Test and touring squads are selected using similar criteria to other international football codes, additionally allowing players with a New Zealand born parent to play.

The NZ side wear a distinctive silver and black uniform which consists of a guernsey (singlet), shorts and socks.

[2] The first Australian Football team from New Zealand was the New Zealand Native football team who competed against the colony of New South Wales in Sydney, on 29 June 1889 with the result being a 4 goal each draw[3] along with matches against Victorian clubs including a impressive 2 goal win against the powerhouse Victorian club South Melbourne.

[4] The national team traces its origins back to the forming of the first national body, the New Zealand Football League, formed in 1907 at the Naval & Family Hotel in Auckland, including representatives from all provinces, which set about planning for the Australian tour, noting the rapidly growing popularity of the code across the country.

[9] New Zealand played a match, in Adelaide, on 1 September 1908 (Eight Hours Day), before the Governor, George Le Hunte,[10] on a very wet ground (in several places the water was inches deep).

Warming up for the 2005 International Cup, the Falcons played a touring Maffra (from the strong Victorian Country Football League in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia) at Manurewa in New Zealand but were defeated by 70 points,[15] dulling expectations of the team's appearance in the next international event, but at the same time displaying the massive disparity between the competitive level of the sport in the two countries.

However, with the growing popularity of Aussie Rules in New Zealand, the much improved 2005 New Zealand International Cup side went through the competition undefeated, claiming the title of International Champions by defeating Papua New Guinea in the Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, effectively claiming the title from previous winners Ireland.

Following the overwhelming success of the team's 2005 International Cup appearance, the Falcons were invited to play at the Australian Country Championships in 2006 to be held on the Gold Coast.

Richard Bradley was the tournament's equal leading goalkicker with Canada's Scott Fleming and was one of three New Zealanders selected in the All-International (world) team.

In 2014 New Zealand came within a goal in the final minutes to lose by only 4 points, the closest it has ever come to a historic defeat of Australia at underage level.

