The global financial meltdown has already reached Australian sport.

With the AFL proposing two new AFL clubs in the next few years, some have urged they delay the program until the world economy turns around. Originally a new stadium on the Gold Coast was mooted, but with the area's two major investment management firms, MFS and City Pacific, and major developer Raptis, enduring financial problems this year, that now appears off the cards in the short to medium term. A re-development of the old Brisbane Bears ground at Carrara is now more likely. See New stadium plans off the table as GC17 puts its case.

Nevertheless, the AFL Commission appear determined to push ahead with the new clubs. Whether that resolve holds firm should be revealed next week as the Commission meet to discuss the issue.

It could be argued that the current economic climate makes a Tasmanian bid more attractive than West Sydney, though it's also worth noting that one of the vocal supporters of a Tassie bid, formerly Australia's richest person, Andrew Forrest, lost over half his wealth, on paper at least, in the share market fall this year. Ironically he has been replaced at #1 by Frank Lowy, the man behind soccer's big push in Australia. Convincing any sponsor to get on board, be it in Sydney or Tasmania, will be a difficult task. Perhaps the likeliest decision by the AFL is to proceed with West Sydney with caution, not stopping the project, but not fully committing to it until the economic outlook is clearer.

Finding a major sponsor is proving elusive for some of the Melbourne-based clubs, and it wouldn't surprise to see the AFL needing to put more money into them in 2009 than already the case.

The AFL has also warned clubs on the possible loss of existing sponsors and a downturn in members. The League has also vowed to cut its own spending, with reportedly up to $5 million cut in 2009. Hopefully that won't impact on the relatively modest international budget - it's in just such times that bold undertakings can yield their greatest benefits.

Many of the best Australian football athletes play in the AFL - but not all of them. Check out this incredible mark, or "hanger" colloquially speaking. If you've ever seen one like that live, you'll know that it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you'll talk about it for weeks to come.

The player was Saad Saad, playing for Seymour FC in the 2005 Grand Final. Seymour play in Victoria's Goulburn Valley League. A breath-taking moment unique to our game.

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The AFL in partnership with Football Victoria and the Department for Victorian Communities has established the Multicultural Program to assist people from diverse cultural backgrounds to integrate into Australian society through Australian Football. Obviously the program is not entirely without its own self-serving goals - to bring on a new generation of footy fans and players. But in doing so it offers many benefits to immigrants.

The program began in early 2006 employing 3 Multicultural Development Officers based at various AFL clubs (Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, Hawthorn). Recently Richmond and Essendon joined the program.

Michael Roberts, better known to international footy as an Australian who spent time as development officer in Samoa and was a key official guiding them through the recent International Cup, has joined the Multicultural Program, working with Richmond for the Central East region of Melbourne. This particular area is seen as having many children with backgrounds that are from Greece, China, Italy, Vietnam, Indonesia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

The Herald Sun published an interesting article about David Banda, the Malawian boy adopted by American singer Madonna and his favourite piece of clothing - a Hawthorn Hawks AFL jumper. A most unlikely combination.

The article Madonna's boy David Banda is Hawthorn's latest fan appears here.

The Geelong Cats went into the 2008 AFL Grand Final as hot favourites to go back to back. But it was the underdogs in Hawthorn who ultimately hoisted the cup. The game was a very tight tussle in the first half in front of a packed MCG crowd of just over 100,000. Kiwi born Trent Croad went into the game with a foot injury but was forced off the ground for the game after doing further serious damage, which looked like it might give Geelong the advantage, but Geelong captain Tom Harley also left the ground after a head clash with Mark Williams just before half time to even up that ledger. Luke Hodge across halfback dominated for most of the day after it initially looked like Max Rooke might have his measure.

There is an interesting article on the AFL website about New Zealand stand-up comedian Cal Wilson's journey to becoming an Aussie Rules and the St Kilda Football Club supporter.

