The following reviews of each of the teams (kicking off this afternoon in London) have been sourced from AFL Europe.

AFL Europe Championships Team Preview – Irish Banshees

Every three years the AFL Europe Championships take place for teams to assert their dominance and claim bragging rights against their European counterparts, as well as gain valuable 18-a-side match practice in the lead up to the International Cup the following year.
 

In the lead up to this year’s AFL Europe Championships in London we’ll be focusing on each team and previewing their chances of taking out the top prize.

In the first of the women’s team previews we are getting to know the Irish Banshees a bit better.

 

Exceptional Eagles?

Germany has proven to be the exception to the rule (higher ranked nations wins more often than not) with their win over the Swedish Elks on day two of the European Championships yesterday. The win has seen the Black Eagles climb to 17th place in the World Rankings and bring down the Elks to 18th place with Japan and Peace Team lucky recipients of a one place rise each to 15th and 16th respectively.

Germany and Sweden traded 2.04 Rating Points Germany now with 36.12 and Sweden 35.63.

Sweden’s loss to Great Britain on day one also saw the Elks lose 0.86 Rating Points, the Bulldogs creeping that little bit closer to Canada at 9th Place.

The German Eagles lead all day and despite a late push by the Swedish Elks ran out 28 point winners on Day 2 of the 2016 AFL Europe European Championships.  In the second match of the day the Great Britain Bulldogs were goal-less going into the last quarter but came home hard to go down to the Irish warriors by just a point. 

Once again in good conditions at Mostpur Park in London on Tuesday afternoon the four European nations battled it out.  Up first the Eagles and the Elks battled out an arm wrestle in the first quarter before the Germans pushed out their lead and by three quarter time were out to a 33 point lead.  In the final quarter the Elks refused to give up and won the quarter but still went down to the Eagles by 28 points.

Germany           1.6         4.6       6.12     7.14 (56)

Sweden             1.1         2.3       2.4        4.4 (28)

Great Britain Bulldogs and the Irish Warriors were the big winners on Day 1 of the 2016 AFL Europe European Championships.

Played in good conditions at Mostpur Park in London the Irish Warriors were out of the blocks early kicking 5 goals to the German Eagles 1 in the first quarter. By half time they held a 62 point lead. Only poor kicking in the third quarter prevented them extending their lead to triple figures. Germany performed better in the second half kicking 2 goals to Ireland six but were still beaten by 95 points at the final siren.

Ireland                5.1         11.2      14.10    17.11 (113)

3rd European Championships in Australian Football - 13th to 20th August 2016. London, England.
A Preview.  

SCHEDULE

DAY ONE – SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST

1pm Irish Warriors v German Eagles

3pm Great Britain Bulldogs v Swedish Elks

 

The French team for the Euro Cup tournament in Lisbon, Portugal to be held in October was announced today on Youtube.  Watch below.

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After one of the most evenly contested seasons by two clubs heading to the Grand Final, the West London Wildcats asserted their authority on Grand Final day to claim the flag they wanted so much and prove they were the best team in the AFL London competition for 2016.

The Wildcats won every quarter as they continued to build their lead over the Wandsworth Demons, always able to find the extra gear needed to halt every Demon charge or consolidate their own good work.

After finishing the season locked on top of the ladder, the Wildcats adjusted to the demands and pressures of grand final footy just a little better than the Demons. After leading by 12 points at Quarter Time and jumping to a 26 point lead by the main break, warning bells would have been sounding within the Demon’s camp.

The Glasgow Sharks downed the Edinburgh Bloods in a thrilling Preliminary Final at Linlithgow Rugby Club this weekend, sending them into the Grand Final to play against fellow Glasgow team, the Greater Glasgow Giants. Any fears that the city could not support two Australian Football teams can be laid to rest as the historic match showcases the work of both clubs to grow and co-exist.

In an exciting final to fight for a spot in the biggest game of the year, the Edinburgh team got quickly out of the blocks to hold a five goal lead by quarter time (Bloods 37 to Sharks 7). The Sharks, however, lifted with a big second quarter of their own to close the gap to just 13 points by half time (Bloods 47 to Sharks 34).

Maybe it was an omen that the Belfast Redbacks’ bus was late and the ARFLI Grand Final was delayed by 20 minutes…maybe it did induce an unsettled air into the drilled routine of the Redbacks. But out on the field it wasn’t anything to do with bus trips. It was the Leeside Lions team which determined the outcome of the day as the piled on more pressure during each quarter to win the 2016 premiership by 52 points.

To the Lions, all that mattered was their fifth flag and they claimed that in fine style.

After a tough opening quarter, largely even, the Lions held a narrow three point lead. Everything pointed to a tight contest with the Redbacks having more scoring opportunities but the Lions more accurate. Quarter Time: Leeside Lions 3 1 19 v Belfast Redbacks 2 4 16.

The Grand Final places are decided for the AFL London competitions with the West London Wildcats to meet the Wandsworth Demons in the Premiership Division decider. The two teams ran neck and neck all season across the home and away series, both finishing with just the one loss each – to each other – in what will shape up as a very even match.

The Wildcats made their way to the Grand Final when they downed the Demons 9 10 64 to 8 4 52 the previous weekend in a match where they took the early ascendency and the Demons fought back hard only to fall short. It was a good win for the Wildcats, but not one that suggests any real dominance and the Demons will enjoy their crack at a rematch.