World Footy News

There is new footy club in Zagreb, with the new Zapruđe AFC (or KAN - Klub Australskog Nogometa - in Croatian) joining the Velika Gorica Bombers, Zaprešić Eagles, Agram Power and Zagreb Hawks clubs in the Croatian capital.

Zapruđe club founder and Croatian Knights stalwart Josip Kravar says that some players from other Zagreb area clubs decided to found their own club in their area of the town. The boys are aiming to build on real community spirit, and in the space of one month have attracted 25 players and have around 50 people watching every session from the sidelines.

Kravar says "This is a product of an idea to encourage progress of footy as in Melbourne, when the sport began long ago by founding the clubs in various part of the town. We are building strong community clubs and planning to start a project in September to pull up the kids from school in Zapruđe and start with school of Australian football.

"Croatia is a big sporting nation and has great potential to produce AFL players in the future, and we are trying to go in that direction. All our boys are locals and we'll play our first game in July against the Styrian Downunderdogs from Austria. As we are Croatians, we have no doubt that it will be our first victory and show the all Europe that a new club powerhouse is coming."

The club are also adopting the orange and grey colours of AFL expansion club the Greater Western Sydney Giants, with a hope that they can become GWS' first international affiliate, under the name KAN Zapruđe Giants.

The KAN Zapruđe can be contacted via their new website at footyzaprudje.blogspot.com, and would also like to thank Dean Kennedy and Perth suburban footy club West Coast Cowan, who donated the club's footballs.

The KAN Zapruđe's foundation squad