The ALFA Lions started their 2017/18 premiership defence in fine style in Paris last weekend at the Coupe de France. Whilst having admitted before the tournament that the main aim of the event was friendship and the creation of an enjoyable atmosphere to start the new season, it will not be lost on them – or any other team – that the Lions are back again.

Going into the pool matches the Lions started with a 32 to 16 win over the Toulouse Hawks followed by a second pool win against the Bordeaux Bombers 43 to 20.

In their semi-final against the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes, the Lions put the foot down and ran off with a strong 40-14 victory. This set up their final against the Paris Cockerels. After a strong game of defences, it was the Lyon based team that took the honours, running out winners over the Cockerels 28 to 11.

Just over a week remains before competing teams run out onto the playing fields of Stadium Robert Monseau, Saint Médard en Jalles in Bordeax. Teams are now in final preparations for journeying to the French city ready for the start of the 9-per side championship.

Bordeaux knows very well how to stage the event, having hosted the event back in 2013. On that occasion, the French teams in both the men’s and women’s were unlucky runners-up. This time around, the buzz around France is to turn that result around and take one, or both, of those titles.

But there is a class field assembled once again. Last year’s winner of the men’s draw, the Croatian Knights, are ready to go again after having performed well in the International Cup in Melbourne just a few weeks ago. The team they vanquished last year, the Irish warriors, will be determined to reverse that result. In the women’s draw, last year’s finalists – the Irish Banshees and the England Vixens are back.

Recently retired AFL great Steve Johnson and Sydney premiership player Tadhg Kennelly are joining the Sydney Swans coaching ranks. 

The Irishman returns to the club where he played 197 AFL games, after holding coaching and development roles with the AFL following his retirement in 2011.

At this stage it would seem that this would remove him from the AFL payroll where he was International Talent Manager and has been heavily involved in the AFL Europe Combine testing which is predominantly focused on recruiting young Irish GAA talent.

Marc McGowan from the http://www.afl.com.au website has looked deeply at some of the current player prospects from Ireland for next season, should clubs wish to go back again to the international well. He also examines the various success and otherwise of the Irish (and by extension international) decisions made by clubs since the early days of Sean Wight and Jim Stynes.

With the trade and draft period about t begin, McGowan look at the “Irish 21” list of players to have come from Ireland and played senior level AFL/VFL football. Maybe there are some more diamonds in the rough that recruiter have their eyes on for the future.

The full article can be viewed at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-24...-afl-dream

The 2017 instalment of the Tyne Tees Cup was played out in Newcastle this weekend. The tournament has been a great success since its inception a few years back, and this year was no exception with teams coming from Scotland (Kingdom Kangaroos) and London (Wimbledon Hawks women’s team) as well as a combined AFLCNE team with representatives from the Huddersfield Rams, Wolverhampton Wolverines, Nottingham Scorpions and Sheffield Thunder.

The men’s competition featured a round robin style format. Across the day, Round One saw the Kingdom Kangaroos down the Tyne Tees Tigers. Round Two then saw the AFLCNE combined team defeat the Kangaroos. The AFLCNE team then prevailed against the Tyne Tees Tigers, setting up a final against the Kangaroos.

It was only a few months ago – May to be exact – that the ALFA Lions became the toast of their home city of Lyon and French footy in general. Their success after just four years in the national competition was the stuff of legends and as the new season approaches they are ready once again to chase the ultimate prize.

The Coupe de France tournament commences in Paris this weekend and the Lions will be there. But a quick chat with the Lions’ crew puts this tournament into perspective for this club and their aims this year. “The Coupe de France takes place in Paris this weekend. This is good to start the season with this event as we can meet everyone and create a nice atmosphere for all the year.”

“There are six teams this year. Two teams from Paris, Cergy Pontoise, Toulouse, Bordeaux and us. It will be a really open [competition] as it often is at the start of the season. We know that teams like Bordeaux and Toulouse are becoming stronger this year.”

With the off-season done and dusted it is time for the teams of the CNFA national Australian Rules football competition to dust of the cobwebs completely and play some tough, hard footy. That commences this weekend with the Coupe de France getting under way. Six teams will hit the playing fields in Paris with the two local clubs – the Paris Cockerels and Paris Cockatoos – joined by near neighbour the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes.

Also journeying to the competition are the Toulouse Hawks, the Bordeaux Bombers and the reigning CNFA premiers, the ALFA Lions.

Like all pre-season competitions, the Coupe de France provides the opportunity for clubs to put new skills and tactics into place as well as gaining experience for players new to the game – as well as those who will just benefit from being under match conditions again.

 

According to Marc McGowan at the www.afl.com.au website, the next Irish jet might be one David Clifford – a player who is turning heads in both Gaelic and AFL circles. But whether or not he considers trying Australian Football as a career option is up in the air. 

IRELAND'S potential next great AFL export will perform in front of 80,000-plus fans on one of Gaelic football's biggest stages on Sunday. 

Kerry's David Clifford, considered the Irish game's brightest talent in many years, will lead his county into battle against Derry as it chases an historic fourth-straight All-Ireland minor football championship.

 

The 18-year-old was at the heart of a war of words in May between former Gaelic star-turned-Sydney premiership defender Tadgh Kennelly and Kerry legend Tomàs Ó Sé.

Russian and Finnish football have added a new competition to their respective football calendars with the development of the Baltic Cup – this year played in St. Petersburg. The tournament featured teams from the Russian city playing against the Helsinki Heatseekers club representing Finland.

In a four-team draw, the St. Petersburg club fielded their Russian champions, the Cats, as well as a second team – the Northern Tigers which are a local club playing as part of the local St. Petersburg competition. They also added some played to the Leaders Rugby Club for a fourth team as did the Heatseekers. The tournament was played as a nine per side competition.

The Helsinki Heatseekers, fresh from having defeated the Vaasa Wombats to take the Finnish (FAFL) premiership two weeks ago, made the journey to the Russian city for the event. The St. Petersburg Cats also won the Russian Championship for 2017 with the Lazy Koalas unable to make the journey from Moscow to compete, therefore forfeiting the final leg of the Russian Championship to the Cats.