World Footy News

Collingwood caused an upset six point win over arch-rivals Carlton at Ikon Park.

Before the match, both teams took part in a minute of silence to remember GWS Giants player Jacinda Barclay who sadly passed away in October last year.

For the first time since March last year, fans were in the stands cheering their teams on and it was a great sight to see. Tonight's match was the first ever AFLW ticketed match. 

Neither of the teams were able to score a goal in the first quarter, but that did not faze the Pies as they came out with a four goal second quarter and the win for the Pies was set up in this quarter. 

The Pies hard running brand of footy was on show and it was a great spectacle. 

Chloe Molloy had an unbelievable second quarter and at the first break she had 10 disposals and two goals. Brianna Davey also popped up to nail through her first goal in her first match over her old team. The Pies led by 26-points at the main break. 

Vaomua Laloifi was the shining light for the Blues in the opening half. 

Image Source: AFLW

Blues came out breathing fire in the third quarter with three goals via Nic Stevens, Darcy Vescio and Jess Hosking.

Stevens scored the first goal of the match for the Blues and the Blues were starting to get reward for effort.

Blues goalsneak Vescio slotted through a goal and it brought up her 29th overall goal in the AFLW competition, equal with Brisbane Lions' Jess Wuetschner. 

The AFLW returns for it's fifth season after having been cut short by Covid-19 restrictions in 2020.

The AFLW competition has become an elite beacon for women across the world wanting to play Australian football. With the help of CrossCoders Irish players have become the norm at AFLW level and the presence of American Dani Marshall continues to give hope to women outside Australia and those in the closely related Gaelic football code.

Season five of the NAB AFL Women’s Competition marks considerable progress for the women’s game, with many new additions to the fixture this year to boost community connection and engagement. Round 1 kicks off tonight at Ikon Park with Carlton and Collingwood renewing their long running club rivalry.

 

Source: 3rd January 2021, Sunday Mail* 

           'Rooch' honoured  

American and former South Adelaide footballer Alex Aurrichio has been honoured by his Northern Territory Football League club Waratah.

Aurrichio was killed in a cycling accident in Darwin in June last year.(2020) See: WFN June 9th 2020

Waratah has launched its Alex Aurrichio Academy in recognition of its US-born ruckman.

The Academy will cater for exceptional junior athletes at the club and aims to recruit, develop, foster and retain junior footballers who strive to live by the values exemplified by 'Rooch' during his life - passion, commitment and resilience.

Alex Aurrichio, originally from New York Magpies, also played for the Northern Blues in Victoria, South Adelaide in the SANFL and NEAFL club Southport Sharks in Queensland amongst others.

Read More; World Footy News January 17th 2015.

*Sunday Mail is Adelaide and South Australia's leading weekend newspaper.

 

Katy Herron has elected not to return to the Western Bulldogs for the 2021 AFLW season due to family reasons.

The Irish import featured in the AFLW competition for the first time in 2020, making the move to Melbourne with her son Joshua.

Herron made her debut in round one and played all six games in the shortened season, becoming an important part of the Bulldogs’ back line.

The Gold Coast SUNS today announced the promotion of International Scholarship holder Hewago Paul Oea to the club’s Rookie List (Category B) for the 2021 season.

Affectionately known as Ace, the 19-year-old is a talented footballer who originates from Papua New Guinea (Gulf/Central - PNG).

“Ace has displayed significant improvement since coming to the club as a 16-year-old and we’re proud to see him progress onto the club’s list,” SUNS GM – Football Operations Jon Haines said.

“He is a terrific young man, with an outstanding appetite to learn and work hard. Ace’s development is a credit to his family, AFL PNG and most importantly himself.

“Ace made a difficult decision to leave his family in PNG to follow his dream and his progression onto the list is an acknowledgement that his dedication and commitment is beginning to show real dividends.”

Due to the uncertainty around international travel, the AFL has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 AFL International Cup.

