The growth of Australian Rules Football in the Rugby League heartlands of New South Wales and Queensland has been a hot topic this week.

For years, young boys and girls in these states made a decision to participate in either AFL or NRL based upon availability, subsequently picking their heroes from coinciding codes, usually from a team that held significance to their family or geographical location.

After the introduction of the Brisbane Bears and Sydney Swans in the early years, and now the expansion of the AFL competition with GWS and the SUNS, these northern states, which were dominated by children wearing NRL team colours, are seeing a surge of interest in Australian Rules.

In 2015 Queensland recorded the highest school participation in the country at 159,435 while participation overall in the state jumped a staggering 20.12 per cent from the previous year, well above the national 8 per cent growth average.

Such development is due largely to the swell in competition participants, totaling 64,863, a surge of 32 per cent year on year.

Having played at both the Sydney Swans and Gold Coast SUNS across his 199 AFL games, Nick Malceski can attest to the clear growth in popularity of Aussie Rules through Auskick programs, junior clubs and the professional teams children idolise.

READ: Nick Malceski, 200 AFL games

“Obviously I’ve seen the growth of the game in New South Wales when I first started and also in Queensland now,” Malceski told media on Tuesday.

“Just the growth in general has been big over the last couple of years.”

A particular area the 31-year-old has had direct involvement with is the academy program facilitated by the SUNS.

The program provides a unique opportunity for first-class athletes to develop their skills in a professional environment.

As a multi-level coaching program for players aged 12 to 18, the SUNS Academy is a key pathway program designed to foster talent throughout the state.

“There are some talented kids that we’ve got in our academy,” Malceski said.

“Hopefully we can pick a few of them up next year because there is a good bunch of boys, and talented blokes, so hopefully they can come into the SUNS.”