Wilson, originally from Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand is co-host of the radio show "The Wrong Way Home with Akmal, Cal and Ed". She has also appeared on "SkitHouse", "Rove Live", "Thank God You're Here", "Spicks and Specks", "The Wedge" and "Dancing with the Stars".

In 2006, she did a sell out show about her distaste for New Zealand's national sport of rugby union and newfound love of footy. Her show was called "Up There, Cal Wilson".

Although her Saints didn't make the Grand Final and her favourite player Robert Harvey has since retired, and the Falcons unsuccessfully defended their International Cup title, fellow Kiwi Trent Croad, a veteran at Hawthorn finally got to show his silver fern on the premiership dias.

The article on Wilson recently appeared on the AFL website and titled "How a Kiwi comedian learned to love St Kilda".

During the 2005 AFL Grand Final, Tadhg Kennelly received a lot of publicity for his part in the Sydney Swans AFL premiership team.

While many talked up the "Luck of the Irish", the luck of the Kiwis runs just as strong. Of the ten or so New Zealand born players to feature in the VFL/AFL, almost half of them have tasted premiership glory.

The last New Zealander to play in a premiership was Wayne Schwass in 1996. Before him was Warren Jones with Carlton in 1982, Geelong's Joe Sellwood in 1937 and Richmond's Thomas O'Halloran in both 1932 and 1934. An enviable record indeed.

Croad, who has already had a couple of injury scares during the AFL finals series and is under an injury cloud but likely to make a Grand Final appearance. A premiership would add to Trent Croads growing AFL star status and impressive list of career achievements as reported earlier in the WFN article Kiwi Croad in the Big V on the big stage.

The AFL's General Manager of National and International Development, David Matthews, has written a piece for the Melbourne newspaper the Sunday Age, urging (and thus effectively justifying) support for international Australian football. He notes that "People tend not to remember opportunities missed as much as opportunities that failed", which is an acceptance that by promoting international footy there is a risk of criticism if it fails - but that the football community should try anyway.

It's a continuing theme from Matthews, who has put forward a strong case on several occasions, and has over-seen the AFL's practical efforts. Although the support so far rolled out by the AFL remains somewhat uneven, there's no doubt the last three or four years have seen a tremendous increase in their commitment to international football. Although the article has nothing new to our regular readers, it's great to see the message in such a major Australian paper.

The article is AFL needs to seize opportunities to make inroads at home and abroad and is also re-produced below.

The AFL Grand Final is fast approaching, with the event celebrated by footy clubs, expat Australians and other assorted sports fans across the globe. This year's GF will kick off on Saturday September 27th at the MCG in Melbourne, with TV coverage starting around 12pm AEST.

For many international footy clubs, the Grand Final party is the year's major fundraiser, for others it's been the key meeting where footy fans in a far-off city have realised they weren't alone and started a new team.

At WFN we also get a steady flow of requests from people who want to know where to see the game overseas. We've put on a very short list of ones we've heard about so far, if you aren't on the list yet, leave a comment on this story and we'll add you in!

Also, a reader in Germany sent us a message saying: "We have found one option that will work. We are likely to subscribe to EuroSport2 via the internet (around €5 per month, and hopefully cancel later). We are lucky that we can plug a laptop into the TV and watch it semi-normally from home at stupid AM German time."

http://player.eurosport.de/home
Click on Eurosport 2

Some other coverage details are also given on the AFL website in Global game: watching the GF overseas

Hollywood star Brendan Fraser, a self-confessed Aussie Rules Footy fan, was at a recent AFL match between Hawthorn and Carlton at the Telstra Dome.

Fraser was in Melbourne promoting the new movie from "The Mummy" series and was one of at least a dozen celebrities on hand to watch the shootout for the Coleman Medal between Lance "Buddy" Franklin and Brendan Fevola in front of a near capacity crowd. Not only that, but he would have also witnessed the International Cup teams parade at half time.

Fraser was interviewed during the television coverage of the match and the subject of the Herald Sun article "Brendan Fraser at AFL match in Melbourne".