World Footy News

With the Axios Euro Cup for 2015 now just days away interest is turning to the teams that will compete this year. Whilst there is much excitement over how the host team, Croatia, will go, whether or not Denmark can defend its title or whether the Irish or English teams will bounce back, one team which has fostered much interest is the Peace Team.

Simon Fink has been working to put together this team and is one of the people responsible for seeing the team materialise at this year’s event.

According to Simon, “The current Peace Team is comprised of Israeli's and Palestinians living in and around Jerusalem. The composition is 50/50. We have Muslims, Jews and Christians playing together.”

Hawthorn are 2015 AFL Premiers, recording their third consecutive Premiership with a 46 point win against the West Coast Eagles.

The Eagles scored the first goal through a free kick to Luke Shoey and hopes of a competitive Grand Final were alive. But a steady and accurate Hawthorn gradually built a 5.0 to 1.5 lead by quarter time with Cyril Rioli, Sam Mitchell and Isaac Smith leading the way for the Hawks.

The second quarter saw the Hawks drawing further away lead by inspirational captain Luke Hodge, but a late goal to Josh Hill and another after the siren to Elliot Yeo at half time pulled the lead back to 31 points and kept the game alive...barely.

North Melbourne’s young Sudanese ruckman, Majak Daw, has taken out the 2015 Grand Final Sprint, an event which has traditionally been a part of the half time entertainment since the late 1970’s. Whilst North Melbourne bowed out of the finals race last weekend, losing to West Coast, Daw has given the club something to cheer about.

After loping through the heats held earlier in the day, Majak Daw started the race well behind early leader, Charlie Cameron from the Adelaide Crows. But once the athletic and muscular Daw got his rhythm he raced past the leader and cruised home to an easy win.

Daw becomes the first Australian Rules footballer born overseas to win the event. Born in Sudan, his family fled with Majak in tow to escape the civil war in their country. After living for three years in Egypt, the family moved to Australia where Majak found his way to Australian Rules football and the Kangaroos.

 

The 2015 AFL Grand Final is here. Reigning Premiers Hawthorn have again made it to the big dance and will be joined by the West Coast Eagles in the battle for the flag.  

Once again viewers around the world can access matches live or delayed on a number of TV networks or stream the telecast via subscription to Watchafl.com.au. 

The broadcast schedule for the big day can be seen below.  .

 

Whilst the football world’s collective eyes are quite rightly locked on Melbourne this weekend for the AFL Grand Final, a week later the European “Grand Final” of footy nations will take place in Umag, Croatia. On Saturday 10th October, twelve men’s and six women’s teams will contest the Axios Euro Cup.

The men’s draw will have twelve teams competing. As well as the host nation, Croatia, there will be teams from England, Ireland and Scotland representing Great Britain. The Scandinavian contingent will be the teams from Norway and defending champions, Denmark. France, Austria, Germany and The Netherlands are the other stand-alone teams.

Additional to these are the European Crusaders team for those players coming without their national team in tow and also the Peace Team, of which more details will be released shortly.

West Coast Eagles’ International Rookie Paddy Brophy will give cause for Irish footy fans to pay attention during the half time break at this year’s AFL Grand Final. Brophy who has played his footy this year with East Perth in the WAFL will line up in the Grand Final Sprint.
 

The man from County Kildare in Ireland will have to beat out a strong field which includes Sudanese born ruckman Majak Daw and Hawthorn’s pacey defender Angus Litherland.

The Grand Final is set.  2014 Premiers Hawthorn taking on the vastly improved West Coast Eagles at the MCG this Saturday afternoon Melbourne time.  For the past 10 years, World Footy News has collated an extensive list of Grand Final Parties around the world to help viewers find them. And with the 2015 AFL Grand Final being just over 1 day away we are calling for clubs around the world to send details of your party to us, so that fans of the game in your country/city can watch the big game with you. 

You can either post details as a comment below (you must register before you are able to post a comment or login via Facebook) or email troy@worldfootynews.com - all these details will be collated as per previous years.

For the past four seasons in the Middle East, the Dubai Dragons have been the “Kings” of an otherwise arid jungle. Last year the club won their third flag, making them the league’s most successful club. Their tally saw them pass foundation club the Dubai Heat.

Whilst the off season has been a time for the Dragons to savour the joys of success, it has also been a time where other potential dynasties have been plotting the downfall of the Dragons.

Last year’s runners-up, the BM Bulls, might be the newest club to the league, introduced just last year, but they reached the grand final and lost. They are young but they are hungry and have used their contests with the Dragons as a measuring stick. They will be keen to avenge last year’s loss and have recruited well enough over the off season to bring about change.

In less than two weeks the AFL Middle East Pre-Season Cup will be held in Dubai at the Sevens Stadium. October 9th signals the start of the new season as teams begin to flex their sleepier muscles and brush of the cobwebs ready to see which club will be the next champion.

Last year’s Pre-Season Cup saw the Dubai Dragons play the newcomers, the BM Bulls, in the final. At the time many thought it might be a “flash in the pan” performance, yet just a few months later those same two clubs went on to contest the 2014/15 premiership. Certainly, a good performance at the pre-season event can be a guide to what might follow.

President of AFL Middle East, Matt Burn, was happy to give a bit of a run down on what followers might expect for the new season.

Just a week after taking out the SAFF (Stockholm Australian Football Federation) premiership when the downed the Solna Axemen (see story Södermalm belt Solna to claim 2015 SAFF Premiership, the club has won its second flag of the season winning the inaugural Swedish League Elitserien (Elite Series) to be the Swedish national champions.

The competition, set up to be the nation’s elite competition above and beyond the regional and urban leagues across the country, kicked off for the first time earlier this year. The competition featured the Södermalm Blues, Stockholm Dynamite, Port Malmö Maulers and the Helsingborg Saints in a six round competition designed around the other league draws.

After five rounds the Blues were clear leaders, undefeated, but still had to negotiate the second placed Maulers for the title. The game was being played at the, Limhamnsfältet IP, Malmö ground which evened up the competition.

Eric Wallace was delisted by North Melbourne today after three years with the club as an International Rookie.  Wallace did not play an AFL match with the club, spending his first two years playing with North Ballarat and this year with Werribee in the VFL   Wallace was popular with team-mates at the club and a successful ruckman at VFL level.  A strong ruck brigade at North Melbourne meant that there was never really an opening for him to make that AFL debut.

There is a chance that another club may offer Wallace a life line as able ruckmen of his stature are still in short supply generally around the league.  Beyond that the USAFL may be keen to secure Wallace's services for the US Revolution team in the 2017 International Cup if he is interested in continuing in the game.

The statement from North Melbourne today follows.