World Footy News

The Essendon Football Club along with Cricket Victoria and supported by Primus Telecom, last week launched the GLoBALL initiative, which, "aims to provide positive engagement opportunities for international students and new migrants to interact with the broader Victorian community through sport by providing free cricket and football activities year round."

Through the program, thousands of international students and newly arrived migrants will have the opportunity to attend up to three AFL matches. The first intake attended last round's match in which Essendon defeated the Hawks.

According to the Bombers' media release, "beyond matches, program participants will have the opportunity to be involved in tours of iconic facilities, will be buddied up with AFL and cricket supporters on match days, and will enjoy practical skill sessions and other social events."

A website has also been set up, suggesting some activities newly arrived migrants and international students might like to be involved in.

Setanta O’hAlpin (pictured left) and Tadhg Kennelly (right) have both started the AFL season in highly impressive form but as yet are the only Irish players to have played senior football in the AFL in 2010. Kennelly has been instrumental in the Sydney Swans shock rise to first place in the ladder after six matches, winning five and only losing a tight contest to premiership favourites St. Kilda. Setanta has kicked 16 goals for Carlton including a personal best 5 goals against arch rivals Collingwood last week and has been in career best form.

A quick plug for our main sponsor, Burley-Sekem, who do sell to countries around the world, and can provide various Australian football items including Guernseys (jumpers) and footballs. Of particular interest is the colourful array of international jumpers they've produced and specifically featured in their brochure which can be accessed by clicking on the yellow Order Sheet that features at the top of our site.

With an "awesome display of guts, determination and sheer skill", the mighty Huddersfield Rams outclassed six opponents from around England & Wales to take out the UK National Carnival in Portmsouth on Saturday April 24th.

In only their second year, and proudly wearing Western Australian State-of-Origin jumpers until their new kit arrives, the Huddersfield Rams brought the cup back to Yorkshire for the first time in the tournament's history.

The Rams won six games out of six to battle through to the final, before seeing off the hosts the Portsmouth Pirates. Rams captain Danny Armitage picked up the Golden Boot award for the tournament with an outstanding performance of 18 goals.

Club founder and president, Karl Haigh said “I’m so proud of the effort put in by the lads – both in the build up to and duration of the carnival. Considering that we came here last year and did not win a game, to come here in 2010 and go on and win the thing is amazing.”

The 9-a-side National Carnival is the last pre-season tournament before the regular season begins, this year hosted in Portsmouth by the Portsmouth Pirates with the Southampton Titans, Bournemouth Demons, Bristol Dockers, Sheffield Thunder, Cardiff Double Blues and the Rams all vying for the Cup.

This report courtesy of the Huddersfield Rams AFC.

USFootyNews.com is counting down the 2010 Preseason Top 10. At Number 8 is the Boston Demons.

The Boston Demons are my dark horse pick for the 2010 National Championship. Keep an eye on the boys from Boston, they mean business.

In 2009, they spent much of the season on the road which helps to explain their 2-4 record during the regular season. At Nationals, however, the showed some glimpses with a draw against the 2008 National Champions, the Vancouver Cougars, and 1 point point loss to Golden Gate.

Head Coach, Scott Nicholas, was encouraged by the performances and is hopeful for 2010. "A very disappointing feeling but also a very encouraging one. We feel that we are getting very close to having the team we want that will give Nationals a real shake."

Boston's Andrew Stratford takes a leap at the 2009 EAFL Tourney in Philly. Photo: Rob Oliver.

An article by Jennifer Witham for the AFL website reports that the Kaspersky AFL Cup, October's match in Shanghai between Melbourne and Brisbane, is a chance to be broadcast live into the Shanghai region. If so, it could reach 100 million viewers and be a great introduction for the game into the Chinese market.

As previously reported, the AFL has been in talks with the Shanghai Media Group to broadcast the match live, and the concept has been boosted with a recent radio broadcast in Mandarin of Melbourne's minor round match against Brisbane by Jamie Pi on 3CW, a Chinese language radio station in Melbourne.

Furthermore, the AFL, Monash and La Trobe University ticket giveaway appears to have been a success, with 2605 students attending the match.

The Melbourne Football Club have been active in pushing the game into China for several years, but for a while appeared to lose momentum as they struggled on and off the field. 2010's on field revival certainly makes the Demons a much more viable option to promote Aussie Rules to China and international students in Melbourne.

Monash's director of sport Martin Doulton said the opportunity to attend Saturday's match was enthusiastically received by the students.

