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%