World Footy News

The Komazawa Magpies Australian Football team in Japan has links to Buddhism, as all the team’s players are either students studying at, or are graduates from Komazawa University in Tokyo, Japan. 

Komazawa University is one of the oldest universities in Japan, established in 1592 as a seminary and a centre of learning for young monks of the Soto sect, one of the two main Zen Buddhist traditions in Japan.

The USAFL today announced the venues for the 2013 and 2014 USAFL National Championships.

The Nationals will be held in Austin, Texas again in 2013 after previously being held there last year (2011). "We are extremely excited to return to Austin, it was clearly the favorite amongst the players we surveyed" said USAFL President, Andy Vanica, "the city of Austin were able to offer significant financial support to the league for the 2011 tournament which has made returning to the city possible", he concluded.

The 2014 Nationals will be held in Dublin, Ohio at Daree Fields, the site of the successful 2012 '49th Parallel' Cup. "The Dublin community were extremely supportive and helpful during the (49th Parallell Cup) tournament and are really excited to host the Nationals" said USAFL Operations Manager, Doren James.

For more see the USAFL wesite.

 Please note that these details are correct at the time of publishing. WFN accepts no responsibility for any changes to these times by broadcasters. Please check local guides or afl.com.au. 

2012 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – AFL Finals Week 1 INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE Friday 7 September  – Sunday 9 September.

GAME	DATE	DAY/NIGHT	MATCH	VENUE	STATE	LOCAL TIME	EST	CST	WST	GMT	NETWORK
QF1	Friday 7 September	Night (N)	Hawthorn vs. Collingwood	MCG	VIC	19:50	19:50	19:20	17:50	9:50	Channel 7
QF2	Saturday 8 September	Day (D)	Adelaide Crows vs. Sydney Swans	AAMI Stadium	SA	14:45	15:15	14:45	13:15	5:15	Channel 7
EF2	Saturday 8 September	Night (N)	Geelong Cats vs. Fremantle	MCG	VIC	19:45	19:45	19:15	17:45	9:45	Channel 7
EF1	Sunday 9 September	Day (D)	West Coast Eagles vs. North Melbourne	Patersons Stadium	WA	13:15	15:15	14:45	13:15	5:15	Channel 7

The 2012 Solomon Islands AFL season has concluded with a hard fought ‘classic’ grand final at King George school oval in Honiara. The Rove Magpies ran out winners of the inaugural SIAFL club competition.

Scott Harding played 50 games over 5 seasons for the Brisbane Lions (48) and finally Port Adelaide Power (2). With limited success both personally, 15 goals, and team wise with Brisbane in the post 'Threepeat' era with only one finals appearance to his name. A somewhat unspectacular career. However, now at age 26, Harding has just scored a 'major' in front of 93,000 football fans - well, a touchdown actually.

The Annual Australian Rules Football British Tri-Nations Championship is coming to Cardiff this weekend, as Wales play host to the best British Aussie Rules players. The Welsh Australian Rules Football Leagues hosts the 9-a-side event which was first held last year in Worksop, England, and sees the Cymru Red Dragons, English Dragonslayers and Scottish Clansmen come together to play a series of 'Lightning' matches, of 15 minute halves.

The series is a warm up for all three teams as they prepare for the EuroCup, where the Red Dragons have finished 7th for the last two years.

The British Tri-Nations Championship will be held on September 8th at the Welsh Institute of Sport, behind the Swalec Stadium, with the first game kicking off at 12pm. The day will see 6 games in all as the three teams play each other twice in a round robin format, with the team top of the table at the end of the day, being declared winners.

Former UNF basketball Matt Sauey was one of the 26 athletes to take part in the AFL's US combine last week. In the video below he talks about his experience at the combine. 21 years old, Sauey at 6'7" and 92kg also played soccer in high school.

[youtube:JZPEsM4j9KU]

This much hyped progression for AFL and the game in NZ appears very close to being confirmed.

Sydney has emerged at the top of Wellington City Council's wish-list to play St Kilda next season in what would be the AFL's first match for premiership points outside Australia.

AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan yesterday said a deal to stage the Anzac Day clash at Westpac Stadium had yet to be clinched, but Wellington City Council sports and events portfolio leader John Morrison told The Saturday Age he expected the fine print, such as advertising and beer rights, to be settled within three weeks.

Morrison also revealed his preference was for the Swans to take on the Saints. ''It's up to the AFL, of course, but we certainly believe the Sydney Swans are the hot favourites,'' Morrison said. ''From our point of view, we would certainly like it because Sydney has good access to Wellington. From our bigger picture point of view, we hope we can get as many Australians as possible from St Kilda and the Sydney Swans and the AFL, and there are also many Australians that are in New Zealand, not just Wellington. We are aiming for a full house.''

This year’s tournament in Auckland will see Auckland, Christchurch, Waikato and wellington joined by Otago. This is the first time five of NZ’s provinces have been involved in the Championships and is a welcome progression for the sport.

Otago sent along representatives who played in the other Provinces’ sides last year and has a strong schoolboys program with many of their underage players selected already in NZ sides. Ben Miller is from Otago and is listed by Hawthorn as one of their International Rookies.

This tournament will confirm not only this year’s champion team but also provide players with the opportunity to be selected for the New Zealand Senior team to play against the Australian Institute of Sport, held in Wellington New Zealand on 26th January 2013

Northland, the picturesque region particularly known for the Bay of Islands, above the Auckland area in NZ is slowly opening up to the charms of AFL.

Now with a Regional Co-ordinator, Paul Hope, in the area there is hope for the game to get a foothold. Paul says hundreds of Northlanders have learned the game over the past two years through school programmes, after school programmes and secondary school introductions, with the sport offering part-time employment for up to 10 Northlanders. The fact that many people don't know the rules is part of the appeal, he says. "It doesn't matter, it's just all about having fun," he says. "It complements other winter sports and builds on their fitness and ball skills."

World footy followers will recall East Timor/Timor Leste contesting the 2011 International Cup, the new nation’s first foray into International Footy, and the fledging AFL nation not managing to record a win, although we should be reminded that two of their losses were by only one goal. Some could say ‘not a very auspicious start to World Footy’, though we can now report of a real success story with an East Timorese connection.

The Western Bulldogs youngster, Lin Jong, who made his AFL debut in round 20 against Richmond is the first AFL player of East Timorese and Taiwanese descent to do so. He is very likely to also be the first to receive a congratulatory letter from a Prime Minister, officially being recognized by the Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao.

Although born in Australia, Timor Leste is the homeland of Jong’s father, his mother being Taiwanese. His parents met in Taiwan and came to Australia 26 years ago to start a family and he is very appreciative of the interest in his background, it is also remarkable that Lin only began playing football 4 years ago.

Rove Magpies and Central Coast Eagles in SIAFL Grand Finale

Central Coast Eagles have found themselves in a SIAFL Grand Final showdown against the Rove Magpies; after edging out a very young but determined White River Demons side in the preliminary final clash last Thursday. The Eagles 12.7.79 to the Demons 9.6.60 for a 19 point win at King George field.