World Footy News

There are still plenty of footy xenophobes out there who believe that Australian football should be played by Australians only. But anyone who has been involved with foreigners coming to the game seems to be quickly converted to the idea that the game shouldn't be restricted to those who live in Australia (which of course it is not). There is something special about sharing the game that has largely been a secret to the rest of the world, who for the most part take it up with great enthusiasm.

Luke Ball today wrote in The Age of his encounters with Collingwood team-mate Shae McNamara and surmises that the game can only be better off for the diversity that international expansion can bring. The following is an extract from that article Globalisation of our code can only make us better.

The following statement was released from Team GWS today;

Team GWS Chief Executive Officer Dale Holmes has welcomed today’s announcement from the NSW state government that the proposed upgrade of the Sydney Showgrounds facility will go ahead. "This announcement marks an important milestone for Team GWS as we work to build the first AFL club in Greater Western Sydney. This redevelopment is fundamental to the establishment of our club.”

“This is a terrific result, not only for our club, but for all of New South Wales as this will redevelop existing infrastructure into a multi purpose venue which will enhance the experience of visitors to the Royal Easter Show and open up the venue to a number of different sports including cricket, rugby league, rugby union and soccer.

AFL Game Development Manager David Matthews spoke to SEN radio Saturday about the possibility of NRL star Greg Inglis moving to Essendon in the AFL. He also touches on the strategies behind the signings of Folau, Hunt and the possibility of using Nic Natanui as an ambassador to promote the game in the Pacific region.

The audio can be heard here.

Rome's first-ever Australian rules football match was held last month, with the home town Roma Blues defeating Milano by 25 points.

Among the small crowd who braved the wet conditions to watch the match was former Australian deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer, who is currently Australia's ambassador to the Vatican. Mr Fischer described the event as a strong standard, "better than a Hume league match", referring to the country footy league of his old electorate in southern NSW.

The Roma Blues have recruited around 30 players so far, after starting training earlier this year.

The match got some coverage in the Australian media, with this article appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald.

In other footballing news, the AFL Italia has been awarded the rights to host the 2010 EU Cup in Milano later this year.

Norway's Tromsø Australian Football League have finally emerged from the polar winter and taken the field for 2010. 24 players made it to the first match on May 28th, including a healthy number of local Norwegians. Regular games are scheduled for Friday nights across the summer months.

The Norway Trolls also have an test against Finland in Helsinki coming up on July 17th. Last year saw the Norwegian national team make their first appearance, defeating Sweden in Karlstad, including three players who made the long trek south from Tromsø.

This year the northerners will again be hoping to have some representatives join the players from Oslo and Ås for the match in Helsinki. The Finnish Icebreakers for their part will be hoping for a good showing in the lead-up to their campaign at the first-ever European Championships, being held in Denmark and Sweden at the start of August.

The Australian Football League (AFL) last night announced that AFL Team of the Century member and nine-time Fitzroy Best and Fairest Winner Kevin Murray had been made a Legend of the Game. Murray, who played a club record 333 games for Fitzroy between 1955-74, was elevated to Legend Status at tonight’s Australian Football Hall of Fame dinner at the Palladium Room in Melbourne.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight were Brian Dixon (pictured left - who has been a significant supporter of the development of Australian rules internationally), Stan Heal, Tony Shaw, Ross Smith and Gavin Wanganeen the controversial Wayne Carey whose personal life dramas were seen to have stalled his induction previously.

The Cincinnati Dockers Australian Rules Football Club will begin regular season play on the road against the reigning three-time Mid American Australian Football League (MAAFL) champions, Chicago United. This game will take place on Saturday June 5th at 3 PM central time at Waveland Park in Chicago.

The Convicts are planning their first-ever Australian rules football tour to South America this October, with matches planned against the national teams of Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

A sports tour group offering amateur Australian footballers the chance to play overseas, the Convicts were formed back in 2003, and have conducted Australian rules football tours to Europe, South Africa and North America. The Convicts have also recently begun offering tours for cricket, rugby league, rugby union and soccer.

Junior footy clinics and sightseeing are also included on the itinerary.

For more information, visit theconvicts.com.

Carlton's improving Irishman, Setanta O'hAilpin, is attracting increasing attention as a key in the Blues' forward line as they push for a top four finish in the 2010 AFL premiership race. With a fleet of small indigenous players complementing the tall import, the set up has become known as Setanta and his little helpers. "Carlos" has booted 24.13 so far this year, putting him equal 9th on the goalkicking ladder.

The notoriously shy player has always been reluctant to do media interviews, but recently conducted one with Martin Flanagan for The Age - Beyond the Lore and one for SEN radio below.

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Player agent Peter Jess has conducted the first AFL talent camp in Buenos Aires, as previewed in Search for talent in Argentina. A video from Argentine news site La Nacion appears below.

worldfootynews.com also caught up with Peter Jess (see below) and was keen to ensure that local footy organisers in Argentina and Chile made contact with him. That has happened and hopefully will be the start of a good working relationship that might help push Aussie Rules forward in South America. Jess has confirmed that two exciting young talents have been selected to head to Australia to compete in the World XVIII in the NAB AFL Under 16s.

The Danish Australian Football League (DAFL), Australian Football League Sweden (AFL Sweden) and the European Australian Football Association (EAFA) today announced the official schedule for the inaugural 16-a-side 2010 European Championships of Australian Football.

The schedule outlines the sixteen matches that will ultimately determine the European Champion until the next European Championships in 2013.

The participants are Europe’s best locally developed (non-Australian) international teams representing 8 different nations. As favorites, Ireland will be looking to continue its dominance in Australian Football in Europe, but will have strong competition from Great Britain and Germany, as well as host nations Denmark and Sweden.

As for Finland, Croatia and Iceland, they will be looking to make an impact, test themselves against the experienced teams, and use the tournament to continue preparations towards the 2011 International Cup in Melbourne, Australia.

GWS today officially announced that they have signed Brisbane Broncos (and former Melbourne Storm) rugby league star Israel Folau. Folau is well known for his high leaping catches and has often been touted as a natural choice for a code switch to Australian Rules football.

Folau is known to be a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his parents are of Tongan descent. He was born in Australia. He recently visited Tonga and when asked if he wanted to play for Tonga he said yes. A relaxation of the International Cup rules (and if Kevin Sheedy and Dale Holmes allowed it to happen) could allow him to do that in Australian Rules at the 2011 International Cup where Tonga are expected to field a national team, bearing in mind that GWS will be in the VFL and do not make their AFL debut until 2012.

See also our poll on whether Folau or former teammate Karmichael Hunt will be a greater success in the AFL.