World Footy News

Auckland’s season has just concluded and the North Shore Tigers have triumphed over University Blues after an unbelievable turnaround from their Second- Semi Final clash. Under the coaching of NZAFL CEO and current NZ Falcons’ coach Rob Vanstam even this result is surprising.

Also news of two Life Memberships at another Auckland club, and more success for talented young player Liam Ackland.

The AAFL is a six team League with a Reserve Grade. Missing the finals this season were both the Manurewa Raiders and Takapuna Eagles who each finished with just a sole win throughout the regular season and percentages below 25%.

Into the finals went Waitakere Magpies with four wins, against Mt Roskill Saints with six wins in the First Semi Final. In the major semi final the North Shore Tigers took on the University Blues, with nine wins each from ten games, with Uni taking top spot only on percentage.

The First Semi saw Mt Roskill 13.15:93, under the coaching of former NZAFL Game Development Officer, NZ Falcons’ Coach in 1999, Port Adelaide Magpies player and current NZ Tennis CEO Ian Francis, smash Waitakere Magpies 4.2:26.

The major semi saw the University Blues under former TAC player and long time star player in the AAFL Todd Taverna score 21.18:144 to blow the North Shore Tigers 4.1:25 out of the water.

Often the Preliminary Final can see a team that has been taken apart as the North Shore Tigers make a straight sets exit from the finals. Not this year however, as Vanstam was able to get his team refocused and account for Mt Roskill 12.14:86 to 4.18:42. I’m certain that given the behinds total from the Saints, coach Francis will be still rueing the lost opportunities. However, for a team with a dedicated focus on youth, Junior Francis will find some positives in the performance in looking ahead.

The scene was then set for a rematch of the Second Semi with all the smart money surely on the Blues to clearly defeat the Tigers to add another AAFL Premiership Cup to their bulging cabinet. However, this was not the case as the North Shore Tigers won their first premiership since 1998, defeating University Blues 15.15:105 to 13.2:80 in a fantastic game of football. The Tigers were once again under the pump twice in the game, trailing by four goals only to retain the lead and eventually a well deserved victory. Fantastic weather conditions at Mountfort Park, Manurewa, ensured there would be some free flowing football and the hard ground was a catalyst behind the bruising affair.

I can’t do better with description than that from NZAFL CEO and Tigers’ coach Rob Vanstam’s article here, so I will add that here in its entirety:-

The first quarter saw University storm ahead with four quick goals in succession to take them out to a twenty four point lead in the latter stages of the quarter. Within ten minutes North Shore had lost marking forward Tom O'Sullivan (broken hand) and tough on baller Dan Moore (ankle ligaments) for the remainder of the game. University coach Todd Taverna piled on three goals in the quarter and his opponent 17 year old defender Matt Crighton was forced to leave the field for 10 minutes with a wrist injury. Taverna’s 10 goals against the Tigers in the first semi final Tigers just two weeks earlier resulted in a huge amount of pressure on the North Shore backline. Forward Dillon Stephenson kept the Tigers in reach with a hand in two late goals at the end of the first quarter to see the Blues go into the change with a 10 point lead.

The second quarter was a scragging affair with neither team adding to their ascendancy. Some fantastic tackling pressure from both teams in warm conditions saw a half time deficit of just 3 points with University holding a narrow lead.

The beginning of the second half was a landslide of goals for the Blues as they piled on the next four goals of the game in under 10 minutes. Blues wingman Niki Dow was cutting the Tigers to pieces. The Blues lead had spread to 24 points once again and with the Tigers on-ballers unable to change due to a limited bench the Blues looked set to run riot. A turning point when the Tigers moved Falcons wingman Andriu Sucu into the ruck and half forward Robbie Gore moved to the wing, both with successful results. Key Tigers’ forwards Warton and Stephenson enjoyed a more open forward line and the Tigers banged on five goals straight with a goal on the siren from Stephenson to give them a six point lead at the final change.

