World Footy News

AFL club Essendon are trialling Ethiopian tall man Goaner Tutlan. The 22 year old came to Australia as a refugee four years ago, and although his skills are only in the early stages of development, he has a background in soccer and basketball and his athleticism has impressed officials at the Bombers.

In what could be a first for secondary schools in the Northern Hemisphere, two schools in Canada have fielded Australian Rules sides. The Etobicoke Kangaroos Australian Football Club (from the Ontario AFL) has conducted three weeks of training, finishing with an inter-schools match, between St Clement and Bishops Strachan. The following is from Greg Everett (Head Coach of the Canadian National men's side, the Northwind).

Every now and then the debate begins about which football clubs (regardless of code) are the biggest or best supported, or which cities support their teams best. Now there is a website that answers some of these questions.

The Arizona AFL have launched their new season and their new look website. The league is a trailblazer in the USAFL, with almost all players being American. Due to the weather in this western US state, they also play most of their season when much of the rest of the country is getting ready for the harsh winter months.

Youth participation in Australian football is growing worldwide as clubs realise its potential for attracting future players and families to the sport. In this article, NZAFL's Steve Froggatt talks about his country's recent Auskick restructure, the program currently provided and the recent growth of football in New Zealand

Rumours continue in Ireland that AFL club Carlton have offered Aisake O'hAilpin the chance to trial with them. Aisake is the younger brother of Setanta, already showing great promise on Carlton's rookie list, and Sean Og, who starred for Ireland in the recent International Rules series.

Australian Rules football leagues are springing up all around the world, but what chance does a junior player have of making it to the very top? worldfootynews.com takes a look from the statistical side.

The University of Canterbury Cougars are Premiers of the Canterbury AFL after defeating the Eastern Blues 7.11 (53) to 4.12 (36) on Saturday at QE11 Stadium, Christchurch.

Many historians have sifted through the early years of Australian Rules football, and often found it difficult to establish exactly when and where the game was played. In modern times, the sport's spread around the globe has often been largely under-estimated, but also sometimes exaggerated. As best that worldfootynews.com can determine, there is no repository of knowledge that will accurately show just how many countries, clubs, teams and players play Australian Rules football outside of its ancestral home, Australia. As such, worldfootynews.com is undertaking the daunting task of a World Footy Census. This is also the best time, given that it is near year's end and between seasons for most leagues around the world. But we'll need the help of the clubs.

Over the past few weeks this World Footy News reporter has posted a series of reports on International Rules. Though favourably disposed to the hybrid game and a believer in its possibilities, I had not seen a live Test since 2001 in Adelaide. In 2003 only the Rugby WC was available on TV in the UK, and mercifully I didn't have access to witness Ireland's whitewash of Australia in the IR First Test last week. So it was with anticipation that I ventured to the Cusack Stand of Croke Park with family and friends from Australia, Wales and Ireland.

Geelong star Ben Graham has quit the AFL to pursue a punting career in the NFL with the New York Jets.

The North Fremantle Amateur Football Club are in the final stages of a remarkable World Tour. A large party of players and officials have visited the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States, in a great initiative that exposes their young men to different cultures, whilst also giving them the rare chance to play teams from other countries. No doubt many more Australian Rules football clubs will follow their lead in years to come, as the game continues to grow outside of Australia, and clubs think about developing their players as both footballers and well rounded individuals. Details of who they played and how they fared follows.