The tournament rules state that players must be nationals of the country they play for and cannot have played the game in Australia during their formative years.
Representing Thailand will be the Thailand Serpents, the first all Thai men and women’s national AFL teams.
The men’s team, led by home grown Thailand Tigers talents, rising star Mani Saunders, and club stalwart and life member Rut Ngarmariyakul, includes Phuket Power defender Tan Theampipop and is made up predominately of members of the Thailand Tigers Communities United by Sport (CUBS) program.
The women’s team, led by Tiger Mother, Nongcran ‘Tud’ Saunders and Thailand women’s footy shining light Irravadee ‘Dee’ Makris, comprises a number of code jumping new recruits drawn to the dynamism of AFL and club culture of the Tigers. Together with three proud and excited CUBS, these fit and skilful athletes collectively suggest a bright future at not only the Asia Cup but for the women’s game in Thailand in general.
Since 2016 the Thailand Tigers have been working in partnership with the Duang Prateep Foundation to provide support for education, employment pathways and the development of life skills and confidence through AFL and involvement with the club.
The chance to represent their country at the Asia Cup on their first international trip is an incredible opportunity and pays tribute to the success of the grassroots program which has played a crucial role in mentoring and guiding these young men and women on and off the field while strengthening the foundations for future growth of the game in Thailand.
Sending 36 players and support staff to Vietnam requires significant resources, even with the AFL covering tournament costs, and the Serpents journey to the Asia Cup would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, including AustraliaVisas-Thailand.com, Traffio, The Flower Chic, AFL Asia and Nexus Dynamics.