World Footy News

The AFL this past weekend released the following statement confirming a further delay in the International Cup until 2024.

The AFL has decided to postpone the AFL International Cup scheduled for 2023, with planning underway for the next edition, targeting 2024.

Taking into account a number of factors, including the significant investment required from the AFL to host the event and with the ongoing financial impact on the AFL and AFLW competitions caused by the pandemic, it has been determined that the competition will be rescheduled.

OPINION:
In the case of GWS Giants player, Haneen Zreika, in the AFLW, I must admit to being confused. I was unaware that there was a hierarchy, or order of importance, for what constitutes valid grounds for not playing a match.

From my standpoint, this talented young woman deserves respect, not only for her contribution to women's football in general, and at the highest level, but also as a Muslim woman who is proud and respectful of her beliefs.

Yet, I read that she is a hypocrite and is being attacked, sometimes viciously, across social media for putting her religious beliefs ahead of the LGBTQIA+ community and standing down as a player this weekend to ensure she does not wear a jumper that is in conflict with core Muslim beliefs. This has upset many, and perhaps I am wrong and there is a 'ladder' of importance where some beliefs are more important than others.

Collingwood defender Mark Keane and the club have mutually agreed to part ways leaving the club with no Irish men's players this season.

The 21-year-old will remain in Ireland after leaving the AFL program early and returning home in August last year. Keane returned briefly for pre-season training in November but did not return for training on January 10.

After two days of frenetic wheeling, dealing and clubs selecting for their futures, the 2021 AFL draft has seen the most significant selection of players to have strong African connections. In fact, when Greater Western Sydney Giants (GWS) selected Leek Aliir with their pick 15, he became the third player of African origins within the first round of the draft.

The first player of the trio selected, Mac Andrew, was nabbed by the Gold Coast Suns with pick 5. He is the highest ever draft selection for a player with an African background. Andrew's parents are from South Sudan but Mac was born in Egypt.

According to Sarah Cumming at the ABC, Andrew's journey has already captivated young kids of similar backgrounds. Andrew told the ABC "I've already got messages from young Sudanese kids who are telling me that they're following my journey and looking up to me."

NEWS FROM JAPAN AFL. Post Covid!

2021 A League Final Series.

AFL Japan has announced that the Season 2021 A League Finals will be played as a "Top Five" series similar to the SANFL in Adelaide, South Australia. This means all five teams in the competition will take part. This is a change from what has been the case in the past, brought about because of the Covid interrupted/shortened 2021 season.

The series will begin next Sunday 28th November with an 'elimination/quarter' final between 4th GAA Wolfhounds and 5th placed Eastern Hawks at the Ikego Forest Natural Park Athletic Field.

The league implores all whom intend to attend the match, players, staff and fans, to cooperate with basic pandemic infection prevention measures.

Mirais Get Actual Match Time.

A number of lady players travelled to Osaka as part of the R246 Lions team and played in a mixed-gender Go League practice match against the Osaka Dingoes on the 30th October. Published results on AFL Japan website Lions 29-7, 121. Dingoes 9-13, 67.

I understand that the Osaka match followed another mixed-gender practice match played the week before on 22nd October between R246 Lions & Senshu Powers teams in Tokyo? Both matches were played with much enthusiasm by all (first post-covid games) but even more especially by the lady player's and I quote (with apologies google translation)  "the experience was beyond the imagination, the feeling being like two years of training condensed into just 10 minutes". WOW! Does that sound like heart and soul being put into Footy?

Juniors (Unoki Kids) Play 5-A-Side Game.

Post-covid practice for the kids began late October/early November with enough kids getting on the park by 17th November that a proper match was able to be played (although at 5-a-side) so that the kids could get to experience team work as well is skills practice.

Great to see that Footy is getting back on the park in and across Japan following covid lockdowns and restrictions.

Footnote: (Fingers-crossed), with more State borders in Australia "opening" tomorrow Tuesday 23rd November, I might just be able to get to have a kick with my daughter and grandson in Sydney over Xmas/New Year break, Yahoo! Yippee!

Source: AFL Japan website.

Geelong has signed young Irish star Oisin Mullin from Mayo as category B rookie. The 21-year-old has already established himself as one of the premier defenders in Gaelic football.

Mullin has played in the All Ireland final in each of the past two years, and earned GAA All Star selection following his breakout 2020 season. He was also named the GAA Young Footballer of the Year in 2020, and has again been named a finalist for the award this year.

Yesterday, on a small school oval in far North Queensland, a team of girls played against a team of boys in our school’s first ever match which pitted one gender against another. Our boys and girls had been wanting this match all year, as had previous teams in years gone by, but with the help of local women’s footy gurus we went ahead.

Gordonvale State School has enjoyed success with girl’s teams since 2013, reaching regional and state finals regularly. The boys have not been as successful at that same level, but many play for local clubs so there is a high skill level and understanding of the game. It was always going to be interesting to see whether the boys dominated or the girls surprised.

Back in 2009 I arranged a similar game for girls v boys at another school. The girl’s team featured current North Melbourne AFLW player Elisha King. Whilst she terrorised the boys that day and booted around four goals, the boys were too good – by a significant margin.

Despite almost two years of footy lost the USAFL showed Aussie rules is alive and well in the USA.  Even without their Canadian neighbours to the north this year due to border restrictions Day 1 showed that despite shutdown the momentum of the game rolls on. 

The Austin Crows remain in the box seat after Day 1 of the 2021 USAFL Nationals and didnt miss a beat defeating New York in the morning and Los Angeles at the end of the day to top their Pool at 2-0.  In Pool B the Golden Gate Roos took out San Diego and scraped past Denver to be the other undefeated team.   

This sets up the semi-final clashes tomorrow where Austin will play Denver and New York will play Golden Gate and the winners heading on to the crescendo Grand Final match.