Live stream: AFL Masters National Carnival breaks record for number of athletes

The AFL Masters National carnival is already smashing records a month out from the tournament. Find out what’s driving the rise and how to watch the tournament LIVE in October.

The 2023 AFL Masters National Carnival can already claim to be the biggest in history, before a ball has even been kicked.

The tournament, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast from October 1-7, has received a record-breaking number of registrations already with more than a month to go before the first bounce.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AFL MASTERS NATIONALS LIVE STREAM

The only place you can watch history being made at the AFL Masters National Carnival is through KommunityTV, which will exclusively broadcast every match of the tournament.

The explosion in female athletes at the AFL Masters Nationals has helped the tournament break the record number of players.

The 2023 event has already registered more than 1500 players across all age groups, smashing last year’s record-setting effort in Adelaide when 1228 players took the field.

The big boost in numbers is thanks in large part to an explosion in the number of women who are playing the game at the masters’ level.

AFL Masters introduced women’s divisions to the national carnival in 2016 starting with three teams. Seven years later, and despite missing two years to the pandemic, the tournament will welcome 18 women’s sides across three divisions to the Sunshine Coast.

AFL Masters has also introduced a national women’s team for the first time, with an Over-35s side set to tour Ireland in March next year.

“We believe the girls will do us really proud in Ireland, and just quietly we reckon they are shorter odds to be the ones bringing home the bickies in March,” AFL Masters general manager Adrian Raftery said.

Victoria Country took out the Women’s Over-35s title in Adelaide last year.

“We are absolutely stoked by the number of women who have nominated to be part of our tournament this year. To see the growth we have had in seven years is unbelievable.”

Nearly 80 players have already registered an expression of interest to join the Australian women’s touring squad, with that list to be whittled down to a 25-woman squad.

The selection process will take place following the AFL Masters National Championships in October, with performances on the Sunshine Coast critical in selectors’ decision making.

“There is a bit more than just state pride on the line for the women this year,” Raftery said.

“They really understand the ethos of Masters footy, they play footy for fun. Having said that, there is a bit of added incentive this year to train that bit harder and play a bit harder.

“We are ecstatic that there has been such a strong interest in our first national side, and I know it won’t be an easy job for the selection panel at all.”

Originally published as Live stream: AFL Masters National Carnival breaks record for number of athletes