Future stars shine at Michael Long Cup

Jackson Clark Published August 30, 2025 at 6.00am (AWST)

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The annual Michael Long Cup was held at Darwin's TIO Stadium last weekend. (Image: Ryan Saxelby/AFLNT)

The annual Michael Long Cup took place at TIO Stadium across last weekend, bringing together 100 of the Northern Territory's most talented U15 footballers.

The tournament provided a platform for players from remote regions to showcase their skills in front of NT Talent Pathway scouts, with teams drawn from every corner of the NT – including Alice Springs, Wadeye, Tennant Creek, the Tiwi Islands, Gove and Darwin.

The scale of the event highlighted both the strength and the challenges of football in the Northern Territory.

A remarkable 41 per cent of participants travelled from regional and remote communities, underlining both the significance of football as a unifying force across the NT and the difficult logistical task of making this carnival a reality.

The Tiwi Islands' contribution was a particular talking point this year, with 14 per cent of participants hailing from the region – six boys and eight girls.

NT Talent Manager Josh Kleine said the emergence of Tiwi footballers at the carnival was exciting.

"To see so many young Tiwi athletes earning opportunities at this level highlights the impact of the work that has been done on the Islands during my time there," Kleine said.

"There is so much exciting talent continuing to emerge over there, the future of Tiwi footy is incredibly bright."

*Participants at the Michael Long Cup in Darwin. (Image: Ryan Saxelby/AFLNT)*

One of the key objectives of the Cup is to promote Indigenous and multicultural programs, while also creating opportunities for Next Generation Academy clubs to build relationships with young players.

This year's edition featured 50 boys and 50 girls split into teams named in honour of current and former Northern Territory AFL and AFLW products Matt Campbell, Steven May, J'Noemi Anderson and Mattea Breed.

Kleine believes this year's event was a resounding success.

"The Michael Long Cup is about more than just the games - it's about connection, growth, and opportunity, he said.

"It's vital that kids from every corner of the NT are given the chance to shine.

"For some it will be the highlight of their football career, for others it's just the start of what could be a very special journey."

Alongside the games, players took part in a range of workshops, fitness sessions and educational modules designed to help them prepare for the demands of high-performance football.