1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Well, we know AFL is returning to the Top End 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: this weekend, the Gold Coast Suns playing two games in Darwin. 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: They're going to be taking on the Western Bulldogs at 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: TiO Stadium on Saturday and then they're going to be 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: facing off against Hawthorne next Thursday. Joining me on the 6 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: line is the head of AFL here in the Northern Territory, 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: Sam Gibson. 8 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: Good morning, Sam, morning Katie, thanks having me. 9 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: Oh good to have you on the show mate. When 10 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: do the teams arrive in the Top End or have 11 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: they all ready? 12 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? Today, so obviously they come in and trying to 13 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 2: climb it. Tell us a little bit before before Saturday, 14 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 2: so they'll be in and yeah, it's all about to 15 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 2: happen for the Suns. And obviously the Bulldogs have been 16 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 2: here before, so they know what to expect now. 17 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: I know that whenever they're here, obviously need a bit 18 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: of a climatization. We feel like today is a beautiful 19 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: dry season day, but probably not so much for them. 20 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: But they get stuck straight into it, don't they. They're 21 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: out there in the community and well doing that engagement 22 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: before the games. 23 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, they do a really good job engaging with 24 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: the community, the Suns in particular when they're here for 25 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: a week and a bit, which is which is great. 26 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: So yeah, adding to schools and doing different things with 27 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 2: the community, and look, they do have to look after 28 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 2: themselves as well. I mean Western Woodolls in particular, they 29 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: were playing in Balarette last week. So it's on extreme 30 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 2: to the other to the top end. But you know, 31 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: but we do think the clubs that come up and 32 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: try and give back as much as they can as 33 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:36,199 Speaker 2: well as playing the game. 34 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: How important is it not just to have the games 35 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: played here in the end, but obviously to have that 36 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: community engagement and you know, to have kids being able 37 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: to interact with these awesome players. 38 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 2: We hold a febit of value around it. Obviously without 39 00:01:55,360 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: a team here ourselves, yet you know, having these games 40 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: come up is really important to be able to showcase 41 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,559 Speaker 2: the elite, and particularly with the Suns. I mean they've 42 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 2: got a number of players who are territories on their 43 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 2: list and will be playing on the weekend and will 44 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 2: be out and about amongst the schools. So for people here, 45 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: we know a lot of people love their footy and 46 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: want to be able to see their kids go on 47 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 2: that journey for them to be able to see the 48 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 2: likes of Daniel Reali here in Darwin and interacting with 49 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 2: the communities is priceless really. 50 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: Now in terms of the Suns taking on Hawthorne during 51 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: the Doug Nichols Round, remind us what that special round 52 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: does aim to celebrate. 53 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, so obviously so Nichols Round. It's a privilege for 54 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: us to be able to open it next Thursday night. 55 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: It's the round that celebrates Indigenous culture and everything that 56 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 2: Indigenous people have done and continue to do for the 57 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 2: game across the country. And as I said, you know, 58 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 2: we've we've we've privileged to have opened that for the 59 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 2: last couple of years and you know we've we know 60 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 2: that we've got big games like dream Time and the 61 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: likes and hopefully for the future for Darwin is that 62 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 2: we continue to be front and center. That's a that's 63 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 2: a massive TV audience on that Thursday night. You know, 64 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 2: all eyes are on Darwen and the Suns awform in 65 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 2: that particular night. So very special for us to be 66 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: part of it, and hopefully we can continue to be. 67 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: It's awesome And I know the Sons have unveiled their 68 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: special edition Darwin Lariki are Indigenous Guernsey as well. I 69 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: understand it's inspired by the Nightcliff Jenny. 70 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, they look they've committed their indigenous Gernshi to 71 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: territory or here in particular over the last few years 72 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 2: and continue to find ways to represent different parts of 73 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 2: the territory in different cultural connections, which is awesome. And 74 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 2: they did a great job Gold Coast. They really have 75 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 2: integrated here really strongly over the last few years. We're 76 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 2: starting to see more Gold Coast hats and shirts and 77 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 2: stuff like that around town. So that commitment's paying off, 78 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: and yeah, great to see it reflected through the nightclif 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: Jety this. 80 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,679 Speaker 1: Year, Sam, how many people are we expecting to attend 81 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: these two matches at TiO and tickets still on sale? 82 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, tickets still are on sale Ticketmaster or through any 83 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 2: of the socials. You'll find those connections. I looked at 84 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: their big games this year, so we do expect big crowds. 85 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 2: I think we've got the current third, fourth and six 86 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: teams on the AFL Ladder playing here over the next 87 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 2: couple of weeks. So look, I think Saturday night probably 88 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: around eight or nine. It's a few other events that 89 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 2: night which spreads people around the place. But then Thursday night, 90 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 2: I think last year we had about twelve on the 91 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: Thursday night, so we're it's definitely expecting, are you know, 92 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: more than ten on next Thursday night? So I encourage 93 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: people to get here early, get their tickets and yeah, 94 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 2: make sure that don't miss out. 95 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: Good advice well head of AFL here in the end, 96 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: Sam Gibson, good to speak with you this morning, mate, 97 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: have a good day. 98 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, thank you.