World Footy News

In perhaps a good omen for the St Kilda Football Club ahead of this year's AFL Grand Final, the West Coast Saints have taken out the 2009 British Columbia premiership in Canada's west. The following report is courtesy of Myk Aussie.

What a great summer weather drive it was for me from Calgary to Vancouver especially to watch the NWPAFL Grand Final. The North West Pacific AFL competition also known as BC Footy is now a 5 team league and rapidly growing competition in British Columbia, Canada. The Grand Final was between the undefeated Burnaby Eagles coached by Matthew Bell and the West Coast Saints coached by Ward Frost. Neither of these sides had won a premiership. The UBC Fields were in great condition and I was gladly surprised at the excellent crowd in attendance eagerly waiting for the start of the Grand Final (one report put it at around 300 people).

Both teams of approximately 25 players each lined up, Stuart Grills and Peter Campion the founders of BC Footy were the umpires and then the load speakers played both the Canadian and Australian National anthems. In my opinion the Canadian anthem kicking butt over the Aussie anthem in both lyrics and sound. The game was now ready to begin.

The Eagles started well and led at quarter time in a very intense opening quarter. The Saints fought back to lead at ½ time 3.3 (21) to 2.6 (18). The Eagles wasted several opportunities as can be seen in the score but also two mistakes giving the ball back to the Saints when they could have scored near the end of the 2nd quarter in the Eagles half forward area were very costly.

The Saints dominated the 3rd quarter in what was still an amazingly intense game. Many Grand Finals start off intense and then seem to open up but the players on both teams attacked the ball and player at an incredible intensity, mostly in a fair manner. This played into the Saints favor as the Eagles who were a smaller team couldn’t get going their more open running style with apparently the best onballers in the league. With this intensity many quick kicks came out of packs and the Saints bigger players were in a position to take marks over the smaller Eagles. The Burnaby Eagles lacking in height missed bigman Brent Frewen, the former Fitzroy and Woodville-West Torrens Eagle (SANFL). The score at the ¾ quarter break was Saints 5.6 (36) to Eagles 2.7 (19). Wow the Saints were feeling they could upset the to date in 2009 undefeated Eagles.

The start of the 4th quarter saw the Eagles run the ball well. They fought back in what was still a very intense game to level the scores at 5.7 (37) with approximately 8 minutes to go. In the dying minutes the Saints scored a goal and then a behind to win by 7 points in a very entertaining and a great standard game.

For the Eagles Shane Burgman in the centre and Steve Harper in defence were outstanding all day while Rowan Tillie, Adam Cole, Cha Pritchard and Chris Freeman made up my best 6. Being less familiar with the Saints we'll put their best players in below when they are provided.

With possibly the biggest junior competition outside of Australia (in terms of an ongoing league), Aussies still traveling to Western Canada now on 2 year work visas and more and more Canadians finding out about our great game I believe the well organized BC Footy competition will continue to grow and improve at a amazing rate. Congratulations to the West Coast Saints on their 1st premiership and to all involved in making it a great Grand Final and an excellent BC Footy competition.

I talked extensively about the BC Footy Grand Final with Jeff Burzacott on 5AA South Australian radio. You can listen live each week 5.15am Thursday morning South Australian time which is 1.45pm Wednesday Mountain time in North America as I often talk International Aussie Rules Footy. To listen live to 5AA click here.

West Coast Saints 6.8 (44)
Burnaby Eagles 5.7 (37)