World Footy News

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.

[youtube:vsLJyNEiSU0]

Hawthorn added a new name to the list of young Kiwis that it has identified as potential AFL footballers last week in NZ.  15-year-old Siope Ngata is the newest  international scholarship holder listed by Hawthorn.

Ngata was identified by the Hawks last October at a testing session and playing in games for the New Zealand Hawks.  Like most Kiwi kids he has experience in rugby.

At the New Zealand AFL Combine held last week, the 186cm and 98kg prospect performed strongly in the athletic testing and in the kicking and clean hands drills.

He joins Ben Miller, Shem Tatupu, Kurt Heatherley and Rhys Panui Leth who have all been given international scholarships by Hawthorn (it is beleived Panui Leth is not longer a scholarship holder).

Recruiting manager Graham Wright said "At this stage Siope will stay in New Zealand [instead of coming to Australia full-time]. Invariably we'll monitor his progress over the next year or two and he'll be involved in our development programs here."

The AFL is pleased to announce that Hawthorn star Lance Franklin will captain the Indigenous All Stars when they take on the Richmond Football Club on Friday, February 8 at 7pm in Alice Springs.

Supported by the Coles AFL Indigenous program, the match will be played at Traeger Park and will showcase the Indigenous talent in the AFL.

Franklin said he is proud to captain the All Stars for the first time and looks forward to the match against Richmond.

"The Indigenous All Stars match is a really important event as it recognises the Indigenous Australians' contribution to the national competition.  It's a chance for some of the best Indigenous talent from across the country to play together."

It was also reported today in the Herald Sun that Franklin would like to have the Indigenous team play in a three team International Rules competition against the Irish and Australian teams "Personally, I would love to see the All Stars take on the Australia and Ireland teams. That would be great recognition for the indigenous players."  

The indigenous community of Maningrida almost defines the term “remote”. It sits on the estuary of the Liverpool River in Arnhem Land, right where it flows into the Arafura Sea. The nearest town of size is Jabiru, “a coupla hundred clicks [kilometres] away” according to one local. Darwin, the nearest capital city, is 400 kilometres away to the west. Like so many other remote communities throughout the “Top End” of Australia, that remoteness can be both its charm and its curse.

When Bernie Price, Regional Development Manager for AFLNT in Maningrida, arrived there after 6 years as a plumber in Yarrawonga, Victoria, he admits to a “slight career change” which has introduced him to an entirely different culture and lifestyle. But it also gave him the chance to interact with indigenous culture and combine that with his love of Australian Rules football.

His role commenced in July 2012 when funding from FaHCSIA (Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) and the ABA (Aboriginal Benefit Account) provided the opportunity for similar positions to be created in the indigenous communities of Gapuwiyak, Lajamanu, Ngukurr and Hermannsburg, as well as Maningrida. This was an expansion of the existing AFLNT program which commenced in Wadeye in 2007 and extended to Galiwinku and Groote Eyelandt in 2009.

Saturday’s Australia Day clash between the AIS U 17 squad and New Zealand provided a good contest but ultimately the talented Aussie youngsters were too good despite the Hawks fielding a team including AFL legend Wayne Schwass (pictured left), VFL champion forward Khan Haretuku and Hawthorn International Rookie Shem Tatupu. 

Game day presented perfect weather conditions and ground in the best condition possible. NZ Coach Justin Davies said “Last year NZ Hawks won the first quarter. This year the AIS came out prepared and played a scintillating first quarter with roving forward Pickett kicking four of the better traditional roving goals you will see”.

Pickett stood out at one of this year’s AIS training camps. Pickett's run in the 20metre sprint was over almost before it began, completing it in 2.85 seconds. He thought he could go faster.

It was the quickest result of any player at the camp, including the level two squad, who are hoping to be drafted this year (level one players are eligible for the draft in 2014.) Go back to last year's NAB AFL Draft Combine and only one player (Adam Saad, 2.81 seconds) beat Pickett's time.

The Herald Sun's Mark Robinson filed the following story last week from St Kilda's training in Wellington, NZ.

worldfootynews.com is commencing a series of articles about the future of Australian football in Asia.

In the South Pacific footy is booming with growing numbers of countries involved, tens of thousands of kids getting exposed through AFL and AusAID supported mass participation programs, talent pathways giving youngsters a clear route to the AFL, and players beginning to appear on AFL scholarship and international rookie lists.  In Europe there are many countries involved in Australian football and with AFL Europe formed to help them coordinate there are numerous tournaments and solid (although not spectacular) growth.  Africa is somewhat untapped but has 20,000 players in South Africa.  North America is steady although in South America the surface has barely been scratched.  But what of Asia?

"Traditionally" this region has been slow to get locals involved in the game.  Most clubs are heavily based on expat-Australians and with a few other Western nationals involved.  Japan has been the most obvious exception, with their Top League slowly growing and mostly featuring Japanese players.  Sporadic efforts have been made to get locals involved in other countries, such as a junior league in Indonesia.  China showed great promise with reportedly thousands of school children playing the game in Suzhou (near Shanghai) around 2009.  However these programs appear to be exceptions rather than commonplace, and it's not clear if they've continued.