New Zealand American football Federation, abbreviated NZAFF, is the recognised national body for American football in New Zealand.
Member leagues Currently, there are three leagues in New Zealand. Each is affiliated to the governing body.
American football Auckland American football Wellington American football Canterbury
National team The New Zealand Steelblacks are the national team of New Zealand, formerly known as the New Zealand Ironblacks.
List of various New Zealand representative teams (NZ team names will vary depending on governing body.)
1983 NZ All-Stars vs US Armed Forces All-Stars 1984 Air NZ All-Stars vs LAPD Centurions 1985 NZGFA team was selected for an LAPD Centurions return game in NZ which did not eventuate. 1986 NZ Warriors vs William Jewel College, Missouri. 1986 NZ vs USA Eagles. NCAA Division 3 Selection 1987 NZ vs Pacific Lutheran Selection, Washington 1987 NZ Warriors vs Queensland Taipans, game 1 1987 NZ Warriors vs Queensland Taipans, game 2. 1988 NZ vs Augsburg College, Minnesota 1991 NZ Warriors vs Queensland Taipans 1991 South Auckland Raiders vs. Gridiron Victoria 1992 NZ Warriors vs Gustavus Adolphus College 1992 Wellington Capitals vs Doane College, Nebraska 1992 Wellington Giants vs Doane College, Nebraska 1993 NZ Gladiators vs Queensland Taipans 1996 Wellington Hurricanes vs Doane College, Nebraska 1997 Wellington Storm vs Doane College, Nebraska 1997 NZ Haka vs Australian Allies 1997 NZ Haka vs Australian Bushrangers (ANZAC Bowl) 1997 NZ All-Stars vs Dixie State University, Utah 1997 NZ All-Stars vs Snow College, Utah 1997 NZ All-Stars vs Ricks College, Idaho 1998 NZ Haka vs Australian Allies 1999 NZ Haka (Down Under Bowl) 2001 NZ Haka vs Queensland (Australia) 2001 NZ Haka vs Arizona All-Stars 2001 NZ Haka Colts vs Kentucky All-Stars 2001 NZ Haka vs NW USA All-Stars 2003 NZ Haka vs Victoria (Australia) 2003 NZ Haka Colts vs Victoria (Australia) 2003 NZ Haka Colts vs. Kentucky All-Stars 2003 NZ Haka Colts vs Tennessee All-Stars 2003 NZ Haka Colts vs Australia (Oceana Bowl) 2003 NZ/AUS (TDU/Arena) vs Quad City Steamwheelers 2003 Auckland Vulcans vs Dioane College, Nebraska 2003 NZ Iron Blacks vs. Australia 2003 NZ Iron Blacks Colts vs Australia 2005 NZ Iron Blacks vs Australian Outback 2009 NZ Iron Black Colts vs Australia (JWC Qualifier). 2009 NZ Iron Black Colts vs Canada (JWC, Canton, Ohio). 2009 NZ Iron Black Colts vs Germany (JWC, Canton, Ohio). 2009 NZ Iron Black Colts vs France (JWC, Canton, Ohio). 2015 NZ Steel Blacks Colts vs Australia (JWC Qualifier). 2016 NZ Steel Blacks vs. American Samoa 2016 NZ Steel Blacks Colts vs Australia
History American football has been played in New Zealand in an organised form since 1982. Early scrimmages reportedly taking place as far back as 1971 at Kelston Boys High school and run by "The Godfather" of NZ football, George O'Scanlon. The first reported game was in 1975 between a team in Auckland known as the ADC (Auckland Distribution Centre) Cowboys who travelled to Hamilton for a one-off game against the CCNZOB's (Church College NZ Old Boys).
As is tradition in American football USA, a cheer squad also traveled with the ADC Cowboys to support the team. This was the start of a long affiliation of cheer squads formed by teams to support the game of American football in NZ.
The scrimmages in Auckland continued and would go on to see the formation of the Metro Lions and Henderson Rangers clubs. There were 4 original clubs formed in 1982, based in Auckland; South Auckland Saints, Metro Lions, Henderson Rangers and North Shore. 2 of those clubs remain today, the Saints as South Auckland Raiders and the Mountain Lions as Metro Lions. Much later competition was started in Wellington and other clubs were formed in places like Whangarei, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wanganui, Palmerston North and Levin.
The game today sees the continued growth of the game in Canterbury, Hawkes Bay and Nelson.
1940's exhibition football was played in wartime New Zealand, with games put on by US serviceman during WW2. Reported games were played in both Auckland and Wellington between rival US warships.
1949 sees the first reported NZ football player to make a US college team. Joe Hapi from the Hawkes Bay area appears on the BYU Cougars football team as an offensive lineman.
1964 saw exhibition football played in Gisborne as elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints put on a game complete with full equipment for the locals. Kaiti Trojans played the Te Hapara Packers.
Once again in the late '70s, elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints introduced football to the Polynesian communities in Auckland and Hamilton, which would lead to the early scrimmages and the competition in Auckland as we know it today.
1983 saw the San Francisco 49ers draft high-profile USC linebacker Riki Ellison. Riki's presence in the NFL would help promote the game to NZers and prove that Kiwis could make it in professional American football.
