Another year of growth in player numbers
THE number of players registered in the AFL North Coast increased 5.56% on the number of players in 2024.
This year, from Under-10s up to Senior Men and Women, there were a total of 1,404 players registered from Yamba in the north down to Port Macquarie in the south. This was an increase on the 1,330 players who were registered last year.
This number doesn’t include players registered for Auskick, Superkick, Nines or After School Clinics – all initiatives that also experienced fantastic growth over the past 12 months.
Community Football and Competition Manager Brad Greenshields said the aspect of the numbers that pleases him the most is that it’s all organic growth.
“In 2022 and 2024 there were new Youth Girls age groups introduced which contributed significantly to the growth. This year there haven’t been any new age groups so the increased numbers in 2025 comes from players, families and friends enjoying the atmosphere at their local club and recruiting more players to come and join them,” Greenshields said.
Since 2022 when the AFL North Coast had a total of 1140 players registered:
- The League has enjoyed growth in player numbers of 23.16%.
- The number of male players in this time has increased 13.6% while female numbers have risen by 51.1% since 2022.
- The number of junior players on a Sunday have risen by a whopping 57.79% over the past three years.
- A focus on senior player numbers will be needed as the number of senior player registrations have dropped by 12.45% over that timeframe.
This increase has helped the AFL pass go past a total of 600,000 participants across the country. A good start toward reaching the AFL’s goal of having one million participants by 2033.
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Bellingen | 62 | 66 | 47 | 50 |
| Byron Bay | 0 | 66 | 0 | 0 |
| Casino | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Coffs Breakers Juniors | 93 | 96 | 102 | 98 |
| Coffs Breakers Seniors | 105 | 80 | 95 | 98 |
| Grafton Juniors | 40 | 36 | 33 | 40 |
| Grafton Seniors | 84 | 74 | 86 | 35 |
| Lower Clarence Suns | 0 | 25 | 35 | 60 |
| Macleay Valley | 0 | 3 | 13 | 53 |
| Nambucca Valley Juniors | 75 | 84 | 126 | 132 |
| Nambucca Valley Seniors | 25 | 19 | 37 | 24 |
| North Coffs | 0 | 13 | 33 | 53 |
| Northern Beaches Juniors | 73 | 91 | 98 | 131 |
| Northern Beaches Seniors | 91 | 60 | 67 | 64 |
| Port Macquarie Juniors | 116 | 128 | 138 | 152 |
| Port Macquarie Seniors | 114 | 94 | 111 | 115 |
| Sawtell/Toormina Juniors | 95 | 134 | 162 | 167 |
| Sawtell/Toormina Seniors | 103 | 80 | 107 | 112 |
| South West Rocks Dockers | 24 | 42 | 40 | 20 |
| TOTAL | 1140 | 1191 | 1330 | 1404 |
| YoY GROWTH/DECLINE | – | +4.47% | +11.67% | +5.56% |
| Female | 317 | 420 | 454 | 479 |
| Male | 823 | 771 | 876 | 925 |
| Juniors | 578 | 676 | 827 | 912 |
| Seniors | 562 | 515 | 503 | 492 |
| AFL NORTH COAST GROWTH SINCE 2022 | – | +4.47% | +16.67% | +23.16% |
