The draw for the women's competition for the 2014 Axios Euro Cup in London has been released. This year the women's draw features a record five teams competing across 10 matches for the title. This is an enormous increase on the women's draw in Bordeax, France last year when just the French team and a combined Crusaders team locked horns. The Crusaders won by 19 points.

 

The women's teams for the event this year are:

 

England Vixens

France Les Gauloises

Irish Banshees

Scotland

Danish Valkyries

 

The Norwegian Australian Rules football season came to a close earlier this month with the grand- final of the nation’s Kenguru Cup. This year, Oslo East proudly claimed the title back after the Ås Battlers won in 2013. But this season went down to the wire, not only on the big stage of the grand-final, but also in the final round of matches.

The final round of matches certainly provided the perfect excitement level. Going into the day, Oslo East were clear minor premiers, finishing three games ahead of the field. But the excitement would come in the battle between the Ås Battlers and Oslo West to see who would meet East in the grand- final. Mathematically, Oslo West could get there if they won both games on the day.

The Oslo derby remained hard fought as West tried valiantly to stay in the grand-final race, but they went down in the end by 19 points. Final score saw Oslo East 7 5 47 d Oslo West 3 10 28.

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.