World Footy News

For the second year running the premier Aussie Rules leagues from Canada and the United States will meet head on when the Mid-American AFL send a side north to play an Ontario AFL selection in Toronto, Canada.

President of the MAAFL, Alistair MacGlashan, said the Americans hoped to send an All-Star squad to Toronto, but this would be tempered by the realities of an amateur league, where not all players may be available or willing to travel. In the first of these matches, in July 2004 in Chicago, the MAAFL won 2.8 (24) to 1.6 (12) in torrential rain which included a delay due to heavy lightning - certainly not conditions conducive to pretty football. That day the MAAFL were represented by players from Milwaukee, the two Chicago teams (before their merger) and St Louis. An under 23 match was also played, with no contest as the Canadians went on to win by around 100 points.

The match, on July 4th at Humber College North, will see many of Canada's finest playing. The OAFL is the major league in Canada, with 10 clubs competing, although the western provinces are showing promising signs. As the OAFL supplies the majority of Canada's national side, the AFL Canada is planning on mostly fielding the Northwind as practice for the International Cup. From the US side, the MAAFL is the best established league, although the Eastern AFL is having a good first season and features some strong clubs, such as New York, and the western US sides include 4 time US Nationals champions Denver. To match the strong Canadian team the MAAFL will need to field their best Americans and Aussies.