World Footy News

With the third AFL Youth Oceania Cup about to swing into full action today, it’s great to see good coverage and respectful coverage of a sport that is moving gradually from novelty value to mainstream.  At least at junior level.

While the AFL Youth Oceania Cup focusses attention on the field and the talented juniors representing the various nations of the Pacific – there is a subtext of the reward of pride and satisfaction for the hard working pioneers and volunteers who have helped establish and or sustain and grow footy in the region.

On Saturday the first ever Vanuatu Volcanoes squad assembled in Port Vila and were presented with their kits, uniforms and travelling shirts. Flying out on Sunday evening with valued sponsorship partner Air Vanuatu, the hopes of the tiny nation of 225,000 ride with the youngsters.

Left, the Volcanoes looking ready  for action in footy gear supplied by Fiona McLarty who works with the AFL in Brisbane.

As much as it may pain Aussies to focus on the potential of New Zealanders, given the success of the Black Caps in Hobart in the 2nd cricket Test, there is though reason to look towards the shaky isles for talented footballers.

Fiji One News spoke last week to Solomone Navuso ahead of the AFL's Oceania Under 16 Championships that get underway this morning in Fiji. The video can be viewed below.

The AIS-AFL Academy will send a squad of Australia’s brightest future AFL stars to New Zealand for a nine day tour in January 2012. Pleasingly NZ are taking this incredibly seriously and have looked far and wide in developing their initial squad.

An amazing list of players with New Zealand heritage has been listed in the initial New Zealand squad in a move that will drive the AFL bloggers into a frenzy.
 

The itinerary will commence in Auckland and culminate in Wellington where the AIS-AFL Squad will play against the New Zealand Hawks at Westpac Stadium 12.00pm on Saturday January 28th .

A behind the scenes look at how the South African Lions warmed up before their match against the US Revolution at the 2011 International Cup.

The 2011 Youth AFL Oceania Cup starts this week.  Planes laden with excited young national representatives, in many cases flying overseas for the first time, are jetting toward Fiji.  The Vanuatu Volcanoes departed with coach Mal Thiel perhaps more excited than any of his charges as the Volcanoes set themselves for their international debut.

I would like to tell you what this SBS interview with Margot is specifically about but mon français n'est pas si bon.

The AFL tthis week announced the fixture for the 2012 FOXTEL Cup -- the knockout competition introduced this year to showcase the quality of state league football across the country. 

AFL General Manager National and International Development Andrew Dillon said the AFL had been delighted with the success of this year's inaugural competition, won by Williamstown, and said the 16 teams had now been confirmed for next year's tournament.

Melbourne community TV station Channel 31's "The Local Footy Show" went international covering Game Day 7 at Royal Park. Much of the coverage focuses on the NZ team and interviews with Victorian Premier Ted Bailleau, Brett Kirk and Will McKenzie among others.

worldfootynews.com recently reported on the transition of the AFL's National and International Development Manager, David Matthews, to CEO of the AFL's newest club, the Greater Western Sydney Giants.  That begged the question of who Matthews' replacement would be and whether Matthews and GWS coach Kevin Sheedy would actively pursue an international agenda.  We caught up with the new CEO to find out.

Firstly we were keen to know who would take on the role of Development Manager for the AFL and whether he would be as passionate about the international component as his predecessor.  Matthews was confident, having already worked with his repalcement.

"Andrew Dillon, whom is currently on the AFL Executive, has assumed responsibility for Development.  Andrew has been on the Executive for a number of years and has a genuine passion for, and understanding of, development. As a couple of examples of his International interest, he wrote the rules for the International Scholarship Scheme and helped to organise the match in Shanghai (attended also).  He will be a strong advocate and he, Tony Woods and I recently presented an upgraded international plan to the AFL Commission".