In another amazingly positive and unexpected move the Australian Football League has decided to field two international sides in the NAB AFL Under 16 championships in 2010, to be staged in western Sydney.

Originally a World side was to be selected to compete in Division Two of the tournament against Australian states and territories Queensland, NSW/ACT, Tasmania and Northern Territory, giving international youth an unprecedented chance to be exposed to AFL scouts and to compete at a higher level. The recently selected Oceania Training Squad was likely to fill most of the World spots, but the AFL has now decided to field both World and Pacific Islands teams.

The addition of the Pacific Islands team opens the door for many more juniors from around the world, with South Africa likely to dominate the World XVIII but presumably a number of spots up for grabs for players from other countries. The only downside is that the strength of the international teams will be less than a single side, making it that much more difficult to be competitive with the Aussie opposition.

There has been growing disquiet amongst Australia's AFL clubs as details trickle out regarding the country's bid for the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cups. Because soccer generates little revenue in Australia, few large stadia are built for the round ball code - this means it needs the venues of other sports to stage the Cup. The major sporting codes have generally backed the plan, in principle, because the real politik of the situation is that the Federal Government wants the tournament as do many Australians. Despite Association Football being the major long term threat to Australian football Down Under, to run interference would be to alienate many Aussies and lose a strong supporter in the national Government. Potential stadia upgrades are another spinoff that could be lost.

However, details of exactly what the AFL will have to give up seem to be becoming more and more dramatic by the week. Soccer's governing body in Australia, the FFA, has made it clear that they want the MCG and major stadia in the other capitals. FIFA rules also apparently prevent other codes playing their matches in the same cities for the duration of the tournament. It seemed the AFL was prepared to accept all that to be seen to be playing nice, provided adequate compensation was provided. But now there are reports the whole AFL season could be in jeopardy.

Former Sydney Swans champion Michael O’Loughlin has been named the 2009 AFL Players’ Association Madden Medallist. O’Loughlin received the award in recognition of his on-field brilliance, outstanding off-field achievements, personal growth and community spirit shown throughout his 15 season career. Now in its third year, the AFLPA Madden Medal is named in honour of former AFLPA presidents and champion Essendon and Carlton players, brothers Simon and Justin Madden. The 2009 Madden Medal was presented to Michael O’Loughlin by the Madden brothers at a gala lunch event earlier today.

The AFLPA Executive committee faced a difficult task in choosing the winner, given the high calibre of AFL players retiring in 2009. O’Loughlin was selected as the 2009 Madden Medallist over retiring champions Matthew Richardson, Leo Barry, Matthew Lloyd, Tom Harley, David Wirrpanda, Adam Simpson, Jared Crouch and Joel Bowden.

Although there is clearly a battle between the football codes in Australia for the hearts and minds of fans, we don't encourage readers to be too critical of any sport, as they all have their upside and many supporters and players enjoy multiple codes.

But it was galling to see soccer club Gold Coast United's billionaire owner, Clive Palmer, bagging the new AFL club, suggesting the Gold Coast would fold within three years (reported back in May, see Football codes continue to position themselves). The gloating was short-lived.

Newly appointed Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy (pictured with New Zealand captain Andrew Congalton during the 2008 International Cup) has laid out the welcome mat for international talent.

As the new AFL club began to take shape there were small signs here and there that the AFL intended to focus heavily on the many immigrants that make up western Sydney. This made a stronger international connection a natural match, especially at a time when both non-AFL driven and AFL driven international growth has seen the first products of a new wave of non-Australian footy players begin to emerge. The introduction of international rookie lists, the AFL-AIS side touring and the upcoming Oceania tournament, along with some countries having a youth focus at the International Cup and the introduction of a World XVIII at the 2010 AFL Under 16s, have all pointed the way forward.

Will international footy change the way the game is played in Australia, from the MCG to Subiaco, from Football Park to the Gabba and on large and small grounds around the country?

This article explores the possibilities.

Four-time AFL premiership coach and Australian Football Hall of Fame member Kevin Sheedy (and great friend and spruiker of the international aspects of our game) was today announced as Head Coach of Team GWS.

In announcing Sheedy’s move to Western Sydney, AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou said the appointment of the coaching legend, who had coached Essendon for 27 years and four flags was the most significant appointment in the campaign for the 18th AFL licence to bring a team to Greater Western Sydney by 2012.

Mr Demetriou said the Team GWS had a significant challenge to meet the criteria as set by the AFL Commission and that Sheedy would have a role in both the development of the on-field and off-field structure of Team GWS. “This is a generational decision and the success of AFL in Greater Western Sydney won’t be known for 25 or 30 years but with a population of two million people, the AFL is serious about this venture and today’s appointment of one of the biggest names in AFL demonstrates our commitment to this region,” Mr Demetriou said.

The following is a press release from the AFL regarding the entry of a World 18 side in the annual NAB AFL Under 16 Championships. We have referenced other media reports on this in a recent story; apologies for not getting the full release to our readers immediately, due to staff absence.

Reports have emerged that the AFL intends that next year's national Under 16s championships will for the first time feature a "World 18", with a squad of 25 players from outside Australia. The squad will compete in Division 2, with Queensland, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and NSW/ACT.

It was reported that 15 squad members will be recruited from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and South Africa, with the remaining ten to be picked from Europe, the US, Canada, Japan and the remainder of the Pacific.

The World 18 will be allowed to include overage players in the side, meaning the playing group will be in the age range 15-18 years. Only players having spent at least the last three years overseas will be eligible for selection.

An official announcement is expected today. For more, see the article AFL to add "World XVIII" to national under-16 championships from Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper.

The post AFL-season trade period has seen plenty of footballers change clubs this year, with international footy followers noticing a few ups and downs in the fortunes of Irish imports.

Irishman Colm Begley has elected to return to the Emerald Isle, after breaking into St Kilda's senior team only once this season. Begley moved to the Saints at the end of 2008, after playing 29 games with the Brisbane Lions over three years, starting in 2006.

Also delisted by St Kilda was Khan Haretuku, a Sydneysider drafted as a NSW rookie by the Saints last year, of Pacific Islander descent via New Zealand.

Fellow New Zealander Adam Campbell was delisted by the Fremantle Dockers, after managing just 13 senior games over the past four seasons. Campbell was born in Christchurch, moving to Australia at age 16 and making very quick progress after taking up the Australian game.

Meanwhile, back in Sydney, Swans coach Paul Roos has told the media he is not putting any pressure on Tadhg Kennelly to return to the club, after recent speculation the Irish superstar was considering a return to the AFL. Kennelly has told Irish media his brain was "fried" over the decision of which football code to play in 2010.