World Footy News

Six players from the Nottingham Scorpions have been named in the 30-man squad for the Great Britain Bulldogs' 2008 International Cup campaign.

Last week the Nottingham Evening Post ran an article speaking with some of the players, as well as GB Coach and Scorpions founder Charlie Kielty.

AUSSIE RULES LADS HEAD DOWN UNDER
By Jon Robinson for the Nottingham Evening Post, 22 January 2008

Six Nottingham lads are up for a tough test down under after being selected for Great Britain at the Australian Rules Football International Cup.

They will meet teams from up to 20 nations in the high-octane, tough-tackling sport.

The cup will be held in Victoria, Australia - the sport's homeland - in August and September as part of the 150th anniversary season.

The Nottingham contingent in the GB Bulldogs squad are Sam Wood, 19, a plumber, from Gedling; Ashley Swift, 19, a college student, from Calverton; Richard Lucas, 23, a teacher, from West Bridgford; Tony Keany, 30, an accountant, from West Bridgford; Dominic Mitchell, 19, a floor-layer, from Arnold; and Keith Farr, 26, from West Bridgford, an analyst for Experian.

They are all with Nottingham Scorpions Aussie Rules team, set up by current Bulldogs coach Charlie Kielty, and are in a squad of 30 drawn from 2,000 players across the UK. Only Ashley has represented Great Britain before.

He said: "Being picked for my country in 2005, when I was only 15, was a huge moment for me.

"It was very exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time, but was a great experience. Now with more players from Nottingham going, it will be a great trip and hopefully we will be coming back with some silverware."

Mr Kielty, 42, was born in Kent but lived in Australia for 30 years before returning to the UK and settling in Calverton with his Nottingham-born wife.

He said although Nottingham players made up one fifth of his squad there was no favouritism, admitting: "I'm probably a bit harsher on the Nottingham blokes than anyone else because I don't want to seem biased.

"I went for blokes that were going to be team players."

Mr Kielty said he was confident they would do well in the cup as they had recently beaten the 2002 International Cup champions, the Irish national squad, by ten goals in a match in Dublin.

He said the sport was growing each year across the globe and competition was getting more fierce.

"It is a fast-moving sport. It is hard tackling," he said. "The good thing about the game, as I say to young blokes when they turn up, is it doesn't matter whether you are 5ft and 8st or 6ft 3ins and 20st, there is a position for everybody."

Anyone interested in supporting the squad, or becoming a sponsor, can contact Adam Bennett at gb_bulldogs@hotmail.com.