World Footy News

The South Dublin Swans have continued their rise of recent weeks to peak at just the right time and take out the 2015 ARFLI premiership, downing the raging hot favourites in the process. The Belfast Redbacks had been the dominant Irish team throughout most of the season, but on the day that mattered most it was the Swans that triumphed.

By half time the Swans had already stated their intentions, pulling out to an 11 point lead, 3 7 25 to 2 2 14. The Redbacks knew they had a challenge on their hands and came back hard in the second half, but the stoic Swans held out for a thrilling two point victory, winning 6 9 45 to 6 7 43.

The Swans had already dented the Redback’s armour in their final round clash where the result saw the Swans pull away to an eventual 25 point win. It would be Belfast’s only loss for the home and away season, but looking back the result was profound.

The final round of the Norwegian Australian Rules football competition, the Kenguru Cup, was completed last week with results going heavily in favour of the Oslo West team which secured their historic first Grand Final berth. After two years in last place, Oslo West won both games in the final round to take top spot – in the process recording the highest amount of wins in the competition’s history with eight from ten games.

They will take on the second placed Ås Battlers which won its final match against Oslo East by a big margin after earlier going down to Oslo West by just one point.

This sets up a fascinating Grand Final, to be played at the Voldsløkka Rugby Field in Oslo on Thursday, September 3rd (Norway time) against the 2013 winners, the Ås Battlers, and the newcomers to the big day Oslo West.

 

The following story by Travis King at www.afl.com looks at the next potential cab off the rank of North American sportsmen who have left behind their native codes to try their luck at Australian Rules football on the highest stage – the AFL.

 

AMERICAN man mountain Alex Aurrichio says he's been inspired to keep chasing his AFL dream by Jason Holmes' action-packed debut for St Kilda.

 

Holmes' high-leaping ruckwork had a major impact in the Saints' draw with Geelong last Saturday night.

 

 

And it proved to rookie hopeful Aurrichio that there's rewards on offer if he persists and builds on an encouraging first season playing VFL for the Northern Blues.

Arguably the biggest story in Australian sport this week was the amazing effort of former Parramatta Eels Rugby League player, Jarryd Hayne, bamboozling opponents in his new found code, American Football. In trying out for a contract with the San Francisco 49ers, his run, agility and power left experienced players in his wake and made the code’s recruiting people think that maybe there are more Aussies that possess the skills to succeed in the American national game.

In the days since his break-out game other potential Rugby-League and Rugby-Union players have been touted as the “next Hayne”.

Code-hopping in itself is not new. The AFL’s recent experiments with Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folou were well documented, though both ultimately fell short of their intention. They were local stories moving from one Australian code to another. But trying another code in another country is arguably harder. This is territory that past AFL players have dabbled in with Ben Graham, Sav Rocca and “Diamond Jim” Tilbrook some of the better known VFL/AFL players who have cracked the American national game.

Port Adelaide, in partnership with the University of South Australia, is delighted to announce the club’s SAASTA Aboriginal AFL Academy team will travel to China in November to take part in a series of cultural initiatives including an exhibition game against Team China, the Chinese national AFL team, in Guangzhou.

The Academy team will travel to China on November 23 for a ten-day trip that will include cultural exchange sessions at local schools, football coaching clinics, an official reception at the Australian Embassy and a visit to the Great Wall of China.

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas said this excursion, which has been partly funded by UniSA, provides a rare opportunity for the Aboriginal and Chinese cultures to unite.

Essendon football club today announced that Irish code crosser Conor McKenna is upgraded from the rookie list to the senior list and will debut in the AFL this Saturday night at the MCG.

McKenna originally from Tyrone in Northern Ireland was drafted as an International Rookie last year after he was spotted by Essendon, who were one of two AFL clubs that attended the AFL's talent combine in Ireland in December 2013.  He also was invited to the National Combine in Melbourne last year.

Friday night footy at the MCG kicks off Round 22 with Geelong hosting Collingwood.  The Cats battling for a place in the finals. 

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. 

US viewers will be pleased that the Sydney vs St Kilda match is to be shown live (assuming Jason Holmes is selected again for St Kilda this week) on FOX Soccer Plus. 

The broadcast schedule for this round can be seen below.

 

Australian football has undergone steady and at times impressive growth around the world over the last decade or so. This is mostly but not entirely started by expatriate Australians who sow some seeds and then either tend to them or have enthusiastic locals continue the experiment.

But another important player in this is the Australian Football League. For some countries their contact has been negligible, but for most it has been useful and at times a strong source of encouragement, funds or other support. And every three years the AFL’s contribution is at its most visible in the form of the International Cup. Given their importance as the catalyst with most potential to drive rapid growth it’s always good to try to understand the role the AFL sees for itself, who the main people are and how they fit into the larger AFL administrative body itself. This is our first update on that front for several years.

Grant Williams and the AFL international structure

With many changes in recent years worldfootynews.com thought it timely to catch up with a key figure in Grant Williams, AFL General Manager Community Football Operations. Grant is pictured far left with AFL colleague Pete Romaniw (right) and former AFL Asia interim President Grant Keys (centre). We started by asking him where he fits into the international scene and where he’d like to see it go.

Just when everything in the ARFLI competition was going to script – all teams try hard but the undefeated Belfast Redbacks would cruise to premiership glory – the South Dublin Swans have come along and changed the landscape in two afternoons.

Not having bothered to read the script, the Swans got out to an early advantage against the Redbacks and held their nerve to pull away and set up a home final and a legitimate share of premiership favouritism. They followed this with a comprehensive semi-final win against the Galway Magpies

According to the ARFLI website, “Saturday last saw the Belfast Redbacks host the South Dublin Swans at the Cherryvale Sports Grounds adjacent to the Ulster rugby venue Ravenhill. The Redbacks have led the league all season and went into the final home and away game undefeated. In contrast the Swans have dropped points including losing at home to the Redbacks.”

In the tenth anniversary year of the Scottish Australian Rules Football League (SARFL) the Grand Final saw reigning champions Edinburgh Bloods take on minor premiers Glasgow Sharks on the afternoon of 31st August. Each side had won on the other’s home ground during the regular season so this game at Linlithgow Rugby Club promised to provide a fitting climax.

Edinburgh began the game in impressive style, their experienced midfield dominating the first quarter as they quickly moved into a strong lead, kicking eight goals to lead 53-1 at the opening break. Glasgow came out much more strongly after the break, tightening up in the back line and midfield to take the second quarter by four goals to three and promise that a comeback could be on its way. Half time score: Edinburgh 11.7.73 Glasgow 4.3.27.