Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Darwin Aussie Rules 9s footy championships were held in Marrara on the weekend. What's Aussie Rules 9s, you ask? That's where we've got nine players, not 18, per field and it's not on the big, oval Aussie Rules ground; it's on a rugby field or a soccer field. It's a great form of the sport, and congratulations must go to Team Larrakia, who won the division 1 men's competition, and to Team Timor-Leste, who won the division 2 men's competition. Massive congratulations go to the 9s debutantes in the women's division, Team Darwin, who won the competition.

Deputy Speaker Claydon, did you know that Australian Rules football was a demonstration sport at the 1956 Olympics? Not many people know that. We all enjoyed watching the Olympics recently. Imagine if Aussie Rules footy was back at the Brisbane Olympics. It would be fantastic—not the big 18-a-side on the big oval but the nine-a-side on a rugby ground or a soccer ground. Our footy, Aussie Rules, is played in over 50 countries around the world. Vibrant competitions exist across the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Because most of the world's sporting ovals are rectangular, this form of Aussie Rules, nine-a-side, is perfect, and the punters will love it. In the Territory we know this game well. Aussie Rules 9s—have a look.