AFL threatens to move Alice Springs fixture after Town Council halts community football use of sporting fields

The AFL has threatened to move its Round 16 fixture from Alice Springs as a result of the Town Council having halted use of its sporting fields by community football competitions.

The League has informed the Alice Springs Town Council that it is consider moving the Melbourne versus GWS Giants game from Traeger Park in late June following a Council decision to prevent community teams from playing at its venues this year.

The Council voted last month to prevent the Central Australia Football League using its fields for competition as a result of social issues and an increase in violence in the town.

Media reporting of an email sent by the AFL to Town Councillors said it would consider the impact of the decision on the game in Central Australia.

The email advised that AFL would look to “review the viability of staging” the Round 16 match between Melbourne and GWS Giants in Alice Springs.

In a statement, the Council confirmed it will “not permit AFLNT to access Traeger Park to conduct competitions in 2023”.

The statement explained “this outcome is a result of the failure by AFLNT to comply with its obligations for the 2023 season, under the licence agreement with Council which expires in September 2025.”

It said AFL NT had failed to comply with its obligations for the 2023 season, under a licence agreement with the council which expires in September 2025.

The Herald Sun reported that AFL NT is concerned that the Council permits teams from Alice Springs to play on Saturdays at Traeger Park, but does not permit teams from regional communities to play there on Sundays as part of a separate communities competition.

Image: Alice Springs' Traeger Park. Credit: Alice Springs Town Council.