Now that the 2005 AFL season has been wrapped up it’s time to start planning for next year. And what better way than watching the first game of 2006 on the west coast – West Coast USA that is.

As part of the Australia Week 2006 Hollywood will play host to a week long salute to Australia’s finest exports including the arts, food and wine, fashion and of course AFL football

Festivities will get underway at the UCLA stadium in Hollywood on Sunday 15 January when the AFL Kangaroos play an exhibition game against 2005 Premiers the Sydney Swans and compete for the Ron Barassi LA Trophy.

Former chairman of the North Melbourne football club Alan Johnson was instrumental in getting the game scheduled as part of the Australia Week programme. Johnson whose company Hoteliers International operates the Ramada West Hollywood hotel will host the visiting teams, media and AFL administrators.

The pre and post match entertainment will certainly rival the best that the AFL Grand Final has to offer. The national US and Canada national teams will play for the Dr Allen Aylett Trophy and throughout the day the crowd will get the chance to get up close and personal with The Wiggles, crocodile man Steve Irwin and members of the original Little River Band will entertain the crowd at the after match concert.

Radio 3AW’s Ernie Sigley will be broadcasting his afternood radio show live from the Ramada  hotel throughout the week and John Michael Howson will host live, daily crosses to Bert Newton’s national Good Morning Australia television show.

Special travel and accommodation packages are now available.