World Footy News

Supporters of international Australian football often hope that as newcomers to Australia take up our game that their talents will be recognised by AFL scouts, ultimately leading to greater interest in international recruitment, i.e. immigrants playing the game will open Australian eyes to international development. It's also just great to see more people taking up the sport.

One of the groups that have been viewed as likely prospects are the many recent tall athletic Sudanese immigrants. Many of them seem to take up soccer, but slowly Aussie Rules is picking up converts. This would probably accelerate if a Sudanese youngster made it to AFL level. But even someone making state league level must be an inspiration to some of the young players being offered a choice between sports.

So it is good to see Andrea Miar, a 23 year old Sudanese refugee, has been doing well in the new Tasmanian state wide league. We reported in New state league for Tasmania that 2009 would see this competition sit above the northern and southern Tassie leagues, and Andrea Miar's side, Launceston, is one of those competing at the top level.

Miar moved to Launceston, Tasmania, with his family when he was 9 years old. He's now studying information technology at a TAFE (technical college), and excelling on the footy field as an agile ruckman. With plenty still to learn about Australian football, Miar should still have a lot of improvement to come. An AFL call-up is highly unlikely, though if a 24 year old Canadian Rugby player can make the leap, perhaps he's worth a gamble?

You can read more about his story in a Mercury article Sudanese ruckman on the up, by Adam Smith.