Over the past couple of years the Lazy Koalas team in Moscow and the St Petersburg Cats have revolutionised the state of the game of Australian Rules football in Russia. Their combined successes have seen a genuine increase in interest in the game after a slow burn initially. This interest is set to extend all the way to the Russian national team for the 2016 Euro Cup in Lisbon, Portugal with a novel and exciting recruitment tool.

The national selection process will see a combine take place, modelled as close as practical, to the combine testing events used across the world and through the AFL’s own Draft Combine. On 2nd July, potential players from both Moscow and St Petersburg can come and try out for national team selection with two spots up for grabs in each city for athletes from any field who excel and have the desire to try out the game.

For some this will be a fast-tracking of the highest order as players could go from no experience at all to national selection in the blinking of an eye.

To borrow a phrase from Wallace & Gromit, Galway footy fans were treated to a “Grand Day Out” when the Galway Magpies hosted Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2016 ARFLI season. It was the third carnival day for ARFLI fixtures, following on from previous carnivals held in Dublin and Cork. Whilst the off field entertainment was regarded as a delight, so was the performance of the Magpies on the field with two wins from their two matches, seeing them claw their way off the bottom of the ladder.

The Leeside Lions also enjoyed their day with two strong wins from their two matches, downing both the South Dublin Demons and the Belfast Redbacks. The Swans and Redbacks had days they would rather forget, neither winning a match for the day.

The Manchester Mozzies were given their sternest test of the season so far, and passed with flying colours. Challenged by the Wolverhampton Wolverines, themselves determined to make a statement as the season gets closer to finals time, the Mozzies held firm to win by 13 points in a tough encounter. For the Mozzies, their dream of a continued dynasty is on track to come true. For the Wolverines, who have lost recent clashes to both the Mozzies and the Scorpions, the opportunity now exists to measure themselves and evaluate their chances going forward.

The Sheffield Thunder’s slow ascent up the ladder continued with a solid five goal win against the Tyne Tees Tigers. Whether this win is enough to keep the Thunder out of the cellar remains to be seen, but the win was welcome and something to build on. The task for the Tigers doesn’t get any easier, drawn to meet both the Mozzies and Wolverines in coming rounds.

The undefeated streak of the Wandsworth Demons came to an end on the weekend when the West London Wildcats clawed their way back into top spot on the AFL London ladder with a narrow but important 13 point win. After dropping their first round match to the demons, the Wildcats were determined to again assert their dominance over them, and the rest of the competition.

The Wimbledon Hawks took a big step towards securing a finals berth when they downed the Putney Magpies. Despite it being just their second win of the season (as well as a draw), the result gives the Hawks a valuable game and a half buffer over the fifth placed Magpies with just four rounds until finals.

In a remarkable weekend of semi-finals in the CNFA, the French competition will see a new first time premier as the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes and the newcomers, the Paris Cockatoos, won their way to the big dance.

In the battle in Paris, reigning premiers the Paris Cockerels took on their prodigy, the Cockatoos. The Cockatoos were up against history on so many fronts. New to the league this season and playing against a Cockerels team that has been comfortable with success, the Cockatoos were expected by many to fall at this hurdle. But determination and belief are powerful allies and the Cockatoos outplayed their opposition to record at tremendous 18 5 113 to 13 8 86 victory. The teams finished the home and away season in second and third position on equal points.

In an historic move by AFL Europe, the 2016 Euro Cup will be played in Lisbon, Portugal. Not a nation that boasts a major European competition, the move may be something of a surprise, but not to David Valente, one of the three directors of the Portugese Australian Football Association.

As David stated, “I don't have to tell you how huge this is for us.”

“Basically, AFL Europe is giving us a great opportunity and we're planning to seize it. With no TV broadcasts of AFL games for the time being, this is the best tool that we have to further the development of the game.”

(Picture: Official AFL Europe logo for 2016 Euro Cup)

After five rounds of the AFL London season, the Wandsworth Demons, West London Wildcats and North London Lions have pulled away from the rest of the pack to grab the top three places. Whilst those three teams can mount a fascinating battle from here to see which team heads to the minor premiership and likely flag favouritism, the battle of the lower three sides is arguably more intense as the Wimbledon Hawks, Putney Magpies and London Swans fight for the other place in the top four and also to get clear of the wooden spoon.

This marks the half way mark of the home and away season with each team having played each other, giving a fair indication of relative strength going into the second half of the season.

Weekend matches saw the Demons down the Hawks by 83 points, the Wildcats savage the Swans by 103 points and the Lions feast on the Magpies to the tune of 102 points in a rather lopsided round. The results see the Wandsworth Demons still undefeated in top spot, with the West London Wildcats breathing down their necks in second place a game behind. The North London Lions hold third spot a comfortable game and a half clear of the Wimbledon Hawks.

The following story by Sam Wharton comes to us courtesy of the Port Melbourne Football Club and originally appeared here.

The Port Melbourne Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Mikkel Kjoege as an addition to its playing list for the remainder of season 2016.


The football journey of Kjoege so far has been a story in itself.

Whilst his face may be familiar to some Borough supporters after he completed the majority of the club’s pre-season training sessions before the Christmas break, 21-year-old Kjoege was unfortunately forced to return to his home country Denmark following the expiration of his visa soon after.

Well! How About That?? Saturday 28th May. Channel Seven News at 6.00pm broadcast across Australia a news clip featuring AFL Sweden and players from Bromma Vikings and Solna Axemen.

Presented by Sevens Sports presenter Mark Soderstrom just about half an hour or so before the Adelaide Crows versus GWS Giants match at Adelaide Oval was certainly a surprise, although, I must say a pleasant one.

One can only hazard a guess at what prompted the Seven News team to run the clip and from where it was sourced, but it is great to see international footy getting a showing on mainstream television in Australia, brief though it might have been.

 

(Photo:James Crombie - INPHO)