World Footy News

The Sydney Swans would like to congratulate QBE Sydney Swans Academy member Lloyd Perris, who has been awarded the Cameron Ling Medal for most professional player at AIS-AFL Academy. The medal, named after Geelong’s premiership-winning 2011 captain, was voted on by the best young footballers in Australia, who were Perris’ team-mates in the Australian Institute of Sport-AFL Academy squad which has just returned from a tour to New Zealand.

Before the medal was awarded, Ling said he wanted it to go to a young player who worked hard and was selfless, had a strong, positive attitude, and who was a good person. Seventeen-year-old Perris, who goes to Sydney Boys’ High and lives in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla, clearly fit the bill as he won the medal with 47 votes, ahead of runner-up Luke Dunstan from South Australia (36 votes).

Originally from Adelaide, but now based full-time in the UK, Rick Shrowder has been a driving force behind footy in England's North East for some years now.

Besides this, he is also one of the founders of GCS - Global Community Sports, an organisation using Australian rules football to connect with young students both in the UK and India.

Thanks to CNFA for sending us the link to this "Résumé de la saison 2010-11 de football australien en France.".

In the eagerly anticipated first Australian football match between the two countries at any level, the Under-17 AIS-AFL Academy squad overcame the New Zealand Hawks by 91 points at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.

After the Kiwis performed a stirring rendition of the haka, they got the jump on the Aussies in the first quarter with former Fremantle Docker forward Adam Campbell helping the home team to a five-point lead at the first break.

The Australians, coached by Brisbane Lions triple-premiership player Chris Johnson, hit back in the second quarter, kicking six goals-to-none to open a 31-point lead at half-time.

Hawks defender Stephen Gilham recently travelled across the Tasman to present the Club's newest International Scholarship holder Ben Miller with his Hawthorn guernsey.

Miller played his first Australian football game for the Otago Boys’ School in 2010 against the university team, Otago Riot. It was in his second game that he took a high mark well above his opponents in the pack and set up several scoring opportunities from the wing where it became clear Ben had potential to play this game. Given that so far Otago has no formal competition with just a University Club, that play spasmodically, and some junior development programmes within a few secondary schools, this is a monumental achievement.

In February 2011 he travelled to Auckland for the NZ under 20 National Provincial Championships playing for Wellington. Showing his potential, Ben was selected to play for the NZ U20's against VAFA and NZ U16 Oceania Cup 2011 where he was instrumental in the team’s success.
 

Shortly after the 2011 AFL Oceania Youth Cup, the Fiji coach, Glen Butler said goodbye. The reason being that his stint as an AYAD officer in Fiji had come to an end. The AYAD program is referenced over and over again in respect to Australian Football in the Pacific. Worldfootynews asked Glen to reflect on his time.

Talented US college basketballer Alex Starling has been signed by the Sydney Swans after testing showed he had the athletic potential to make the switch to the AFL.

Starling, 22, is finishing college in Florida but will make several visits to Sydney this year to meet with Swans’ coaching staff and develop his football skills.

Former North Melbourne star Wayne Schwass says in the Herald Sun that New Zealand can develop into a strong AFL breeding ground and wants to see a match played across the Tasman for premiership points.

AFL New Zealand continues to push the league for a home-and-away match to be played in the country as early as next year, with Anzac Day suggested as a potential date.

Schwass who was born in New Zealand backed taking a game across the Tasman. "We are into Tasmania, the AFL are exploring China, and I understand that from a commercial point of view, but New Zealand is three hours across the ditch."

Shark TV have started the new year with a new show, Jacko's Challenge, where Adam "Jacko" Jack takes on a new competitor from the Glasgow Sharks each week in a 5 goal kicking challenge. This week John McIntyre, Sharks ruckman, took on Jacko in a very close contest.

Have a look and get ready for more exciting content soon.

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The English rugby league team Warrington Wolves this week continued the long tradition of football teams cross-training with other codes in the off season when they joined the Sydney Swans in Sydney for a skill and fitness session.

Canadian Mike Pyke can be seen in the background of the Fox Sports video below and looks like he might rightly be as comfortable with the Rugby League players as with the Swans or his former code of Rugby Union.

 

New Zealand-born Hawk Shane Savage will host eight players from AFLNZ after the Club’s open training session tomorrow at the Ricoh Centre, formerly Waverley Park.

Savage will have a light kick on the oval with his compatriots, who have been living in Melbourne to improve their football skills, before they return home to play in the New Zealand Hawks team pitted against an AIS-AFL Academy squad.

The AFL Great Britain National Conference was held on the 20th November 2011 in Birmingham.  On the agenda was a list of the key dates for 2012, a move to rename to AFL England and numerous items to drive development such the Brit Cup, juniors and a European tour by the AFL AIS Academy.  The following article is not formal minutes but give a bit of an insight into the many issues discussed by a body that covers a relatively large number of clubs and leagues.

The meeting started with key dates for the 2012 season. Key events to be considered included the Olympic Games which will be held in London from July 28th to August 11th, and the AFL Grand Final on September 29th. Next came important Australian Football events in Europe, including the AFL-AIS Academy’s European training camp on March 31st, the AIS Academy vs European Legion game on April 7th, the Brit Cup on July 7th, the AFL London Grand Final on August 4th  and the EU Cup on October 6th. Then the dates for other events such as an overseas GB Bulldogs game on August 25th and the Haggis Cup and ANZAC Cup on April 21st were finalised.