An interesting development has happened recently which has bucked the recent trend of Irish players being signed up by AFL clubs. Four players have decided to turn their backs on lucrative contracts and return to Ireland to play for their GAA counties in the amateur game. In the past, if an Irish player left the Australian game this was mainly because their contracts were not renewed, but a player like Martin Clarke obviously still had a big future with the Pies and many were surprised that he chose to return to County Down.

The first ever ‘Bute International Test Series’ between Wales and Scotland has ended, with the Cyrmu Red Dragons (Wales) lifting the Crichton-Stuart Cup.

The Red Dragons and the Scottish Puffins played two matches, held in Glasgow and Cardiff, with the Welsh awarded the series on aggregate score after both sides claimed victory in their respective home matches.

Played 12-a-side, the first leg in Glasgow was the first ever international for the all-Welsh Red Dragons against a team other than England, whilst for the Scots, it was the first test match played by an all-Scottish national team.

Both camps have plans for domestic expansion in the 2010 season, as well as plans for more test matches against other European nations.

Thanks to the Welsh Australian Rules Football League's Ben Coak for this report and photos.

Last Saturday November 7th saw Germany's Frankfurt Redbacks travel south of the Alps, to the town of Lainate, near Milan, to take on the Italian national team. The game, won by the Redbacks by a solitary point, was the official match of the Italian National Aussie Rules team on home soil.

Thanks to Armando Colombo from the AFL Italia for this report. Full story includes a link to match highlights on YouTube.

A team from the English city of Sheffield took the field for the first time in 2008 - with the student-based Sheffield Thunder completing a handful of games in the ARUK Central Division, before pulling out of the league due to the pressure on the squad of combining running the footy club with university commitments.

Aussie Garth Nevin, previously of the New York Magpies, recently took over the reins at the Thunder and is planning to get the club onto the pitch full time in 2010.

Melbourne's The Age newspaper today ran a substantial article on European footy, including interviews with Australian Football League Germany president Malte Schudlich, and fellow German Jörg Pareigis, president of the AFL Sweden.

Topics covered include the relationship between European clubs and the AFL, the International Cup, and moves in Germany for the AFLG to join the German American Football community as an umbrella organisation (a move that would give the AFLG greater government recognition, without actually switching to gridiron).

The full article can be read at Against the odds, oval ball bounces into Europe.

The Montpellier Fire Sharks recently achieved the first appearance of a French Australian rules football club on national television, with a report on the club appearing on l'Equipe TV on October 23rd.

The Fire Sharks also got some media coverage with their visit to the Seaquarium Grau de Roi for the launch of European Shark Week, an initiative starting this year hoping to save shark populations in Europe's seas.

As a further tie-in to the Shark Week charity, the Montpellerains are looking at hosting a future Sharks tournament, where the club would play other 'Sharks' sides from around the world - such as Glasgow or Birmingham Uni from the UK, or even any of the many Australian clubs with that name who want to make the trip.

Despite mixed results lately AFL sides are continuing the Irish experiment by signing up and trialling several new youngsters in advance of the November deadline for finalising lists. Recent headlines have been dominated by the news of Irish players turning their backs on the Australian game to return home but clubs are continuing to take a punt on the chance of finding a new Kennelly or Stynes.

The newly-formed AFL Italia has received some attention from the local media since the Azzurris' debut EU Cup appearance, with some positive coverage on Italian TV available via the group's YouTube channel YouTube.com/user/FootyItalia.

The AFL Italia has also created plenty of interest back in Melbourne, where the sizable Italian community has produced plenty of VFL and AFL stars over the years.

Next on the calendar for the Azzurris will be a friendly against German club the Frankfurt Redbacks in Milan on November 7th.

Photo courtesy of AFL Italia.

Former Sydney Swan Tadhg Kennelly has been given an All-Star award in just his first season as a senior footballer having helped his native Kerry win a record 36th All Ireland triumph. The Awards are the equivalent of the All Australian team of the year. Kennelly was named in the All-Star team at left half forward and sees him emulate his late father who twice received the award in 1979 and ’80. Cork’s Michael Shields, once on the books of Carlton, was named at full back in the team.

The Dublin Demons this year won their second consecutive ARFLI premierership title with a convincing victory against their heated rivals the South Dublin Swans by 10.9.69 to 4.11.35. Having led the ladder all season the Demons justified their favourite tags with an excellent all round performance that saw them open up an early lead that they never relinquished.