AFL Tonga scores $30,000 support from parliament [1]
Friday, August 1, 2014 - 08:39. Updated on Monday, August 4, 2014 - 10:33.
Tonga will be represented at the Australian Football League AFL 2014 International Cup competition in Australia from 9-23 August, thanks to the generosity of the Tongan Parliament.
It was the final push by the executive of the AFL Tonga, led by its president Michael O'Shannassy to raise the $30,000 that was needed to confirm their participation in the 2014 AFL International Cup competition, and they scored.
It was a simple tactic, they prepared a morning tea for the Members of Parliament, and with it was a letter, outlining their situation and their "do or die" position. AFL Tonga have raised over $60,000 but they needed $30,000 on that day, 28 July or they would not be able to participate.
Tonga's reliance on remittances as one of its main sources of foreign earning, and the fact that Tonga's sportsmen and women, particularly rugby players contributed a substantial amount to Tonga's foreign earnings made it very difficult for members of parliament to say no.
The Nobles' Representative led the charge, and on the following day, 29 July Lord Nuku proposed for the table of the Nobles to contribute $10,000; then the People's Representatives $10,000, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is responsible for sport, had offered to contribute $10,000.
Lord Nuku also reminded the PRs of their $2 million Constituency Fund, but the PRs were reluctant to put their hands into their pockets.
However, at the end the AFL Tonga got their $30,000, being $10,000 from the Nobles, $10,000 from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and $10,000 from the Tongan Legislative Assembly. The Speaker, Lord Fakafanua told the House that he should be able to get $10,000 from the House's budget allocation.
Tonga will send two teams to the International Cup competition, a men's team, the Thunder, and a women's team, the Storm. It will be for the first time that a Tongan women's team will participate in an AFL International Cup competition.
According to the AFL World Ranking as of 13 August 2013, the Tongan Thunder is ranked number nine. The world champion is Australia, in second place is Ireland, Papua New Guinea third, New Zealand fourth, Nauru fifth, and Fiji in 12th.
The Tonga teams will leave Tonga on 5 August.