World Footy News

Some clubs across the world are brushing off the lethargy that goes with the festive season and cranking up their machines for the 2016 season. Many clubs, however, such as Scotland’s Kingdom Kangaroos have used their off season to shore up their futures and prepare to hit the 2016 season running. The following article from the Kingdom Kangaroos website looks at the club’s off-season recruiting drive.

 

By all accounts the Kingdom Kangaroos had a good year in 2015, a few league wins saw them finish 3rd in the SARFL.

 

Long time player and secretary for the club Charlie Snedden said that while his side were improving year on year, there was still a lot to do in 2016.

 

 

“2015 was a good year for us, we had a few players come to us from the local rugby clubs in their off season” he said.

As teams around the world are enjoying their breaks from footy, either in their off seasons or for the festive season, many are happy to put football on the backburner for a while and focus on other things. But many clubs, like the Tyne Tees Tigers in the AFLCNE competition in England are using the down time to consolidate their longer term futures.

On the back of a promising finish to the 2015 season where they won four of their last five games (one by forfeit) including huge wins against eventual finalists Sheffield Thunder and Huddersfield Rams, the club has now found a new home to strengthen its position in the league.

According to the AFLCNE website, “AFLCNE club the Tyne Tees Tigers are looking to the future with an exciting development for their club, announcing their new home ground and training venue for 2016. Based in Gosforth they will be becoming affiliate members of the Gosforth Sports Association alongside Gosforth Rugby Club and Newcastle City Cricket Club.”

The French footy landscape has been constantly changing since the game started to take root back in the late 20th century and throughout last decade. Teams have come and gone on a fairly regular basis, yet many existing clubs have continued the journey and the hardships to become strong and provide the backbone of the league.

The Brittany Griffins are one of the newest footy incarnations in France. Whilst other infant clubs have either folded or are on hiatus, such as the Pau Bears, Nancy Bobcats and a Toulon based team, the Brittany club is looking to realise their own dreams and last the journey to becoming a major player one day.

Arnaud is, in his own words, the key forward, coach and president of the Brittany Griffins. A recent chat with Arnaud gave an insight into France’s newest team.

The AFL's All Australian team was announced back in September.  State of Origin football is in a long hiatus - but theoretical State teams are announced each year - the ones on the AFL Player's Association site here for 2015 are worth a look.  They take in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia as well as an Allies team (NT, Tasmania, ACT, Queensland and NSW). 

But what about the rest of the world? If the Rest of the World were to play against any of the teams above, what is the best team they could muster?  Using the International Cup eligibility rules we have named the 2015 World Team (so this does not include foreign born but Australian raised players).  As with the International Cup the coach can be Australian but should have a strong link with international football.  We intend this team to be an annual announcement going forward.

In addition to those currently on AFL lists there are two players that have played in premierships in the O&MFL the past two seasons after having previously played with AFL clubs and three players named on the interchange bench that have all played in the International Cup for their country and also played senior footy in strong Victorian leagues in 2015.

Here is our 2015 World Team

It is sometimes said that in sport a single win can be the start of a new chapter in a club’s history. New eras have to start somewhere and it is often a single win which triggers a change of fortunes. The Perpignan Tigers, playing in the CNFA competition in France, may be on their way to a different future as a result of their most recent victory.

In the final match for 2015, the Perpignan Tigers surprised almost everyone when they defeated the newly formed Paris Cockatoos earlier this month. The win saw the Tigers kick 13 13 91 to the Cockatoos 9 15 69, and quite rightly their supporters had cause to celebrate.

Some see a win as just a win. But this win was special. It was the Tigers’ first victory in the Championnat De France (the nation’s premier competition) since 2011 when they defeated the Aix-Marseilles Dockers 129 to 53. Whilst they received the points in two games during the 2011/12 season in forfeited matches, the Dockers win was their first and only win from a match on field. Their win this month becomes just their second since joining the French national competition for the 2009/10 season.

2016 will see clubs gearing up for the new season and contemplating their strategies. Two years ago WFN orchestrated a survey of techniques used by leagues around the world for growing the game and to gauge their effectiveness. We repeat those suggestions with the addition of some new ones (from feedback) in a quick reference format and with a quick summation.

At a basic level it was found.

 

The following article by Russell Jackson at The Guardian explores the journey and AFL career to date of St Kilda’s American import, Jason Holmes. On the back of his best season to date, Holmes is now in pre-season for the Saints’ 2016 campaign.

Up close the modern AFL footballer is a far different physical specimen than his predecessors of the last few decades, far more sinewy and slight. On account of his finely-calibrated diet and training regime and the relentless pursuit of success, he’s closer in shape to a middle distance runner than a wide receiver, as was once the case.

