World Footy News

The Manchester Mozzies will go head to head with the Nottingham Scorpions for the 2016 AFLCNE Grand Final after last weekend’s semi-finals were completed.

The Mozzies put down any revolt from the Huddersfield Rams with a commanding 85 point victory in an excellent tone up prior to the big game. Against good opposition, the Mozzies powered through the match challenging themselves to meet challenges and build strength.

The Nottingham Scorpions were also strong in downing the well performed Wolverhampton Wolverines in the other semi-final by 39 points. Both teams had enjoyed success throughout the year, but the Scorpions were too strong on the day.

Round 18 kicks off in Melbourne on Friday night with Collingwood hosting North Melbourne at Docklands Stadium. 

If you want to know when you can see the footy on TV in your part of the world, check out the full schedule below.

As always schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the local broadcaster so please check local guides for updates.  Note the scheduled time for the GC Suns vs Fremantle into China is yet to be confirmed.

GAME	DATE	TIMESLOT	MATCH	VENUE	STATE	LOCAL TIME	EST	GMT	NETWORK
1	22-Jul	Night	Collingwood vs. N Melbourne	Etihad Stadium	VIC	19:50	19:50	09:50	SEVEN
2	23-Jul	Day	Sydney Swans vs. Carlton	SCG	SA	13:45	13:45	03:45	SEVEN
3	23-Jul	Day	GC SUNS vs. Fremantle	Metricon Stadium	QLD	14:10	14:10	04:10	FOX
4	23-Jul	Twilight	WC Eagles vs. Melbourne	Domain Stadium	WA	14:35	16:35	06:35	FOX
5	23-Jul	Night	Geelong vs. Adelaide	Simonds Stadium	VIC	19:25	19:25	09:25	SEVEN
6	23-Jul	Night	Western Bulldogs vs. St Kilda	Etihad Stadium	VIC	19:25	19:25	09:25	FOX
7	24-Jul	Early	Essendon vs. Brisbane Lions	Etihad Stadium	VIC	13:10	13:10	03:10	FOX
8	24-Jul	Day	Hawthorn vs. Richmond	MCG	VIC	15:20	15:20	05:20	SEVEN
9	24-Jul	Twilight	Port Adelaide vs. GWS	Adelaide Oval	SA	16:10	16:40	06:40	FOX

Out there, playing somewhere in Australia right now, is a weekend warrior the AFL recruiters have either never seen or missed, a man dreaming of an AFL career. He is ‘The Recruit’ and he will win arguably the biggest prize ever given away on a TV show – a guaranteed place on an AFL list.

THE RECRUIT is a 10-part reality series that follows a group of ‘Recruits’ who live and play together as a team, while at the same time competing against each other, in order to win this life-changing prize.

Season one of THE RECRUIT aired in Australia in 2014 and was one of the breakout hits for Foxtel’s flagship, general entertainment channel, FOX8.   The premiere of that series was one of the highest program launches in subscription television history, and finished as the channel’s most watched series that year.

Season two returns with the legendary Mick Malthouse, leading the search for Australia’s next sporting hero.  Renowned for his record-breaking coaching career, Mick takes on the role of Head Coach.

Mick will be joined by the returning Executive Team comprising of former Hawthorn champion and FOX FOOTY commentator Ben Dixon as Assistant Coach, Port Adelaide’s world class fitness guru Darren Burgess as High Performance Coach; and accomplished sports administrator Leigh Russell as Mind Coach, responsible for the mental strength and wellbeing of the Recruits.

The 2014 series saw the introduction of two international recruits (partway through the series), Irishman Padraig Lucey and American Mark Cisco.  Lucey went on to be listed as an International Rookie with Geelong where he continues to play in their VFL team.  

This is not a unique experience. Girls and women have been playing footy for many, many years. To see a team of girls running around as part of the half time entertainment at an AFL venue has been seen and done many times.

However, there is something a little symbolic, prophetic and visionary about seeing girls on a footy field in 2016, the year the AFL committed to the first ever national women’s competition for 2017. Unlike most years before, this year a future, stark and defined, sits in front of any young girl or woman who takes to the fields of footy.

With the 2017 AFL International Cup just over a year away the Irish Banshees team might want to sound out Sinead Omahony when they put together their squad. 

Omahony is a rising star in the VFL women's competition with Melbourne University.  The following story by Callum O'Connor featured on The Footy Almanac this week - the original story can be read here.

November, new country.

January, new sport.

April, debut in the state’s highest competition of said sport. During its most revolutionary stage.

It’s been an interesting nine months for Melbourne Uni’s Irish recruit Sinead Omahony.

Last year, Omahony was living in Dublin when her partner Jamie Hagan was offered a two-year contract at the Melbourne Rebels, making him just the second fully capped Irish international to play Super Rugby. Omahony made the leap to join him – the move, she says, made her “a little bit heartbroken” – and left behind not just friends and family but a very impressive Gaelic football record. She first played at the age of five and has been in representative sides since she was 12.

