World Footy News

The city of Kingston upon Hull, usually known simply as 'Hull', is home to Yorkshire's newest Australian Football side, with the creation of the Haworth Park (Hull) Australian Rules Club.

Playing under the banner of the local Haworth Park Rugby Club, who are providing the fledgling club with a home base, the team will be the first Australian Football club in the Hull, which like many Yorkshire towns is a traditional Rugby League stronghold.

Haworth Park will compete in the AFL Britain's Central & North West division's social competition in 2010, alongside Liverpool, Peteborough and Wolverhampton. Club founder Dan Beardshaw spoke to WFN about the team's aims for their first season.

Beardshaw says the club began after a conversation with one of his teaching colleagues. "It was my idea to set up the side after talking to one of the fellow teachers at work who's a big footy fan - I spent the next few months looking to contact someone who was involved in the league. I had an idea that Aussie Rules was organised, as I remember when I was younger, my dad telling me he used to watch it when he was working in Manchester."

"I haven’t much experience in footy, I've played and coached in Rugby League for nearly 15 years, but love watching footy and always look to get teams I coach to play a bit of footy as much as possible as it helps develops skills."

"What also sticks in my mind is when I was at university, we had two Aussie rules players play a fixture of league, despite never playing the game, and what with their skills from footy, they ripped it up, scoring a couple of trys each."

"So far, we have around 10 players - but more and more seem to be interested as the weeks go by. We have set up a facebook group to become a focal point for recruitment until we have some funds to pay for a website and to run it."

"At the moment, we don't really know who might be a standout in games as training is very different environment - however, we have a young guy called James Dalley who is a fullback in league, so is confident under a high ball, and very quiet lad called Lee Hewitt who seems to be coming on leaps and bounds!"

"For the coming season, we have decided to go under the banner of a local sporting club, Haworth Park. In return we can use the facilities, which include 3 rugby pitches, floodlit training area, 8 changing rooms, gym, bar and function room and a main stand and fenced off first team pitch, for a very reasonable price."

"We thought we would use Haworth as they have a group of players we could tap into, who have a few core skills that are used in both sports. So for 2010 we'll be the 'Haworth Park (Hull) Australian Rules Club', with the colours being navy blue and white."

Beardshaw says he's had a lot of positive feedback from other clubs in the region. "I've found that all the clubs have been brilliant to be honest. Garth (Nevin) at Sheffield has always being there if we have any questions or problems and Kat Conner (Manchester) has been brilliant. I know how hard it is running teams and clubs, but never leagues over half the country."

"To be honest, it’s a bit of a step into the dark for us really, we haven’t anybody who’s really played a game apart from a kick about in the park, but will be looking to get out there and enjoy ourselves in 2010. Hull doesn’t seem to have a core of Australian’s as we seem to be a bit out of the way, so maybe backpackers don’t fancy coming here!"

Anyone wanting to contact the new club can email Dan Beardshaw on dpbeardshaw AT hotmail.com or visit their Facebook group.