This is a good thing, in many respects. The AFL footballer is now faster, stronger and more physically resourceful than ever and generally more skilled too, concepts not lost on St Kilda ruckman Jason Holmes when he emerged from almost total obscurity in 2015 to become the first born and bred American to play in the AFL. It was a truly remarkable achievement for a college basketballer who’d never properly watched a full game, let alone played in one, before the Saints secured him as an international rookie.

There are certainly some advantages to be found playing footy from October to March, or thereabouts. Whilst other leagues have wound down and turned their attention to cricket, tennis or anything else other than footy, those leagues whose seasons commence later get to have the immediate Christmas/New Year period, and more, to regroup or reassess.

A case in point is the NTFL (Northern Territory Football League). Their season begins in October and runs through until March. They are currently in the midst of a three week break where festivities can be enjoyed, but also injuries can be eased and plans can be re-developed.

According to the NT News, bottom placed Waratah has a new goal. Their coach, Tim Weatherald, has set a new goal of winning four of their remaining seven matches after a winless season to date. They will be rested and will have new plans in place, so they can finish an otherwise disappointing season on a high ready for next season. Article: http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/local-...bedfe62b0b

Thoughts turn to those who live in the flood devastated parts of England after the Boxing Day weather events which have effected many locations including parts of Manchester, Huddersfield, Merseyside, Leeds and York as well as many more towns and cities across the areas of northern and central England. Record rainfalls have seen rivers and streams swell to levels rarely and sometimes never seen.

World Footy News send their wishes to those people effected throughout the region and hope for a quick recovery.

Wolverhampton football supporters will be hoping that their own event, two International Rules matches against St Mary’s GAA in January and March, can defeat the weather and bring welcome relief and excitement to the region for those craving the game.

First played last February, the inaugural event was won by the Wolverhampton Wolverines crew against the willing St Mary’s Gaelic football team. The International Rules match was deemed successful enough earlier this year to spawn two challenges in 2016. The Wolverines will be keen to win these test matches and retain the trophy.

In this article from the NT News, four boys from the Northern Territory get a taste of international footy through their participation in an International Rules match in Ireland. In a unique stepping stone to bigger things, both for themselves and others who might wish to follow in their footsteps, these Territory lads have travelled ground that few of their contemporaries have.

 

From never kicking a round ball in Tennant Creek to beating the Irish in Ireland.

 

That is the story and journey of Barkly quartet — Liam Holt-Fitz, Matthew Green, Mattaniah Bain and Kyrell Barton who beat the Irish in a number of contests at the hybrid International Rules game over the past fortnight.

 

The lads, along with their Wanderers Australia AFL Training teammates, earned some green and gold pride as they went undefeated through the tour.

In the final round of NTFL matches in Darwin prior to the Christmas/New Year break, the young Nightcliff Tigers took positive steps to the future, the Tiwi Bombers enhanced their finals prospects whist the top two teams, Saints and Crocs, pulled a little further ahead of the competition.

The Nightcliff Tigers have taken a youth development approach this season as they look towards a long term success, and their latest debutant, Isiah Farrell-Nelson, proved that the results are worthwhile. His six goal haul on debut contributed greatly to the Tigers’ big 134 point thrashing of the Waratah Warriors. The win sees Nightcliff jump into the top five, joining the Tiwi Bombers, Palmerston Magpies and Wanderers Eagles on five wins. Waratah’s horrid season continued, though they can take heart from the Nightcliff youth project as they build towards next season.

Final Score: Nightcliff Tigers 24 18 162 d Waratah Warriors 4 4 28

The AFL is currently gathering the momentum to place women’s footy on the national stage with the upcoming granting of licences to clubs to hold an AFL women’s national league. Whilst this is a wonderful step forward for women’s footy, and certainly validates and celebrates the incredible work done in Australia and overseas to grow the women’s game, the AFL is oddly behind many smaller national and international leagues in the development of women’s footy.

Even though the AFL’s endorsement of women’s footy opened the gates for people to develop the game, it is those leagues that have in reality sown and tended the crops to the point where the AFL must pursue highest level competition to complete the talent pathways already laid down.

An example of how the women’s game has been taken to places not dreamed of even just five years ago is the Pyramid Power club near Cairns in Far North Queensland. The year 2015 saw them enter an all-girls Under 13 team in a boy’s competition – girls taking on the boys head on in a scheduled competition. This may not be the first such team, though it is hard to find documentation of many others. But it is a huge step forward for women’s footy as younger girls are being exposed to the competitive aspects of team footy in an environment long dominated by boys.