World Footy News

All around the world Australian Football clubs are looking with anticipation towards playing the upcoming season and what could be more appropriate than the Seattle Grizzles coming out of hibernation.

Officially, the maiden event of the year was an Ausball tournamount to attract both newcomers and provide a hit-out for the regular members. The setting was a picturesque Magnuson Park sports field adjacent to Puget Sound, the waterway that dominates the Seattle topography. Hitting the track for the first time on synthethetic grass was a welcome experience compared to most under-developed pitches that seem to prevail for Australian football clubs overseas.

Coach Matt Wood was "content" with the numbers attending but I think they were very good considering that whilst driving infamous I5 to the game my wife and I discussed the likelihood of the event being cancelled due to the cold and rain. Just from simple observation of the warmup, the assembled group seemed to be proficient and Matt Wood informed me that the Grizzlies have three players in the Revolution, the national team and hoped to do well at the nationals which are the pinnacle event on the USAFL calendar.

The Grizzlies had already been divided into three teams with a local Gaels team making a fourth. The rain stopped and sky slowly lightened so after a brief discussion about the rules the games began.

The Grizzlies with superior height were able to dominate for the first stanza but as the Gaels became accustomed to the requirements the tables turned.
Though Australian Football and was new to most of the Gaels the rules and style of Gaelic Football suited their style of play whereas some of the more established Grizzlies were frustrated at first by the lack of normal freedoms.

The two big rules of Ausball (or maybe it was Seattle Rules): a two hand touch substituting for a tackle and a three second possession rule encourage basic play rather than the flashy play.

Talking to Matt Muller, a veteran of he club, the Grizzlies are in a reasonably good position. The percentage of Australians in the roster has dropped from 60% to about 10% which is better from a long-term view and the economy of Seattle is quite vibrant.

The expansion of the British Columbia League has meant slightly less interaction with the Canadian teams but they are focussing more on their metro league and the production of a competitive team for the U.S. Nationals.