World Footy News

South Warrnambool Football Netball Club has recently made a cross-Tasman "raid" to secure 20 year old New Zealander Moss Doran. The Kiwi played his first senior game for the Roosters two weeks ago against Terang Mortlake and it could be the start of a trans-Tasman alliance. South Warrnambool president Gary Walsh was reported as saying it was hoped the club would travel to New Zealand within two years to play some exhibition games and help foster the game. This builds on several other forays to Australia by New Zealand players - we have a look at Doran and the growing links between Aussie Rules in NZ and Australia.

Recent NZ Falcon Dave Goodall played earlier this decade for both Koroit and Port Fairy in the Hampden League, one of country Victoria’s strongest, before moving to Chelsea and playing in their Mornington Peninsula League Premiership team last season. He, like Moss, came through the NZ Junior Falcon system, before playing a key part in the 2002 Falcons side at the International Cup.

Former South Warrnambool player Ken McKay, who played with the Roosters about 30 years ago, now lives in Auckland and is involved in developing Australian football in New Zealand. Ken is one of those legendary expatriate Aussies who lives and breathes our football code. He has been one of several instrumental in the current healthy state of football in the Auckland Australian Football League (AAFL). Ken has always been keen to get players back to Australia to further their football with another Falcons player, Robbie Hart, having spent time with Deer Park in Melbourne’s western suburbs after Ken used his persuasion to give it a go.

Moss Doran hails from the city of Hamilton (about 100 km south of Auckland) and took up Australian football to improve his kicking for rugby union. "I was always interested in it," Doran said. "I was asked to play for the New Zealand under 16 side without ever having played a game so I said I'd give it a go. Why not? I've been asked to play for New Zealand twice but I never did. The first time I had a year in England and the second time I didn't have the time".

Doran got his first taste of Australian football at the National Provincial Championships against the three other representative teams. He has played only 10 games in New Zealand before coming across to South Warrnambool. "Ken was in touch with Gary Walsh. They were going to send a guy over to play with South but he ended up switching to rugby league. He said the opportunity was there and 'I hope you take it up' and I took it up straight away".

Doran is 190 centimetres (6' 3"), weighs 90kg and started off playing reserves and admitted to nerves before his senior debut which reportedly went well enough though he didn't see a lot of game time. "He's still picking up the game," coach Bryan Beinke said after the match. "He's a free-spirited sort of guy and keen to explore new things". Beinke knows his footy and played with the Adelaide Crows in the AFL from 1999 - 2002 and was at Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL prior to that. Doran said the game in Australia was a lot different to what he was used to - faster and more structured, but has used his rugby background to help his new team with tackling.

These pathways are so important for the International competitions to establish with supportive Australian Clubs and/or Leagues. NZ has, over less than a decade, had Junior Falcons stay on and play for Queanbeyan in the Canberra footy league and Broadbeach in the QAFL. The willingness is there and with commitment from the players and League/Club organisations and their connections with Australian Clubs it can only be of benefit in the long term.

For further details of Doran's journey please view David Chapman's story Code Swap in the Warrnambool Standard.