World Footy News

Fresh out of the Euro Cup and having put on some impressive performances at country level, the very best of European Aussie Rules talent is now set to take the stage one step further as they go head to head against each other for the JLT European All-Stars game.

What better place and time to showcase Europe’s very own football stars, than as a curtain raiser for the Elastoplast AFL European Challenge, where the Western bulldogs will face off against Port Adelaide this Saturday at Kia Oval.

World Footy News caught up with some of the players to hear what they had to say about the game.

Scottish Clansmen and GB Bulldogs international Alastair Lindop told us, “I'm really excited about the opportunity to play at the Oval. It's a privilege to play alongside and against some of the best European players and the chance to play in a world famous ground doesn't come along too many times in a lifetime!”

Lindop’s team mate, England Dragonslayers international Matthew Kilheeney, added, “It's a great opportunity, both personally and for AFL Europe, to showcase footy in Europe. After starting off the season playing for the European all stars against the AIS/AFL academy, this is the perfect way to end it for me.

“It should be a great game, lining up alongside the world and European champions, Ireland, and the ever passionate Iceland, I'm hoping for an Islanders win!”

On the other side of the Irish Sea, Irish Warriors international Eoin O Súilleabháin is used to tasting victory as part of the 2011 International Cup and 2012 Euro Cup teams.

“I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play with some of the players I've been competing against in recent competitions,” he admitted. “The likes of Luke Booth, Sean Walton, Martyn Hinchey are all great players. Also, getting the chance to play on a full sized oval and showcase our talents in front of a footy-loving crowd. My expectations are that it'll be a close game with lads grabbing the chance to impress on the big stage. Maybe the islanders to sneak it by a kick!”

In contrast to the Islanders team, where the vast majority of players are of Irish and English origin, the Continental Europe team is a fair mix of talent from the rest of Europe. Though there are some International Cup players coming from countries like Denmark, Sweden and France, there are many players from countries such as Italy, Germany and Croatia whose teams did not travel to the International Cup, yet whose teams did well at the Euro Cup - despite not being considered amongst the traditional Continental powerhouses.

Amongst the players to watch is Danish Vikings International Cup and Euro Cup star Troels Ottesen.

“I am very excited about it,” he told us. “I always relish the chance to go up against the best Europe’s got, and to represent your country or Europe for that matter is always an honour, even though we are only playing on an amateur level. So I am keen to get on the field, do my best and showcase the level footy has reached in Europe.”

The rise in popularity of the game in Europe has indeed been unprecedented and 21 countries in Europe are now affiliated with the AFL’s representative body on the continent, AFL Europe. This success has led to continuation of the AIS/AFL Acadamy’s annual European tour and it is hoped that events such as this weekend’s exhibition game could become a more regular event in the future.

For up and coming European players, the opportunity to play an annual game in front of a large crowd of enthusiastic Australian and European fans could be just what the game in Europe needs to kickstart grassroots development.

“The curtain raiser is critical to developing our talent pathways in Europe,” said AFL Europe General Manager Ben MacCormack.

“It allows the best European players to showcase their skills in front of the biggest crowd they will have played in front of. There is some great young talent and some more experienced players that are all thrilled to get the opportunity to play at a venue like this in the sport they love.”

It is a statement echoed by many of the European players, thrilled at the opportunity to show the some of the best players in the world, and the Australian fans they have brought with them, just how far the game in Europe has come since the last exhibition game in 2006.

“Having the AFL teams coming to play will be a good opportunity to get a lot of locals to come and watch and showcase what the sport is about, changing a lot of mindsets along the way,” said Lindop. “Having the real thing on their doorstep will hopefully persuade a fair few non-Australians to have a crack and keep growing the sport here.”

“Hopefully this will serve to widen our game in Europe, to promote that the game is played here on a wide basis,” added O Súilleabháin. “If people see that there are European players playing with passion and hunger for the footy, then they might be encouraged to get involved and help it grow. This can only be good for the AFL as a whole. Who knows, maybe in the next few years we'll see an AFL game for points in Europe!”

For the AFL clubs too it is a real opportunity to get ahead of the competition and make some new fans in an exciting and rapidly growing market.

“AFL has a huge following here in Europe and it's a fantastic opportunity for genuine fans of the great game to see the stars play here, soak up the atmosphere and experience a day at the footy,” explained O Súilleabháin. “The Bulldogs have a huge following in Great Britain.”

Kilheeney also took the time to thank AFL Europe for their efforts in organising and promoting the game.

“It's a rare opportunity to have AFL as such a media focus in Europe,” he said. “I think everybody at AFL Europe, and its associated members, have done a great job in promoting the game.

“So hopefully as a result of everybody's hard work we will see a raise in participation numbers for the game we all know and love.”