World Footy News

The Samurai IC14 Squad for AFL Japan was named today 3rd June 2014.

Twenty six Top League East players and two players currently playing in Australia have been named to play for the Samurai along with a Management and support staff of seven.

Senshu Powers have the largest contingent of players with seven, and Tokyo Bay Suns and R246 Lions are the next best represented clubs with six players each. The Komazawa Magpies have five representatives whilst brand new team Shonan Poseidons have provided 2 players.

Two players currently in Australia, Yuki Akita playing at North Gambier in country South Australia and Mitsugu Kazawa at West Footscray in Melbourne, Victoria have also been named in the squad.

This week's international broadcast networks and airing times are tabulated below. Screening times and networks are provided in good faith but are subject to change so you should check your local guides.

 

After last week announcing the AFL PNG Flames Womens squad for the AFL International Cup 2014 - now it's the turn of the men with the AFL PNG Mosquitoes squad taking shame - now in their final month of training prior to the announcement of the 28 man travelling squad. The training group has been trimmed to 36 - and amongst those are many familiar names to the followers of PNG footy and readers of Worldfootynews.

The following press release is courtesy of AFL PNG :

The following story comes from the Connacht Tribune newspaper in Galway. It is written by Steve Glennon in his Talking Sport column and looks at the efforts of the Galway Magpies in Ireland to develop their club and keep it on the field each week. This is an interesting insight which is likely true of many other clubs across Ireland and, indeed Europe.

One thing you can say about sport in Galway – be it mainstream sport or not – is that it certainly does not lack choice. If there is one that tickles your fancy, there is a fair chance it can be found somewhere in the Corrib region. No wonder then that Aussie Rules should boast of a small claim on this landscape.

Although the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) has been up and running for over a decade, the West of Ireland branch has only been in operation about half of this time, according to Galway Magpies President and Coach Shaun Murphy, who hails from Bunbury, just south of Perth.

Two years ago I visited the Styrian Downunder Dogs in the town of Bad Radkersburg on the border with Slovenia where they were conducting a Friday night to Sunday pre-season camp.

It impressed me that the team was taking such a serious approach to their football and eager to absorb as much knowledge as possible about the game. These Austrians have to take the football seriously because without a Vienna team they represent Austria and travel long distances (even by Australian standards) to play in the Croatian league.

So, what has changed?

In 2013 the Olinda Ferny Creek footy team from the Dandenongs region east of Melbourne travelled to Vanuatu post season for the perfect end of season trip after slogging it out in the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League.

Texan Mason Cox has returned to the US after his whirlwind tour to Australia to trial before a number of AFL clubs. Port Adelaide revealed earlier this week that they were not interested in taking Cox.

But this afternoon the Collingwood football club revealed that they have managed to sign the ruck prospect.  Unlike former American recruits who have come to trial previously it seemed that a number of clubs were keen to sign him so the decision to choose was Mason's. 

With payments for International rookies being outside the salary cap, Collingwood were probably always going to be in the box seat if it came down to a matter of who woud pay the best.

Images Courtesy AFL Media

The year 2014 presents itself as a great opportunity for international teams, and their players, to embrace and be embraced by Australian Rules football clubs across the world. Whilst there are carnivals such as the Euro Cup and the EEAFL throughout Asia which bring those parts of the world closer, it is the year of an International Cup which has the greatest potential to create lasting bonds between teams and players from across the world.

This year’s IC14 in Melbourne will be no exception as national teams, represented by many local clubs within their countries, make the journey to Australia where they will play hard against their opposition on the field, yet build lasting friendships afterwards off the field.

Francis Ramo and Peter Nuku jetted off earlier this year bound for Queensland (Australia) for a season of footy. As reported in the Solomon Star They were selected for the opportunity on the basis of their commitment and work ethic towards the SIAFL, their talent and their determination to go to Australia. It’s pleasing to see the a couple of months into this adventure that both are doing well playing with the Coolaroo Football Club.

AFL Papua New Guinea has already established a solid pedigree in International Footy not only in the South Pacific region but also against all comers in the International Cup. And not just the men. The PNG Flames womens squad debuted in 2011 at the Inaugural AFL International Cup Womens division and AFL PNG has announced a squad to return in August this year.

Maybe it’s fate, karma, coincidence. Or maybe it’s just two excellent teams dominating for the last two years, but the Toulouse Hawks and Paris Cockerels get the chance to lock horns in the CNFA grand final in France for the second consecutive year. Or, more correctly, the first. The 2012/13 grand final was never played after the Montpellier venue could not be used due to a local authority’s decision.

When Paris could not get to the rescheduled and relocated event, the premiership was handed to the Toulouse Hawks for their maiden flag. Even though the two met later in the year in the French Cup (for a Toulouse win), it still wasn’t the grand final they deserved to play. But the 2013/4 season sees them both back in the grand final for another chance.

 

 

This weekend footy returns to central Canada as the 2014 AFL Ontario season begins.

AFL Ontario (AFLO) is the largest Australian Rules football league in the world outside of Australia, and it has a very busy off season. AFLO has been preparing 8 months, for what many around the league feel should be its most competitive season yet. A statement confidently endorsed by league Vice President, Morgan King.

“The league has been steadily growing stronger every single year, but.. Looking over how much we’ve accomplished at the executive level and the information sent to us from the clubs, this season is definitely shaping up to be the best.” King commented.