 

WFN readers will likely remember the name Jaye Macumber. Jaye was formerly coach of AFL Canada club the Central Blues and in 2011 coached the Canadian national team, the Northwind at IC11.

Jaye is now coach at Minyip-Murtoa in the Wimmera League in country Victoria (Australia). Well known footy journalist Paul Daffey interviewed Jaye this week for his The County Footy Show on his site PD Footy  The original posting on the site is here The Country Footy Show Epidsode 15.

The home and away season is now done and dusted in the AFL London competition and now the finals series is set to start. There are plenty of questions to be asked now as teams jostle for their spot on Grand Final day. Last weekend’s round just added to that list of questions.

The Wandsworth Demons stole the minor premiership away from the West London Wildcats after a massive 213 point victory over the Putney Magpies. The resultant percentage boost saw the Demons grab top spot in a psychological strike against the Wildcats ahead of their finals clash next weekend.

The Wildcats themselves inflicted another unwanted loss on the North London Lions. It wasn’t enough for them to hold top spot, but the result certainly has the Lions on shaky ground facing the resurgent Hawks in next weekend’s other semi-final.

We're all familiar with players trying to raise money to head Down Under for the International Cup so this one is a little different.

Porto Alegro's Thiago Vacile has quickly become a keen Adelaide Crows supporter and posted about his passion for the team Adelaide fan Facebook page Adelaide Crows Pride. Suddenly there was a groundswell of support to try to raise funds to send him from Brazil to Australia to see a Crows game at Adelaide Oval. With the Pride of South Australia climbing to 2nd on the AFL ladder this weekend it seems a good time for Thiago to make the trip.

You can read more about the push on the Footy Almanac here or chip in a few dollars here.

Last year the North London Lions were on a roll in the lead-up to the finals and went all the way to win the 2015 flag. It’s a very long bow but the Wimbledon Hawks are playing themselves into form at the right time of the season.

Round 9 saw the Hawks down the Lions for just their third win of the season. But it will be enough for them to see finals action. With a very winnable final round match against the London Swans this weekend, the Hawks could enter the finals with momentum – and that’s what helped the Lions last year. It’s a long shot, but then very few predicted the Lions’ journey last year.

“I love coming up to Cairns. It is a break from Melbourne. We get to wear t-shirts and shorts which we can’t do down in Melbourne.”

Western Bulldogs’ champion Mitch Wallis has just created one of the best possible tourism slogans possible as he espouses a love affair with our northern city. Here in Cairns for his third AFL Premiership match against the Gold Coast Suns in the tropical north, Wallis was happy to profess his love for our region which he says is shared by the players and the club.

Maybe “love affair” isn’t quite the right term, but the Bulldogs have certainly turned Cazalys Stadium into a very happy hunting ground – and that alone is grounds for true love! In 2014 the Western Bulldogs turned on a six goal to two final-quarter to beat the suns by 28 points. They bettered that in 2015 with a blistering 10 goal final quarter to turn a 37 point deficit into a 22 point win.

Our intrepid writers in Austria - Michael Jud, Martin Schittegg and Oliver Krajacic from the Styrian DownUnderDogs - have provided this update from the CEAFL competition so far in 2016.

The 2nd round of the CEAFL 2016 was held in Dobl near Graz. After the 1st round in Zagreb, the ladder looks like this:

1. Giants 15 Points
2. Dockers 12 Points
3. Double Blues 10 Points
3. Hawks 10 Points
5. Dogs 08 Points
6. Eagles 06 Points
7. Bombers 04 Points

Round 17 kicks off in Sydney on Thursday night with Sydney hosting Hawthorn at the SCG. 

If you want to know when you can see the footy on TV in your part of the world, check out the full schedule below.

As always schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the local broadcaster so please check local guides for updates.

GAME	DATE	TIMESLOT	MATCH	VENUE	STATE	LOCAL TIME	GMT	NETWORK
1	Thursday July 14	Night	Sydney Swans vs. Hawthorn	SCG	NSW	19:20	09:20	SEVEN
2	Friday July 15	Night	Fremantle vs. Geelong Cats	Domain Stadium	WA	18:10	10:10	SEVEN
3	Saturday July 16	Day	Richmond vs. Essendon	MCG	VIC	13:40	03:40	FOX
4	Saturday July 16	Twilight	North Melbourne vs. Port Adelaide	Etihad Stadium	VIC	16:35	06:35	FOX
5	Saturday July 16	Night	Adelaide Crows vs. Collingwood	Adelaide Oval	SA	19:10	09:40	SEVEN
6	Saturday July 16	Night	Western Bulldogs vs. Gold Coast SUNS	Cazalys Stadium	QLD	19:25	09:25	FOX
7	Sunday July 17	Early	Carlton vs. West Coast Eagles	MCG	VIC	13:10	03:10	FOX
8	Sunday July 17	Day	St Kilda vs. Melbourne	Etihad Stadium	VIC	15:20	05:20	SEVEN
9	Sunday July 17	Twilight	Brisbane Lions vs. GWS GIANTS	The Gabba	QLD	16:40	06:40	FOX