World Footy News

  As reported in an earlier WFN article students from the International School of Manila were to play a curtain raiser to the Eurekas v Dingoes match in the PAFL. The match was duly played on Saturday 19th May with the Eurekas’ Juniors victorious over the Dingoes ‘Pups’ 8-4 (52) to 6-4 (40).  

The Director of Athletics/Activities at International School of Manila, Mark Pekin, last year introduced an Australian Rules Football program for the middle school aged 9-13 years of age children, which was very well attended with 18-20 kids participating in weekly 90 min skill sessions and modified 9/10-a-side game play.  

At the conclusion of the eight-week program the very first PAFL juniors match was played as a curtain raiser to the regular Dingoes v Eurekas match. The match being such a success, with the kids really enjoying the chance to show off their skills in a match situation that, beginning in mid-April this year, Mark ran the program again with 14-18 kids attending the weekly sessions culminating in the 2nd PAFL Juniors (not 1st as previously reported) curtain raiser match.  

This year’s match clashed with a junior rugby event so the turnout was not quite as well attended as last year, but with a few dads helping out, the match played at 7-a-side was a great success. Despite baking heat the match was played at a terrific rate with fast running breaks, linking handball, some strong tackles and several terrific snaps for goal.  

Unfortunately, record of goal scorers wasn’t kept, but probably the stand out player was Jack Nicholls, a recent arrival in Manila coming from Sydney, Australia, where he had been a member of the Sydney Swans junior academy. Other strong performers were Joshua Sim, Jack Thornley, Louis Vera, Zac Collins, Tim Cope, Alex Pekin and Joseph Rourke.  

School is out from this week (for the long summer break) and resuming in August, so it is hoped that the kids can be gathered together again then, for a couple more matches in the lead up to the AFL finals.

Ultimately it is hoped these junior matches will evolve into a regular junior competition for the PAFL.  

In the seniors match (umpired by Andrew Cope, with Margaret Morgan and Damon Blackhall the goalies) the Eurekas ran out comfortable winners 11-11 (77) over the Dingoes 5-6 (36).  

This weekend sees the staging of fifth edition the Manila Cup, a report to follow shortly.  

Thanks go to Mark Pekin and Peter Stone for assistance with this story.