The AFL competition will run for seven weeks.

In under 12s there are currently six teams registered, where teams are mix of males and females.

In under 16s there are currently four male teams and two female teams.

There are many remote communities being involved, Wugularr, Barunga, Ngukurr, Mataranka and Pine Creek.

Schools and various clubs in Katherine are also involved.

Organisers are waiting for all teams to be confirmed before they can release a fixture for the shortened season.

Organisers have also put a call out for any volunteers, from umpiring, time keeping, first aid and general helping.

You don't need to know about AFL just be willing to help out, if you're interested in helping please contact Rebekah - Rebekah.boyle@afl.com.au

It is the first junior footy competition in the Katherine region of its type for several years.

AFLNT were able to reallocate funding and created the Youth Development - Big Rivers Role as a six month trial.

"We knew there was a need for juniors football in the Big Rivers region," AFL NT junior development officer Rebekah Boyle said.

"Since beginning I have visited Barunga, Wugularr, Ngukurr and Jilkminggan where I have run school programs and after school Auskick sessions, engaging local community members to assist and support the sessions which the kids always love, as well as working with local stakeholders using AFL as an avenue to reach more participants," she said.

"Getting community footy up and running during COVID-19 was always going to be difficult but AFLNT prioritised that for the region.

"Once it got safely underway my role was able to commence in August, which was a little late to align to the senior season.

"Since starting, I have been visiting communities running school clinics and after school Auskick, as well as a 5-week Auskick program in Katherine to get the junior players interested.

"The aim is to secure long term funding for the Youth Development role so that we can have footy programs running in the Katherine region all year, which would include junior competitions at the same time as the regular senior season."

The junior competition is a boost to local footy after the Big Rivers Hawks were forced to withdraw from this season's AFL competition.

Both the under 18s boys and girls teams pulled out of the 2020/21 TIO NTFL season.

The Hawks cited a lack of community support and the need for a new governance structure and strategy as the primary reasons for having to make the decision.

The Hawks' teams have in the past drawn many players from well outside the immediate Katherine region to provide a wet season sport for youth.

Most weekends in recent years the Hawks have had to travel to Darwin for games.

This season only four home games were allowed for the Hawks.

The Big River Hawks women's team was withdrawn from the TIO NTFL Women's Premier League part way through last season because of a lack of numbers.

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