AFL revamps Northern Territory games with Suns and Demons

The Gold Coast Suns will play one home game in Darwin in 2020 to compliment their new academy.

After hosting a match in Darwin for the last 10 years, Melbourne will discontinue playing there and bring a home game back to the MCG.

The Demons will continue to play home games in Alice Springs and their AFLW side will also compete in games over there as well.

AFL.com says the deal with the Suns was formalised a month after the August announcement about the new prosperous relationship with the Suns and the NT.

AFLNT chief executive Stuart Totham said the contribution of Gold Coast, Melbourne, the AFL and the NT Government would create "great community benefits".

"(This plan will) provide a boost to all the aspiring Territory footballers dreaming of making it to the AFL and AFLW, while also driving growth in the game throughout the NT," Totham said.

"At AFLNT, we are focused on increasing the number of AFL and AFLW players from the NT.

"The long-term commitment by the NT Government, AFL and clubs to NT football will give us a solid platform from which we can broaden and grow our current talent base and facilitate the growth in the presence of NT players at the elite level."

There will also be a coaching manager and club development manager appointed to provide stability and guidance to local coaches within the territory.

Gold Coast chief executive, Mark Evans explained the vision of the Territory talent project in the list below:

The four other AFL clubs – Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong and Hawthorn – with dedicated Next Generation Academy zones in the NT will remain in their respective regions.

However, the AFLNT's hope is they will work closer with Territory programs and footballers.

Among the other changes are:

- The revamped NT Thunder Academy program will offer more games for under-18 men and women, and greater access to and better engagement with remote communities.

- Individual development plans for talent identified remote footballers.

- New intra-Territory NT Thunder Academy trials and player camps before Territory representation or NGA Academy selection is finalised.

- Opportunities remain to play for NT Thunder in the NAB League, for the Allies in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, and national indigenous and multicultural programs.

- Dual-gender programs in different regions (Central Australia, Top End and Remote Areas) from under-12s to under-18s for the first time in more than two decades.

- NT umpires can still access the national talent pathway and have opportunities at state league level.