AFL MCP Server

Overview

The AFL MCP Server is a specialized Model Context Protocol (MCP) service that exposes rich Australian Football League data through the Squiggle API. It solves a common pain point for developers building AI‑powered sports analytics, betting assistants, or fan engagement tools: accessing up‑to‑date standings, match results, team statistics, and predictive insights without writing custom API wrappers or handling authentication manually. By turning the Squiggle endpoints into MCP tools, the server allows AI assistants such as Claude to query complex sports data with simple natural‑language prompts.

At its core, the server translates a set of well‑defined MCP tools into concrete API calls. Each tool—such as , , or —encapsulates a specific data retrieval operation. When an AI assistant invokes one of these tools, the server performs the necessary HTTP request to Squiggle, formats the response into a JSON payload, and returns it in the MCP protocol’s standard structure. This abstraction means developers can focus on building higher‑level conversational flows rather than managing endpoints, rate limits, or pagination.

Key capabilities include:

• Real‑time and historical standings: Retrieve the current ladder or query past positions by round and year.
• Game results retrieval: Access outcomes of individual matches or entire rounds, supporting both live and archival data.
• Team profiles: Obtain basic information about any AFL club and list all participants in a given season.
• Predictive analytics: Pull tips, power rankings, and projected ladders to aid betting or fantasy league decision‑making.
• Data source management: Expose a list of available data feeds, facilitating dynamic integration or fallback strategies.

Real‑world scenarios illustrate its utility. A sports betting assistant can answer a user’s question, “What are the tips for Round 5, 2024?” by invoking through MCP and presenting the result in a conversational context. A fantasy football manager could ask, “Show me the projected ladder after Round 15, 2024,” triggering and providing actionable insights. Even a simple fan chatbot can fetch “Show me all results from Round 1, 2022” without the user needing to navigate a website.

Integration into AI workflows is seamless. Once the MCP server is registered with an MCP‑compatible client, developers can add a single prompt template or tool invocation to their assistant’s skill set. The server handles authentication, caching, and error handling internally, so the AI model can focus on interpreting user intent and generating natural responses. Because the server is built on .NET 9.0, it benefits from modern performance optimizations and cross‑platform support, making it suitable for both desktop and cloud deployments.

In summary, the AFL MCP Server turns complex sports data into intuitive conversational tools. It empowers developers to deliver instant, accurate, and predictive AFL information within AI assistants, enhancing user engagement for fans, analysts, and bettors alike.