Afl Europe has proudly announced that a record 21 teams are confirmed for the 2014 Axios Euro Cup to be held in London on October 4th at the London Irish Rugby Club. With confirmations now in from competing clubs, the day will feature 16 men’s teams and 5 women’s teams.

This is a huge increase on the 14 teams which attended last year’s event in Bordeaux, France.

For the 2014 event the men’s teams from England, Austria, Croatia, Spain, Norway, Italy, Ireland, France, Catalunya and the European Crusaders are returning to re-engage in battle from last year. Their numbers are boosted with the inclusion of the Scottish Clansmen, Flying Dutchmen from the Netherlands, The German Black Eagles, Welsh Dragons, Swedish Elks and Denmark Vikings.

The new 2014/15 season of the CNFA competition in France is almost here with the season to kick off in fine style. The Perpignan Tigers have re-joined the Championship League and they open the season with their clash against the Cergy Pontoise Coyotes at their home ground on October 11th.

The inclusion of Perpignan for the new season will see eight teams competing each round, cutting out the need for a bye, and showing the growth of the game in France as Perpignan have generated enough local interest to be a viable team again.

The other clubs going around again this season ate the already mentioned Coyotes as well as reigning premiers the Toulouse Hawks, their grand final opponents Paris Cockerels, the Bordeaux Bombers, Strasbourg Kangaroos, Montpellier Fire Sharks and the Lyon based ALFA Lions.

Irish Australian Rules footballer Padraig Lucey has been snapped up by Geelong for two years as an international rookie. As part of the Ireland Warriors men’s team at this year’s International Cup in Melbourne last month, Padraig has managed to catch the attention of recruiters in a couple of ways.

Not only has he been a contestant on the FOX 8 television show The Recruit, he has also come from a successful International Cup performance for Ireland. In his five games, Padraig booted 14 goals, including impressive bags of five against highly fancied Nauru and a huge six goals against France. He also featured amongst the best players for Ireland in many matches.

According to the Herald Sun article by Adam Baldwin, “Geelong’s ruck crisis is set to see it turn to an Irishman who was last week delisted from a reality television series.

It's unusual to see AFL Europe make the mainstream news in Australia but unfortunately it has done so in controversial circumstances which may have an impact on all international AFL affiliates.

The ABC has reported that the AFL-affiliated body has signed a sponsorship deal with Royal Brunei Airlines, including to fly players from Europe to Australia.  Unfortunately the airline is state-owned and Brunei is the subject of a boycott campaign in response to harsh new laws that include the death penalty by stoning for gay sex and adultery.

The AFL has now stated that:

"These laws are counter to everything the AFL stands for in regards to inclusion and diversity".

"In conjunction with AFL Europe, we are currently reassessing the appropriateness of the sponsorship arrangement and also the broader issue of the AFL's oversight of potential sponsorship deals that are put to affiliate organisations overseas."

Although AFL Europe is an independent body the AFL will presumably have a strong influence on it through their financial support, despite that being relatively modest.

Much has been happening in Croatia during a hectic 2014. Some of the reports, such as the arrival of the Slavonski Brod Tigers, have been accurately reported, whilst some reports have been the subject of whispers and opinions. It was time to contact our man in Zagreb – Josip Kravar, President of the AAFC (Association of Australian Football Croatia) - to give us the good word in a wide ranging set of interviews.

New Oval

“It is not true that we have deal with University. Unfortunately we have one year to move from that ground as there will be new gym for University games 2016 that will be held in Zagreb. But, we are just building a new oval in Slavonski Brod and are in negotiations with town council for a new ground in Zagreb. I think now it is just question of place of new oval in Zagreb.”

“We are also in negotiations to go with Croatian Rugby Association and be provided with one sport centre. We are hoping that this will be future for our association and we will play 18 per side next season.”

The All Australian selection committee met this week to finalise the selection of the 40 players in the running to be named in the final All Australian team.  Each panel member named their best 22 players (not named in position) and the final 40 were selected from that list. 

One notable omission was Pearce Hanley, the Irishman who has had a great season for the Brisbane Lions despite his team not performing so well.  His stellar season has been widely acknowledged across the football media spectrum.

Some consolation for him today though as the Brisbane paper The Courier Mail broke that story that his 17 year-old brother Cian Hanley would join the Brisbane Lions.  The younger Hanley though won't feature for a while as he just recently suffered an ACL injury in the All Ireland Minor semi-final playing for County Mayo.

AFL club Collingwood today announced that Irish pair Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney have opted to return to Ireland and, possibly, Gaelic football (But we also hear the Belfast Redbacks might be able to find a spot or two on their list in 2015).

Clarke will be fondly remembered after two stints with Collingwood and a career of 73 matches. The Irishman, with his counter-attacking bent and lengthy kick, made a certain impression when he debuted in 2007.

The call of home drew the popular Clarke back to County Down at the end of the 2009 season and he was absent through the grand final years of 2010 and 2011, but a welcome return in 2012 saw him play a further 27 matches across the next three years. Unfortunately, due to form and injury, he was able to play just one match in 2014.

Mooney followed Clarke’s lead to leave County Down for the life of a professional Australian footballer with Collingwood. With the asset of withering pace, he played four matches in 2012, his first season. Two more appearances followed in 2013 but his progress stalled this year and he was unable to add to his six match tally.

The Carlton Blues may be having their issues on and off the field recently. But on the weekend a shining light for the club was the debut of Irishman Ciaran Sheehan (who first trialled with Carlton in 2009)  for the club on Saturday against the Gold Coast.

The lad from County Cork had 8 kicks, 5 handballs, 5 marks and two tackles.  He also had two "goal assists" with some impressive delivery to Carltons forwards.

Video of Sheehan in action and interview after the game can be seen below. 

Tomorrow sees the AFL London Grand Final matches take place as footy in London reaches the season crescendo. Thanks to Chris Rea for the previews.

PREMIERSHIP DIVISION WANDSWORTH - DEMONS VS WEST LONDON WILDCATS

Once again the old rivals will meet in an AFL London decider.   If games to date this year are any indication, this one will be a ferocious contest. It has three years since these two proud Clubs last faced off in a Grand Final.  Don’t expect that to reduce the tension however, as over the course of 25 years of Aussie Rules footy in London there is no bigger rivalry.

The Demons rebuilt over the off Season, following a disappointing 2013 (by their standards). With plenty of new recruits joining and new leadership from within, they tackled 2014 with renewed confidence.   Their first (and only) misstep was a 1 point loss to the Wildcats in Round One and since then the Demons have taken all before them.  A narrow win over the Wildcats earlier in the finals series gave them a direct path to the Grand Final, and they’ll be hoping the extra rest gives them an edge.

The Manchester Mosquitoes strengthened any claims that they are the powerhouse of the AFLCNE competition when they dispatched a worthy foe in the Huddersfield Rams in the 2014 Grand Final.

Clubs often don’t want to blow their own trumpets too loudly for fear of setting themselves up as the hunted, but the statistics for Manchester are impressive. The last five years has now netted four grand final appearances for three premierships: a consistency that would be the envy of all other opponents.

After finishing the home and away season on top of the ladder, undefeated but sharing a controversial tie with the Wolverhampton Wolverines in Round Three, the Mozzies ran out comfortable winners in their semi-final against the Birmingham Bears. The Huddersfield Rams finishedthird after the home and away season and had to get past the highly improved Nottingham Scorpions to reach the grand-final, which they did.