World Footy News

The following is an extract from an excellent article by Justin Robertson in the Toronto Star, the largest daily newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It looks closely, and proudly, at the success of Sydney Swans ruckman, Mike Pyke, but also paints a good picture of the game of Australian Rules football in the Canadian sporting landscape.  

 

Australians can spend 20 years trying to win a premiership. Pyke won a flag three years into his AFL career.

 

Ask a rookie viewer of Australian Rules Football to describe the sport, and they might say utter chaos — and, also, a bit like rugby. Ask Canada’s Mike Pyke to describe it, and he’d say it’s one hell of a job.

In an announcement from AFL Europe, the Croatian city of Umag will host the 2015 Axios Euro Cup in an enormous coup for the rapidly growing Australian Rules football nation.

According to the AFL Europe website, “It’s with great enthusiasm that AFL Europe, with the help of the Croatian Australian Football League (SANH), is thrilled to announce the location for 2015 Axios Euro Cup is the beautiful town of Umag.”

“The Axios Euro Cup is being held on the 10th October 2015 in Umag, which is located in Istra, the coastal region of Croatia. Taking place in the resort that also plays host to the annual ATP Croatia Tournament, the Cup promises a well organised, cheap and warm weekend. With special Euro Cup accommodation and being accessible from three airports under an hour and a half drive and the alternate option of hiring a car and driving from Italy or Slovenia, the 2015 Axios Euro Cup will be affordable for all.”

The AFL today confirmed the present broadcast coverage for the 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season into New Zealand.

As a long standing international partner of the AFL, Sky NZ will again broadcast AFL matches in 2015. Sky NZ coverage will include: One match per week (delayed), Anzac Day matches LIVE from Westpac Stadium and the MCG, one delayed match each week of Finals Weeks 1-3, and the 2015 Toyota AFL Grand Final LIVE. Sky NZ will also broadcast the AFL Weekly Highlights Program.

AFL General Manager Broadcasting, Scheduling & Major Projects, Simon Lethlean said the AFL and AFL New Zealand continue to investigate supplementary broadcast solutions in the New Zealand market following the closure of the Sommet Sports channel.

 

AFL footy is officially back in Melbourne on Thursday night.  The season opener is Richmond vs Carlton at the MCG.

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 can be seen below.

 

 

 

The following press release from the AFLNT details the upcoming opportunities for remote Territorian youth at the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre. As detailed in a previous article – Michael Long Learning & Leadership Centre Opens in Darwin – the centre aims to provide opportunities and pathways for remote players to develop, and this chance for a remote player contract with the NT Thunder presents something potentially life changing for recipients.

 

Press Release: NAAFVLS All-Stars Welcomed To MLLLC

 

 

The NAAFVLS Remote All-Stars have commenced their one week education and training themed camp at the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre.

The newest team in the AFL Middle East stable off talent enjoyed one of the most remarkable maiden seasons in any league for the 2014/15 season. To play their first game in the pre-season cup in October 2014 and go on to be grand finalists in March 2015 shows an incredible performance in just five months.

It is not the first such occurrence. Just last year the Raiwaqa Bulldogs in Fiji entered their first ever senior team and swept to premiership glory Fairy Tales do happen - Raiwaqa Bulldogs win AFL Fiji 2014 premiership, but this team had existed as an Under 16 junior team prior to that glory. The BM Bulls came from nowhere, almost.

Club President, Andrew Campbell, was involved from day one and was happy to share the story of the Bulls’ rise – as much for storytelling as it is a blueprint for development and success that other clubs may be able to replicate.

Earlier this year World Footy news reported on the rise of a new Australian Rules football entity in Poland, based in the city of Bydgoszcz. Since that time, Gareth Smith and his crew have worked overtime to get the team bigger and better.

The result is the Bydgoszcz Wildcats.

According to the club’s website, “at the moment, we train at the stadium at ul. Grim Piwnik in Fordon on Saturdays at 13:00. Everyone is welcome.”

“Most of the team are still novices to using the [oval] shaped ball, and all together we learn the sport.”

It is a week since the 2014/15 season finished in the Middle East, largely due to rest, recovery, work commitments and various celebrations. But in the clear air a week onwards, rather than the heady air of celebration or commiseration, a look back at the day tells a story of the day.

Huwy Jones, president of the victorious Dubai Dragons, provided his insight into how the day panned out.

“The Dragons had the wind in the first quarter and didn't capitalise with both sides kicking goals. Quarter time saw the Dubai Dragons 4 2 26 lead the BM Bulls 3 2 20.”

“The game turned our way during the second quarter - our five goals to one into the wind helped set up a very handy lead at half-time. Dubai Dragons 9 4 58 leading the BM Bulls 4 4 28.”

 

John McIntyre, president at the Glasgow Sharks in Scotland, is pretty proud of how his team is travelling in 2015. Apart from the usual match performances which tend to govern the day to day matters within a footy season, the club is also acutely aware that clubs cost money to run and that money doesn’t grow on trees.

 

The club’s venture, Bonus Ball Bingo, is doing just that – raising funds for the club. A recent article on the Sharks’ website details the idea.

 

 

Club President John McIntyre believes that Jacko’s Bonus Ball Bingo is only going to get bigger now and having raised a total of £1632, half going to the prize winner and half going to the club, in only 26 weeks John says that Adam has done a fantastic job and does a great job every year raising funds for the club through his tipping competition which has yet to start.

The West London Wildcats have won the inaugural AFL Europe Champions League tournament played in Amsterdam, claiming their place as the best Australian Rules football club across all of Europe.

 

Whilst it could be argued that with a shortened game time and just 10 European clubs in attendance a completely accurate story of which team is best is difficult. But the simple fact is that the Wildcats took on the best of the premiership winning teams across Europe from 2014 and won out on the day. With ten of the best teams across Europe in attendance, the Wildcats reigned supreme.

 

 

With the success of the day, and now a tournament that recognises the best club by title, it is hoped that the event can continue and grow bigger as clubs fight for the title of being Europe’s best.

The Dubai Dragons have won their third flag in four years today when they defeated the league's newest team, the BM Bulls, today in Dubai. In a match which would re-write the history books no matter what the result, it was the Dragons that made amends for their loss last year to the Doha Kangaroos by taking the 2014/15 flag.

The final score saw the Dubai Dragons 14 4 88 d BM Bulls 7 8 50.

This result in the ultimate decider brings to a fitting end an undefeated season for the Dubai Dragons. They took out the pre-season tournament back in October, also against the BM Bulls, going though undefeated, and backed that up with a perfect record in the home and away season before putting an exclamation mark on the season with their win in Dubai today.

World Footy News will have a match review in the near future.