World Footy News

Saturday July 16th, 2011 saw the 2nd ever AFL Italia Grand Final played at the Capitolina Rugby Stadium in Rome, with the Genova Dockers overcoming the home-town Roma Blues to lift the cup.

The Roma Football Club were clear favourites going into the match, after having finished 1st on the ladder, with the Genova Dockers finishing 2nd. Notably both sides were made up entirely of local Italian talent, with not a single Australian taking the pitch.

Both teams had shown during the season that they played the best footy among the AFLI clubs, combining strength and agility with notable improvement in skills and technical ability and the introduction of tactical solutions and schemes by the coaches that allowed the respective teams great flowing passages of play.

The Grand Final was and even fought match with substantial evenness until three-quarter time as the score line shows with Genova just ahead by 4 points at the final change.

The first 5 minutes of the final quarter showed the Genova Dockers surprise their opponents with 4 quick goals dominating the clearances from the centre and opening a 24 point lead that could not be breached by Roma even with 2 late goals. The Genova Dockers won the AFL Italia 2011 Premiership with merit and are to be admired with their progress and development over the course of the season with the team made up solely of local Italian players and no Australians.

Goals:
Genova Dockers: De Giorgi 3, F. Alloisio 2, Barbieri, T. Arnulfo, D’Agostini
Roma: Tiranti 4, Ingardia 2, Marusic, Giambarresi

Best Players:
Genova Dockers: De Giorgi, Barbieri, T. Arnulfo, D’Agostini e F. Alloisio
Roma: Tiranti, Martire, Marusic, Ingardia.

Both teams were presented with winners and runners-up medals and the Genova Dockers were presented with the AFL Italia 2011 Premiership Trophy by Mr. Paul Givens representing the Australian Embassy and Nicola Giampaolo, the AFL Italia President.

Medal were also presented to Christian Tiranti (Roma) as 2011 leading goalkicker and to Filippo Alloisio (Genova) who won the 2011 Best and Fairest Award.

The focus now turns to the AFL Italia Azzurri National Team as it prepares for the Euro Cup to be held in Belfast on the 8th of October, with the prospect of improving last year's 6th place and be the ‘dark horse’ of the championship.