World Footy News

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Seattle Grizzlies this week showed their stuff on TV show New Day Northwest.

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).

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.

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?

Greg Miller - former Football Operations manager at a number of AFL clubs - is now with Flying Start and he spoke last week with SEN radio's Kevin Bartlett about this Friday's camp in Buenos Aires.

The audio can be heard here.

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.

On any given weekend during an American footy season there can be any number of games happening across the US. With teams playing a number of one off tournaments and some smaller league structures, and metro leagues slotted in here and there the number can vary from one or two and on other weekends in the double figures.

This weekend is one of the latter. In Boston the OAFL Awfuls will be playing games against both Boston Demons and Baltimore/Washington Eagles. The Eagles and Demons will also play each other in their scheduled EAFL clash.

This Sunday the Southern California Australian Football League (SCAFL) will play the third place and Grand Final games for their metro competition, capping a nine round season that started in March. Our thanks to SCAFL President Corey Irwin for this preview

In the third place game the Riverside Football Club will take on the Los Angeles Swans. Riverside has been the talk of the competition this year, with a massive influx of new players thanks to a stepped-up recruiting effort. Look for players like Matt Morgan, Bobby Burgess, Pat Garthwaite and Deron Lien to lead the attack for RFC.