AFL NSW/ACT has selected its squads to compete in the inaugural Toyota AFL Open, an event for footballers with an intellectual impairment and for wheelchair players.
The Inclusion Rams and the Rolling Rams have long competed at the Toyota AFL National Inclusion Carnival and the Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championships and are excited to come together in a celebration of football and inclusion in one major tournament.
The AFL Open will be held at the South Pine Sports Complex in Queensland from 21-26 November. More than 200 players are set to represent their state and territory across more than 90 matches during the event. Players are competing for national titles in:
Toyota AFL Open - Wheelchair
Toyota AFL Open - Inclusion
Schedule
Fixtures and results from the Toyota AFL Open can be found on Play HQ, with the wheelchair competition available here and inclusion here.
Further information about the event is available in the event program.
How to watch
The final two days of the 2024 AFL Open, on Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th November, will be broadcast live and free with all matches available to be watched via the AFL Play YouTube channel and Kayo Freebies.
NSW/ACT Inclusion Rams
The Inclusion Rams side has been selected from several tryout sessions across the state and territory and from the new Inclusion Shield, a competition gala day for high school students living with a disability.
Half of the 16-player squad will make their Inclusion Rams debut at the AFL Open, with Jack Stevens from Albury the more capped player, partaking in his 11th national tournament for the Rams.
Name | Community Club | Number of previous national championships |
Kai Armstrong | Manly Bombers | 0 |
Daniel Beck | Cardiff Hawks | 2 |
Simon Schofield | Cardiff Hawks | 1 |
Damon Rowett | Cardiff Hawks | 6 |
Michael Cooke | Cardiff Hawks | 3 |
Ethan Szlavits | - | 0 |
Taylor Hanson | - | 3 |
Jack Stevens | North Albury Hoppers | 10 |
Henry Flegg | Nelson Bay Marlins | 2 |
Will Curtis | - | 0 |
Sam Clark | Pittwater Tigers | 0 |
Maison Beecroft | - | 0 |
Jackson Loy | - | 0 |
Leua Elekana | - | 1 |
Junel Bagus | - | 0 |
Corey Moore | Wodonga Bulldogs | 0 |
Coach: William Judd
Assistant Coach: Kasey Paradis
NSW/ACT Rolling Rams
The Rolling Rams team was runner-up in division two at the 2023 Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championships. Players have been plying their craft at multiple AFL Wheelchair AFL training centres across the region with offerings in Albury, Canberra, Wollongong, Sydney and Newcastle providing weekly access to AFL Wheelchair facilities.
Six of the eight players have represented the Rolling Rams before, with the two debutants ready to add depth to the squad, Jess Cronje and Bradley Burns. Cronje has an elite wheelchair basketball background and is a member of the Australian Gliders team.
Name | Training centre | Number of previous national championships |
Danny Jeffery | Bankstown training hub | 1 |
Adam Smark | Illawarra and Bankstown training hubs | 1 |
Ahmad El Haj Youssef | Bankstown training hub | 1 |
Jess Cronje | - | 0 |
Steven Clayton | Newtown Breakaways (Coach) | 2 |
Bradley Burns | Canberra training hub | 0 |
Chris O’Brien | ACT (Tuggeranong), Gungahlin Jets | 2 |
Matthew Hannan | Bankstown training hub | 1 |
Coach: Alessandro Sergi
