An appreciative and vocal crowd in Alice Springs watched a determined Port Adelaide Power kick start their finals prospects with a resounding win against the Melbourne Demons. The final score saw the Power 18 7 115 defeat the Demons 8 6 54.

For the Port Adelaide crew the visit to the Northern Territory saw their fourth win of the season, seeing them now sit just a game outside the top eight after an indifferent start to the season so far. For the Demons it was a lost opportunity to be in that same boat and instead sit two games adrift of the current top eight.

But the biggest winner was perhaps Northern Territory football. Once again the crowd nudged 5000 people and showcased the game to an enthusiastic Central Australian audience, a part of the country where the game is played with passion the equal of anywhere else in Australia.

The following article by Bence Hamerli for the SBS website looks at the work Bachar Houli, the Richmond AFL footballer, is doing in the western suburbs of Sydney – a state away from his home in Melbourne – to prepare young Muslim footballers for the Bachar Houli Cup.

 

(Picture: Students from Al Faisal College playing in the 2014 Bachar Houli Cup – www.localnewsplus.com )

 

AFL player Bachar Houli has travelled to western Sydney to meet with Islamic school kids for the Bachar Houli Cup.

 

 

On his day off from Richmond training, Bachar Houli travelled to Western Sydney to meet about 200 Islamic students.

It is just a short six weeks until the far North Queensland city of Cairns hosts its annual AFL Premiership match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Western Bulldogs. It is a game which has put the city on the national AFL landscape, and bought the wonderful Cazalys Stadium to a national audience.

But according to some, that exposure could come to an end this year unless the people of the northern city get behind the game and get along in droves to show everyone that we are, in fact, an AFL worthy venue with an even bigger future.

Cairns Mayor, Bob Manning, was quoted on the Fox Sports Pulse AFL Cairns site stating that an NRL fixture earlier this year between reigning premiers the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Canberra Raiders attracted a smaller crowd that expected. ““It was disappointing that we didn’t get a better turnout to the South Sydney game and we’ll be lucky to get another NRL game now,” Mr Manning said. “That’s why I urge people to support the AFL when it’s on here.”

We look at how the International players running around in the VFL fared this past weekend.

Box Hill and Essendon went head to head at Windy Hill on Saturday. It was the Hawks who ran out 23 point winners. Kurt Heatherley (NZ) had a quiet return in terms of possessions with 5 kicks, 3 handballs, 5 marks and one tackle. For the Bombers Conor McKenna (Ire) had a wayward kicking result of 1.3.

The Bulldogs had a 62 point win over Geelong. Padraig Lucey (Ire) also had a quiet day with just 2 hit outs, 1 kick, 1 handball and 1 tackle.

Sean Hampson dominated the ruck for Richmond against Collingwood at Punt Rd. His opponent for much of the day was Mason Cox (USA) and he had just 16 hit outs but was on the winning side of a thrilling three point margin to the Magpies. Cox continued to battle all day and provided a lot to his side in the way of second efforts after the ruck taps.

The AFL this week announced joint winners for the Graeme Samuel Scholarship for 2015.

The Scholarship is awarded by the AFL Commission in recognition of Graeme Samuel’s contribution to the game. Graeme Samuel was one of the original AFL Commissioners when the Commission was formed in 1984, and played he played an invaluable role in the strategic direction of the AFL competition and Australian Football generally.

The Award is $20,000 for future study or professional development.

Round 4 VFL action kicked off at Casey Fields where Casey were 35 point winners over Sandringham . Jason Holmes (USA) had 20 hit outs in the ruck for the Zebras along with one kick, six handballs and two tackles.
 

At Geelong the Cats were defeated by Collingwood by 9 points. Mason Cox (USA) was named in the best for Collingwood as he stepped up the lead ruck role this week with Jared Witts in the Magpies AFL side. Cox had 26 hit outs and laid six tackles for the match. Padraig Lucey (Ire) also played well kicking four goals and was named in Geelong’s best players.
 

Kurt Heatherley (NZ) was solid again in defence for the Box Hill Hawks with 8 kicks, 8 marks, 6 handballs and two tackles while Majak Daw had the fumbles but was still among Werribee’s goalkickers as they finished 4 points ahead of the Hawks.

Irish IC14 representative Padraig Lucey scored a goal for Geelong in their narrow 8 point win over Richmond at Punt Road on Saturday. He also gave away four free kicks so there are definitely a few things for the big man to work on. He also managed 7 hit outs, 3 marks, 6 handballs and 2 tackles.