Northland impress at champs in Auckland

Aussie rules football seems to be gaining some ground in Northland after Kerikeri High School's team finished fourth at the North Island AFL Championships in Auckland representing Northland.

Having gained the right to represent the region after winning the Northland Secondary Schools Junior Hawk cup, Kerikeri surprised many by winning a pool match against 2013 champions One Tree Hill College.

The surprise win,

which came after a loss to eventual champions Southern Cross Campus, saw Kerikeri through the third and fourth playoff against St Paul's College.

Although Kerikeri's team of 12 lost, the enthusiasm shown by the team of boys showed there maybe a future for the sport in Northland - helped by the skills developed over such a short time.

Not helping Kerikeri's case at the competition earlier this month was the fact that five of the original team were unavailable and three new recruits - who had three trainings under their belts - were called in.

Player of the team for the tournament was Robbie McBain in what was his first time playing the sport competitively.

Kerikeri's success came a month after Whangarei Girls' High School Year 12 students celebrated six weeks of training with Whangarei Primary School pupils, who put their AFL skills on display at Kensington Park.

However, the primary school kids weren't the only ones being watched as their Girls' High coaches were being graded for an NCEA assessment on sports management.

The initiative between the two schools is into its second year. New Zealand AFL Under-18s player, and Girls' High Year 12 student, Jessie Parr, coached Whangarei students.