The Tokyo Goannas triumphed in the AFL Japan Grand Final played out on Saturday 21st November at the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club.
In what turned out to be a 'come from behind' thriller, the Tokyo Goannas over came a Tokyo Bay Suns three quarter time 11 point advantage with a 4 goal to 2 goal last quarter to take out their seventh Top League Grand Final by a mere 2 points, final scores being 10 - 8 (68) to 10 - 6 (66).

It was a hard fought battle from the outset between the two powerhouse teams in the AFL Japan Top League East, with the Suns kicking away to 4 goal to one first quarter.

With a pair of goals each from Nakamura Hisaosame (Suns) and N. Payne (Goannas) the Suns maintained their 3 goal lead in the second quarter, 6 -3 (39) to 3 - 3(21)

The Grand Final for AFL Japan will be played this Saturday 31st November, the match will be a battle between two powerhouses of Japanese footy.

Two-time reigning premiers Tokyo Bay Suns will battle it out against the multi-premiership winning Tokyo Goannas with the Goannas probably being the warm favourites as they made their way into the Grand Final by crushing the Senshu Powers last Sunday 22-14 (145) to 9-8 (62), whereas the Suns fended off the Komazawa Magpies in a memorable First Semi-final 14-8 (92) to 9-11 (65).

The Grand Final will begin at 4.25 pm at the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club, 11-1 Yaguchidai, Naka-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa.

This month in Kolkata, India, the annual AFL India National Championships – the ARFAI OGM Cup - Australian Rules football tournament was held. The tournament has continued to grow – both in numbers and standard – over recent years. This year’s event was won by the Bengal Tigers over the Jharkhand Crows. The final score war the Tigers 2 6 18 down the Crows 2 1 13.

 

The following article from the Koltata Konnector website, written by Abhijit Ganguly, takes a closer look at the growth of the game in India in the wake of the tournament.

 

 

The game was officially born 156 years ago when in 1859 its rules were codified four years before soccer even had a codified set of rules, but it had been played for several years before that across the southern states of Australia. 

 

The following article from the AFL Asia website gives a wrap of the recent Asian Champs tournament in Bangkok. The Hong Kong Dragons took the Division 1 title, whilst the Laos Elephants celebrated winning the title in Division 2.

 

The Hong Kong Dragons have restored their claim to being the most successful team in Asia following their 6th AFL Asian Championships victory, defeating a gallant Malaysian Warriors team 4.11.35 to 2.3.15 in what many have described as the most successful ‘Asian Champs’ in the 16 year history of the event, this year hosted by the Thailand Tigers at the Harrow International School in Bangkok on Saturday 17 October.

 

 

Playing their 5th straight Asian Champs Grand Final, the experience of the Dragons in managing a large roster of players to get through the biggest day of footy in Asia shone through, running over the Warriors in the second half to put the Dragons back on top of Asian footy after last year’s Grand Final defeat to the Singapore Wombats.

On October 10th, 2015 teams from across Japan travel to Chiba, just outside of Tokyo for the much anticipated 4th AFL Japan Cup. In what was a welcome change from the torrential rain of previous years, the weather held up to allow for a massive day of competitive football from seven of Japan’s clubs.

There was some doubt heading into the tournament as to who the favourites would be as one of the JAFL’s powerhouse clubs, the Tokyo Bay Suns decided to join forces with competition debutants, the Miyazaki Grandswells, while veteran clubs, the Eastern Hawks and the R246 Lions merged toform a formidable team for the tournament. Throw in the Senshu Powers, Tokyo Goannas, Komazawa Magpies, Shonan Poseidons and the new team from Sendai Port, and it was the scene was set for a special day.

The competition started with a round robin of matches where each team played each other once with the highest finishing teams then contesting for the cup in the finals. The initial rounds saw some aggressive, bruising football as all teams were out to win their early games.

The 16th AFL Asian Championships, to be held this Saturday 17 October in Bangkok, is set to be the biggest and best ever, with record numbers of teams, local player initiatives and a new 2-division format.

13 teams from across the Asian region will descend on Bangkok this week, with the Singapore Wombats looking to defend their 2014 “Asian Champs” title against six other teams in the new First Division, including the Hong Kong Dragons, Jakarta Bintangs, Malaysian Warriors, Philippine Eagles, Vietnam Swans and hosts the Thailand Tigers.

“The new format means no easy games this year”, said Vietnam Swans President and AFL Asia Vice President Grant Keys. “The larger teams just won’t be able to rest and rotate players like they have in the past, it should really even things out. All seven first division teams are going to Bangkok believing they can win it.”

 

The Hong Kong Dragons have won the Asian Champs tournament in Bangkok, Thailand. Final scores: HK Dragons 4 11 35 d Malaysian Warriors 2 3 15. Congratulastions to the Dragons. More details to follow.

 

The Port Adelaide website has released a story outlining the role the club has had in the development of the game in Asia, particularly with the China Reds team. The article below showcases their involvement ahead of the Asian Championships which begin tomorrow in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

(Picture: Zhang Hao, Russell Ebert, Chen Shao Ling – Port Adelaide FC)

 

THE China Reds will take part in the AFL Asian Championships in Bangkok this weekend with the help of Port Adelaide as part of the club’s push into Asia.

 

With money raised from the 2014 Port Adelaide ANZAC Day fundraising auction, 11 local Chinese players have been given the opportunity to make the trip to Thailand.

Elephants play footy at Wanneroo AFC, Perth, WA. in effort to promote and develop Aussie Footy Internationally.

Earlier this year in July two Laotian Australian Rules footballers played an invitational match for Wanneroo Amateur Football Club in Perth, Western Australia.

Story following courtesy of AFL Asia.

Years of planning and fundraising has finally paid off for two Aussie Rules clubs thousands of kilometers and oceans apart. Through the efforts of Wanneroo Amateur FC legend and current Laos Elephants President Steve Chapman, two Laos Elephants have been given the trip of a lifetime and in doing so, creating a strong bond between the two clubs.

After playing in Wanneroo’s 2010 Premiership, “Chappy” ventured off into a remote mine site in Laos and has not looked back, being a key driver of the Laos Elephants successful local development program.

Port Adelaide, in partnership with the University of South Australia, is delighted to announce the club’s SAASTA Aboriginal AFL Academy team will travel to China in November to take part in a series of cultural initiatives including an exhibition game against Team China, the Chinese national AFL team, in Guangzhou.

The Academy team will travel to China on November 23 for a ten-day trip that will include cultural exchange sessions at local schools, football coaching clinics, an official reception at the Australian Embassy and a visit to the Great Wall of China.

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas said this excursion, which has been partly funded by UniSA, provides a rare opportunity for the Aboriginal and Chinese cultures to unite.

AFL Japan extends invitation to footy clubs from around the world to contest the Japan Cup.

The Japan Cup has been held every two years since around 2001 and this year will be contested on October 10th 2015.

Originally called the Sugadaira Cup because it was held in Sugadaira, Nagano Prefecture.