World Footy News

Ed. - We welcome Scott Matheson to World Footy News as our newest writer. Scott is an Australian who spent many years in the USA, played in the USAFL at the Columbus Australian Rules Football Club and has held various positions on both the CARFC committee as well as the USAFL board. Scott has now returned to Australia and studies in Melbourne.

2015 is shaping up as the biggest year for American imports playing and competing in Aussie Rules in footy’s home state of Victoria.  Numerous Americans have made, or will make, the sixteen hour trek across the Pacific Ocean in order to chase some unorthodox sporting dreams.  This article profiles the players expanding the Yankee footprint in Victorian footy circles. 

Hot on the heels of St Kilda FC signing Barclay Miller, their third international scholarship from New Zealand – the footy news just keeps rolling in with the announcement of the New Zealand Hawks Academy preliminary squad that will travel to Sydney later this month.

In just his second game for St Kilda, USA recruit Jason Holmes sent a very early message to both selectors and the opposition that he was there to play. It took almost 10 minute for the first goal to be scored in the St Kilda versus Essendon clash in Morwell today, but it was Jason Holmes who regained the ball from an Essendon kick-in and kicked truly for the Saints’ first of 15 goals for the day.

Holmes once again competed well, ever so gradually gathering his AFL legs. His stats, whilst low on paper, showed a real competitiveness as he teamed well with fellow Saint ruckman, Billy Longer, to win the battle of the hit-outs. Holmes stats this week saw 3 possessions, 2 marks, 10 hit-outs and a goal before being replaced by fellow ruckman Tom Hickey in the third quarter.

It would be overly flattering to say that Holmes has arrived as a best 22 player for St Kilda, but his two games in the NAB Challenge so far have certainly showcased his improved skills, and his determination and heart are unquestionable.

In the run to the Northern Territory Football League finals this year, Wanderers fell. Their Round 16 loss to the Tiwi Bombers by 108 points hammered their percentage. The loss in Round 17 to Nightcliff wasn’t as brutal on the scoreboard, but potentially devastating to their season. Going down by 21 points to the Tigers meant a final round showdown with the team above them to sneak a finals berth.

Everything depended on Round 18. Wanderers were equal on points to Palmerston, but would have to beat them to pass them.

They did.

Last year’s grand-finalists had found their own little miracle to get another crack at a flag – however remote. Their Elimination Final against the Tiwi Bombers would have to reverse the Round 16 result and then some to proceed any further through the finals.

They did.

Festival of Sport & Footy in Da Nang, Vietnam

Central Vietnam Games - 2015

Da Nang 7th March 2015 

The Vietnam Swans are proud to announce a new initiative being led by the Swans in conjunction with the Viet Celts and Saigon Gaels Gaelic, Hanoi Dragons and Saigon Gecko’s Rugby and Hanoi Oi’s and Saigon Shooters Netball Clubs – the Central Vietnam Games, to be held in Danang on 7 March.

Through the perseverance and determination of Swannies Hall of Fame inductee and Hoi An native, Michael “MJ” Johnston and new Danang recruit Jason Carter, a fantastic old ground with ample grass to accommodate an expansive game of Aussie Rules has been booked.  An expected group of around 100 finely tuned athletes are expected to descend upon Danang for what is shaping up as a great weekend of sport.

Thailand Tigers AFL club hold Auskick Football Clinic at Boy’s Home.

A group of Thailand Tigers and Auskick families recently (December 2014) gave up their Saturday afternoon to run a football clinic at a boy’s home for children who are less fortunate than most of us. The chance to do this was made possible by way of iCare Foundation and the organisational skills of two Tiger members, (Coxy* and Phil*) and they deserve recognition for their work.

Over 50 boys from the home turned out, with a range of ages similar to Auskick. They were split into groups and introduced to kicking, handballing, goal kicking, marking and tackling by rotating through stations run by groups of Tigers, Dads and Auskickers. The level of enthusiasm from the children was great and the boys picked up the basics very quickly; you had to remind yourself that the majority of them had never seen a footy before.

 

It's pleasing to be able to report that former AFL Commissioner and football visionary Colin Carter continues to push the international cause despite moving back to "clubland" as Geelong Cats President.

