World Footy News

The Dubai Heat, who recently secured the AFL Middle East silverware, have won the 2009 Dubai 9s tournament. The tournament is now in its third year and featured a record eight teams, but quite remarkably, the Heat remain its only victors.

The below summary is courtesy of Dubai Dingoes Club President Phil Temple.

This year’s event saw the return of the Dubai Celts Gaelic Football Club and the arrival of the Bahrain Blues, a likely starter in the next AFL Middle East season. Abu Dhabi Falcons split into two sides, whilst the Dubai Dragons, Dubai Heat, Doha Kangaroos and tournament hosts the Dubai Dingoes also took part. Eight teams in total was the tournament’s largest to date.

The tournament was held at the Sharjah Wanderers Sports Club. Rain clouds threatened throughout the day and temperatures remained in the mid-twenties as a consequence, a rare treat for the players.

This year’s tournament introduced a different format of play for the day’s events with each team playing three games to determine team positions 1 to 8. Then the top four teams partook in a Semi Final to qualify for the Grand Final. Teams 7 & 8 and 5 & 6 also played an additional game allowing them to play a good game of footy against an evenly matched opponent. All up seventeen games of footy were played between 9am and 4.30pm. It was truly a feast of footy and a great day had by all.

The Final saw the rock solid Dubai Heat, yet to lose a game in three Dubai 9s tournaments, up against a greatly improved Dubai Dragons squad. Last year’s 9s had seen the Dragons play their first games of footy with mixed results, but their hard work throughout the AFL Middle East season has resulted in a strengthened side worthy of a place in the final.

Fitness and teamwork would prove the key to winning the final. The Heat lead by nine points at half time and the Dragons were confident they could upset their more fancied opponents. With only three minutes to go the scores were level and the crowd were enthralled with a great game of footy. Yet again rising to the occasion, the Heat managed to pressure the Dragons into rushing a behind before sealing the game with a goal and running out seven point winners.

Overall it was a great day of footy in the Middle East and the Dingoes are hopeful of attracting ten teams to next year’s tournament. Special thanks to the Sharjah Wanders Social Club for providing an excellent pitch and managing to get VB on tap, to Crown Relocations for being our major sponsor and to the volunteer umpires, teams, spectators, and organisers for making the day a great success.