Page 37 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2013 YEAR IN REVIEW

NORTH QUEENSLAND EMBRACES AFL EXPERIENCE
The Australian Defence Force faced Townsville at midday and North Queensland Academy faced Metro Academy to close the day. A Gold Coast SUNS fan zone provided an interactive and fun experience and the AFL Playground was open all day to keep the kids entertained.
35
Townsville showed its passion for sport when
the Gold Coast SUNS took on North Melbourne
in Round Two of the NAB Cup in March; the first
time the region had experienced a top-tier AFL
match. Fans were treated to a thrilling battle and a
Townsville Enterprise general manager of tourism and events, Patricia O’Callaghan, reported that tickets had been sold for the game in five states, an excellent result for the continued growth of AFL in Queensland.
first-class introduction to live football, with North Melbourne grinding out a 2.13.6 (102) to 1.11.14 (89) victory over the Gold Coast.
Almost 8,000 supporters flocked to Tony Ireland Stadium to catch the action on game day, the second largest attendance in the stadium’s histor y.
As part of supporting and promoting the region, AFL Queensland worked with Townsville partners to engage the local community in a series of lead- up events.
The Gold Coast SUNS flew to Townsville early
to host the Australia Post Community Camp with players visiting 17 primary and secondary schools in the region as well as community facilities. The players also visited a string of junior clubs to host AFL skills clinics before attending a Community Dinner.
Match day featured plenty of AFL on show for footy fans, as well as entertainment for the whole family.
NAB CUP IN TOWNSVILLE