Collingwood defender Mark Keane and the club have mutually agreed to part ways leaving the club with no Irish men's players this season.

The 21-year-old will remain in Ireland after leaving the AFL program early and returning home in August last year. Keane returned briefly for pre-season training in November but did not return for training on January 10.

NEWS FROM JAPAN AFL. Post Covid!

2021 A League Final Series.

AFL Japan has announced that the Season 2021 A League Finals will be played as a "Top Five" series similar to the SANFL in Adelaide, South Australia. This means all five teams in the competition will take part. This is a change from what has been the case in the past, brought about because of the Covid interrupted/shortened 2021 season.

The series will begin next Sunday 28th November with an 'elimination/quarter' final between 4th GAA Wolfhounds and 5th placed Eastern Hawks at the Ikego Forest Natural Park Athletic Field.

The league implores all whom intend to attend the match, players, staff and fans, to cooperate with basic pandemic infection prevention measures.

Mirais Get Actual Match Time.

A number of lady players travelled to Osaka as part of the R246 Lions team and played in a mixed-gender Go League practice match against the Osaka Dingoes on the 30th October. Published results on AFL Japan website Lions 29-7, 121. Dingoes 9-13, 67.

I understand that the Osaka match followed another mixed-gender practice match played the week before on 22nd October between R246 Lions & Senshu Powers teams in Tokyo? Both matches were played with much enthusiasm by all (first post-covid games) but even more especially by the lady player's and I quote (with apologies google translation)  "the experience was beyond the imagination, the feeling being like two years of training condensed into just 10 minutes". WOW! Does that sound like heart and soul being put into Footy?

Juniors (Unoki Kids) Play 5-A-Side Game.

Post-covid practice for the kids began late October/early November with enough kids getting on the park by 17th November that a proper match was able to be played (although at 5-a-side) so that the kids could get to experience team work as well is skills practice.

Great to see that Footy is getting back on the park in and across Japan following covid lockdowns and restrictions.

Footnote: (Fingers-crossed), with more State borders in Australia "opening" tomorrow Tuesday 23rd November, I might just be able to get to have a kick with my daughter and grandson in Sydney over Xmas/New Year break, Yahoo! Yippee!

Source: AFL Japan website.

Geelong has signed young Irish star Oisin Mullin from Mayo as category B rookie. The 21-year-old has already established himself as one of the premier defenders in Gaelic football.

Mullin has played in the All Ireland final in each of the past two years, and earned GAA All Star selection following his breakout 2020 season. He was also named the GAA Young Footballer of the Year in 2020, and has again been named a finalist for the award this year.

History Made In Hungary-First Aussie Rules Match Played In Hungary

History was made on 28th August 2021 when the Budapest Bats AFL club hosted the Sesvete Double Blues from Croatia in the city of Esztergom, Hungary. 

Read the following AFL Europe Article.

Reporter for AFL Hungary, Zoltan Marosy.

Two weeks on from their debut at the AFL Europe Festival of Football, the Budapest Bats and AFL Hungary have made history yet again.

On the 28th of August, AFL Hungary and the Bats hosted their first-ever game of Australian Football.

Held in the beautiful city of Esztergom, the match between the Hungarian and Croatian sides was watched on by curious locals, who had never seen a sport quite like this before.

The picturesque venue was situated under the imposing Esztergom Cathedral and next to the River Danube, which is also the Slovakian border.

The Bats showed as much grit and determination as you could ask for from a team playing only its second game.

Midfield bulls, Károly and Gergő Petrányi, often took the opposition by surprise with their fierce tackling and courageous marking, while experienced on-baller, Tom Wayman, collected plenty of possessions and kicked the only goal on the day for the Bats.

A tough day for the Hungarian defence, led by skipper Zoltan Marosy, with star backman, Mark Ryan, out missing through injury.

It was a weekend to remember for the Sesvete Double Blues, as they took home the perpetual trophy for the first time.

Star ruckman, Josip Karadža, dominated most of the stoppages, while half-forward, Tomislav Cvetko, left the Hungarian defenders helpless with his low and hard passes. Forward duo, Robert Jeličić and Ronan Moran (playing as a guest from Ireland) both had days out, kicking 15 goals between them.

Overall, it was a successful day for the sport in Hungary and we look forward to many more matches to come for the Bats.

Final Score: Budapest Bats 1.4. (10) defeated by Sesvete Double Blues 23. 20. (158).

I wonder what Les Murray (SBS commentator & Soccer promoter) would have thought about this match being played in the country of his birth? The term 'rolled over in his grave' comes to mind.

Collingwood defender Anton Tohill has made the decision to part ways with Collingwood to resume his medical degree.

Tohill put his medical studies on hold to see out three campaigns in the black and white. Unable to defer his studies any further the 21-year-old will return to Ireland.

2021 Euro Cup Cancelled.

The AFL Europe Commission has reluctantly taken the decision to cancel the Euro Cup 2021 tournament that was provisionally to be played on October 16th in the Netherlands.

"Ultimately, the AFL Europe Commission is not satisfied that a safe travel or playing environment is achievable in the current climate and we believe it would be irresponsible to go ahead with a multi-country tournament in October."

 "AFL Europe appreciates the importance of Euro Cup. Tournaments like the Euro Cup play a huge role in growing the game in Europe and are particularly important after a long period of limited footy. This made the decision to cancel the 2021 event even harder."

"AFL Europe remains committed to helping all participating countries and leagues of Australian Football in Europe, and will support regional tournaments, that comply with local coronavirus restrictions and guidelines, that are held in place of the Euro Cup in October."

"We would also like to take this time to share that we are planning and are hopeful of getting back to our regular events calendar in 2022, which would see the return of international tournaments."

"This would include the return of the Fitzpatrick Cup in February, Champions League in April or May, ANZAC Cup in April, Euro Cup in June and the AFL’s International Cup* in August. If the International Cup does not run in 2022, then AFL Europe will host a European Championships in its place."

*The AFL are expected to make an announcement regarding the next International Cup within the next few months.

 

First Match of Inaugural Bulgarian AFL Season

The Bulgarian AFL has officially begun with the round one match played between Sofia Magpies and Varna Demons on Saturday 26th June 2021, in Aksakovo with Sofia Magpies defeating the hosts to claim the first official points in the Bulgarian league.  Bulgaria AFL kicked off back in 2019 with friendlies with Zagreb Hawks and Festival of Footy matches in Sept 2020. See World Footy News articles: April 2019 & September 2020.

 

Australian Football in Switzerland is back! Round one this weekend

July 1, 2021

With the latest easing of the COVID-19 restrictions, AFL Switzerland have been able to go ahead and confirm the fixtures and structure for the 2021 season.

Since full contact sports in groups of up to 50 people has been allowed for some weeks now, all four Switzerland based clubs have been able to resume regular training and are keen to get back to finally playing some footy.

Katy Herron has elected not to return to the Western Bulldogs for the 2021 AFLW season due to family reasons.

The Irish import featured in the AFLW competition for the first time in 2020, making the move to Melbourne with her son Joshua.

Herron made her debut in round one and played all six games in the shortened season, becoming an important part of the Bulldogs’ back line.

 Varna Demons versus Sofia Magpies

Wow! Is that an encouraging headline! Two Bulgarian AFL teams/clubs.

The first time two Bulgarian AFL teams played against each other took was on 26th September 2020 during AFL Europe's Festival of Football in Aksakovo, just outside Varna, Bulgaria.

Final score in the 9-a-Side match was: Sofia Magpies 13.10 (88) d Varna Demons 10.10 (70).