The following players were included in the squad for the 2017 Australian Football International Cup:[22] Coach: Rob Malone Captain: Andrew Howison Coach: Justin Davies Captain: Andrew Howison Joe Baker-Thomas (Wellington); Dan Benny (Otago); Michael Boyce (Auckland); Andy Christensen (Wellington); Brendan Clark (Queensland); Justin Clark (Canterbury); Jared Court (Canterbury); Nick Fisher (Canterbury); Michael Gregson (Auckland); Will Gregson (Auckland); Aaron Harris (Auckland); Andrew Howison (Canterbury); Levi Inglis (Canterbury); Jay Johnson (Canterbury); Cam Lubransky (Canterbury); Shane Leat (Auckland); Sam McKenzie (Wellington); Ben Miller (Otago); Tim Morton (Auckland); Chris Mundell (Auckland); David Rattenbury (Auckland); James Roughan (Auckland); Adam Simpson (Auckland); Kyle Smith (Canterbury); Ty Smith (Auckland); Te Kopa Tipene-Thomas (Northland); Logan Toomer (Otago); Matthew Van Wijk (Waikato)[23] Coach: Justin Davies Captain: Andrew Crighton Vandyn Hartman (Manurewa Raiders); Samiuela Tuitupou (Manurewa Raiders); Rhys Panui-Leth (North Shore Tigers); Simon Carden (Mid Ashburton Eagles); Chris Mundell (University Blues); Charlton Brown (Manurewa Raiders); Sam Dickson (Eastern Blues); Stanley Chung (Eastern Bulldogs); Steven Howard (Mid Ashburton Eagles); David Rattenbury (Waitakere Magpies); David Cory Toussaint (University Blues); Adam Rice (North Shore Tigers); Michael Tagg (Mt Roskill Saints); Andrew Crighton (North Shore Tigers); Andrui Sucu (North Shore Tigers); Daniel McGregor (Waitakere Magpies); Troy Lavery (Hutt Valley Eagles); Aaron Harris (Waitakere Magpies); Luke Kneebone (Hamilton Mavericks); Justin Clark (University Cougars); Richard Bradley (Eastern Blues); Andrew Christensen (University Blues); Matthew Van Wijk (Manunda Hawks); Andrew Marsden (Waitakere Magpies); Andrew Howison (Mid Ashburton Eagles); Lukas Swart (Eastern Blues); Brendan Clark (Pambula Panthers); Michael Gregson (Waitakere Magpies); Jared Court (Eastern Blues) Coach: Justin Gauci and Justin Davies Captain: Andrew Congalton Mitchell Mace (Hamilton Tuis); Liam Ackland (Mt Roskill Saints); Scott McNally (Old Melburnians); Michael Boyce (Mt Roskill Saints); James Monaghan (University Blues); Geoffrey Thomas (VC)(Eastern Blues); Morgan Jones (VC) (University); Paul Gunning (Warnbro Swans); Andrew Congalton (C) (Takapuna Eagles); Marcus Jones (Mt Roskill Saints); James Bowden(Eastern Blues); John Maling (Waitakere Magpies); Lewis Hurst (Mt Roskill Saints; Andrew Buckthought (University Blues; David Rattenbury (Waitakere Magpies); David Cory-Toussaint (University Blues); Richie Marsden (Eastern Blues); Andrew Crighton (North Shore Tigers); Andriu Sucu (North Shore Tigers); Nic Cunneen (North Shore Tigers); Matthew Callaghan (Thornlie Lions); Luke Kneebone (Hamilton Mavericks; Richard Bradley (Eastern Blues); Sam Whitehead (Ashburton Eagles); Matthew Van Wijk (Hamilton Mavericks); Graham Rattenbury (Eastern Bulldogs); Shane Browne (Eastern Blues); Matt Crighton (North Shore Tigers); Aaron Harris (University Cougars); Jared Court (Eastern Blues); Moss Doran (Sth Warrnambool Roosters) Coach: Jim Lucy Captain: Andrew Congalton Tristan (McArley (North Shore Tigers); Caleb Stick (North Shore Tigers); Scott McNally (Eastern Blues); Jason Everson (Eastern Blues); Jason Pocock (VC) (North Shore Tigers); Geoff Thomas (VC) (Eastern Blues); John Mailing (Waitakere Magpies); Paul Gunning (Manurewa Raiders); Andrew Congalton (Takapuna Eagles); Marcus Jones (Mt Roskill Saints); James Bowden (Eastern Blues); Dougal Henderson (Waikato Thunder); Todd Danks (North Shore Tigers); Bevan Morris (Waikato Thunder); Craig Ashton (Takapuna Eagles); Paul Mason (Saints); David Cory-Toussaint (University Blues); Shaun Allison (University Cougars; Tim Stevens (Wellington); Steve Frogatt (University Blues); Byron Roff (Eastern Bulldogs); Louis McLennan (North Shore Tigers); Matt Callaghan (Mt Roskill Saints); Ryan Spooneer (Waikato Thunder); Shane Wahl (Wellington); Richard Bradley (Eastern Blues); Guy Ferguson (Eastern Bulldogs); Alex Fakatoumafia (Manurewa Raiders); Andrew Marsden (Waitakere Magpies); Nathan Rose (Eagles); Anthony James (Eagles); Alban Beaumont (Eastern Blues) Coach: Andrew Cadozow Captain: John Jackson John Jackson (C) (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Aaron Saunders (Northern Jets); Al Hunter (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Brad Doust (Eastern Blues); Bruce Malcom (North City Demons); Byron Roff (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Craig Douthat (Takapuna Eagles); Dan Garbett (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Dave Goodall (University Blues); Geoff Thomas (Eastern Blues); Grant Conway (North Shore Tigers); James Bowden (Eastern Blues); James Kerse (North City Demons); Jarad Evens (University Blues); Jason Ball (Eastern Blues); Josh Hema (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Kerry Wilkinson (Mt Roskill Saints); Luke Ellis (North City Demons); Mike Gawn (Waitakere Magpies); Mike Severinsen (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Miles Stratford (North Shore Tigers); Paul Gunning (Manurewa Raiders); Richard Bradley (Eastern Blues); Richard Pidgeon (University Blues); Rob Hart (Manurewa Raiders); Rob Willis (North City Demons); Steve Froggatt (University Blues); Tim Stevens (Wellington City Saints); Vince Serci (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs); Wayne Harvey (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs) Team was selected by the NZAFL from the best players across the country's leagues, rather than by nationality.

West, T.J. "Tom" Wright (captain), H. Wilkinson, A. Porter, A. Fisher, Paisley, F. Ross (Christchurch), with emergencies, Burns, Welch, and L.A. Breese from Auckland, and Grant, and T.