World Footy News

“I played both club and school soccer through U17’s. During my youth games, I ran in the mids/forwards and was a natural goal scorer. After exceeding a score limit set by my coach, I was put into goalkeeper, so everyone had an equal opportunity to play.

"During one game, I was so bored in goal, I was cartwheeling, dancing and leg-swinging to the point I got my cleat stuck behind my body in the net of the goal. In attempt to free myself, I also managed to pin both my arms in the net.”

“My mom loves to describe the next part of the story with enthusiasm, because as one might guess, the other team had a sudden chipped ball over the last defender and is then on a breakaway toward me. With a lot of struggle and some miracle, I yanked my body from the net in time to make a diving save. I remember the eruption of parents on the sideline, and the deep scolding I got after the fact.

"The moral of the story, continuing to affect my sporting career, is to stay involved in the play and the closer I am to impacting the ball, the better.”

Melbourne were victorious in a one point heartstopper over the Western Bulldogs under the roof at Marvel Stadium.

The Dees inaccurate goal kicking almost cost them the win, but they’re still in finals contention this season.

It was an entertaining contest from two quality teams, as they played amazing football.

The match had lots of ebbs and flows and was one of the best AFLW matches this season.

Image Source: Michael Wilson

The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos crushed a fearless Collingwood by 22 points under the roof at Marvel Stadium.

It was a marvellous win by North and this win from North is massive to keep their top two chances in Conference A well and truly alive.

After quarter time, North showed their superiority over the Magpies and it was led by their elite midfield.

Jasmine Garner, Jenna Bruton and Jamie Stanton were the standouts for North in the match.

Image Source: Michael Wilson

Fremantle put on a strong performance in fine conditions, as they thumped Geelong by 36 points at the GMHBA Stadium.

The Dockers ran away with the match in the second half keeping the Cats scoreless and the Cats could not get the football pass the centre line. 

The dynamic Dockers forward line caused headaches for the Cats.

Image Source: Scott Barbour

Image Source: AFL Women's 

Round 6 teams have been released below

Geelong vs Fremantle, Saturday 9th March 2:35pm at GMHBA Stadium

Geelong Cats Squad

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	A.Teague	40	R.Goring	44	M.McMahon	24
Half Backs	M.Hickey	18	M.McDonald	11	D.Taylor	27
Centreline			R.Cranston	30
Half Forwards	D.Orr	2	K.Darby	8	S.Van De Heuvel	27
Forwards	M.Clifford	7	P.McWilliams	23	J.Ivey	5
Followers	E.Hoare	46	R.Garing	12	O.Purcell	16
Interchange	R.Caris	1	M.Keryk	45	J.Crockett-Grills	6
	M.Boyd	26	C.Blakeway	4
Emergencies	G.Rankin	10	G.Clarke	17
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - M.Boyd

Out: - G.Clarke

Fremantle Dockers Squad 

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	L.Mascall	14	T.Bresland	5	A.Stannett	24
Half Backs	A.Williams	9	E.Antonio	12	P.Seth	18
Centreline			K.Bowers	2
Half Forwards	G.O'Sullivan	22	A.Sharp	1	H.Miller	19
Forwards	K.Donnellan - C	15	G.Houghton	27	S.Duffy	6
Followers	P.Laurie	11	D.Hooker	17	S.Cain	20
Interchange	E.Gooch	8	A.Janz	30	A.Atkins	37
	M.Sergeant	23	M.Caulfield	10
Emergencies	L.Pugh	32	K.Grieve	13
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - E.Gooch, A.Atkins

Out: - K.Gibson (injured), L.Pugh

Collingwood vs North Melbourne, Saturday 9th March 4:45pm at Marvel Stadium

Collingwood Squad

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	J.Allen	6	S.Casey	22	I.Ross	21
Half Backs	E.Grant	5	S.Livingstone	12	A.Brazill	10
Centreline			B.Bonnici	8
Half Forwards	D.Guttridge	34	J.Membrey	31	S.Dargan	46
Forwards	S.Rowe	7	S.D'Arcy	4	K.Lynch	16
Followers	E.Hyne	11	S.Chiocci - C	17	J.Lambert	13
Interchange	S.Layton	1	K.Stratton	41	R.Schleicher	18
	M.Shevlin	35	G.Gourlay	32
Emergencies	L.Butler	23	M.Cann	25
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - S.D'Arcy, G.Gourlay

Out: - M.Kuys, S.Alexander

 

Anthony Redmond has compiled the following list of Irish players for the Sports News Ireland website. Whilst the information on each player is brief, the link to the original article is valuable as it contains a small video story about each player. The original article can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/other_sports/aussie-rules-list-of-irish-players-in-the-afl-2019/  

The article does not look into the Irish women playing in the AFLW, though this may be investigated in a future article.