The event, which was to be held on the Sunshine Coast, was initially postponed from this year to July/August 2021.

After significant consideration and consultation with AFL International affiliates, the forecasted restrictions on international travel and the uncertainty around team availability have led to this decision.

The AFL International Cup remains an important part of developing the game overseas and mid next year They will review the ability to stage the AFL International Cup on the Sunshine Coast in 2022 or 2023.

 Varna Demons versus Sofia Magpies

Wow! Is that an encouraging headline! Two Bulgarian AFL teams/clubs.

The first time two Bulgarian AFL teams played against each other took was on 26th September 2020 during AFL Europe's Festival of Football in Aksakovo, just outside Varna, Bulgaria.

Final score in the 9-a-Side match was: Sofia Magpies 13.10 (88) d Varna Demons 10.10 (70).

Hawthorn defender Conor Glass has made the decision to return home to Ireland, calling time on his AFL career.

Glass will return to his hometown, Maghera, where he will continue his university studies and recommence his Gaelic football career playing for County Derry.

He joins long time cross-coder in Pearce Hanley and medium termer Conor McKenna who have previously announced their retirement.  The global Covid-19 has no doubt played some part in all these departures with the separation from family and friends from home who previously could visit and break up the homesickness but also with the Irish communities within their adopted homes.

 

In was in late March 2018 when Cairns hosted its last AFL match. On the day, Tropical Cyclone Nora kindly dumped monsoonal rain over the Cairns region, turning Cazalys into a fairly decent outdoor swimming pool.

After years of declining attendances at the Cairns venue for AFL Premiership matches, a decision was made to host a Round 1 match in March (instead of the usually dry August). It was a calculated gamble to try and produce an excited and enthusiastic crowd to appease the AFL, boosting numbers again to secure a future for these matches in Cairns. Sadly, the weather intervened.

Only 3722 people braved the conditions that night, and subsequently the AFL did not grant another game in 2019 to Cairns. Instead, fierce southern rival Townsville hosted their first AFL Premiership match. Those in the footy industry in Cairns were shattered and some believed that the damage done might see a 10-year wait for the city to host another match.

For those unaware, I have made the decision for a variety of family and personal reasons to step aside from my role writing for World Footy News. After eight years in the role, I needed to move on to a more family-based lifestyle. However, footy goes on - just look at how the AFL is still finding ways to keep running despite the ongoing threats associated with COVID-19. Footy worldwide is in a period of low activity, but that will change.

Likewise, World Footy News will continue to adapt to the changing world around it. Whilst personnel and content may change, the roles of the website - to help promote Australian Football as it grows across the world through positive reporting - will remain. The website has always attempted to do what no others have done - try and cover the game at a global level, opening up as many connections as possible to ensure the footy world remain aware of how the game is growing and where.

Many websites report on their own parts of the world, but only World Footy News has continued to write original stories, or share those of others.

Round 4 of the 2020 AFL season is underway.  See the graphic below to see when and where you can watch the footy on TV networks in your part of the world. 

An early start for US viewers on Fox Sports 1 on Friday morning will give them their first look for some tiem at Mason Cox back into the Collingwood team this week.

 

The AFL community is stunned by the announcement today that Essendon’s Irish speedster, Conor McKenna, has tested positive to the coronavirus. Details are still sketchy, with further medical investigation and contact research to occur, but AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan announced today that tomorrow’s Essendon v Melbourne match will be postponed.

The precaution is in line with the AFL’s COVID-19 protocols, with a postponement decision meaning that the match can potentially be played mid-week later in the season. Shorter quarters were brought in by the AFL to lessen the playing load on players in the event that postponements did occur, which is now the case.

Initial fears that McKenna brought the disease with him from overseas, after returning home to Ireland just a few weeks ago, have been allayed somewhat. McLachlan stated that McKenna tested negative last Wednesday, showed a “low grade irregularity” on Friday and a positive this morning. This would indicate that he may have contracted the disease since returning to Australia.