World Footy News

It was their destiny. The Multiplex Bulls entered 2016/17 confident that it would be their season. It would be their breakthrough premiership – their reward after having already felt the pain of four premiership defeats in previous seasons. Admittedly, one of those was a pre-season cup in their inaugural season, but they still hurt.

Last season it was the Bulls first into the Grand Final and they waited as the Dubai Dragons won their way into the final clash of the year. However, this year it would be the Bulls – finally.

It was not. They went down by just a goal. Not only were the Bull’s hearts broken again, but the margin was further salt into raw wounds…so close and yet so far.

The Bulls now have a new season ahead of them, but acknowledge how much the club hurts. According to the club, “the Bulls were gutted last year to not take the prize, but we are looking forward to another strong and successful season. We have been training in some pretty awful summer conditions since August.”

In part one of this feature the case was argued that for the good of both the AFLW and international footy (both women's and men's) the AFL needs to allow and encourage international rookie spots on AFLW lists starting now, ready for AFLW 2018.

The benefits include a pool of internationals ready to: boost the standard and colour of the AFLW, to promote the sport back home, to demonstrate a semi-pro pathway exists, and to one day provide opposition that will allow Australian women the chance to pull on an Australian jumper to play a true Aussie Rules international (a potentially alluring but difficult to quantify enhancement to AFLW).

All this for virtually no cost as the spots should be in addition to the regular lists, they don't even need to include payments (better if they do but initially I think most will agree we'll take what we can get). These women will put their lives on hold for a precious opportunity and will repay the game many times over in return.  Just allow the free hit list positions and, like in the AFL men's competition, allow rookie elevation to replace an injured player (there were plenty last season) if the international is deemed good enough.  And if she is good enough then presumably she'll be given a regular list spot the following year.

I've put out the call myself, I've shown the backing for this or similar ideas from people in the international footy community from our own Troy Thompson to Peter Holden on Girls Play Footy to former USAFL President Denis Ryan and Great Britain Swans Team Manager and GB Bulldogs player Jason Hill.

Now let's hear from AFL club the GWS Giants, from an international team captain, from a current AFLW player very familiar with international footy, and a player who could've benefited from such a position during 2017.

 

“Lions, Lions Everywhere - to Lyon one and all

To have a kick and have some fun and chase that ol’ football.”

Such was the theme of last weekend’s Lions Cup – the inaugural football tournament put together by the ALFA Lions in Lyon France. The event brought together Lions teams from France, Germany, Denmark and England to compete for the honour of being the greatest Lions in Europe.

The format was a six-match round robin draw, pitting each team against each other once. After the six completed matches, the results saw a three-way tie on wins at the top. The North London Lions, Odense Lions and ALFA Lions recorded two wins each – the title being decided by for and against.

If you were to believe the comments of former St Kilda coach, Grant Thomas, the team with the worst list in the AFL just won the premiership. If you take the time to read further, across a variety of social media platforms, you can see that there is a Victorian bias in the draw and finals fixtures, particularly the use of the MCG as a permanent Grand Final venue. Former West Coast premiership veteran, Sam Butler, has stated as much.

Everyone is entitles to opinions, and past VFL/AFL players or coaches are in a uniquely knowledgeable position, being so close to the highest levels of the game. But it doesn’t necessarily make them right and a short look at some history and data can put things in a different perspective.

The AFL is constantly under fire for their efforts to even out the game. Strangely, I still remember people critical of the then VFL for not doing something about the “Silvertail” Carlton Blues when they could seemingly “buy” premierships. The poor old AFL/VFL cannot win here - they have either made it too even or not even enough. Classical “Goldilocks Syndrome” where to many it is never “just right”. From my position that view is distorted heavily by whether or not one’s own team wins a flag or languishes again outside the finals.

Richmond defender, Bachar Houli, is one footballer who had given much of himself off field to create important footballing, academic and social pathways for young Muslims – particularly young male Muslim youth – to assist them on life journeys. The development of his Bachar Houli Academy, aimed at young Muslim males, and also the Bachar Houli Cup – junior matches for Muslim boys and girls in schools both important initiatives.

His role in the community has been vital in allowing young Muslims to navigate their ways through life at so many levels. His commitment has been unwavering, doing most in a selfless voluntary role.

One could be excused for thinking that his own role as a player for the Richmond Football Club is almost secondary to loftier goals – and perhaps in the grander scheme of things it is.

But today was as much Bachar’s day as any of his team mates, his club, or Tiger supporters everywhere. Today, along with his Richmond team mates, Bachar became a part of AFL/VFL history as he helped enormously as the Tigers downed the Adelaide Crows to take the 2017 AFL Premiership.