During the late 80's NZ Football received unprecedented media coverage when TV3 began to broadcast NFL highlights packages and Sky Sports would televise the Super Bowl live. The then NZGFA sports information director Ed Mason's work, especially in the newspaper print media was essential to spreading the word that American football had now well and truly arrived in NZ. Ed Mason went on to become a founding member of NZ Baseball and was inducted into the NZ Baseball Hall Of Fame. Ed Mason is also a Life Member of the Metro Lions American football Club.
There have been a succession of governing bodies for the sport with the current NZAFF being recognised by the NZ Government and with membership from all of the regions playing football; Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. Twice in its history, there have been organisational splits with competing leagues being formed. In the late 1980s there was the NZ Gridiron Football Association and the NZ American football League, in the late 1990s and early 2000s there was Gridiron New Zealand and the NZ American football Association. On both of these occasions, the leagues rejoined each other and overcame their differences.
1989 saw former NZAFL founder George O'Scanlon establish the ISSI for athletes in Australia, which would go on to introduce the Down Under Bowl concept in the Southern Hemisphere. A tournament NZ would eventually send teams to Australia to compete in. Down Under Bowl directors George O'Scanlon and former Utah State University head coach and BYU special teams coach Chris Pella were instrumental in bringing numerous football programs to NZ in the 1980s and creating countless pathways for NZ football players who wanted pursue the game further in the US.
Gridiron NZ saw the introduction and much-needed promotion of age grades to American football in NZ, a component essential to its continued growth over the years.
The Canadian Football League has also seen a number of athletes with NZ roots make an appearance on rosters over the years. Luc Mullinder, Will Hinchcliff and Johan Asiata.
Likewise, there has also been a number of athletes appearing on NFL rosters in last few years with NZ roots including Stephen Paea (Bears, Redskins, Browns), Tevita Finau (Jets, Texans), Kona Schwenke (Seahawks), Rhett Ellison (Vikings) BYU rugby convert Paul Lasike (Cardinals, Bears). Others to try out for NFL spots over the years include Will Hinchcliff (Redskins), Nic Purcell (Eagles), Joe Tuineau (Jets), Johan Asiata (Bears) and Abe Markowitz (Seahawks), Andrew Motu'apuaka (Jacksonville Jaguars)
American football Auckland Club Profiles There have been a number of clubs in New Zealand since the game's inception, only 2 original clubs remain but some of the others have been:
Metro Lions: Originally known as the Mountain Lions. A foundation club that ran out of Potters Park in Mount Eden. Founding and life members included Pose Tafa, Willie-John Stowers and the late Peter Tua'i. To their credit they continue to this day and are one of the most successful clubs in the country. They are the Metro Lions and were one of the first club to supply players to US College football and the NFL. Most notable was Mark Nua who received a full football scholarship to play at the University of Hawaii. Mark Nua was drafted in the NFL by the Detroit Lions before eventually landing on the San Diego Chargers roster. Mark also played in the World League of American Football for the Sacramento Surge. Also attending the University of Hawaii was sprinter and part-time actor John Freeman. Another of the pioneer Metro Lions to attend college was Toa Sagapolu who played for the University of California Berkeley, playing in the famous Citrus Bowl in 1992 in Orlando. Former Toa Samoa and NZ Warriors rugby league player Shannon Stowers also attended Utah State University. More recently William Hodgman attended Arizona Western College. The club today is based out of Grey Lynn Park. Colours: Black jerseys and silver pants.
South Auckland Raiders: A founding club who were originally named the South Auckland Saints. Foundation members included Lawrence Tafa, Arthur Beazley, and Colin Tavui. When the Auckland league first split into two in the early 1980s, they changed their name to the Xerox Raiders and changed their colours to purple and silver. Initially heavily influenced by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who supplied coaching and local players. Former Tongan RWC player Joe Tuineau who attended SE Missouri University spent time on the NY Jets roster. Colours: Red with white numbers and black pants, later white jerseys with orange numbers and pants.
Henderson Rangers: A founding club and under the direction of NZ gridiron pioneer, the late George O’Scanlan. George O'Scanlon reportedly ran a football team at Kelston Boys High School back in the 1970s but failed to find any opposition. O'Scanlon continued to organize games and scrimmages through the late '70s that lead to the formation of both the Henderson Rangers and Metro Lions clubs. They also provided players to the US College system. Former Manu Samoa and Auckland rugby star Timo Tagaloa was the first NZ athlete to receive a full football scholarship to Utah State University. Also JC college and rugby league player Robert Marsom who spent time at Eastern Utah and El Camino colleges. Henderson Rangers continued as a successful club for many years before folding in the early 2000s. Colours: Dark Green with white numbers, gold pants and helmets, later royal blue jerseys with white numbers and red trim, blue pants with red and white stripes, red helmets.
North Shore: North Shore was one of the 4 founding clubs in NZ football. Essentially it was based out of Long Bay College where an American teacher Wes Edwards put together a very good team. Star players included Joe Fepuleai, David Woods and Nick Leger, both of whom would go on to play for the Roskill Rams and Mt Albert Mustangs. While lacking in size, they did the basics well, especially the sweep with their quick backs. The club lasted for only a few years before folding and several players joining other established teams. Colours: Red with yellow numbers and white pants.
Roskill Rams: