THE Sydney Swans  have welcomed the formation of a new second-tier competition, which includes teams from New South Wales, ACT, Queensland and the Northern Territory, announced by the AFL today.

Beginning next season, the Sydney Swans Reserves will compete in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) which is expected to boost the standard of the game and also provide greater competition for AFL-aligned clubs: the Swans, GWS, Gold Coast and the Brisbane Lions.

Sydney Swans Football Manager Dean Moore has backed the introduction of the NEAFL.

"We've had a successful association with Canberra for a number of years now," he said.

"This development enables us to maintain those well established links but also allows us to now compete against other AFL reserve grade teams."

In short, the new league brings together two existing competitions - the QAFL and AFL Canberra.

The Gold Coast reserves have been added to the QAFL - which already included the Lions reserves and NT Thunder - and that competition has been renamed the northern conference. It will have 10 clubs.

GWS has been added to the top division of AFL Canberra, which has been renamed the eastern conference. The Swans' reserves were already part of that competition, which will have seven clubs including local powerhouses Ainslie and Eastlake.

There will be a grand final held in each conference, with the premiers playing off for the NEAFL flag.

The other big difference from the status quo is that cross-conference games will be played at various points throughout the season.

That allows the AFL-aligned Swans, GWS, Lions and Suns to play each other on a regular basis.

In 2011, GWS will field only one team and this will play in the NEAFL. From 2012, GWS will have a side in the AFL and another in the NEAFL.

"This is a unique and exciting competition and further enhances the AFL's presence in communities in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and NT," the AFL's General Manager of National and International Development David Matthews said.

"We think it sends an important message to players, coaches, umpires, volunteers and fans that there are vibrant and developing leagues and clubs in these markets.

"Throughout the extensive consultation process it was at the forefront of our minds that the AFL clubs based in NSW and Queensland should play in their own backyards to stimulate further development in the regions."

- The NEAFL will consist of two conferences - the northern conference (Qld and NT teams) and the eastern conference (NSW and ACT teams)
- For the majority of the year, teams will play other teams within their respective conferences
- A key point of difference between other state leagues is that the NEAFL will provide opportunities for 'cross-conference' games for all clubs to play interstate or host interstate clubs
- NT Thunder's presence in the northern conference will mean that Qld teams will continue to travel to the Territory for games
- Local clubs will continue to play for the awards and premiership success within their own conference, but will have the additional opportunity to win the NEAFL grand final between the respective winner of each conference
- There will be increased AFL club content in each market, as AFL clubs will play each other seven times during the season (five times in their own state and two games interstate)