2022 Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship to Begin This Tuesday in Naarm/Melbourne
[Image ID - A poster graphic for the Toyota’s naming rights partnership for the 2022 Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship. Featured over a green background is text reading ‘Naming Rights Partner’. Below are the logos of: the Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship, Disability Sports Australia, AFL, Aligned Leisure, APM, Victoria State Government, Kayo Freebies, Australian Defence Force, and Nillumbik Shire Council.]
The 2022 Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship commences this Tuesday 22-25 November. Disability Sports Australia (DSA) members, AFL states and territories, Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Returned Services League (RSL) representative teams will be descending on the recently redeveloped Diamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre in Greensborough.
The event will feature longstanding teams from South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, RSL and ADF. They will be welcoming newcomers Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Northern Territory across two divisions.
Delivered by DSA in partnership with the Australian Football League (AFL), the Championship provides an opportunity for people with a physical disability, and those without disability, to participate together in a modified, fully-inclusive game of Australian Rules Football – played in a sports wheelchair.
The past two events have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. South Australia will be searching for a fifth successive crown since the event’s inception in 2016.
The 11 teams will play a lightning carnival format over the first day - Tuesday 22 November. Based on the results, the top five teams from day one will go into Division One, and the bottom six teams go into Division Two for pool matches on Wednesday 23 November and Thursday 24 November.
Finals for both divisions will take place on Friday 25 November where Australia’s best Wheelchair AFL teams will go head-to-head in the Championship Finals Series.
Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer, Vin Naidoo says Toyota is immensely proud to partner with Disability Sports Australia and the AFL for the return of the Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship.
“As the AFL’s premier partner, Toyota is committed to empowering people of all ages and abilities to participate in the great game, and the Wheelchair AFL Championship is an incredible initiative that provides opportunities to do just that. We look forward to seeing the athletes showcase their talent on the ground, and wish all competing teams the best of luck for the championship” Mr Naidoo said.
With a record number of players and teams featuring in the event, Disability Sports Australia’s General Manager - Programs and Partnerships, Ayden Shaw is excited to have Toyota as the naming rights partner.
“Partnering with Toyota has created ongoing sustainability for our event in the future. It will transform our approach to delivering the competition and enable us to amplify the truly outstanding work done nationally by our members, AFL state and territory organisations and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to create more opportunities for people to play this great sport.
“We are incredibly grateful to the AFL team for enabling this partnership and believe that this partnership with Toyota will become a landmark moment that will drive the sport forward across all key areas of the game.”
Live Streaming
DSA is thrilled to partner with Kayo Sports, ABC Sport and B-Live streaming to provide more avenues than ever for people to access the Championship nationally.
To learn more about how to stream the matches, please visit:
https://www.wheelchairaflchampionship.au/news/streaming-the-2022-toyota-wheelchair-afl-national-championship
The 2022 Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship is a free ticketed event that will be open to the public to watch and support.
The 2022 Wheelchair AFL National Championship is proudly supported by Toyota as the Naming Rights Partner, the Victorian Government, APM, Australian Football League (AFL) AFL Victoria, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Kayo Sports, ABC Sports and Aligned Leisure.
The event is also supported by B-Live Streaming, Nillumbik Shire Council, Quest Apartment Hotels, NDSP Plan Manager, Access Ability Australia, the Australian Sports Commission.
2022 Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championship
Dates: Tuesday 22 November to Friday 25 November.
Venue: Diamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre
44 Civic Dr, Greensborough VIC 3088
Stay up to date with the competition including fixtures, results and ladders at the official event website.
https://www.wheelchairaflchampionship.au/
Media Contact:
Ayden Shaw
General Manager-Programs and Events
Disability Sports Australia
M: 0411 788 315
E: ayden@sports.org.au
Or
Max Reilly
Events and Communications Officer
Disability Sports Australia
M: 0478 159 118
E: max@sports.org.au
Disability Sports Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this event takes place, the Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present & emerging.
We extend this respect to the Aboriginal Elders of other communities and all First Nations peoples. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.