"We've got to get AFL imprinted on these kids at an early age and just promote the game to them ... it's always a big issue that you've got to compete with other codes, but as much as we can promote the game of AFL and show how much fun they can have playing the game and the relationships they can build with other people that would be great for kids that are [from] diverse cultures and communities."

Zaharakis believed there was a vast reservoir of untapped talent in non-traditional Australian rules communities and players from these communities had the potential to take the game to a different and exciting level in the years to come with their unique skill sets.

"Out in the north-west region [of Melbourne] it's very much untapped with the kids out there," he said. "We have a big Indian-based community out there and AFL is very untapped there. They love soccer or basketball and AFL for us is a big push out there, we're trying to develop the game out there.

"Kids play a variety of sports ... but by the time they get to 15 [or] 16 [years of age], we'll try to put them into AFL instead of other sports and that would be great to see.

"If you can pluck one out of a program of 30 kids that you put time and effort into just to try to fast-track him to AFL, you achieve a massive goal by doing that. They can bring their own athleticism and ability back to the game."