World Footy News

 

AFL Round 3 kicks off with Collingwood hosting St Kilda at the MCG in Melbourne Friday night.

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 this round can be seen below.

 

 

Today marked the end of the round robin preliminary matches for both the Kickstart state indigenous teams as well as the All Nations multicultural teams. The three days to date have seen a scintillating brand of football played in great spirit by the future stars of the AFL. Tomorrow the semi-finals commence to determine the 2015 grand-finalists.

The Kickstart results have seen the Western Australians once again assert their superiority at this Under 15 national level. This is the fifth year of this championship and Western Australia is yet to lose a title. There is little to suggest 2015 will be any different.

After their five matches, Western Australia are undefeated, a game and a half of their nearest rival, Victoria/Tasmania. Northern Territory hold equal third spot with South Australia, but had a higher percentage. Queensland and New South Wales/ACT are in fifth and sixth places respectively.

The Stuttgart Emus played host to the first game of the new tournament style format of the AFLG at their home ground in Esslingen. Esslingen is a short drive from Stuttgart and quite picturesque with an altstadt and the ground surrounded by a hilly backdrop. Two established teams in Stuttgart and Munich were playing as well as two teams new to the AFLG - Dresden and Ludwigsburg.

It was encouraging to see Dresden making the long trip. They had enjoyed their time in the Czech Republic and were now looking forward to playing in the AFLG. This is not unlike the Strasbourg Kangaroos that once played in the AFLG but now prefer to play in the French league even though travel is much more of a problem.

The Queensland Kickstart team were up against the Victoria/Tasmania team. After a half with the aid of a useful but not powerful breeze, Queensland faced a two goal deficit. To win from here would take a turnaround in fortunes.

So what is said at half-time?

Rhan Hooper, former Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn Hawks footballer, is head coach. He is assisted by former North Melbourne player Eddie Sansbury and his other lieutenants Dwayne, Travis and Keith.

The coaches get the forward, defensive and midfield units aside to chat amongst themselves about how things panned out in the first half. Players urged each other to lift and suggestions are offered.

In an update to this story, the Huddersfield Rams from England have beaten last year's winners, the Glasgow Sharks, to take out the 2015 Haggis Cup played this weekend in Edinburgh.

Original Story:

The 2015 Haggis Cup is about to get underway in Scotland. Played at the CSE Peffermill Playing Fields in Edinburgh, this years competition will feature men's and women's divisions again.

Competing in the Men's draw are last year's winners, the Glasgow Sharks, host city team the Edinburgh Bloods and fellow Scottish teams the Kingdom Kangaroos and newcomers the Falkirk Razorbacks and Greater Glasgow Giants.

A packed house of players, officials, volunteers and dignitaries filled The Tanks Arts Centre tonight to usher in the official welcome of the National Diversity Championships in Cairns. On a humid but pleasant night the assembled audience were treated to entertainment, formal welcomes and player interviews as a prelude to the real action on the football field over the next five days.

The evening commenced to the resonating power of the didgeridoo and dance from the Wuba Indigenous performing troupe before Rick Hanlon, AFL Cape York Programs Director and Master of Ceremonies for the night, acknowledged the traditional owners of the land on which we were meeting before introducing State Treasurer and member for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt, and Marc Harbrow, brother of Gold Coast Suns star Jarrod Harbrow, who gave the traditional welcome on behalf of his people.

The idea of an AFL premiership match being played in Singapore is a long, long way from being a reality, but news from the www.afl.com website suggests that the Brisbane Lions are looking at the option.

 

According to the AFL’s website, “THE BRISBANE Lions' financial woes and restrictive deal with their home stadium, the Gabba, have driven the club to pursue options for a home and away match overseas.

 

Lions officials have started investigating a viable international option which has taken their focus to the Singapore National Stadium.

 

 

The stadium, opened last year, has a capacity of 55,000 and has hosted soccer giants such as Juventus. It has the dimensions to extend to host an AFL match.

It starts today. My new role as an AFL Multicultural Community Ambassador for 2015 kicks off with the opening ceremony and function here in Cairns to kick of the AFL Diversity Cup. Bought forward a little as my induction is not until next week, but footy won’t wait. Being a resident of Cairns I am front and centre for this carnival, living five minutes from Cazalys Stadium, it makes sense to start today.

The five days of gladiatorial combat between the state Kickstart indigenous teams will be a brilliant showcase of future talent. The best talent on show will make their way into the Flying Boomerangs national indigenous team or the World Team programs. To be present helping the AFL with various media roles will be an honour and a great way to start twelve months as an ambassador and try to initiate ideas, projects and programs which may assist the multicultural growth of the game here in Far North Queensland and maybe beyond.

 

AFL Round 2 kicks off tonight in Perth with West Coast Eagles hosting Carlton.

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 this round can be seen below.

 

 

The tropical North Queensland city of Cairns will play host to this year’s Kickstart Championships and All Nations Cup this weekend, which together comprise the AFL Diversity Cup. Last year’s event was held in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The North Queensland city of Townsville held the event in 2013.

The event presents the opportunity for Cairns to further establish its credentials as a regional venue for high calibre AFL events, following on from hosting AFL Premierships matches and other key national events such as the Women’s Championships in 2013.

According to the press release from AFL Queensland:

“AFL Cairns will host the 2015 Kickstart Championships and All Nations Cup (AFL Diversity Cup) at Cazalys Stadium from Friday 10th to Wednesday 15th April. The U15 Kickstart Championships is in its 5th year and the structure has been developed to provide a supported, talented player pathway that compliments the National U16 Championships. It aims to expose indigenous and multicultural players, coaches and umpires to an elite AFL program environment.”

Back when Michael Gallus, director and founder of the Footys4all Foundation, first linked with the Pyramid Power junior football club in Gordonvale, Queensland, he saw and fell in love with Walsh’s Pyramid, the mountain that towers over the small sugar town.

He always stated that one day it was his wish to “have a kick of a footy” at Power Park in Gordonvale, home ground of the Power, and a ground with one of the most picturesque backdrops anywhere in Australia. Last week, Michael got his wish.

As part of his latest Footys4all sojourn to distribute sporting balls to less privileged kids across the country, Michael and his crew of fellow volunteers made their way to Cairns and linked up with the people of the Pyramid Power club to travel the region and visit a number of schools.