World Footy News

It's exciting to report the first true international tour by a Tongan representative side. After their successful first season of schoolboys footy in the Kingdom, their best side has been selected and will travel to nearby Samoa, to take on their arch rivals.

Players from AFL club Essendon will visit Japan for 10 days in December, as part of a pre-season trip aimed at developing their leadership group.

Brian Clarke of the International Australian Football Council (disputed title) has released preliminary details of the second annual Multicultural Cup.

Several weeks ago the Tokyo Goannas (of the Japan AFL) and Box Hill North (from the Victorian Amateur Football Association) announced the winner of their 2004 scholarship. As in 2003, it allowed a player from BHN to travel to Japan for about three weeks, to train and play with the Samurais, a University based side. It helps further build on the links established between BHN and the Japanese league. The following is from the Tokyo Goannas website.

The exciting USAFL television deal with ASTN, to broadcast US Australian Rules football matches, is now being put into place for the 2005 season schedule.

The USAFL works with Macquarie Univsersity (in New South Wales, Australia) and AFL club Essendon (in Melbourne) to provide two scholarships each year for promising players to travel to Australia and play at a higher level. The 2005 winners have been announced.

In another encouraging sign for international footy, young English immigrant to Australia, Brad Moran, has been drafted by the North Melbourne Kanagroos.

A new Australian Rules football website has been launched, Football Australien. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first French language website dedicated to our great game.

AFL club St Kilda has made one of the shocks of AFL National Draft day, selecting a young man of PNG descent, from outside the elite talent programs. Hopefully his heritage will make him a further role model for the thousands of kids now playing footy in Papua New Guinea, just like Mal Michael of the Brisbane Lions, who has a huge profile in Australia\'s northern neighbour.

From http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=aflfocus&spg=display&articleid=177483

During September, Baltimore Washington Eagle Gus Horsey ventured to Nairobi, Kenya where he ran several footy clinics and organised a grand final between four local teams.

After what some might say was neglect, the mainstream Australian media have had a few reports recently about potential players coming into the AFL from overseas, and the growth of the game in South Africa. Perhaps Australian sports journalists are starting to realise that readers have an interest in footy beyond their own club.

It has been two years since the inaugural International Cup, held in Melbourne. The event was a great success and plenty has been said and written about it, but there have been many new developments in the world of Australian Rules football, and hopefully a lot of new people have become interested in this emerging aspect of the game. So worldfootynews.com thought it would be worthwhile reviewing the 2002 event. Later, we will preview the 2005 tournament.