World Footy News

The Great Britain Bulldogs last weekend held their training camp at the elite training facilities of Surrey Sports Park, in preparation for the upcoming announcement of their 2014 International Cup squad.

With four of the Bulldogs also selected for the European Legion to play against the AFL-AIS Academy in the Easter challenge series, the camp was a chance to see some of the athletic prowess the Bulldogs will bring to the tournament Down Under.

This report courtesy of GB Bulldogs Performance and Team Coordinator Claire Shapland.

Following on from the brilliant work done by the boys at the Wolverhampton Wolverines team in England last year, when they promoted the cause of men’s cancer issues by appearing on the television show Embarrassing Bodies to raise awareness of early detection, Pyramid Power in Cairns is trying to help in their own way.

Where the Wolverines focused on testicular cancer, as part of the Balls To Cancer charity promotion to raise men’s awareness, Pyramid Power hopes to help women’s awareness of ovarian cancer. The following clip is their message to all to show that football clubs across the world can aid in the spread of the early detection messages. Watch the clip and spread the word as far and wide as possible.

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The Jakarta Bintangs recently featured on Channel 9's Adelaide news, with a focus on the role played by former South Australian policeman Adam Bray.  Possible International Cup opponents of Indonesia would view this with interest.  The locals look to be of slight build but fast and hard at the contest, and a few players displayed good skills (allowing for very slippery conditions).

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Here are a few youtube videos showing some of the coverage AFL India (ARFAI) has secured recently and a presentation to a UN Next Step Conference.

News piece on a Bengali New Channel which was aired for 4 consecutive days and later bought by another Bengali channel and shown on their channel as well.

Bengali article
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Tom Calder, Australian Trade Commissioner in India and also ARFAI President speaking at the UN Next Step Conference on sport for development, organised recently in Delhi by Magic Bus (famous international sports NGO).

The 2014 AFL season is underway with the first four games played last weekend. This week's international broadcast networks and airing times below.

Some good news for viewers in NZ with the Sommet Sports station that currently airs on free to air digital TV in New Zealand soon to be broadcast also on Sky TV which should mean that 90% of New Zealanders should have access to 6 live AFL matches and three on delay each round.  We will update readers when this begins.

The St Mary’s dynasty added more silverware to an overcrowded cabinet tonight when they won the NTFL (Northern Territory Football League) 2013/14 premiership against Wanderers at TIO Stadium in Darwin. The weather threw up a temperature in the mid-thirties and almost 100% humidity, creating tough conditions for a grand-final.

Going into the match as raging hot favourites after an undefeated season, many felt that another Saint’s premiership might have been a foregone conclusion, and on face value that is probably true. But that does not adequately recognise how well Wanderers played. Over four tight quarters, the Eagles simply never gave up. Every time St Mary’s looked like breaking away, Wanderers found something to bring themselves into the game.

Picture Courtesy NT News.

The 2014 AFL season gets underway tomorrow with Round 1 split over two weeks. Please find the international broadcast networks and airing times below.

Some good news this week for viewers in NZ with the Sommet Sports station that currently airs on free to air digital TV in New Zealand soon to be broadcast also on Sky TV which should mean that 90% of New Zealanders should have access to 6 live AFL matches and three on delay each round.  We will update readers when this begins.

Not content to sit out another season waiting to be a part of the big time footy in Croatia, new club the Slavonski Brod Tigers flexed their muscle last weekend against none other than the reigning Croatian premiers, the Zagreb Hawks.

Tomislav Vlaovic, co-founder of Croatia’s newest club, was full of pride when relating his match review to World Footy News. “The practice match was played in Slavonski Brod on the 9th of March between the newly founded Slavonski Brod Tigers and reigning premiers Zagreb Hawks.”

 

Melbourne Football Club is excited to announce China Southern Airlines as a new Platinum Plus Partner in 2014.

The world’s fourth largest airline will become the Club’s second highest commercial partner.

China Southern will become Melbourne Football Club’s presenting membership partner and gain extensive exposure through the Club’s media backdrop, scroll and parapet signage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), digital advertising through the website and extensive match day activations.

The third official AFL USA combine will be held from 25-27th April this year. As with previous years there is expected to be college athletes (and recently graduated) from baskeball, gridiron and soccer put through their paces in LA.

The American athletes are available for clubs to sign up on an international scholarship or rookie deal immediately at the Combine or wait until the athlete goes through the Australian combine if they like what they see in April.  International recruiting is first in best dressed without having to face being gazumped in the Draft.

 Former Seattle University basketballer Eric Wallace was the ultimate success story of the first year's combine being awarded an International rookie spot with North Melbourne in 2012. Wallace features in this year's slightly updated recruitment video on Youtube that can be seen below.  Last year the success stories were Patrick Mitchell and Jason Holmes  (who feature briefly in this year's video below) who were given International Rookie spots by Sydney and St Kilda respectively.

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Colm Begley and John Heslin talk to Irish radio Newstalk about the homesickness and the early return home of Irish international rookies recruited to the AFL. 

This discussion is quite timely, just last week Irishman Daniel Flynn who was recruited by the Port Adelaide Football Club had flown back home to be with his family as his grandfather battles a serious illness.

Daniel, who joined the club as a rookie in November 2013, has taken a leave of absence and there is speculation that he may not return to the club at all. 

Shane Savage speaks with the new International Scholarship signing at St Kilda.

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