Carter was instrumental in the emergence of the Australian Football League, with his 1985 Blue Book laying the path to a national competition, which along with the 2001 Carter Report into game development provide most of the pillars on which the League is based.  Unfortunately his push for international development and in particular a bigger South African investment has not swayed the AFL Commission sufficiently to invest large enough sums to make the dreams a reality.  AFL South Africa does continue to grow, as does international footy, but the trajectory right now suggests none of us will live to see semi-pro leagues outside of Australia or an international side ever competitive against an All-Australian side.

So it's good that Carter, a very accomplished individual outside football as well, is still advocating for an acceleration in investment.  Most involved in international football know the AFL commitment has grown overall over the last decade, but it ebbs and flows, it changes direction, it focuses on talent identification and development and on sustainability (a worthy goal) but it never really quite invests enough in any one spot for critical mass to see a true explosion.

The NAB Challenge will move into week two Thursday night (Perth time) at Fremantle Oval in Western Australia where Fremantle will host Melbourne.

We bring you the international broadcast schedule (below).  GWS vs Suns and Port Adelaide vs West Coast will not be telecast internationally on the television networks. 

The AFL this week announced that Australia Plus has assumed the rights to broadcast matches in the Asia/Pacific region from Australia Network.  The announcement follows and appears to be a broadening of the audience.  We would like to hear from our Asia/Pacific readers how this is likely to affect them by posting a comment below.

Under the new arrangement that covers key markets across the Asia/Pacific region, Australia Plus will broadcast six matches per week during the Toyota AFL Premiership season, along with all matches in the Toyota AFL Finals Series. It will also broadcast a weekly highlights program across 28 weeks.

The following article written by Jon Ralph at the Herald Sun looks at the possibility of a new national AFL competition for women as early as 2017. The extraordinary rise in numbers for the women’s game nationally certainly warrants an extension of existing pathways for women to follow.

 

Here in Cairns I have had the pleasure of coaching some tremendously talented young women. Some have continued with existing pathways and opportunities, whilst others have sadly left the game. To have the ability to aspire to a national level will see more women remain in the game and pursue a broader dream.

 

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has set in train ambitious plans for a national women’s football competition as early as 2017.

 

Women’s football is taking off in Victoria, with 52 senior women’s teams in seven divisions and plans for massive expansion in coming years.

The NAB Challenge for 2015 has been in swing for a few days now. First cab off the rank was Collingwood defeating Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium in Launceston, Tasmania. Friday night saw the West Coast Eagles dispose of Carlton at Mandurah, south of Perth. The Saturday games saw the Brisbane Lions just hold on against St Kilda at Burpengary, a northern suburb of Brisbane whilst at the old Whitten Oval in Footscray the modern day Western Bulldogs comfortably accounted for Richmond.

But today was the second biggest AFL day in North Queensland when Townsville hosted their own NAB Challenge match at Tony Ireland Stadium. In a fixture that has now been in place for three years, the largest city north of Brisbane once again came alive to the sounds of sirens, cheering, trampled hot chips and umpire whistles.

In front of a crowd well over 4000 people, and on a hot day with 32 degrees and light winds, it was an undermanned Gold Coast Suns that got the biscuits, downing the Geelong Cats by 8 points in the end. Two late goals from Cat recruit, Mitch Clark, just made the score more respectable, but it was the Suns’ day.

Late last year the AFL Middle East competition welcomed a new team to the league with the BM Bulls becoming the third Dubai based team and a sixth team for the league. Whilst people may have dreamed of great things at the time, most felt the Bulls might need a season or two to get their rhythm and challenge for a flag.

The pre-season competition was played back in October and to the surprise of many the Bulls reached the grand-final against the Dubai Dragons. Beginners luck? Getting ahead of themselves? Playing above their station? Maybe, maybe not.

But this weekend’s final competitive round of matches saw the BM Bulls take on the in-form Dubai Dingoes for a small chance of grabbing a grand final berth. The Bulls not only needed to win, but had to make up a big percentage to do so. But, that is exactly what they managed to do in their debut season.