World Footy News

The AFL has named the final Indigenous All-Stars squad that will take on Richmond Football Club tomorrow, Friday, February 8 in Alice Springs, captained by Essendon star Nathan Lovett-Murray.

Sydney Swans premiership player Michael O’Loughlin will coach the Indigenous All-Stars, assisted by Roger Hayden, Adam Goodes, Shaun Burgyone and Lance Franklin (Franklin, previously named captain withdrew from playing this week due to injury.)

2013 Indigenous All-Stars squad:

While the football season in most countries has not started yet, in France the domestic season is conducted over the northern winter, and the month of February marks the halfway point of the season. That makes this time of year perfect to review the teams' standing.

In the 4-team Super League, the Bordeaux Bombers are hot favourites after their great 2011-2012 season which saw them winning every possible title. The Paris Cockerels and Toulouse Hawks are determined to regain some of their titles lost to the Bombers, while the Strasbourg Kangourous are hoping to avoid the wooden spoon two years in a row.

In the first round, the Cockerels were no match for their old rival from the east, defeating the Kangourous 168-64. The other game of the day, between the Bombers and the Hawks, had to be postponed due to the pitch being flooded after heavy rains in Toulouse. Bordeaux eventually got the win in the replay, 98-68. The second day of game saw Toulouse easily dispose of Strasbourg (116-36) seriously reducing Strasbourg's chances of a better season.

In Paris, the Bombers and the Cockerels fought hard for the top stop on the ladder, but the Bombers got away with a narrow win (66-62) putting them in an excellent position for the title. For the last games of 2012, Bordeaux hosted a diminished Strasbourg side and easily won, 158-24 and in a repeat of the first game day, Paris had to cancel its travel plan to Toulouse after the pitch was closed due to flooding. The Hawks-Cockerels game has been rescheduled to April.

In the second article on the future of Australian football in Asia, we spoke with Darrell Egan (founder of the Donnguan Blues in China) about how has been engaging locals in the game and the way to replicate and sustain such a program.  In today's piece Darrell expands on his thoughts about developing an Asia-wide body to ensure the region stops being left behind in footy progress.  Later we'll talk to some of the other Asian clubs, including a separate proposal for a Southeast Asian league, and we hope to discuss with the AFL their vision for the region.

We put it to Darrell that he'd mentioned to us the concept of setting up a body or league for footy in Asia and possibly the Pacific.  Are you thinking Asia-Pacific or just Asia?  Did he see it as being a formal governing body for the game in Asia or just a forum for developing ideas and setting up matches?

The Greater Western Sydney Giants have offered an international scholarship to young Danish AFL player Aksel Bang, who will visit Sydney to train and play with the Giants this year.

The 21 year-old is about to start six months national service with the Danish army in Afghanistan and will travel to Sydney during his scheduled break in April/May. He took up the game two years ago after visiting Australia and now plays for the Aalborg Kangaroos and Danish Vikings and was the leading player in last year's Euro Cup.

Giants Chief Executive David Matthews said it was a great opportunity further develop talent from overseas. He said Bang would train with the club and also play in the GWS Giants in the NEAFL.

“AFL Europe has a done a lot of work building the code across the continent and we think Aksel is deserving of an opportunity to further his skills and education in the game," Matthews said.

Australian Rules football has continued to show positive growth in many ways throughout Europe, one of which is the development of new clubs in leagues in France, Finland and Ireland. Over coming weeks, World Footy News will bring more detailed stories of these clubs to readers. But this small overview will still be of interest to those keen to see continued development and growth in Europe.

As mentioned in our opening piece on the future of Australian football in Asia, getting more locals involved is something that has largely escaped the game when compared with South Africa, Europe and the South Pacific.  Darrell Egan is one expat Australian who has found no such difficulty getting local Chinese involved in the sport and he has many thoughts on how to take footy forward - in fact it was Darrell's enthusiasm for change that prompted this series of articles.

First up we thought we should learn a little more about Darrell's background.

The Croatian Knights have announced that Richmond AFL star Ivan Marić has proudly accepted their offer to become ambassador for the Croatian national Australian rules football side.

