World Footy News

Thanks to the great coverage on Twitter by Tobietta we can tell you that the European Islands team defeated the European Continent team 11.11 (77) to 2.3 (15) at The Oval in London. In the main game Port Adelaide stormed home to snatch victory 14.4 (88) to the Western Bulldogs 13.9 (87). More to come from Tobie...

AFL Europe present their first ever Footy Show to preview the JLT All Stars match being played as the curtain raiser to the Western Bulldogs vs Port Adelaide match at The Oval in London.  Hosted by Ben MacCormack and Ciarán O' Hara.

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Fresh out of the Euro Cup and having put on some impressive performances at country level, the very best of European Aussie Rules talent is now set to take the stage one step further as they go head to head against each other for the JLT European All-Stars game.

What better place and time to showcase Europe’s very own football stars, than as a curtain raiser for the Elastoplast AFL European Challenge, where the Western bulldogs will face off against Port Adelaide this Saturday at Kia Oval.

World Footy News caught up with some of the players to hear what they had to say about the game.

The players from the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide arrived in London today ahead of Saturday’s AFL European Challenge exhibition game. AFL Europe reported that the players also got their first look round Kia Oval, the venue for the game, for some pre match training runs.

Meanwhile Port Adelaide’s new coach Ken Hinkley and Bulldogs’ coach Brendan McCartney were at the pre-match press conference.

Both clubs have fielded young teams for the tournament and are expected to use the opportunity to debut new recruits.

Despite this, Port Adelaide coach Hinkley said he told his players, “Just go out and play the game of footy. You’ve got to go after the game in a fair dinkum way, because it’s a contact game. If you’re not prepared to play footy, you’ll end up in real trouble. Hopefully they get through the game okay.”

On the opposite side, Bulldogs coach McCartney added, “With young players, the more you see them, the more you learn about them. To see them go away for eight weeks and then to come back and their body shape changes; they’re a bit bigger in the leg and a bit stronger in the hips – you can see their progression and that’s really important.”

Port Adelaide have announced their team for Satuday’s European Challenge exhibition game, with new coach Ken Hinkley using the 16-a-side game as an opportunity to take a look at his younger players.

Just seven players have move than 50 games experience: Broadbent, Carlile, Ebert, Logan, Monfries, Stewart and Trengove.

Amongst the squad are Angus Monfries, Campbell Heath and Jack Hombsch who will all make their club debut on Saturday.

“It’s an exhibition match, but there are plenty of guys who will be keen to make their mark,” reported General Manager Rohde from London. “It’s a young side but it’ll be a good chance for Ken to have a look at the squad."

Teams are allowed up to seven interchange players on the bench but no substitutes.

Read the full story for the Power's full squad for Saturday.

The Western Bulldogs have arrived in London ahead of Saturday’s European Challenge clash against Port Adelaide and have announced their plans for a two week tour of the UK.

The trip will open with training at the European Challenge host venue Kia Oval, before the players are invited to the official welcome function at Australia House.

Following Saturday’s game, the Bulldogs’ players will tour the grounds of several EPL soccer clubs and Harlequins Rugby Union Club, as well as visiting the All-Stars training facilities of hosts AFL Europe.

The Bulldogs have brought a squad of nearly 40 players to the UK, including recently traded Bulldogs Koby Stevens and Tom Young. Newly appointed High Performance Manager Graham Lowe was also in London to meet the team.

Bulldogs skipper Matthew Boyd said the squad was forward to the weekend clash, as well as their tours of some of the UK’s leading sporting clubs where they hoped to ideas and experiences.

"You don't get the chance very often to swap notes with the likes of Fulham FC and the London Harlequins,” Boyd said. “It's going to be a fantastic experience - especially for the young blokes.”

Read the full story for key dates and events of the Western Bulldogs’ pre-season trip.

With the London exhibition match on again at the Oval this weekend we thought we would have a look back at the contraversial incidents of the 1987 "Battle of Britain" exhibition match between North Melbourne and Carlton.  It should be pointed out to those who are not familiar with the game as it played some 25 years later is not nearly as wild and violent as in the dark past displayed here.

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AFL club the GWS Giants made headlines when with the AFL's assistance they lured Israel Folau from the NRL. As a publicity stunt it was an early success as Folau generated headlines and general interest that no other squad member could have whilst the Giants were limited to playing in the NEAFL.

Now it appears the adventure is over with the Giants confirming it at a media conference this afternoon with Folau and coach Kevin Sheedy and CEO Dave Matthews. He has now announced that he will 'retire' from the AFL. The Age reports that he is on the verge of rejoining the NRL via the 2013 wooden spooners the Parramatta Eels (coached by Ricky Stuart).

"It is understood the Eels have made contact with his manager and will be keen to snap him up to bolster their backline after finishing with the NRL wooden spoon in 2012."

The GWS Giants statement is below.

The AFL today detailed its participation at the Fourth International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport, to be held in Zurich commencing Thursday.

Several AFL Medical representatives – including AFL Medical Commissioner Dr Peter Harcourt, Prof Paul McCrory, Assoc Prof Gavin Davis and Dr Michael Makdissi - will attend the two-day conference in Switzerland that will see leading medical experts from around the world gather to discuss world’s best practices in relation to the management and research of concussion in sport.

The conference, held every four years, is attended by prominent sporting bodies from around the world including FIFA, the NFL, the NHL and the IRB. With four medical representatives in attendance – three providing keynote addresses across a range of issues - the AFL will have the most significant representation of all sports involved.

From Huddersfield Daily Examiner http://bit.ly/RUhqIY

England Dragonslayers international and Huddersfield Rams gun Luke Booth will make history this weekend when he lines up alongside the best Australian Football talent in Europe to play for the European Islands team against the Continental Europe team in the JLT European All-Stars game.

The Huddersfield Rams have a history of international appearances and Luke Booth is no less than the 6th Dragonslayers player the small West Yorkshire club has produced. However, Booth went on to be selected for the 2012 Euro Cup’s Team of the Tournament for his efforts of the field, and in further recognition of his talent for the game, he was selected to play alongside 9 players from the Irish Warriors Euro Cup champion team and 5 of his Dragonslayers team mates in the European Islands team.

Booth and his team mates will face off against a Continental Europe team featuring players from Euro Cup runners up Denmark, Euro Bowl winners France, and other experienced players from established leagues in Italy, Sweden, Croatia and other countries.

After a few late withdrawals due to injuries, the two European All-Stars teams from the AFL European Challenge curtain raiser have been confirmed, and the players are listed below.

The Islands team features 9 Irish players from the Euro Cup champions Warriors team and 7 English players from the 3rd placed Dragonslayers.

Over on the Continental team, Danish Euro Cup runners up team and Euro Bowl winners France have 3 players each featuring in the team, with the remainder a fair mix of the best the rest of Europe has to offer,

The AFL European Challenge will be held this Saturday 4th of November at Kia Oval. The curtain raiser will start at 1pm, with the main event, Western Bulldogs vs Port Adelaide, starting at 3:30

Tickets are still available for £20 and can be purchased online from http://www.kiaoval.com