World Footy News

In news from the United States' NFL, where several Australian footballers have converted to American football, it's play-off time for two former AFL players.

Ben Graham will feature in a playoff game for his new team the Arizona Cardinals next week, although he has been in the playoffs once before with his former team the New York Jets. After arriving with the Cards late in a turbulent season for the former Geelong captain, he has punted well and held well for Kicker Neil Rackers. Although Graham is not hitting any massive punts it seems his accuracy – particularly on the shorter punts is working well for his new team.

The Cardinals today defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the final regular season match 34-21. Graham punted three times for an average (and net average) of 42.7 yards including two inside the 20 yard line. He also held for four successful conversions and two successful field goal attempts. After recent poor performances (one win from their last five games), the Cardinals will be heartened by a good result going into next week’s match.

On this site we've bemoaned the lack of improvement to Adelaide's number one football ground, AAMI Stadium (Football Park). In particular South Australian fans have had to sit by while there have been major upgrades to the MCG, the building of the indoor Telstra Dome (Docklands Stadium), and a complete overhaul of the Gabba in Brisbane, as well as plans for a brand new facility in Perth and Sydney having use of ANZ Stadium (was Telstra Stadium / Olympic Stadium).

During that time AAMI Stadium has improved. New seating and the addition of two video screens and the relatively small northern grandstand have all made the venue better. But all along fans have wanted several things - to get closer to the action (the 1970s design with low sloping stands leaves the audience a long way from the playing surface), to increase the capacity (the Crows had a long waiting list for season tickets), and of course the ultimate dream - an indoor stadium closer to the city centre, as the AFL built in Melbourne.

The SANFL, owners of AAMI Stadium, in the Adelaide suburb of West Lakes, have had plans to upgrade, but have consistently denied the viewing distance was an issue or that it would change. The constant criticism of that line has caused some friction, so it is somewhat ironic that they have now released their plans for the upgrade - and it includes moving around one third of the spectators closer to the field. But simultaneous with the positive result came the negative - due to the global financial crisis, the state government has "postponed" its funding support. Thus the major changes will be delayed.

In our continuing series towards a list of World Rankings for 2008, it's time to determine what other countries should be included. The obvious ones so far are the sides that attended the 2008 Australian Football International Cup. What other nations could reasonably be expected to provide a squad of say 22 players under International Cup qualification rules? The players should be active players, having played in 2008, but not restricted to those that can travel - let's assume the dream situation that all expenses are paid or that any international matches are hosted locally.

Auckland’s season has just concluded and the North Shore Tigers have triumphed over University Blues after an unbelievable turnaround from their Second- Semi Final clash. Under the coaching of NZAFL CEO and current NZ Falcons’ coach Rob Vanstam even this result is surprising.

Also news of two Life Memberships at another Auckland club, and more success for talented young player Liam Ackland.

Footy has finished for the year in Port Moresby, the capital of PNG. The Senior Men’s final was marred by violence but in great news for the sport the girls and boys junior finals were completed very satisfactorily in a range of age grades from under 12 to under 19.

The senior final saw the Pro-Mak University Bulldogs captained by Mosquitoes captain, Rex Leka, live up to their top billing claiming the Port Moresby Kelloggs Mars AFL premiership. The Dogs beat Moresby Swans 11.7 (73) to 8.9 (57) in a nail biting showdown during which violence marred the final. The Dogs were dominant throughout, leading at the end of all quarters but nearly failed to shut out the Swans in the final quarter.

Fights broke out twice in the second and fourth quarter and nearly got out of control but fortunately police managed to quell the situation. Indeed according to the Post-Courier “If it weren’t for Swans spectator violence, the boys in red should have taken out the title when they had the chance in the last quarter.”

The Perth Now website reports that AFL club Fremantle will continue with their efforts in South Africa in early 2009 despite the cancellation of the NAB Cup AFL match between Collingwood and West Coast.

According to Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich, "The Fremantle Football Club's community development staff will be conducting a range of activities in South Africa's North West Province in February 2009 and we will continue to work with the AFL to assist in developing strategies to expand the code in South Africa".

"We have long-term agreements with our strategic partners in South Africa, including Nkwe Platinum, Continental Capital and Air Mauritius, and we are committed to our efforts in the North West Province".

Curiously the article states that "The Dockers made a $200,000 profit from their exhibition match against Carlton in Pretoria last February". Our understanding was that the figure was money to be ploughed back into South African development. The article does also say that "Fremantle is on the verge of appointing a SA development officer, to be based in North West Province".

It also reports that "The Eagles, Dockers, Collingwood and Carlton have until late next year to confirm their commitment to future football development in SA".

Full article, by Kim Hagdorn: Dockers push on with SA plans despite AFL cuts

The USAFL are seeking to fill Revolution Team Coach and USAFL Accountant positions. All details below.

International footy returns to the US in 2009 when the national team, the Revolution host old foes the Canadian Northwind at Mason, Ohio. The weekend of footy will be a warmup run for the venue that will later in the year host the USAFL National Championships.

Although the Northwind will be wearing the white shorts they should go in as favourites given the August 2007 result and the fact that they finished higher placed than the US in the recent International Cup in Melbourne. Both countries will be interested whether Canadian young gun, Scott Fleming will be home for the clash or continuing his Down Under footy education.

Last December we reported on the formation of the Bordeaux Bombers - France's third club. Since then, 2008 has seen the creation of the Montpellier Fire Sharks on the Mediterranean coast and the rebirth of footy in northern Catalonia, with the creation of the Perpignan Tigers.

This month sees the French footballing fraternity welcome new clubs in the cities of Aix-en-Provence and Toulouse. The Aix Rascasses will be the first club in France's south-east, the name "Rascasse" translating as Scorpionfish in English - a venomous inhabitant of the waters around Marseille and the Côte d'Azur.

The Toulouse Crocodiles will bring footy to another of France's main centres. With Toulouse, Montpellier and Perpignan all within a few hours' drive of each other, and Bordeaux, Aix and the Catalan league not too much further in either direction, the future looks promising for an area that only 12 months ago had no clubs at all.

The Wellington AFL (WAFL) competition has just concluded with the Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs easily accounting for the North City Demons in the Grand Final. The Bulldogs have now lost just one game in the past two seasons, and that was midway through 2008 when the Demons trounced them during the home and away season. The Bulldogs used that to focus for the remainder of the season to go through and take their third Premiership in the past four years.

Much has happened in the South Island of NZ with Aussie Rules over the past few months. Funnily enough, Aussie Rules had just about dwindled away to nothing in Canterbury in the mid 90’s. Previous to that they had a competitive competition centered in Christchurch, but by the mid 90’s they were often down to playing 6-a-side games, with young kids involved, just to get a kick for the die-hards.

In late 1997, with an invitation to the WAFL from a keen Canterbury committee, I took a team down from Wellington to Picton, the beautiful ferry port at the top end of the South Island, and reignited the Wellington/Canterbury Provincial rivalry which had been dormant for about 8 seasons.

Things have changed greatly in just over a decade since.

The first ever International Rules game to take place in France was held in Paris on Monday 24th of November. It saw two Parisian teams, the Gaels of Gaelic football and the Cockerels of Australian football, fighting hard for the win on a cold winter night.

It has been an exciting year for both teams, the Cockerels won the inaugural French Cup in June, and the Gaels finished the European Cup as runners up.

The match saw the Gaels run out comfortable winners, with a final scoreline of 84-17, but set in motion plans for a regular Paris International Rules series to be held in the coming winter.