We have the growing list of Irish players in AFL, there will be 14 players in 2019 with various Australian Rules clubs. 

We have decided to look at the current inter-county players who are currently plying their trade in Australia.

David Lake has been appointed Senior Coach of the Gold Coast SUNS’ inaugural AFLW side.

The appointment comes hot on the heels of the club announcing its first three AFLW player signings.

An influential coaching figure in Queensland football over the last 15 years, Lake has coached Mt Gravatt and Morningside in the state league, as well as representative duties coaching Queensland, Papua New Guinea in the AFL International Cup and the first Gold Coast SUNS women’s representative team that played the Brisbane Lions in 2016.

Lake joins the club from the Brisbane Lions AFLW team where he has been their midfield coach since 2016. 

 

Janet Boyle has written this inspirational story for The Sunday Post in Scotland which looks at the journey Ashley Palmer has taken from near death to a desire to one day play again. Once again, it is the courage of people like Ashley that put all forms of football back into perspective. Janet’s story at www.sundaypost.com tells of a young man who, despite what he had endured, still loves his West Lothian Eagles club and team mates. 

Linlithgow sports fanatic determined to return to action after fighting back from horror car smash 

When talented young sportsman Ashley Palmer suffered a serious brain injury in a car crash, his family feared his life was effectively over. 

Left in a coma for six weeks, doctors feared he might not pull through. 

Even as he regained consciousness, he was unable to speak.

Back in the 2010/11 season, the Nightcliff Tigers claimed the wooden spoon. With just three wins for the season and some horrible score-lines, the Tigers as a club knew things had to change. And they did. Since then they have been a perennial finalist but their next premiership has eluded them – possibly until this year.

On Saturday the tigers mauled the Tiwi Bombers in their semi-final. Not only does that see the Tigers through to the 2018/19 grand-final, they have also earned outright favouritism after dismantling the Bombers by 90 points on the weekend and having hammered the Southern Districts Crocs, also by 90 points, in the final home and away round.

For either of those teams to win grand-final day, it would take a massive form turnaround, and it is hard to see the Nightcliff crew relinquishing their dominance.

AFLW matches in Blacktown, Fremantle and Werribee capped off Round 5 of the AFLW all with consequences for the finals and setting the scene for a big finish in the final two home and away rounds.  

Melbourne look to have ended GWS’s chances of playing in the 2019 AFLW finals with a big win over the Giants at Blacktown. 

An even first quarter with the Giants looking dangerous up forward and Bonner and Bernardi looking dangerous.  But the Demons drew away in the second quarter and continued to outplay the Giants around the ground. 

 Image Source @CrowsAFLW

 

Jack Banister from The Guardian has written an amazing story which plumbs the depths of how important football is to the people of the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin. Built around the Tiwi Bombers club, playing in the NTFL, the story shows how sport can transcend into something far greater and noble than a mere contest. Sport has the capacity to change people and their lives in profound and far-reaching ways.

There is no word for suicide 

The words are scrawled across the bottom of a whiteboard in the Tiwi Bombers’ changing rooms at Norbuilt Oval, 30km south of Darwin. The underdogs are preparing to play the second-placed Southern Crocs. 

Overhead, rusty fans aren’t coping with the heavy January air. The benches creak, the showers leak. A small speaker pumps out upbeat saltwater R&B by a seven-piece outfit called B2M, which stands for Bathurst to Melville, the two main islands that make up the Tiwis.

The French footy season recommenced yesterday when the Paris Cockatoos made the journey south to meet the Bayonne Toreadors in the opening match of Round 5 of the CNFA Leo Lagrange competition.

Going into the round, both teams were in the mix for possible finals football, so a win to either team would be hugely valuable. After the Round 4 matches had been completed, all teams were still in the race for finals if they could find consistency over the remaining five rounds. A win in this match would certainly strengthen that team’s claims.

The Toreadors had already proven themselves to be highly competitive, with their maiden win against the ALFA Lions in Round 2 following their impressive debut match when they pushed the Paris Cockerels to a 20-point result.