name to the club that it aligns with. Often for AFL aligned clubs, team lineups are selected from both the national and state level list, where players can be sent back to state level at any time. 

In an interview with SANFLW player Sam Franson it became evident that gender inclusivity within the league is something that is continuing to build, however is at a current level that most players are happy with. Sam stated that she "thinks its only going to get better" as the state leagues are primarily driven by the choices of the AFLW's development.

But it's not just the adult's that get to show their footy talent at a state level, with children aged 18 and under also given the opportunity to play at a state level, whether it be through a team selection or a carnival. However, until the age of 18 and until they have been selected as part of a senior state team, children are not eligible to join the AFL. 

Both young boys and girls are given the opportunity to be invited to play at a state level, with each state offering young boys teams for U12, U14, U16 and U18 and the girls U12, U15 and U17 teams. Although a proposed girls U18 team is coming into the SANFLW in 2026, allowing young girls the extra step towards a professional career. 

However there are still certain requirement that a child has to have to become a part of a state team, including needing to be invited by the club directly but often individual requirements are not as strict. 

The purpose behind creating the opportunity for children to develop an AFL career by starting at state at a young age is simply to provide them with opportunities to learn the specific skills and characteristics with longer opportunity to perfect them before going out to join an AFL club. 

Each year, National Competitions are held where the best of the best from each state compete against each other in a week long carnival. 

Each state selects a team worth of its best players for each age group, going right up to U21 where players get the chance to show their skills to some of the highest level people in the game. 

These events are offered to both male and female participants, often with the same age groups traveling and playing at the same time. This helps to reduce intimidation from older and ore experienced players. 

Players are selected for these teams through a "try out" process where the best players in each position participate in a trial match to determine who the best players in the state are.

Often this experience can lead to opportunities within AFL aligned clubs including academy's and draft picks which can put players onto the radar of multiple clubs.

This event is essentially the next generation of the nations next best football stars who will one day be looked up to by many more generations to come.