 Australian rules football was introduced to New Zealand by Australian emigrants in the early 20th century and a New Zealand national team took part in one of the first State of Origin carnivals (1908).The game then died out in the country around the time of the First World War, later resurrected in the 1970s.The game is currently governed by the New Zealand Australian Football League, with regional leagues in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch.