1997 – 1998

• Exhibition match played in Cape Town at Newlands Cricket Ground. Brisbane Lions vs. Fremantle Dockers attracting 10,000 spectators.
• Australian soldiers visiting Mafikeng (North West) conducted footy clinics for the first time.

2003 – 2004

• Footy South Africa registered as a company and becomes affiliated with AFL in 2004

2005 – 2006

• First ever AFL grant of $AUD 60k helped employed four local employees based in Potchefstroom, North West. Participation ±5000
• Inaugural Flying Boomerangs Indigenous Youth tour of South Africa – 3 games played against SA Lions (2006)

2007 – 2008

• AFL investment increased to $AUD600k pa (approx. R3.5m) with Footy South Africa re-branded as AFL South Africa
• footyWILD brand & concept launched to differentiate the game from rugby & soccer
• Program expanded to four Provinces (North West, Western Cape, Kwa Zulu Natal & Gauteng
• First AIS / AFL Academy U17 tour of South Africa to play against SA Lions national team.
• Four AFL Clubs adopt a Province each – Fremantle (NW), Collingwood (WC), West Coast Eagles (KZN) & Carlton (Gauteng)
• First major sponsor secured, Australian company Costa Logistics
• AFL Exhibition game – Fremantle v Carlton at Supersport Park, Centurion (sponsored by ARTH) Attendance ±5000
• First AFLSA National Championships held in Potchefstroom (sponsored by Grandslots)
• SA Lions finish 3rd in 2008 AFL International Cup (Melbourne, Australia)

2009 – 2012

• More than a dozen inbound tours from Australia by schools, clubs and AFL-endorsed programs
• First SA player from footyWILD program recruited to AFL structure – Bayanda Sobetwa, Khayelitsha to Greater Western Sydney
• SA player exchange – players hosted at West Perth FC (Western Australia, 2008), South Launceston FC (Tasmania) and Jamestown FC (South Aust, 2011)

2013 – 2018

• Program consolidated with Participation growth from 19165 unique participants to 34752
• SA Lions competed at International Cups in 2014 and 2017

2019 – late 2021

• In March 2020, operations were shut down completely due to COVID-19
• AFL funding for all International affiliates was reduced significantly, and at the end of the 2020 season,
• AFLSA staff levels were reduced from 22, down to a skeletal structure
• The program only resumed in August 2021 when it was safe to do so, but with a scaled back operational structure in line with reduced budget
• Program streamlined from four Provinces down to the original Province (North West) with a view to scaling back up when circumstances allowed

Late 2021 – 2022

• In the wake of COVID, and with the support of Australian Government, AFLSA was well-positioned to re-introduce the footyWILD program as a safe activity for Primary school boys & girls in the North West (safety protocols were introduced including PPE, teachers were engaged)
• As a result, footyWILD was actively embraced as an in-school activity by the North West Dept of Education for the first time (prior to this, it was always run after school)
• This new approach provided access to far more boys and girls than was previously possible, enabling participation growth to re-emerge, despite the much smaller footprint

2023 & beyond

• Re-introduce Youth football program through township High Schools
• Re-establish Senior football for community teams

Find partners to support and re-establish the following key areas:

1. footyWILD Big 5 – mass participation program
2. Talent outcomes including SA Lions at the AFL International Cup