World Footy News

 

Last time the US and Canada met it was at the International Cup in the opening round in Sydney under a reduced match length format. The US won by just three points. Two years ago the US travelled to Canada and won by thirty four points. So given their history the Americans were strong favourites for this years clash on home soil for the 49th Parallel Cup.

The match was played in hot humid conditions in Dublin, Ohio.  While the Americans perhaps did dominate the match and with some straight kicking might have run away with it, the Northwind were right in the match well into the last quarter. The final score USA Revolution 7.12 (54) defeated Canada Northwind 5.1 (31).

USA Freedom have overcome their biggest rivals, the Canadian Northern Lights to win the 49th Parallel Cup 6.7(43) to 5.8(38). After having been narrowly defeated at their last major international meeting in Australia for the International Cup, this year the Americans were out to prove something and played strongly throughout the match.

The Canadians came back several times in what proved to be a very close and low scoring game, hard fought out in midfield, and by the end of the third quarter, things weren’t looking good for the Americans as the Canadians started edging ahead. But the talented Freedom players pushed hard in the final quarter to turn the game around, and after three consecutive goals from Eileen Geogheegan and Lindsay Kastanek, they sealed victory for the USA Freedom.

15 year old Jasmine Fitzgerald recently started playing football for the Lalor Stars Youth Girls team and after playing 6 games she claims she is hooked on it, proudly singing out her team’s song with her arms round her team mates when they win.

 However, unlike her team mates, Jasmine only has one leg, the other having been amputated as a child after she contracted meningitis. Despite this, you would barely notice the difference as she runs around the field enthusiastically with the help of a surprisingly ordinary looking prosthetic.

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The US Revolution and Canada Northwind teams will play today (Saturday) in Ohio and the event will be covered with audio and video available online.   

To see streaming video of the event from around 9:45am EDT at  http://www.justin.tv/nashvillekangaroos and audio commentary of the matches will be available from 10am EDT at  http://www.ohiosportsradio.caster.fm.

Women's and men's development teams will be up in the first two games, followed by women's US Freedom vs Canada Northern Lights and finally men's US Revolution vs Canada Northwind.

Six pioneering women have been selected as finalists for the 2012 Football Woman of the Year (FWOTY) award. The winner will be announced at the Grand Final Comedy Debate on Thursday 27 September at Crown Palladium.

The finalists are:

Cheryl Cates - President of the South Australian Women’s Football League (SAWFL)
Jo Del Prete – Advisory role to the West Australian Football Commission
Belinda Duarte - AFL’s SportsReady Indigenous Program and Director of Korin Gamadji Institute
Peta Searle - Port Melbourne Football Club Assistant Coach
Suki Hobson - Strength Scientist at the Essendon Football Club
Diana Taylor – First woman on the VFL Tribunal and President of the Western Region Football League.

NAB AFL Auskick coach Michael Greenham recently held a once-off Auskick session in the Turkish capital Ankara, while en route for a cycling tour for charity. Assisted by some local PE teachers and staff from the Australian embassy, Greenham took over 200 local kids through some Aussie rules skill sessions.

While we've had contacts interested in starting footy in Turkey before, it's never quite gotten off the ground. However, you never know when the next impromptu session will be the one that gets things underway.

The full article from the AFL website can be read below.

 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 – ROUND 19 INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE Friday 3 August  – Sunday 5 August.

The US Revolution and Canada Northwind teams have been named ahead of the 49th Parallel Cup this weekend. 

 

Full team list below.

In the video below Majak Daw and Ben McKinley join the AFL360 crew to preview the Foxtel Cup Grand Final (in which they will both be playing). The Werribee Tigers will take on last year's runners up, Claremont in Perth on Thursday night.

Sudanes born Daw answers the question as to when he will be ready to play at AFL level and what he needs to do to get there, and discusses the pressures he feels. Former West Coast Eagles player and current North Melbourne listed McKinley discusses Claremont and what Werribee might need to do to beat them.

The USAFL this week announced that the AFL combine that had been mooted for 2012 would be held in LA from August 27th to August 29th. The AFL has produced a slick marketing video (which can be seen below) to outline the attractions of our game.

Michael Ablett, who played and coached in the USAFL a few years back will be running the combine for the AFL where he is now part of the development staff.

The USAFL is responsible for providing 30 elite athletes, which may come from the USAFL playing ranks – but most likely from outside their system.  The USAFL are also responsible for providing the venue, the recruiting strategy (which will mostly be social media driven) and organising exposure through marketing and media. 

The Northern Lights have named a squad of 47 women ahead of their matches against the US this weekend.

There will be two matches played nominally as representative and development squad matches at the 49th Parallel Cup which will be held in Dublin, Ohio on August the 4th.

Head Coach Tristan Waldock said that the final makeup of the two teams would be decided on Friday in Ohio for the two matches.

After coming close a few times this season, the past weekend saw a record five Irish former GAA footballers playing in the same round in the AFL.   

This past weekend Collingwood selected Martin Clarke and Caolan Mooney.   Mooney started the game and was substituted off for Clarke in the third quarter.  Carlton's Zach Tuohy and Brisbane's Pearce Hanley were also selected to start at the weekend, and the record fifth starter was a late inclusion when emergency Niall McKeever received a last minute call up for Brisbane.  The stats for the five can be seen below.