The Australian Convicts are a touring amateur team of Australian rules football players and officials from Australia.
Contents
The Convicts were formed in 2003 to help promote Australian rules football internationally through playing tour matches against international amateur sides.
Tours
The Convicts have conducted 4 tours to date, Europe (2003), South Africa (2005 & 2007) & USA and Canada in 2007.
Matches in Europe were against the Sussex Swans (London), Madrid Bears (Madrid) and Germany (Frankfurt).
In South Africa the Convicts played matches against the national representative side the South African Buffaloes and ran coaching clinics for children in conjunction with AFL South Africa.
In March 2007 the Convicts conducted the first ever Aussie Rules clinic on behalf of AFL South Africa for children in the township of Nayana, Cape Town.
In October 2007 the Convicts toured Canada and the USA participating firstly in the Canadian grand final day and again a week later at the USAFL championships in Louisville Kentucky. These exhibition games were played against the Canadian Northwind and The USA Revolution.
In October 2010 the Convicts will become the first ever Aussie Rules side to tour South America.
Future tours to USA & Canada (October 2011) and South Africa (November 2011) are planned.
Promotions and Patrons
A promotion at the 2006 Commonwealth Games saw footballs presented to Tanzanian athletes including marathon gold medalist, Samson Ramadhani Nyonyi.
Patrons of the Convicts include football legend Ron Barassi and Herald Sun reporter Scott Palmer.