World Footy News

With the footy seasons in New Zealand all up and running here is a brief overview of recent news from around the country.

Auckland:-

The Auckland season (http://www.aafl.co.nz) is about half way through and last year’s Grand Finalists Waitakere Magpies and University Blues are sharing the top two positions. Rounding out the four are North Shore Tigers and Mt Roskill Saints with regular cannon fodder Manurewa Raiders and Takapuna Eagles completing the ladder. In the last round of scores available the Saints beat the Eagles on default, the Magpies defeated the Raiders 120- zip and the Blues won 14.13: 97 over the Tigers 9.2:56.


In promising signs for the development of under-age footy it was reported recently in the Auckland paper “The Aucklander”.( http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/sport/...k/3923508/) how footy is becoming entrenched within the Auckland schools.

The AFL Kiwikick programme has been guaranteed funding by Sport Auckland for the next two years. This allows St Pauls' senior students to coach AFL for local primary schoolchildren. The senior students are from St Pauls College in Ponsonby - the best rugby league school in the country.

Around 25 boys are involved in the scheme; they are divided into pairs, with each pair in charge of about 30 kids. The mentoring programme is a part of NCEA Level 3 physical education classes and the boys receive credits for the mentoring.

Robert Vanstam, chief executive of AFL New Zealand, says the funding was given to St Pauls so students would be open-minded about sports they can play as they get older. The programme is designed so students know how AFL works and how they can teach others. It fits nicely with the overall goal for AFL to be a community-driven sport in New Zealand.

Canterbury:-

The CAFL (http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_pa...4739-0-0-0) season is also about half way through with the Eastern Blues showing they are back to their awesome best with a comfortable 30-point win over reigning premiers, the Christchurch Bulldogs. Final scores 11 5 71 to 6 5 41. The University Cougars recorded their first win of the season over a gallant, but undermanned Mid Canterbury Eagles 11 8 74 to 4 11 35.

The recent earthquakes which devastated areas of Christchurch and beyond will not effect the AFL New Zealand Senior National Provincial Championships. These will go ahead as planned at Westminster Park Christchurch on October 23 and 24. The New Zealand Hawks Canterbury contingent trained the day after the quake at the field to show the world that nothing gets between footy and a Cantab.

Waikato:-

The Waikato season ended recently with a representative game against the Auckland League. Aussie Rules hit Hamilton with the inaugural AFL "Battle of the Bombays" (http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/...y-battlers) match between Waikato and Auckland.
Despite the high winds, rain and mud, a good crowd assembled at Resthills Park on Saturday to watch the match which was taken out by Auckland, 56-33.

Wellington:-

The Wellington season has had to be changed due to the lack of an available ground. This has severely hampered their preparation for the defence of their Provincial Champions status. They have secured the Hutt International Boys’ School grounds for 3 'rep trials' on the 03,10 & 17 Oct.
In recent discussions with the Wellington Rep Coach, John Jackson, he felt the Wellington City Saints are especially well-prepared after a great off-season where a lot of work was put in. They have also appeared in the local media (http://www.capitaltimes.co.nz/article...ccess.html) and have had one of their players just win a Grand Final with a University Blues team in the Victorian Amateurs. You can read more here of the Andy Christensens’ team performance here ttp://www.uniblues.com/footy-zone/match-reports/313-thrilling-three-peat-for-uni-blues-twos.html

Jackson said he felt the Hutt Valley Eagles may be the team to beat if they can nurse through some of the young talent they have. His own local side, the Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs will be looking at winning the fourth Premiership in a row but he feels they may be in trouble with a poor preparation and considerable player turnover. The fourth team of the competition, the North City Demons are expected to just make up numbers.

The local season will commence on Sunday 7th November due to complete unavailability of grounds. The League will have a new ground at the Hutt Park Raceway at end of The Esplanade, Petone & Waione St, Seaview. The Season will run to Sunday 12 Dec (2 full rounds) & start up again on Sunday 16 Jan 2011, with a Preliminary Final on Sunday 13th Feb & the GF on Sunday 20th Feb.