World Footy News

Press release from the USAFL: The United States Australian Football League’s (USAFL) National Tournament returns to Austin this weekend, October 19-20. The tournament is expected to attract more than 1,000 athletes from all over North America for the two-day event being held at Onion Creek Soccer Complex, south of downtown. This is the second time the tournament has been held in Austin with the first in 2011. After much success and positive feedback the vote was unanimous to return.

Both men and women will compete throughout the weekend, with four men’s and one women’s division – 39 teams in total. The top division favorites are the New York Magpies and Calgary Kangaroos who both missed out on the division title last year after it was vacated when the Dallas Magpies were disqualified.

We asked Lisa 'Kiwi' Roper to give us her thoughts on the recent series between the Breeze (Under 16 Australian Girls Australian Football team) and the first ever female team in New Zealand - the Kahus. Living in NSW and playing and coaching the Australian form of football for many years (including playing over 200 games, and being in 10 grand finals in 12 years including two for NSW) she will always be a proud Kiwi. The greatest shame of this story is that womens footy only comes to NZ now. But looking on from the sidelines on this tour it seems Kiwi is happy to be looking forward to what the future holds for the Kiwi girls of today and tomorrow.

North Melbourne star Daniel Wells has been named captain of the Australian team to play Ireland on Saturday. Aaron Davey, who has retired from AFL football after ten seasons at the Melbourne football club has been named vice captain.

 Coach Michael O’Loughlin said that Wells and Davey were high quality individuals who were the perfect role models for their teammates for this historic competition.

“Daniel and Aaron are both highly regarded by their peers and have impressed everyone with their natural leadership and mentoring skills during the lead-up to the International Rules Tests,” O’Loughlin said.

When the name Michael Long is mentioned, many thoughts race back to the 1993 AFL Grand Final where his exploits won him the Norm Smith Medal, and probably won Essendon the premiership. His deeds have placed him in the same stellar orbit as other great indigenous footballers like Polly Farmer, Barry Cable, Maurice Rioli and Steven Michael to name just a few. More recently it has been his willingness to strive for indigenous causes which has led to “The Long Walk” and “Dreamtime At The G”: events which celebrate the histories and advance the potential  opportunities of indigenous Australians. His latest venture is the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre which strives to make the transition for indigenous youth more attainable through employment, education, socialisation and opportunity as they leave their homes and communities to follow their football dreams in the larger cities. This latest press release from the AFLNT details the union of this centre with the Charles Darwin University (CDU).

AFL Northern Territory Indigenous Ambassador and AFL legend Michael Long will today sign an agreement which will see Charles Darwin University become an Official Education Partner of the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre (MLLLC). 

At the Australian team’s training session in Melbourne on Friday three players separated off from the rest for some goalkeeping practice. With assistant coach Jason Mifsud and Melbourne Victory’s goalkeeping coach Steve Mautone  giving instructions on positioning and tactics Ash McGrath, Nathan Lovett-Murray and Cameron Ellis-Yolmen.

On Saturday, October 5th, Japan's largest footy tournament was held at Seimei-no-mori Resort in Chiba.

Despite the unfortunate rainy weather, the tournament was carried out as initially planned receiving the attendance of 3 local Japanese teams (Eastern Hawks, Komazawa Magpies, Senshu Powers), 1 Expat team (Tokyo Goannas), 1 mixed team (Tokyo Bay Suns), and a visiting team from Box Hill North.

The games were played with 9 players each on the ground, structure of 10 minute halves for preliminary rounds and semi-finals, and 15 minute halves for the Grand Final.

Eastern Hawks finished on top after a seesaw game against the Tokyo Bay Suns in the Grand Final.

This report courtesy of Hiroyuki Toyama from the AFL Japan.

Irish manager Paul Earley, captain Michael Murphy and Irish selector Ja Fallon speak about this week's upcoming Test match at Kingspan Breffni Park against Australia.

AFL Canada today announced a 37 man Team Canada Northwind squad for the 2014 International Cup in Melbourne.  The squad containing plenty of familiar names from the past International Cups and some fresh faces. 

Canada finished tenth at the 2011 International Cup and are currently ranked 14th in the World Footy News unofficial World Rankings.

The full squad can be seen below.

Ireland have named their 23 man team ahead of the upcoming International Rules Series Tests against Australia in Ireland.  The first Test is this Saturday 19th of October at Kingspan Breffni Park. 

Among the named squad Australian football followers will recognise Carlton’s Zach Tuohy and former Brisbane/St Kilda player Colm Begley. Chrissy McKaigue played with the Sydney Swans reserves, and Michael Shields lasted half a season with the Carlton Football Club before deciding to go back to Ireland.

Ciaran Kilkenny who left Hawthorn before the season started this year and Ciaran Byrne who has signed with Carlton to be on the club’s list as an International Rookie in 2014 have also been named.

The squad is as follows

The following story courtesy usafl.com

The USAFL is excited to announce there will be an AFL contingent attending the 2013 Nationals.  St. Kilda Saints Captain Nick Riewoldt will be in Austin on Sunday, October 20 for the finals and participate in pre-game ceremonies and awards presentations.

Riewoldt’s newest teammate American Jason Holmes who signed a 2-year international rookie contract with the Saints earlier this month, will also make the trip to Austin.  Holmes journey to the AFL began in April at the secondAFL US Combine in Los Angeles.  After the combine Holmes returned home to Chicago where he began training with the Chicago Swans in hopes the AFL would call and he would be prepared to take advantage of the opportunity.  His hard work has paid off and he is excited to begin his AFL career.