Alice Springs Town Council bans all Central Australian Football from Traeger Park

Red Centre footballers and fans have been blindsided by a Alice Springs Town Council decision to ban all Central Australian Football League competitions from accessing the main oval.

Red Centre footballers and fans have been blindsided after the local council banned all Central Australian Football League competitions from Traeger Park in a stunning decision just days after fixtures were released.

The CAFL’s senior men’s competition was set to start on Saturday, April 29.

It came after Alice Springs Town Council had initially banned the CAFL’s community competition due to concerns it would create more anti-social issues in the town.

However, in a statement, peak body AFLNT said the council had blocked access to the ground.

It said the league had been notified of the council’s decision within hours of the Under 16 women’s competition starting on April 28.

“Due to the modified field structure and co-operation from CAFL clubs, volunteers, players, and officials, we were able to get matches under way at Albrecht Oval,” AFLNT said.

Alice Springs Town Council mayor Matt Paterson has spoken about the CAFL situation. Picture Mark Brakee

It said the council had also barred its “Footy for Life” all abilities program from Traeger.

However, AFLNT has developed a “revised fixture” for the remaining round of football, with games to be played at Jim McConville, ANZAC and Albrecht ovals.

“AFLNT remains committed to both the CAFL community and town competitions being played in 2023,” it said.

The council’s chief executive officer Joe McCabe said the decision to ban football related to a breach of a licence agreement between the municipal body and AFLNT.

Mayor Matt Paterson told News Corp on April 21 the council would negotiate “in good faith” with AFLNT to ensure the town competition would run in Alice Springs.

However, he said the peak body had not informed the council of its fixtures from 30 days of its “priority access” period, which runs from April 1 to September 30.

Albrecht Oval is currently without goalposts. Picture: Laura Hooper.

Mr Paterson said the council ensured games went ahead at Albrecht Oval earlier this week.

“We went above and beyond to make sure those games were still played and the young girls were still able to play sports,” Mr Paterson said.

“We don’t want to take sport away, that’s never been the desire, we’ve always supported the town competition happening, but AFLNT have let this one slip.”

Mr Paterson could not confirm if Traeger would be closed for the remainder of the football competition.

“Those negotiations will still continue about when Traeger Park is accessible,” he said.

Papunya and Federal footballer Braydon Wiley said the situation was “doing my head in”.

“It’s a sh--show,” Wiley said.

“Do you expect to play all the games at Albrecht (Oval)?

“Is this another way of the council stopping community footy?

Braydon Wiley is concerned the community competition will not survive after this year. Picture: Braydon Wiley.

“I think (AFLNT) are doing as much as they can at the moment. They’re updating these fixtures as best as they can and the council are saying no.

“Council are just on their highhorse, trying to get one-up again.”

He disputed the council’s concerns that community competition football, which would draw hundreds of supporters into town each weekend, would make anti-social issues worse.

“You may as well take away every other sport as well,” he said.

“I’m interested to see what the AFL comes out with today.

“Something needs to happen today.”

South Alice Springs coach Chris Forbes, who had been preparing for the season to start on April 29, said the situation had become “a joke”.

Alice Springs councillor Kim Hopper told ABC Radio that security had blocked teams from entering Traeger Park for games on April 27 which was “very disappointing”.

She said she had sympathy for Alice Springs-based and bush community players and the debate with AFLNT had to come back to a place of “integrity and respect”.

“Those players in town, they come from rate-paying families, they have a right to access those fields,” Cr Hopper said, who was not part of the initial council decision to bar football from Traeger.

“It’s unfairly impacting on players locally.

“It’s kind of urgent we revisit this and get to the table with AFLNT.

“Everyone’s in their corners and we’re kind of at loggerheads … it’s gotten down in the gutter a little bit.”

Revised CAFL fixtures for Round 1

April 28

Under 15 Rovers v South Albrecht Oval 6pm.

Under 18 Rovers v South Albrecht Oval 7.30pm

Under 15 Pioneer v West ANZAC Oval 6pm

Under 18 Pioneer v West ANZAC Oval 7.30pm

April 29

Reserves Rovers v South Jim McConville 12pm

Senior men Rovers v South Jim McConville 2pm

Senior women Rovers v South Jim McConville 4pm

Senior women Federal v Alkamilya Albrecht Oval 1pm

Senior women Pioneer v West Albrecht Oval 3pm

Reserves Pioneer v West Albrecht Oval 5pm

Senior men Pioneer v West Albrecht 7pm.

CAFL fixtures released following lengthy delay

The Central Australian Football League’s senior men’s competition will return on April 29, following a major delay in fixtures being announced.

The official CAFL dates were released earlier this week on Play HQ, after schedules were dropped on April 13 and April 9 the past two years respectively.

It comes amid controversy over the CAFL’s 10-team community competition, with the local council barring access to its grounds, including Traeger Park.

However, the Territory’s peak footballing body, AFLNT, announced recently the competition would begin on May 7.

The AFL then threatened to take away the scheduled match between Melbourne and GWS later this season in Alice Springs unless the council reconsidered its position.

Pioneer won their 32nd CAFL premiership in 2022. Picture: AFLNT.

South Alice Springs coach Chris Forbes said he was excited to see CAFL return despite a lot of uncertainty ahead of the season.

He had heard some remote community players would refuse to take part in the CAFL men’s competition following the council’s hard line stance.

“There’s a few stories going around the bush mob are going to boycott the league because of the council’s decision,” Forbes said.

“Hopefully it doesn’t affect the town sides too much.

“We’ll have to wait and see. It’s going to be interesting.”

He said he would not blame remote footballers for the reported boycott.

South Alice Springs Football Club coach Chris Forbes said it was a shame the CAFL's community competition had been barred from using council grounds. Picture: Chris Forbes.

“I’d be encouraging my players to do the same, you can’t have one rule for one group and not for the other,” he said.

He maintained his belief that community football would not make anti-social issues worse in Alice Springs: “Footy hasn’t started yet and we’ve got all these problems.”

Round 1 of CAFL senior men kicks off on April 29 with a clash between Rovers and South Alice Springs at Albrecht Oval at 3pm, followed by reigning premier Pioneer versus Wests at 5pm.

Pioneer beat South Alice Springs by five points in last year’s grand final.

In the women’s competition, Federal play Panthers, reigning premiers Rovers take on South Alice Springs and Pioneer play West.

Originally published as Alice Springs Town Council bans all Central Australian Football from Traeger Park