"For our many international students and staff who came along with their Australian friends and colleagues this was truly an iconic Australian cultural experience that will live in their memory for many, many years," he said.

"Lots of students commented on the fact that rival fans could mingle together without the need for fences to separate the rival tribes that is so prevalent overseas."

The following press release indicates a possible exciting TV program that promises to bring an American youngster to the AFL Draft Camp. On first viewing it all looks very speculative, but the accompanying video quickly shows that this is a serious endeavour.

We reprint most of the release below. It is somewhat disjointed but in short American Footy Star, created and produced by former F.I.F.A. sports agent Miro Gladovic; who will host a U.S. based, athletic talent competition in search of the next Australian Football League (AFL) star. The kick-off event will take place at the residence of the Australian Consul-General Saturday evening, May 8th, 2010 in Brentwood, CA, to celebrate the sport of Footy while introducing Australian Football to new fans here in the United States.

One lucky American athlete will be selected from the inaugural Dallas, Texas Footy Combines, and will win a trip to Australia and have the opportunity to be mentored by the AFL celebrity judges and be invited to the AFL “2010 Rookie Draft Camp.” Australian and American celebrities along with AFL representatives and sponsors will be on hand to show their support and love for Aussie’s national pastime.

Kevin Sheedy, legendary AFL coach and future coach of the 18th AFL club, Greater Western Sydney, has put forward the idea of an 11-per-side tournament to replace the NAB Cup, the AFL's pre-season series. And he reckons it could have an international flavour:

"It might encourage other countries to find 15 young players in say USA, Japan, Great Britain, Ireland or South Africa. They could come out and have a crack at it".

Sheeds has said the Rugby 7s in Hong Kong was his inspiration, although he has been heavily exposed to international Australian football, where the concept of reduced numbers games has been regularly applied for many years, especially across the United States and Europe. His idea also is very similar to a proposal put forward by worldfootynews.com to the AFL and also partially published online. So certainly then some of us here think the concept has plenty of merit.

As foreshadowed recently on WFN, the AFL today announced the appointment of a full time AFL International Development Manager. Former Fitzroy, Collingwood and Hawthorn player, Tony Woods, takes on the role.

The 40 year old previously had extensive experience in his role with Austereo, as well as establishing the commercial base for the Gold Coast FC and more recently with Collingwood. From debut to retirement his AFL football career spanned 1989 to 2002.

The AFL's David Matthews stated that "This is a significant strategic appointment for the game. It is the first full-time dedicated international role at AFL Head Office".

"In recent years, with relatively modest budgets we have worked with international affiliates, AFL Clubs, Government and corporate partners to test the game's potential and identify priority international markets".

The European Australian Football Association has appointed the first-ever full-time regional manager for the sport of Australian rules football in Europe, with Peter Romaniw the successful candidate.

EAFA Chairman Gerard Murphy says four candidates were interviewed in a marathon session on March 2nd. "Peter has been working with the AFL in a development role with coaching, umpires, administration and volunteers. He has degrees in Sports Administration and Sports Science, has previously worked overseas and speaks fluent Ukrainian."

"With such a large emphasis at both the Zagreb and Frankfurt Conferences being placed on umpiring, coaching and junior development and accreditation, the Commission are sure that Peter will be a wonderful asset to Australian Football in Europe," Murphy says.

Romaniw brings to the position a broad range of experience in both Game Development and politics, having previously worked as a Multicultural Development Officer with the Richmond Football Club and AFL Victoria, as well as Community Liaison Officer to the Australian Federal Minister for Sport.

He is also involved in a volunteer capacity with the Ukrainian World Congress International Sports Council, and worked as an observer to the 2004 Ukrainian Presidential Elections.

Whilst Gerard Murphy says the details are still being finalised, Romaniw is expected to take up the position in the coming weeks. WFN wishes him well on his appointment.

In this age of growing footy throughout the world, the challenges facing the organisers of the largely amateur-status sport are many. Finance, player availability, available venues etc. One of the things you don't expect to come up against too often is Mother Nature.

One of the important but easily overlooked issues for the growth of international Aussie Rules is providing good coaching, and perhaps even more importantly, good umpiring. Whilst expat-Aussies often help kick start clubs and leagues, long term it is crucial to get locals involved in these important roles - and Australians often have a thing or two to learn about the laws of the game too.

Australian football in Canada recently received a boost with two weeks of official accreditation occurring across the country.