For rising young Northern Territory footballer Isaiah Baldock, his dream of playing for an NT-based AFL team could be closer than he imagined.
The 17-year-old plays for the NTFL's St Mary's Football Club and hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Territorian and Geelong AFL footballer, Brandan Parfitt.
"It's always a little boy's dream to play in the AFL," Mr Baldock said.
"Just knowing that there could be an AFL team up here [in the NT] just gives you a little bit more confidence that the dream may be a reality.
"It's something to strive towards and look forward to."
He is hoping that dream could soon be realised, as the bid for an AFL team licence in the Top End gathers pace.
A Northern Territory AFL taskforce is in the process of developing a business case to drive the NT's push for a team forward.
"All the ingredients are in place for the Northern Territory to have an AFL team," AFLNT Chair and taskforce member Sean Bowden said.
"We've got the great participation rates in the Territory, enormous talent and a community that just loves football."
Major hurdles ahead
Feasibility studies have been carried out before.
While the Northern Territory boasts the highest per capita participation rates in Australian rules football in the country, it faces significant obstacles in its bid for a local club.
Last year, a report commissioned by AFLNT, with a grant from the NT government, found the Territory's small population would pose a major challenge in driving the revenue needed for the long-term sustainability of an AFL team.
It found an NT-based team would likely run at a yearly loss of $15 million — with an annual operating cost of $45 million and an estimated revenue of $30 million.
But the territory is taking an unusual approach in its bid this time, encouraging the league to consider the positive social impacts of a local club over financial viability.
The approach would see a team with social impact as its main objective.
"Football is a huge part of every remote community … it's something that really gets young men and women in the bush and their families involved and active," Mr Bowden said.
"It's a social contract with people, where the team can reach out into the communities and be used as an aspirational piece."
Study looking at social and economic benefits
NT Sport Minister Kate Worden said the taskforce is exploring whether the revenue shortfall could be filled by sourcing funding from philanthropic organisations.
"Currently, you might get some big sponsors of some existing clubs from big business," she said.
"We would look to get support from unconventional sponsors — people that are interested in making a difference socially, not just an economic gain for them."
The NT government is commissioning a study to evaluate the social and economic benefits of a local team which it would then use to lobby AFL headquarters to make the NT home to an AFL side.
A tender for a consultant has closed, with the government hoping the study will be completed in the coming months.
Mr Bowden said a local team would help expand the Territory's talent pool.
'It would be a dream come true'
The territory's proposal would also include a women's team.
Darwin teenager and St. Mary's Football Club player Emma Stark said the potential to represent her hometown in the national competition was exciting.
"That's the goal," she said.
"It would be a dream come true."
The taskforce has projected it could take up to ten years to establish a locally-based AFL team.
It is due to submit a final report to the NT Chief Minister's office by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Tasmania is bidding to claim the AFL's 19th licence, with a decision expected this year.
Mr Bowden said he backed the entry of both Tasmania and the Northern Territory in the AFL.
"We think that the two teams go together and that if Tasmania has a team, the Northern Territory can have a team," he said.
