In December 2025, The AFL and AFLW Academies, kick started their program with a trip to the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) in Wellington, the first international camp for the program since 2018.
The AFLW is quickly evolving into one of the most successful professional women’s competitions in the world. The Marsh AFLW Academy’s trip to New Zealand camp is helping lay the platform for some of the top talent in Australia to prepare for a shot at a professional sporting career.
“The aspirational sporting landscape for young athletes in Australia is quite incredible. We want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to provide the most aspirational pathway possible for Australian rules footy,” AFL head of talent Nicky Couston told the website in early December.
“Part of that from all the feedback we gathered was to have a really high-quality once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity that we’re able to provide.
“We do think that as well as providing a high-quality footy training camp, some of the other benefits of travelling, being as part of a team, the cultural immersion we’re able to do in a place like New Zealand, will be really great to share some of that with the players as well.”
The players met at Essendon’s training base on their first day, with non-Victorian players flying in to meet up with the group. Then it was an early flight to Wellington the following day, with the four-day camp including a main training session and craft session and a few excursions.
AFLW Academy player Bailee Martin loved her experience at the camp
“The facility was amazing, it’s where the Hurricanes (Super Rugby team) are based, and the All Blacks use it quite a bit as well.
“It had a massive indoor grass area, the recovery area with the ice baths, the gym, and then the [fields] were very good.
“It was one of the highest levels of training I’ve ever worked at. The effort and intensity that all the girls put in was so good. Everyone comes from different programs, so you’re learning off everyone.
Read the full story at afl.com.au
