Independent News and Views from the International Aussie Rules Community

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Blues go Green for World Environment Day

  • Monday, May 31 2010 @ 09:30 pm ACST
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General News The Carlton Football Club, in conjunction with its sustainability partner Visy, will this week commit to a series of promotional activities in the lead up to one of the most significant dates on the global calendar – World Environment Day.

This year – June 5, 2010 – marks the 10th Anniversary of World Environment Day – a landmark event acknowledged in more than 100 nations, Australia included.

Carlton too is doing its bit to draw attention to World Environment Day, when its players tread the most famous patch of turf in the nation - the MCG – for the Green Game against Melbourne.

AFL's new Golden boy on board

  • Monday, May 31 2010 @ 02:19 pm ACST
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Oceania

New Zealand born Gold Coast Football Club recruit Karmichael Hunt fully expects his transition to AFL to be tough and a lot of hard work but is ready for the challenge.

Hunt was raised in Australia but has very limited Australian Rules experience. He has played Rugby League and Rugby Union at an elite level, and spent his first day at the Club meeting the playing group and staff and undergoing testing in preparation for his first training session scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Pirika "out of this world" and Barry pushes for AFL chance

  • Sunday, May 30 2010 @ 12:13 am ACST
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Oceania

Queensland footy is all the stronger for their embracing of PNG footballers both at local and state level. One player leading the way is Donald Barry - in such good form there's even a suggestion he could be the first "home grown" Papua New Guinean to make the AFL. Another who we've watched closely since his excellent display in the 2008 International Cup grand final, Amua Pirika, turned in perhaps a career best match last week, prompting high praise from his coach.

Big V stamps authority

  • Saturday, May 29 2010 @ 08:09 pm ACST
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  • Views: 2,444
General News

Last weekend the VFL crunched the WAFL at Leederville Oval in Perth by 55 points. It was a short lived revival for the Western Australian state league, having knocked off South Australia by 1 point the previous year.

It was an ominous performance by the Victorian league's players, and stamps them as clear favourites to take out the title as best state league in the current 3 year cycle.

Hawks look to give back to Kokoda kids

  • Thursday, May 27 2010 @ 10:29 pm ACST
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Oceania Hawthorn’s Round 10 match will be dedicated to Kokoda to raise funds for The Kokoda Track Foundation, which supports the education and healthcare needs of children who live along The Track today.

The Hawks will wear a special commemorative match-day camouflage guernsey, which will be individually signed by each player and auctioned off after the game, the proceeds of which will go to The Kokoda Track Foundation

A great initiative, and we hope the Hawks can extend their future trips to Kokoda to include interaction with the footy youth of PNG who would appreciate contact with the AFL stars. The Hawks could also look at joining clubs such as Essendon, Richmond, Brisbane and the Gold Coast in taking on some PNG youths under the International scholarship scheme.

Two Chinese players eyeing World XVIII spots

  • Thursday, May 27 2010 @ 09:40 pm ACST
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  • Views: 3,314
Asia

Earlier this month World Footy News announced expanded squads for the South Pacific Nations and World XVIII clubs, to participate for the first time in this year’s NAB AFL Under 16 Championships.

The AFL left open at least 4 spots in World XVIII side, and news out of China suggests that one more of those players may have been found.

Canuck's cross code kit

  • Wednesday, May 26 2010 @ 01:48 pm ACST
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North America

The Sydney Swans' players will train today in the guernseys of their junior clubs, an initiative of Swans forward, Jarred Moore. So what will Mike Pyke train in is the big question?

While it will be a Canadian one, it will unfortunately be the guernsey he wore when he played in the Rugby World Cup for Canada - and not that of the Canada Northwind team (see below).

Tassie's Sudanese connection

Africa

We’ve heard and seen much about North Melbourne and African refugee Majak Daw. Rookie listed by the Roos, Majak is continuing his footy apprenticeship with Werribee in the VFL.

However, this week sees the AFL Under 18 National championships being held in Sydney at Blacktown Oval. And it’s Tasmania that has an interesting player in their squad - 17 year old Tour Miar, a lightly build (69 kg 195 cm) ruckman.

Wartovo still a goalkicking machine

  • Monday, May 24 2010 @ 08:14 pm ACST
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  • Views: 3,040
Oceania

Emmaus Wartovo, a key member of Papua New Guinea's victorious 2008 International Cup squad, is having a great season for Labrador in Queensland's top state league. The Mosquito representative has so far booted 17 goals in 7 games, including 5 goals on the weekend, but it wasn't enough to get the team over the line, losing by 7 points to Morningside. Despite the excellent haul for a small forward (he was listed at 173cm at age 21 for IC08), Emmaus has only featured in the best players once. He also had a great run in Tasmania in-between Queensland stints and was a major goalkicker during the Mozzies' victorious 2008 Cup campaign.

Meanwhile in the same league, countryman Amua Pirika had a breakout game for Mt Gravatt, with his best on ground performance steering the Vultures to a 4 point win over NT Thunder in Alice Springs (the Northern Territory have a pseudo-representative side in Queensland's top league). PNG's John James was named Mt Gravatt's third best player.

With so many Papuans playing well across Aussie leagues, in a forthcoming article we'll ask the question, just how good is PNG's best side?

Search for talent in Argentina

  • Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 09:41 pm ACST
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  • Views: 5,693
South America

Talent scouts have headed to Buenos Aires in search of the next wave of AFL talent.

Peter Jess, well known for his involvement in recruiting Irish players, is heading the push. Greg Miller (former Richmond football manager) is the primary talent identifying agent, Robert Forster-Knight is in charge of athletic assessment, and in South America there is Leandro Zarco and Mario Cabellero. The West Coast Eagles' Steve Woodhouse is also expected to be present.

The plan is to target 16 to 18 year old players from soccer, Rugby and basketball, obviously those who don't get the opportunities/contracts they were seeing in those sports. Initially on offer is the chance for two players to "be selected to play in the Rest Of The World team in this years AFL National Underage Talent Championship", i.e. to join the World XVIII in July. The group will cover all expenses including 2 weeks preparatory training.

The group has set up a dual English and Spanish website, AFL Argentina and a Facebook page.

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