AFL Queensland has made key appointments to bolster its community football team and help drive further success of local competitions.
Mitchell Simpson has been elevated to the Competitions Manager – Queensland role after working in AFLQ’s community football team for more than four years.
He steps up to manage the delivery of quality junior and senior competitions in SEQ, including alternative formats and overseeing analytics and compliance issues right across the state.
“I’m very humbled and proud to lead the team responsible for community competitions in Queensland, particularly after we’ve seen such growth in community footy across the state over the past couple years,” he said.
“The resilience, determination and commitment shown by our clubs and volunteers to progress football in some of the most challenging seasons our game has faced is inspiring and certainly motivates our competitions team. I look forward to working alongside our clubs to deliver a bigger and better season of football in 2023”.
Simpson and his team have big goals for 2023, including developing a youth boys’ strategy, a senior football sustainability plan, implementing the National Player Development Framework as well as continuing to support the growth of community football.
“We want to continue to make our competitions sustainable, accessible and provide pathways for both male and female participants to make sure everyone at every level has the opportunity to play community football, whether that’s enjoying it with their mates or setting their sights on being drafted into the AFL or AFLW,” Simpson said.
AFLQ is pleased to welcome Adrian Richardson who will take over the role of Competition Lead – State Leagues & SEQ Senior Football from Mitch, in what is an exciting time for our State League competitions.
Richardson is a highly experienced sports administrator, having previously worked in senior operational roles at the Australian Open, Melbourne Racing Club and most recently at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
Richardson joins the team at an incredibly exciting time for the game with more people than ever playing Australian football in Queensland, with a record number of more than 58,000 registered participants in 2022.
“I had been watching the growth of Australian Rules in South East Queensland (SEQ) over the past 10 to 15 years and knew it was an area I wanted to work in,” Richardson said.
Richardson will manage the QAFL, QAFLW and lead the SEQ senior competitions team with the aim of strengthening the Australian Football brand in Queensland and working alongside clubs to develop players and their pathways.
“We’re aiming to grow the game in SEQ in every aspect and as part of that, we want to ensure our competitions team is set up to support our clubs and leagues to try and increase the strengthen our competitions in Queensland.”
The QAFL season kicks off on April 1, and the Bond University QAFLW seasons kicks off on April 15.
AFLQ Community Football Key Developments for 2023
- AFLQ reached a record number of participants in 2022 with more than 58,000 people registered to play across the state.
- There is now a clear pathway for women and girls to play Aussie Rules in Queensland from U9s right through to QAFLW and even AFLW.
- The AFL Commission approved more than $5 million in new investment to fund phase one of the Women and Girls Action Plan for the next the years to drive female participation and representation for women and girls across all aspects from community footy from playing to coaching, umpiring and administering.
- AFLQ’s State Government partnership, the Grand Final Facilities Fund, continues to transform club environment’s with more than $66 million in projects supported all across Queensland.
- This year the AFL will invest an extra $17 million into grassroots footy, taking the game’s commitment to community football from $50 million to $67 million in 2023.