As the AFL world turns its attention to tomorrow’s AFL Grand Final at the MCG between the Adelaide Crows and Richmond Tigers, Most of the European leagues have had their seasons decided in recent weeks. Following is a brief rundown of results for 2017.

As previous reported, the Manchester Mozzies won the AFLCNE premiership this year against the Nottingham Scorpions (see: The Mozzie Blueprint – Four Flags In a Row) and the Greater Glasgow Giants took out the SARFL flag in Scotland (see: One Giant Leap For Scottish Footy).

In Ireland, the Leeside Lions took out the ARFLI premiership, downing the South Dublin Swans (see: Leeside Lions Defend Title – 2017 ARFLI Premiers), whilst in Germany it was the Berlin Crocodiles winning the AFLG flag (see: Historic Crocs Complete German Fairy Tale).

The ALFA Lions started their 2017/18 premiership defence in fine style in Paris last weekend at the Coupe de France. Whilst having admitted before the tournament that the main aim of the event was friendship and the creation of an enjoyable atmosphere to start the new season, it will not be lost on them – or any other team – that the Lions are back again.

Going into the pool matches the Lions started with a 32 to 16 win over the Toulouse Hawks followed by a second pool win against the Bordeaux Bombers 43 to 20.

In their semi-final against the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes, the Lions put the foot down and ran off with a strong 40-14 victory. This set up their final against the Paris Cockerels. After a strong game of defences, it was the Lyon based team that took the honours, running out winners over the Cockerels 28 to 11.

Just over a week remains before competing teams run out onto the playing fields of Stadium Robert Monseau, Saint Médard en Jalles in Bordeax. Teams are now in final preparations for journeying to the French city ready for the start of the 9-per side championship.

Bordeaux knows very well how to stage the event, having hosted the event back in 2013. On that occasion, the French teams in both the men’s and women’s were unlucky runners-up. This time around, the buzz around France is to turn that result around and take one, or both, of those titles.

But there is a class field assembled once again. Last year’s winner of the men’s draw, the Croatian Knights, are ready to go again after having performed well in the International Cup in Melbourne just a few weeks ago. The team they vanquished last year, the Irish warriors, will be determined to reverse that result. In the women’s draw, last year’s finalists – the Irish Banshees and the England Vixens are back.

The 2017 AFL Grand Final kicks off at the MCG on Saturday afternoon in Melbourne. Richmond will play Adelaide in the Premiership decider.  The full international broadcast schedule can be seen below.

In addition to the TV networks you can also subscribe to the Watch AFL service that will give you live access to all the matches and more (outside Australia only).  You can access that service by clicking on the link here or the  Watch AFL banner below and paying the subscription fee.

 

GAME	DATE	TIMESLOT	MATCH	VENUE	LOCAL	GMT
Grand Final	30-Sep	DAY	Adelaide v Richmond	MCG	14:30	4.30

 

While Myk Aussie's countrymen back in South Australia are sleeping, the Canadian based expat is out doing his bit to promote the Aussie football code across North America. 

Appearing on the Fantasy Sports cable TV Network with host Gabriel Morency this week, Myk previews the 2017 AFL Grand Final featuring his beloved Adelaide Crows playing the Richmond Tigers.

You can watch him on the clip below.

[youtube:qgK8kydLPR8]

 

Recently retired AFL great Steve Johnson and Sydney premiership player Tadhg Kennelly are joining the Sydney Swans coaching ranks. 

The Irishman returns to the club where he played 197 AFL games, after holding coaching and development roles with the AFL following his retirement in 2011.

At this stage it would seem that this would remove him from the AFL payroll where he was International Talent Manager and has been heavily involved in the AFL Europe Combine testing which is predominantly focused on recruiting young Irish GAA talent.

A few weeks ago Wes Hull gave us his first hand account of being on the end of a large pasting (You can read that here), today Joe Woodyard recounts the 1992 thrashing on Brisbane at the hands of Geelong, reminding us that one sided affairs are not restricted to local footy.

Carrara Oval, Gold Coast Australia, in thesoutheastern corner of Queensland

1992 was the 96th season of VFL/AFL footy. For round seven, Geelong traveled to Carrara Oval just south of Brisbane for a match against the Brisbane Lions. The Cats got off to a bit of a slow start on the season, losing their first two matches to Hawthorn and Melbourne despite scoring over 100 points. Their round six win over Fitzroy saw them kick 25 goals and score 175 points in a 98-point win over the Lions.