The Finland AFL (FAFL) 2018 season will come to a close this weekend when the Helsinki Heatseekers meet the Waasa Wombats in the Grand Final. After the final round of the FAFL season in Waasa late last month, the Heatseekers finished in first place, two games clear of the Wombats in second. The results qualified both for the Grand Final.

The match will be played at the Talin Jalkapallohalli Sporting Fields in Purotie, Helsinki, this Saturday 22nd September.

The home and away season ended in Waasa with the Helsinki Heatseekers winning both of their matches against both the Wombats and Turku Dockers to finish in top spot with five wins for the season. The Wombats secured another win against the Dockers to have three wins for the season and the Dockers were third overall with just the one win.

This weekend will see the 2018 DAFL Grand Final decided with the Copenhagen Giants up against the Farum Cats. Both teams will be driven to take the title. Last year, the Cats went down to the Barracudas in the Grand Final and will be keen to atone this year. The Giants last won the title in 2015 (their maiden title) and will be desperate for another.

The Farum Cats met last year’s fellow grand finalists, the Copenhagen Barracudas, in their semi-final. The two teams have contested the past two DAFL deciders, but it wasn’t to be this year. Instead, the Cats got away to a strong start, leading by 16 points at the first break and keeping the Barracudas scoreless. From there, the Cats just kept pulling away, leading by 35 points at half time and 55 points at the final change.

The Newcastle-based Tyne Tees Tigers gained some solace after missing out on the SARFL (AFL Scotland) finals by taking out the 2018 Tyne Cup. On a predominantly fine day, but for one errant shower, the Tigers downed their Scottish stablemates, the West Lothian Eagles. In the women’s game, the Nottingham Scorpions defeated the Scottish Sirens.

Phil Martin from the Tyne Tees Tigers noted that, “in the ladies game the Nottingham Scorpions beat the Scottish Sirens 19.13.137 to 1.1.7. In the men’s game the home team, Tyne Tees Tigers, beat the West Lothian Eagles 27.19.181 to 8.14.62. Best on ground for the Tigers was Anthony Roy Brannigan with eight goals from the centre. Debutant, Cameron Armstrong, gave a strong showing at full forward with two goals and long term half back Matty O'Brien [chimed in] with his first goal for the club.”

The AFLG Grand Final on the weekend has seen the Hamburg Dockers claim their third premiership, downing last year’s winners, the Berlin Crocodiles. In a willing contest, the Dockers pulled away after a tight first half to take the premiership by 55 points in Dresden.

The opening quarter saw both teams take the game on, full of desire and intensity. At the first break, the Berlin Crocodiles held a narrow five-point lead, 3 1 19 to 2 2 14. By half time, the Dockers had regained the lead, but only just. Just three points separated the teams with the Dockers a nose ahead, 5 5 35 to 5 2 32.

The “premiership quarter” lived up to its name as the Dockers made their move. A five goal to one third quarter saw the Dockers take a stranglehold on the game as they flexed their muscle and shut down the gallant Crocs. Three-Quarter Time saw the Dockers lead 10 7 67 to 6 2 38.

AFLW MEDIA RELEASE

Irish Gaelic footballer Sarah Rowe will add another string to her bow as a rookie for Collingwood’s AFLW team in 2019.

Rowe is a star forward for Mayo in the Ladies Gaelic Football Association in Ireland and will take part in the AFL Women’s competition during the break between seasons.

The 23-year-old from Ballina Mayo said she was excited to move across the globe and get prepared to take on the foreign sport.

“I know I’m up for a big challenge taking on a new sport on the other side of the world, but that’s what makes it so exciting,” Rowe said.

“Having visited Australia earlier this year I was able to meet the coach and players at Collingwood, which made the decision a lot easier. I was welcomed in to the club from the beginning and everyone was so generous to share their time and knowledge.”

In what many would see as a big upset, the Berlin Crocodiles will have a chance to defend their AFL Germany title after downing the Munich Kangaroos in last weekend’s semi-final in Cologne. Form leading up to the match favoured the Kangaroos, as did their record across the season, which saw them narrowly defeat the Crocs on both occasions.

However, the boys from Berlin knew they could match the Kangaroos and did so with a barnstorming first half. Keeping the Munich team to a single goal for the first half, the Crocs went to the main break with a huge 39-point lead. It would take something super-human from the Kangaroos to get back in the second half.

After a dominant year, the Belfast Redbacks finished the job when they defeated the Galway Magpies to win the 2018 AFL Ireland premiership. Having gone through the home and away season undefeated, the Redbacks were expected by most to win the title. But the biggest job of all is producing when it matters on grand final day, and the Redbacks did that.

However, the Magpies made sure the Redbacks earned the premiership. The final margin was 39 points, set up by a brilliant first half by the Belfast team. At the main break, the Redbacks lead by 38 points at the Mallusk Paying Fields in Belfast.

According to AFL Ireland, “[The first half was a] tough physical battle with both teams giving their all across the ground. [There were] nine scores to six but the Redbacks [were] more clinical with their shooting so far and take a lead into the main change over. Very wet conditions to start but the rain has now stopped.”

 

The following article was written by Christian Saggese for the Zuriost website in Switzerland. It looks at the efforts of the Winterthur Lions club to grow the game in the nation and potentially develop beyond the levels of lone Swiss clubs. This article is an imperfect translation from the original story written in German. To view the original article, go to: https://zueriost.ch/sport/2018-08-21/wir-wollen-in-der-schweiz-eine-liga-gruenden 

Australian football player from Winterthur

“We want to start a league in Switzerland” 

Does Switzerland soon have its own Australian Football Leagueω Winterthur are well on their way to putting this dream into reality.

Switzerland is soon to be richer by one sport. That is the wish of Stefan Burgener and Till Roost. The two Winterthurs founded the first Australian Football Club in Switzerland a few months ago under the name "Winterthur Lions".

The return to competition after a short recess for the SAFF (Stockholm Australian Football Federation) has seen the Norrtälje Dockers record a stirring 10-point victory to boost their premiership credentials significantly.

The catch-up game against the Blues has seen the Dockers inch ahead of the field into first place, just ahead of the Blues and Axemen. They can consolidate that position should they defeat the Axemen in their Round 7 clash this weekend. A loss, however, could prove costly, falling behind the Axeman and potentially the Blues as well if the Södermalm crew can defeat the last-placed Årsta Swans.

The September finals are now on the horizon and every match from here is of critical importance to the teams finishing in the top three. The minor premiership winner will go straight into the grand final, whilst second will meet third to decide the other premiership contender.

The following article from www.aflengland.org details the latest initiative to grow the game with a new league and competition to kick off later this year. The original article can be found at: http://www.aflengland.org/afl-england-launches-national-university-league/

Oxford, Cambridge and Birmingham Named as Inaugural Participants

League Runs November 2018 – March 2019 

AFL England are committed to growing the game of Australian rules football up and down the country; from grass-roots and junior projects, to major regional London, CNE and Southern leagues.  

That is why we’re delighted to announce the launch of the National University League (NUL) featuring teams from Oxford, Cambridge and Birmingham University, with a view to expanding to include sides from Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan and the University of South Wales.