World Footy News

Michael Whiting from the www.afl.com.au website reports that Ireland’s most successful current AFL player, Pearce Hanley, has adjusted well to his new life with the Gold Coast Suns after being traded from the Brisbane Lions at the end of the 2016 season. The following report sheds light on Hanley’s decline at the Lions and his new lease of life down on the Gold Coast.

 

'Rejuvenated' Hanley confident of finding best form at Suns

EVEN before he's played a game, it's clear to see Pearce Hanley is a new man since moving to Gold Coast.

In his final season at the Brisbane Lions, Hanley was frustrated on-field and up-tight off it.

He'd been with the Lions for nine seasons after being recruited from Ireland – something he's eternally grateful for – but the club and player had fallen out of love. 

An AFL Evolution is coming in 2017 when the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association release an exciting new video game featuring the best male players from the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

 

AFL Evolution is currently in production with AFL licensee Tru Blu Entertainment and in conjunction with Wicked Witch Software. It will be available on next generation consoles PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC Steam.

  Due for release in the first half of 2017, AFL General Manager Commercial Operations Darren Birch acknowledged the importance of video games as a tool to enhance entertainment for fans. 

 

Round Three this year and the Southern Districts Crocs downed St Mary’s by three goals. It was the Saints’ second loss in three rounds, going down in the season opener to Nightcliff, and only a big last quarter saw a win against the Darwin Buffaloes. Last year’s premiers were looking shaky, and attention turned to the all-conquering Tigers as they dominated all teams.

But Crocs had just poked the bear.

Since that day, Saints have gone on a rampaging seven match winning streak. That in itself is nothing new – plenty of teams have achieved that. But what is actually frightening is the carnage they have created in doing so. Their seven wins have seen them play most teams in the league (so far only thee Buffaloes have been spared in this current streak), and along that journey their average winning margin is over 100 points – that is frightening in any football league.

France is already taking a positive approach to next year’s International Cup with the announcement of their initial squad for the showcase event in Melbourne next August. With a mix of players across CNFA teams, the group will now go through the stages of preparation and final selection over the coming months.

A true representative team, all clubs have players selected. Of particular note is that two players from the newest team, the Blagnac Aviators, have been selected – Anthony Girard and Sylvain Maylie creating new Toulouse/Blagnac history.

The battle for top spot in the AFL Middle east competition was decided when the Multiplex Bulls journeyed to Abu Dhabi to play the Falcons at Zayed Sports City. Going into the game, the Bulls, Falcons, Dingoes and Dragons were all locked on one win each. The Bulls won the Round Four match in windy conditions and after a titanic struggle.

Final Score: Multiplex Bulls 9 15 69 d Abu Dhabi Falcons 9 7 61

The Falcons put up enormous resistance, with the Bulls conceding they were a very strong outfit. They are a much improved side and still have two games to play to make a play for a grand final place.

The Paris Cocks have taken out the 2016 Coupe de France title, downing the ever-improving Bordeaux Bombers in the Grand Final. The event was hosted by the ASP Perpignan Tigers at the Stade Daniel Ambert in Pia, a suburb in metropolitan Perpignan.

Of the Paris teams, the Paris Cockatoos combined with the Cockerels were present. Both Toulouse based teams, the Hawks and Aviators, were combined to represent the city. Bordeaux was there as well as the ALFA Lions representing Lyon, and the fifth team was the hosting Perpignan Tigers.

The victory for Paris Cocks sees them take the title from last year’s winners, the Toulouse Hawks. In the end they won comfortably against the Bordeaux Bombers, winning 40-16.

The end of a big week - once again, the following report provided by Ben Drew - AFL South Pacific Development manager.

Today was GRAND FINAL Day for the AFL U/15 Youth Oceania Cup in Fiji.

The weather was beautiful and the footy was terrific!!!

Huge thank you to Fiji Sports Commission & Coke for their partnership for the event! AFL Fiji, Siteri, Simon, Maciu, Matalita, Saula, Isimeli, Yabaki, Jiuta, Mere, Roko, Semesa, Va, Litia & everyone who has volunteered to run boundaries, do the goals & other jobs during the tournament. Once again AFL Fiji has been great in organising this event on the ground!

A reminder that Wednesday was a rest day, so after Tuesdays first day of four quarter championship matches - today saw the 2nd batch of four quarter games. The report below again provided by Ben Drew AFL South Pacific Development Manager.

Wednesday was a rest day and at 8:30am teams were sent to the Damadoor Aquatic centre for recovery session with Michael Hyndman from AFLQLD, the teams were then dropped off to Albert Park and taken through Social Media & Respect & Responsibility workshops. From 1pm Andrew Hughes from the AFL gathered all the coaches and took them through a coaching masterclass session.

A solid mark for Nauru.

The Australian Football League (AFL) today announced it would partner with Australia-wide Insurance Broker JLT (Jardine Lloyd Thompson) for the pre-season competition for the next three years, with today’s launch of the JLT Community Series in Melbourne. 

AFL General Manager Clubs and AFL Operations Travis Auld joined with JLT Chief Executive Leo Demer to announce the fixture for the 2017 JLT Community Series, which will see all 18 teams play three matches across a four-week stretch between Thursday February 16 and Sunday March 12, to lead into the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. 

‘JLT is the National Insurance Broker for the AFL, our 18 clubs and the State Associations across the country, with a relationship now of 13 years with football from the grassroots through to elite level of the game,” Mr Auld said

In slightly late news, the Tokyo Goannas wrapped up the 2016 AFL Japan season with a 40 point win over the Senshu Powers on Sunday November 27, held under lights at the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club.

Across the weekend just gone the season was wrapped up with the 2016 AFL Japan Awards night including the highlight of the evening - the naming of the 2016 'Peter Wilson Medalist'.

Looking ahead AFL Japan is setting sights on Melbourne 2017 and the International Cup in August next year. AFL Japan are taking registrations of interest and have set a December winter training schedule with more news to come with respect to January and February. The build up begins.

Again - the below match reports are courtesy of AFL Pacific Development officer Ben Drew.

Today saw Day 1 of the Oceania Cup component of the festival. With teams transitioning to 4 x quarter football on a fantastic Suva day!

Collingwood’s Kendra Heil will miss the inaugural AFLW season with scans confirming a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

Heil was injured innocuously during a training session last Tuesday. It is her third ACL injury, having undergone a reconstruction to her left knee in early 2016 and another to her right knee in 2008.

Ontario-born Heil relocated to Australia in 2013 to pursue Australian rules football after being a standout performer with the Hamilton Wildcats in the Australian Football League of Ontario.