The Tigers goal on the siren seemed to knock the stuffing from the University team and the Tigers proceded to bang on the next two goals and six behinds with the Blues backline of Campbell and Toussaint under seige. James Monoghan worked tirelessly in the middle in the hope of ressurecting the Blues hopes. The match was sealed with an 'on the run floater' goal from half forward Robbie Gore for the Tigers. A 49 point turn around from the half way point of the third quarter and an amazing victory.

Dillon Stephenson was awarded best on ground honours for the day with Niki Dow adjudged best for the losing side.

Best Players:
North Shore: Stephenson (BOG), Gore, Sucu, M Crighton, Pasfield, Danks, Warton
University: Monoghan, Dow, Taungakava, Serafin, French

Reserve Grade

The Reserve Grade Final saw the Uni Club not leave the ground without silverware, with former NZ Falcons player at Arafura in 1999 and in the initial two International Cups, Tim Stevens, leading his young side to a comprehensive victory with a BOG effort.

The AAFL’s Best and Fairest was shared by Falcon Lewis Hurst from Mt Roskill who has now won it twice and has a Runners Up Medal as well and Matt Hackett from the Waitakere Magpies. Ben Hick,also from the Mt Roskill Club, won the AAFL Reserves B & F in his first season of AFL football whilst Mt Roskill completed the trifecta with current NZ Falcon Liam Ackland winning the AAFL best under 17-player award.

Liam has recently been in Australia as part of a draft camp run by the AFL. Liam has been nominated as one of 17 young athletes nominated for the 2008 Emerging Talent Award. The Westpac-sponsored award will be announced at the Halberg Awards in Auckland on February 3 and includes a $25,000 scholarship. The category, in its third year, is restricted to individual athletes who have not achieved success at elite international level. See this article for more detail.

In other AAFL news, the Mt Roskill Saints have awarded two Life Memberships to players who came through in the initial junior development as a result of the AFL becoming directly involved in the NZ footy scene about a decade ago. Steve Fairweather and Jarrad Wallace have both played for the club for over 10 years and have also given the club loyal service off the field. Jarrad started with the club in 1997 as a 15 year-old playing in a premiership in his first season. He played for the Senior Falcons at Arafura in 1999 and then in 2000 he represented New Zealand at under-21 level playing against elite under aged sides in Australia. He won the AAFL competition and club best and fairest in 2000, captained the team in 2001 and 2002 and has filled many off field roles with the club over the years. Jarrad also coached the Auckland under 16 side in 2002. He played in our 2005 premiership side making him one of only two dual Saints premiership players

Jarrad’s great mate Steve Fairweather started a year later in 1998 and immediately impressed with his overhead marking skills. He was leading goal kicker and captain of the club from 2003 to 2006. He also he represented New Zealand at under 21 level in the same team as Jarrad. He co-coached the Auckland under-16 team with Jarrad and travelled with the New Zealand team later that year as an assistant coach. He has not only had an outstanding playing career which has unfortunately been cut short due to injury but has also for filled many off-field roles at the club. He was secretary for three years from 2000 to 2002.

Though obviously the AFL would love to see players generated who can make an immediate impact in that competition, it is my belief that in reality, in developed countries, it is about developing a core of committed players native to that country that continues to grow that will bear fruit in the longer term. Sure, there will be the freakish athlete that will come along earlier than that, but in countries where AFL is truly a minority sport and kids have the choice to participate in so many sports then it will be the development of lots of Jarrad Wallaces and Steve Fairweathers that will truly make the difference.

The other side of developing what AFL devotees in Australia take for granted, that being the Club and game culture, also needs to develop. Not every player developed by NZAFL and other international programmes will have the capacity to play for the National side let alone in the AFL. What has to be understood is that there is no culture in many overseas countries of fathers and mothers brought up with the game then giving something back. That includes roles such as Club and League administration, directing their children to footy as first choice, running the tuck shop, washing the jerseys, umpiring, running the boundary and the myriad of jobs require to run a successful Club and Competition. As such these roles must be filled from within the playing pool of Clubs and with luck and dedication from the players who then decide to give something back when they have finished their on-field glory days.

Well done to all at Roskill, and elsewhere that have encouraged such quality lads to prioritise footy as a first choice activity and obviously to Steve and Jarrad themselves. May there be many more! For more on the Mt Roskill Club see their website.