World Footy News

Premier Colin Barnett announced yesterday that Perth’s new multi-purpose stadium would be built on the Burswood Peninsula and is scheduled for completion in 2018.  The new Perth Stadium will have the third-biggest capacity in Australia and will be the second largest AFL home stadium.

 It will have a capacity of 60,000 seats with provision for future expansion to 70,000 seats in the style of Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, with similar views, amenities and comfort.  This capacity range will more than adequately provide for both members and corporate seating and generous general admission and visiting team supporters.

New South Wales Minister for Sport and Recreation, Graham Annesley, and AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou today announced the 2011 NAB AFL Draft would be held in Western Sydney on Thursday November 24.

The AFL's 18th club - the Greater Western Sydney Giants - will join the competition for the 2012 season and Minister Annesley said he was excited the Draft, which will welcome the bulk of the new talent to the game's newest club, will be held in the club's back yard.

Nauru were one of the great success stories of IC08. After missing out in 2005 the islanders roared back with impressive performances that seemed to get better each game. They opened with a loss to eventual champs PNG and were never defeated again - by the end of the tournament looked like they may have deserved a top 4 finish.

A key part of their improvement was getting experience in country Victoria prior to the tournament, with players getting games across several regional clubs. Not only was competitive footy important but so too was getting used to grass, given the notorious crushed phosphate surface they play on at home.

Once again the Nauruans are returning to Australia and looking to be billeted for part of the tournament. They're looking for support from country Victoria again including offering labouring services. Full details can be seen in an article on the Bendigo Advertiser site. They need a quick response so anyone that can help please consider this promptly.

worldfootynews.com can confirm that Samoa has withdrawn from the 2011 AFL International Cup.

The islanders were indeed the team we alluded to in an earlier story. The local league has struggled recently, and we've been aware for some time that footy has been under pressure there and the drop-out represents a low point.

Fortunately things appear to be looking up from here. AFL Samoa's Bernard Woodland has told us of several promising changes on the horizon that should steer the country's program back towards an upward path.

Samoa finished 7th in 2002 and 5th in 2005 before dropping to 10th in 2008. Expect to see them return to IC competition in 2014.

We'll have more details on their withdrawal and upcoming changes in the next few days.

Stateside Footy presents an Australian Rules Football match between the Boston Demons and Baltimore-Washington Eagles, played on May 21, 2011 in Fort Washington, MD. Stateside Footy is a cable access TV show produced at WCTV - Wilmington Community Television in Wilmington, MA. It features Aussie Rules Football as it is played in the U.S.A. Visit the show's website at http://www.statesidefootytv.com.

 

 AFL Canada is pleased to announce that four players have been selected by the Australian Football League (AFL) to represent the World XVIII under 18 team in the up coming NAB Australian Under 16's championships to be played in Sydney, Australia in July. This is the 2nd year in a row that four Canadian Juniors have been selected for this honour.

All four players Alex Tivy, Jason Silen, Darren Ledoux, Brennan Lew-Cooke hail from the very successful North Delta Junior Australian Football League (NDJAFL) based in Vancouver, British Columbia that also produced two of the four players selected in the 2010 version of the World XVIII. Vancouver, British Columbia is home of the first Canadian to play professional AFL, Mike Pyke who plays for the Sydney Swans.
 
 

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou yesterday said Australia would host Ireland in a two-match International Rules Series for the Cormac McAnallen trophy in October / November this year.

Australia currently holds the McAnallen trophy after winning both matches under former coach Mick Malthouse in Ireland last year. The opening Test of the 2011 series will be played on Friday October 28 with the second Test set down for Friday November 4.

A collection of photographs featuring Canada's Northwind at the 2008 AFL International Cup has been released. The book was put together by Jen Parker, wife of Canadian footy stalwart Bruce Parker.  Profits go to the current Northwind squad to support their 2011 journey.

The book can be previewed and purchased here.

worldfootynews.com understands that another country has withdrawn from the International Cup.

A couple of late drop-outs is not unexpected, especially with a big field of "possibles", but this country has been a regular good competitor at previous Cups. We'll publish details when we have confirmed them.

The withdrawal leaves a list of 19 nations (not including a possible multicultural side) to compete in this year's men's event. With at least one other country not completely over the line it demonstrates why the AFL are leaving the draw announcement until late - frustrating for fans (we're getting plenty of queries) but hard to avoid.

 

Jan Cooper may have what is arguably the most difficult job in football - as the AFL’s Female Football Development Manager. Recently the AFL has made a huge push for female football development in its bid to bring a Women’s Football League to Australian televisions by 2020 and Jan Cooper is at the front of this charge.

She is responsible for taking the sport from its traditional roots as a “boys only” game and developing it into something attractive to women, whilst overcoming not only the stigma attached to women in sports, but a lot of opposition from the football conservatives.

The AFL has been a male dominated environment for over 150 years, and though women have always been involved, they have typically been resigned to particular roles. Jan’s main challenge is converting the mindset of some in the industry to understand that women do want to coach, umpire and play football, and not just continue in the traditional roles in kiosks or as trainers. This “self-invitation”, she says, has not been easy for some to get their heads around.