World Footy News

Early last year two primary schools in Cairns, Queensland, faced off in the final of the Gold Coast Suns Cup. After a classic encounter, Freshwater State School defeated Gordonvale State School by a solitary point. After the presentations, the opposing coaches, Kristen Knight and Wesley Hull, floated the idea of a follow up.

The result was later dubbed the “1st Annual Women In AFL Challenge” match.

Whilst the official “Women In AFL” round is recognised nationally at the end of June, the schools could not play a game then as they were still on mid-year holidays. The decision was made to play the round in August, mid way through the school term, as a way of recognising the role of women in all aspects of Australian Rules football, whether that be as players, umpires, administrators, mothers, sisters or daughters.

15 year old French exchange student Leopold Khalfi has received some local media attention after pulling on the navy blue jumper of Coolaroo in the AFL Darling Downs, a country Queensland league based around the city of Toowoomba.

Paris native Khalfi has played two matches for the Roos since coming to Toowoomba seven weeks ago, with Coolaroo winning both.

He has also found the French footy clubs - hopefully he will have a chance to run out with the Paris Cockerels or Cergy Coyotes sometime in the future.

The article on Khalfi can be found in Toowoomba local newspaper The Chronicle via French Exchange Student kicks New Goal.

Further to Shane Hendrickson's article on the Asian summit earlier this week - we have received the following press release.

MEDIA RELEASE FROM AFL ASIA - AFL ASIA FORMED BY ASIAN FOOTY

Due to the extended cricket season in the UK this year, there will not be a post-season match between two AFL sides at The Oval in London for 2013. The AFL Europe are hoping for the fixture to return in 2014.

Darebin have defeated rivals Diamond Creek 14.7 (91) to 6.6 (42) in the 2013 VWFL Premiers Grand Final to end a record unbeaten season with the Susan Alberti Cup and the title of VWFL Champions.

The remarkable feat marks the return to glory for the former VWFL powerhouse who recently suffered subsecutive grand final defeats. The game was played at Coburg City Oval in front of packed stands of fans and was also streamed live on the VWFL YouTube channel

The VFL's Williamstown Seagulls held their inaugural Asian Community Football Day this weekend, with VAFA side the Southern Dragons taking on the Williamstown Asian All-Stars as a curtain-raiser to the match between the Seagulls and AFL club Geelong's reserve side.

Instigator for the event was Grant Dooley from Williamstown FC, who previously had also worked as Consul General for Australia in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, where he helped establish the South China Australian Football League together with other local clubs and the assistance of Tony Woods and the AFL.

Williamstown FC last year announced a $10,000 sponsorship of the South China AFL, which will go towards development of the competition and recruitment of young Chinese athletes to join their clubs.

The day was hailed a great success - the Dragons eventually triumphing by 4 points, despite the All-Stars having Chinese import Chen Xiaoliang take the field for them - and Dooley hopes the event can become an annual fixture on the Williamstown FC calendar. Read on for a report from the AFL Victoria website.

Melbourne based women’s football club VU St Albans Spurs have announced that they will undertake an international tour in 2014. For next year’s end of season trip, the team will head to America to play against local teams, including the New York Lady Magpies, the Boston Lady Demons and the Baltimore/Washington Lady Eagles.

The club will be the first senior women’s team in Australia to play in an international setting. By doing this, they hope to further challenge the boundaries of women’s football in their own country, as well as help promote and develop the women’s game overseas.

The official match reports from the final day's play in the 2013 AFL European Championship are on the dublin2013.org website, and can be found directly via the following links:

Ireland Win Thrilling GF
Vikings Slay Elks for Third
Knights Secure Fifth Place

Representatives of 14 Australian Rules football clubs from around Asia have met in Bangkok for the inaugural Asian Presidents’ Summit to discuss a game plan for the future of the sport in the region. Presidents of 13 clubs, plus representation from a Pakistan programme still in its infancy, were present, with a further four clubs having their say without being able to attend.

The most agreed upon issue was the future of coordination and structure of footy in Asia. The result was the creation of an Asian Council for Australian football, to deal with issues such junior development and sponsorship, with Phil Johns, president of the Vietnam Swans, receiving the presidency for the new body as well.

The final day's play of the AFL European Championships is underway. Croatia confirmed their status as an up-and-coming Euro footy nation, holding off Germany in game one after the Eagles outscored them in the first term. In the 3rd place playoff, Sweden came out of the blocks strongly against Denmark, before the Vikings overran them and regained some of the pride lost through heartbreaking losses against GB and Ireland in the group round.

In the big one, the Irish pulled off a last second miracle, winning by the narrowest of margins to add yet another major title to their trophy cabinet. Commiserations to the GB Bulldogs on the heartbreaking defeat!

5th place playoff
Croatia	2.1	4.3	5.5	9.5 (59)
Germany	3.1	3.2	3.4	4.5 (29)
3rd place playoff
Denmark	1.0	3.2	5.2	7.6 (48)
Sweden	3.1	3.2	4.2	5.2 (32)
1st place playoff
Ireland	1.0	2.2	5.2	7.3 (45)
Great Britain	1.3	2.5	3.6	6.8 (44)

Here is the latest article from Norway, courtesy of the Oslo Crows, which details the latest round of the Kenguru Cup. Certainly sounds as if it was a great event, and another great leap forward for Norwegian footy. Our thanks to David Stone and the team at the Oslo Crows for this story.  

Round 3 of the 2013 Kenguru Cup was without question the highest quality Australian football ever played on Norwegian soil.   Three constantly improving teams – Oslo East, Oslo West and Ås, squared off in front of a modest crowd at Storebrand Stadion, and showed just how far Australian football has progressed in a short time.  

Ladder leaders Ås were desperate to retain their stranglehold on the competition, and two wins from their two games would put breathing space between them and Oslo East.