World Footy News

Braedon Reynolds, a promising junior from the North Delta Junior Australian Football League (NDJAFL) has had an experience of a lifetime for any international player, a chance to play football in Australia.

Spending 4 weeks in Australia to visit a family friend, Braedon wanted to keep his footy skills sharp as he would be trying out for the Canadian U17 (Wolfpack) team that was getting ready to play the USA in August '07. And so took the opportunity to help improve his football and contacted AFL Canada’s Mike McFarlane to see if it was possible for him to play or train with an Australian team whilst in Australia.

McFarlane contacted Paul Steel, president of the Gosford Park Tigers of the AFL Central Coast Juniors and informed him of the promising Canadian's plans to be in Australia. Gosford Park jumped at the chance to host Braedon and took care of all the formalities such as registering him with the NSW AFL. The club could not do enough to make sure that Braedon would have an experience that he wouldn't forget. For a club to do this much for a kid from Canada speaks volumes of Gosford Park.

Braedon (pictured next to Sydney Swans star Peter Everitt, along with a friend and the Swans' co-captain Brett Kirk) got his first taste of Australian style football on June 30 2007 with the U14's against Wyong, who had thrashed Gosford Park earlier in the season. With this being his first experience of 18-a-side footy, on a full sized field, it was bound to be an eye opener for the young Canadian. Yet Braedon took it all in stride playing three positions during the game (full forward, ruck and center half forward) and helped lead Gosford Park to a 68 to 8 win. The following game against United, Braedon continued to impress by kicking five goals while playing in the full forward and ruck positions. All up Braedon played four games with Gosford Park and helped them to three wins and a loss which was against undefeated Terrigal.

When asked what he thought of his experience in Australia, Braedon stated that he likes the Australian style of footy. “The Australian style of the game is so much faster and more wide open because of the bigger field”. He also noted that they play more of a running and handball style of game and tend to only look to kick under pressure or for goal whereas the NDJAFL play a more kicking and marking style of game.

Speaking to the Tigers team coach Osie Nigr about Braedon's time at the club, he stated that Braedon was a great acquisition for the team with his height and pace as well as his ability to carry and deliver the ball. “He was a great asset for the team and club and everyone enjoyed his presence and the experience, we would welcome, with open arms any other Canadian footballers headed our way”. Nigr also stated that if they were cashed up they would love to fly him back if they made the finals.

When speaking to AFL Canada’s Mike McFarlane about Braedon’s experience he stated, “We (AFL Canada) feel the first experience of a Canadian junior going to play footy in Australia was a huge success. We have already begun negotiations with Gosford Park president Paul Steele, to make this a permanent exchange program between the two organizations. The more exposure for our juniors in Australia the better off our development in Canada will be. Maybe the AFL will begin to cast an eye to Canada as a new recruiting ground.”

Courtesy Mike McFarlane (AFL Canada)