Port Adelaide rallied inside the last minute to kick the winning goal, ending the most fantastic game of footy Europe has ever seen.

The Bulldogs put out a young team, but they came out strong in the first quarter, with early goals from Ayce Cordy, Liam Jones and Luke Dalhaus. The Bulldogs then further extended their lead in the second quarter, with new recruit Koby Stevens putting on an impressive debut performance and Liam Picken exciting the curiosity of the crowd by leaping onto the shoulders of the Port defence in a textbook specky to grab the mark.

The Dogs were able to effectively control play for the majority of the game, seemingly unanswered by Port. And by midway through the third quarter, Port were trailing by 39 points, a gap that was surely insurmountable, and it looked like it was game over for the young and inexperienced Port team.

 

Tobietta Rhyman interviewed the captains of both the Continent and Islands teams after match at The Oval earlier today and filed the following videos. The European Islands team defeated the European Continent team 11.11 (77) to 2.3 (15).

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Thanks to the great coverage on Twitter by Tobietta we can tell you that the European Islands team defeated the European Continent team 11.11 (77) to 2.3 (15) at The Oval in London. In the main game Port Adelaide stormed home to snatch victory 14.4 (88) to the Western Bulldogs 13.9 (87). More to come from Tobie...

AFL Europe present their first ever Footy Show to preview the JLT All Stars match being played as the curtain raiser to the Western Bulldogs vs Port Adelaide match at The Oval in London.  Hosted by Ben MacCormack and Ciarán O' Hara.

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Fresh out of the Euro Cup and having put on some impressive performances at country level, the very best of European Aussie Rules talent is now set to take the stage one step further as they go head to head against each other for the JLT European All-Stars game.

What better place and time to showcase Europe’s very own football stars, than as a curtain raiser for the Elastoplast AFL European Challenge, where the Western bulldogs will face off against Port Adelaide this Saturday at Kia Oval.

World Footy News caught up with some of the players to hear what they had to say about the game.

The players from the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide arrived in London today ahead of Saturday’s AFL European Challenge exhibition game. AFL Europe reported that the players also got their first look round Kia Oval, the venue for the game, for some pre match training runs.

Meanwhile Port Adelaide’s new coach Ken Hinkley and Bulldogs’ coach Brendan McCartney were at the pre-match press conference.

Both clubs have fielded young teams for the tournament and are expected to use the opportunity to debut new recruits.

Despite this, Port Adelaide coach Hinkley said he told his players, “Just go out and play the game of footy. You’ve got to go after the game in a fair dinkum way, because it’s a contact game. If you’re not prepared to play footy, you’ll end up in real trouble. Hopefully they get through the game okay.”

On the opposite side, Bulldogs coach McCartney added, “With young players, the more you see them, the more you learn about them. To see them go away for eight weeks and then to come back and their body shape changes; they’re a bit bigger in the leg and a bit stronger in the hips – you can see their progression and that’s really important.”

Port Adelaide have announced their team for Satuday’s European Challenge exhibition game, with new coach Ken Hinkley using the 16-a-side game as an opportunity to take a look at his younger players.

Just seven players have move than 50 games experience: Broadbent, Carlile, Ebert, Logan, Monfries, Stewart and Trengove.

Amongst the squad are Angus Monfries, Campbell Heath and Jack Hombsch who will all make their club debut on Saturday.

“It’s an exhibition match, but there are plenty of guys who will be keen to make their mark,” reported General Manager Rohde from London. “It’s a young side but it’ll be a good chance for Ken to have a look at the squad."

Teams are allowed up to seven interchange players on the bench but no substitutes.

Read the full story for the Power's full squad for Saturday.

The Western Bulldogs have arrived in London ahead of Saturday’s European Challenge clash against Port Adelaide and have announced their plans for a two week tour of the UK.

The trip will open with training at the European Challenge host venue Kia Oval, before the players are invited to the official welcome function at Australia House.

Following Saturday’s game, the Bulldogs’ players will tour the grounds of several EPL soccer clubs and Harlequins Rugby Union Club, as well as visiting the All-Stars training facilities of hosts AFL Europe.

The Bulldogs have brought a squad of nearly 40 players to the UK, including recently traded Bulldogs Koby Stevens and Tom Young. Newly appointed High Performance Manager Graham Lowe was also in London to meet the team.

Bulldogs skipper Matthew Boyd said the squad was forward to the weekend clash, as well as their tours of some of the UK’s leading sporting clubs where they hoped to ideas and experiences.

"You don't get the chance very often to swap notes with the likes of Fulham FC and the London Harlequins,” Boyd said. “It's going to be a fantastic experience - especially for the young blokes.”

Read the full story for key dates and events of the Western Bulldogs’ pre-season trip.

With the London exhibition match on again at the Oval this weekend we thought we would have a look back at the contraversial incidents of the 1987 "Battle of Britain" exhibition match between North Melbourne and Carlton.  It should be pointed out to those who are not familiar with the game as it played some 25 years later is not nearly as wild and violent as in the dark past displayed here.

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