Canberra and Sydney ready to roll in rep match 

The most talented women and men from AFL Canberra and AFL Sydney will go head-to-head on Saturday, 18 May in two hotly anticipated contests. 

The leagues will meet for the first time since 2016, and with only a handful of players involved in that match on the 2024 roster, bragging rights are ripe for the taking as a new generation rivalry is born. 

The matches take place on Manuka Oval which, along with AFL Canberra, celebrates 100 years in 2024.  

AFL Sydney and AFL Canberra have each scheduled a competition pause in senior competition so players can be released to play rep footy without detracting from their teams’ performance and, importantly, so community players from both leagues can support their leagues’ representative squads. 

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AFL Canberra vs AFL Sydney 

Date: Saturday, 18 May 
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra | Ngunnawal 
Smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country: 1:45pm 
Match times: Women’s 12:00pm, Men’s at 2:00pm 
Streaming: Live on Streamer  
Entry: $14.50 for adults (including provider fees), $10 for concession, Under 16s free. Sales via Ticketek from 4pm Monday, 13 May or at the gate.

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Community Football Manager, AFL NSW/ACT, John Boulous, said of the AFL Sydney versus AFL Canberra representative match: “Australian football has a long history of rep matches so it’s great to see AFL Canberra and AFL Sydney renew a decades-old rivalry. Both leagues have talented and aspirational players, coaches and umpires across both men’s and women’s competitions and I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ll perform on this elevated stage. With the added incentive of selection in the combined AFL Canberra and AFL Sydney squad to take on Tasmania, all participants should be excited.  

“Canberra has a great tradition of turning up to matches and we expect a huge crowd to see some of the leagues best in action. Congratulations to all players and officials selected in the team and good luck.” 

Coach of AFL Canberra’s men’s team, Kade Klemke, said: “Representative football has been one of the highlights of my playing career and I have fond memories of playing against WAFL and Tasmania on their home soil. One of the best things about representative footy is that players get to play with and against some of the best. It’s a great opportunity to compare and develop your own game while making new friends in the process.  

Coach of AFL Sydney’s women’s team, Kristie Whittard, is looking forward to her players standing out on Saturday: “AFL Sydney has a significant amount of talent and this weekend is a great opportunity for players to test their skill and showcase Sydney footy against Canberra. These players with leave their club rivalries on the boundary line as they take the field together and represent AFL Sydney on Saturday.” 

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Stars from both cities will be motivated to play well as this match beyond bragging rights as it will be keenly watched by selectors for the AFL Canberra/AFL Sydney combined team slated to take on Tasmania in Launceston on 20 July. These men’s and women’s teams will be entering unchartered territory when they cross the Bass Strait and will need to be at their best to challenge the Apple Isle. 

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