World Footy News

The AFL has today announced that Optus Stadium in Perth will host the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final.  However the start time is yet to be determined.  While he timeslot is likely to be determined by the biggest audience in the eastern Australian states,  many around the world eagerly await that timeslot to see when the match will start for them.

Grand Finals parties are an important part of the calendar for footy clubs around the world who use the event to fund raise and to build their footy community far from the home of the Australian game.  At any rate there are few places outside of Asia/Pacific that the time is hospitable, but the sooner clubs know the sooner they can promote the event, book venues and sell tickets.       
 
The announcement comes after the Victorian Government agreed to the Grand Final being relocated from the MCG for the second year running due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

When Port Adelaide defender, Aliir Aliir, was named as Centre Half Back in the 2021 All-Australian team last week, it signalled a new dawn in footy. Not only had the brilliant defender arrived as an immense talent – and possibly a lynch-pin for a sustained era of success at Port Adelaide – he also became the player who once and for all sent a message to all aspiring African-heritage kids that they can follow him to succeed: whether they be from Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe or any other African nation.

The seeds were sown when in 2014 North Melbourne took a risk on Majak Daw (even though Aliir was drafted the previous year). With a physique that left one in fear, but without the tank to match sometimes, Majak was a pioneer for players of African descent – most especially the generation of kids who had families flee from war-torn nations like Sudan and resettled in a strange new environment with an equally strange national game.

(Picture Credit: AFL Queensland)

Collingwood defender Anton Tohill has made the decision to part ways with Collingwood to resume his medical degree.

Tohill put his medical studies on hold to see out three campaigns in the black and white. Unable to defer his studies any further the 21-year-old will return to Ireland.

After postponing the originally scheduled IC20 tournament to 2021 and then later indicating the tournament would be likely held in 2022 or 2023, the AFL has now confirmed they have set their sites on hosting the tournament in 2023.

While giving no further details as to whether the event would still be hosted on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, it at least provides some certainty to players and organisations as to the likely timeline, and indeed that the AFL still intends to continue to hold the tournament. 

AFL Executive General Manager Game Development Andrew Dillon, said it was important to provide certainty for International participants and stakeholders

"Given the challenges around the reopening of borders and need for international teams and organizers to proceed with planning the International Cup, we have made a decision that 2023 is the ideal year in which to host the next event."

It was certainly a bittersweet day at the Gold Coast Suns today. Trounced by 87 points by a rampant Sydney Swans, the club had no choice but to wear the defeat and then put 2021 behind them – reset for 2022.

Part of that reset was a changing of the guard as old made way for new. On the same day as youngsters in Joel Jeffrey, Jeremy Sharp and Jy Farrar strutted their stuff in their first seasons, Zac Smith said farewell.

But of major importance for north Queenslanders, it was the day that Jarrod Harbrow retired after 262 games for the Suns and the Western Bulldogs. The former Cairns junior – playing for both the Manunda Hawks and South Cairns Cutters – went on to have an illustrious career as a hard-running, courageous defender from 2007 to 2021; 15 seasons at the highest level. Along the way he was a Suns’ club champion and holds club records for most possessions and most wins.

Picture Credit: afl.com

The AFL Commission today announced all 18 clubs will field a NAB AFL Women’s team from the 2022-2023 season onwards, with the final four AFL clubs Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and the Sydney Swans all granted a license to enter the Competition in Season Seven.
 
The four clubs provided submissions on their readiness to enter the national competition, including detailing their resourcing, team build strategy, corporate support, and investment into their AFLW program, fan base growth and facilities.

Tom Rockliff's retirement from AFL footy, announced today, might otherwise be just another name in the end-of-year lists of players from all clubs hanging up their boots. However, Rockliff will say goodbye to the game with an achievement not done by any other player, and possibly never to be repeated - though we hope not.

Rockliff's journey of 208 games with both the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide has been decorated with All-Australian selection, captaincy at Brisbane and a Rising Star nomination in 2010. But he retires as the player who has played for premiership points in three countries - Australia, New Zealand and China - as well as an International Rules match in Ireland.

No other player has had a career with so many overseas games across multiple countries.

2021 Euro Cup Cancelled.

The AFL Europe Commission has reluctantly taken the decision to cancel the Euro Cup 2021 tournament that was provisionally to be played on October 16th in the Netherlands.

"Ultimately, the AFL Europe Commission is not satisfied that a safe travel or playing environment is achievable in the current climate and we believe it would be irresponsible to go ahead with a multi-country tournament in October."

 "AFL Europe appreciates the importance of Euro Cup. Tournaments like the Euro Cup play a huge role in growing the game in Europe and are particularly important after a long period of limited footy. This made the decision to cancel the 2021 event even harder."

"AFL Europe remains committed to helping all participating countries and leagues of Australian Football in Europe, and will support regional tournaments, that comply with local coronavirus restrictions and guidelines, that are held in place of the Euro Cup in October."

"We would also like to take this time to share that we are planning and are hopeful of getting back to our regular events calendar in 2022, which would see the return of international tournaments."

"This would include the return of the Fitzpatrick Cup in February, Champions League in April or May, ANZAC Cup in April, Euro Cup in June and the AFL’s International Cup* in August. If the International Cup does not run in 2022, then AFL Europe will host a European Championships in its place."

*The AFL are expected to make an announcement regarding the next International Cup within the next few months.

 

First Match of Inaugural Bulgarian AFL Season

The Bulgarian AFL has officially begun with the round one match played between Sofia Magpies and Varna Demons on Saturday 26th June 2021, in Aksakovo with Sofia Magpies defeating the hosts to claim the first official points in the Bulgarian league.  Bulgaria AFL kicked off back in 2019 with friendlies with Zagreb Hawks and Festival of Footy matches in Sept 2020. See World Footy News articles: April 2019 & September 2020.

 

Australian Football in Switzerland is back! Round one this weekend

July 1, 2021

With the latest easing of the COVID-19 restrictions, AFL Switzerland have been able to go ahead and confirm the fixtures and structure for the 2021 season.

Since full contact sports in groups of up to 50 people has been allowed for some weeks now, all four Switzerland based clubs have been able to resume regular training and are keen to get back to finally playing some footy.

After two AFLW seasons where she played 11 games, Dani Marshall has been informed she will not be offered a contract next season at the Western Bulldogs.  The long kicking American has a proven goal kicking ability up forward, but has had to spend much of her time in the AFLW as a backup ruck, mostly off the bench.

“We thank Dani for her dedication and contributions to the Club over the past two seasons“  Bulldogs’ General Manager of Women’s Football Debbie Lee said.  “Dani was the first American AFLW player in the league which was ground-breaking.

 Marshall 29, has a good leap, but at 168cm she would be one of the shortest required regularly to take the ruck duties and this has given her little opportunity to lock down a position. 

Make no mistake. For Cairns to remain a viable AFL destination it needed a catalyst match to build a future on. It came last night when their 2021 AFL premiership match saw St Kilda hosting the Adelaide Crows. Whilst skill level was questionable at times, the excitement of a grandstand finish made up for that – setting Cairns alight.

It is already well enough documented that Cairns lost its annual premiership match after their Round 1 fixture in 2018 was almost washed away. Southern rival, Townsville, was handed the 2019 match and Cairns had to pray for miracles to get their match back. It came in the form, ironically, of COVID-19 when the AFL was forced to relocate four premiership fixtures to a new hub and Cairns was ready, eager and determined to grab opportunity when it knocked.

(Image Credit: The Age)