One of the best-known AFL players from a Croatian family background, Ivan began his career in the Adelaide Crows before moving to the Tigers, and is described to Croatian audiences on the FootyCroatia website as being known for his strong and courageous "old school" playing style.

The Croatian community in Australia has produced many AFL stars, including Alan Didak, brothers Glen and Allen Jakovich, Peter Sumich, Matthew Pavlich, Darren Gaspar and Jon Dorotich to name just a few. They have also made a huge impression in other Australian sporting fields, including Andrew Bogut (basketball), Mark Bosnich (soccer) and Simon Katich (cricket). Famous actor and diehard St Kilda fan Eric Bana (real surname Banadinović) is also of Croatian background.

The Knights hope that Ivan's high-profile support will help them in their quest to debut at the International Cup in 2014.

It has come to our attention that Livesport.TV will not be available for international viewers to stream in 2013 with the message "Unfortunately http://LIVESPORT.TV will not be showing the 2013 season of the AFL online" on their website.

It appears the AFL have taken the international online streaming in-house with their own AFL.TV service.  Pricing is not available at this stage for packages but streaming of the NAB Cup matches will be free.  The AFL website offers the following:
 
 

The AFL today released the 2013 Indigenous All-Stars squad to play the Richmond Football Club on Friday, February 8 in Alice Springs, captained by Hawthorn star Lance Franklin.

 

Sydney Swans premiership player Michael O’Loughlin will coach the Indigenous All-Stars, assisted by Roger Hayden, Adam Goodes and Shaun Burgyone.

 

2013 Indigenous All-Stars squad:

The inaugural New Zealand Hawks AFL Combine was held last week at the ASB Sports Centre in Wellington. Boys aged from 14-18 were flown into Wellington from around the country with the intention of impressing recruiters from the AFL.

The boys were given a taste of the AFL as they were put through speed, agility, endurance and skills testing.

St Kilda helped run the combine with their staff instrumental in setup, showing their experience and professionalism. The Saints players were highly involved and quick to aid participants and pass on their knowledge and experience.

Recruiters were impressed by several of the attendees and it shouldn’t be long before we hear about more New Zealand talent being signed on to AFL scholarships.

Those to shine included Maia Westrupp, Alex Frew from Canterbury aged 16, 183cm and 83kg, Seth Going from Northland aged 17, 179 cms and 70kgs, Brock Messenger from Auckland, aged 17, 182 cms and 70kgs, Hugo Phillips from Wellington, aged 16 187 cms and 76 kgs and Fletcher Barclay from Wellington, aged 17, 186 cms and 75kgs.

The AFL Indigenous Youth Squad, the Flying Boomerangs, has crushed the AFL South Africa Geminder Youth Academy Under 18 side, 125 to 14, at Mohadin Cricket Ground, Potchefstroom, in North West Province.

	1/4	1/2	3/4	Final
Boomerangs	5.3	9.4	12.8	19.11 (125)
South Africa Youth	1.0	1.0	2.1	2.2 (14)

Best players

Boomerangs - Jade Gresham, Callum Ahchee, Russell Wynne, Liam Bennell, Aaron Yusia

South Africa Youth - Moni Yonela, Boitumelo Thiboeng, Denmark Baloi, Thabiso Phakedi, Karabo Morokoane

Goal Kickers

Boomerangs - Kyle Jackson 3, Liam Bennell 2, Aiydn Johnson 2, Russell Wynne 2, Jade Gresham 2, Brandan Darfitt 1, Kaya McKenzie 1, Jayden Gerrand 1, Eliyah Havard 1, Jamarrah Firebrace 1, John Manson 1, Tyler Cubby 1, Cory Glass 1

South Africa Youth - Boitumelo Thiboeng 1, Thembi Opaster 1


Note that there appears to be some differences in the behinds and thus total points tally reported in various media, showing the Boomerangs 19.18 (132).

The Flying Boomerangs team were featured on NITV news late last week. The video taken before their departure for South Africa can be seen below.

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