Port Adelaide’s not-for-profit arm set for landmark expansion

Port Adelaide’s Power Community Limited will expand the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup into the Northern Territory in 2026, marking the program’s first entry into the Top End in its 19-year history.

Now in its 19th year, the program will officially launch in the Top End in 2026 across nine schools, engaging approximately 200 First Nations secondary students as part of efforts to address declining school attendance rates.

School attendance among First Nations students in the Northern Territory currently sits below 60 per cent, with only around 40 per cent completing Year 12.

Key Points

The expansion comes after the club’s not-for-profit successfully piloted the program over the past two years, providing opportunities for Territory based schools to take part in the South Australian program.

Education-first model

Recognised as an industry-leading initiative for close to two decades, the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup uses AFL football, player engagement and game-day experiences as a powerful hook to connect with students, underpinned by an education-first philosophy.

• Curriculum-aligned learning across culture, health, wellbeing, education and employment
• Content linked to National Closing the Gap targets
• Key messages delivered by AFL players to enhance engagement

At the heart of the program is a performance-based incentive: students who achieve at least 80 per cent school attendance and meet behaviour standards earn the opportunity to take part in the annual AFL carnival.

Leadership and community delivery

Power Community Limited’s Head of Programs, Braedon Talbot — a proud Larrakia and Wagiman man originally from Darwin — will lead the Northern Territory expansion, bringing a strong personal connection to the communities the program will support. Talbot said the expansion is designed to create durable outcomes for young people in the Territory.

“This program is about more than football”

— Braedon Talbot

He will be supported by AFL legend and club Indigenous Liaison Officer Shaun Burgoyne, along with former Port Adelaide player Steven Motlop, who will deliver face-to-face workshops at participating schools in the lead-up to the carnival.

Burgoyne said the expansion would offer a clear path for students to connect education with opportunity and culture.

Track record and targets

The program builds on a holistic model established through Power Community Limited’s long-standing work with the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy across metropolitan, regional and remote South Australia. Organisers cite a strong track record of impact.

• In 2025, 93 per cent of participating students completed the program and improved their school engagement
• 96 per cent reported increased confidence
• 100 per cent of teachers said they would recommend the program

The approach is closely linked to National Closing the Gap targets and relies on AFL players to deliver core messages, a method organisers say has proven effective for engaging and educating young people.

Program timeline

The inaugural Northern Territory program will culminate in Darwin the day before the club’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round clash against the Gold Coast Suns. Students who meet the program’s attendance and engagement benchmarks will earn the opportunity to attend the carnival alongside a large portion of Port Adelaide’s AFL playing group.

The program’s annual carnival format is designed to reward sustained school engagement and positive behaviour while celebrating identity and culture through sport-focused activities.