There’s been a lot of publicity around the match winning goal of NRL (Rugby League to AFL) convert Karmichael Hunt on Saturday evening at Cairns' Cazaly stadium. Richmond fans no doubt are fed up with hearing about it. However, for all that Hunt has improved this season, and for all that he looks like he does or will warrant his selection from week to week – there’s another Rugby (Union) to AFL code conversion story that is playing out in a Sydney and it’s not Izzie Folau; and it's not at a bottom of the table team.

The USAFL women’s team USA Freedom recently held their annual selection trials at a training camp in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There was a huge turnout to the event, including seasoned Freedom players returning from the 2011 International Cup and new players coming up through their local teams.

Following the success of the training camp, and the continued increase in the popularity of the sport across both the men’s and women’s camps, the USAFL has announced its decision to host men’s and women’s Development squads, alongside their top level national squads, at the 49th Parallel Cup which will be held in Dublin, Ohio on August the 4th.

By Corey Irwin

There’s a large group of Sharks in Santa Monica, but don’t worry, this breed isn’t vicious – unless you happen to be their opponent on the field.

While the rest of LA either mourned the fortunes of the Lakers or Clippers, or was waiting nervously on the fate of the Kings (they won), a small band of weekend warriors were celebrating the first 2012 sporting triumph for the city on Sunday afternoon.

Some recent footage of women's footy in the USA, courtesy of Luke Anderson. Women's Aussie Rules football hit Philadelphia as players from Boston, New York, Montreal, Baltimore and Ontario joined forces to play a 14-a-side match on a full sized field. 

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Everyone's favourite American at Collingwood, this week turned interviewer and posed some lighthearted questions to his magpie team mates.

USA Freedom are hosting an open training camp in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from June 15-17 . All players are welcome and there's a chance for the best players to earn a place on the national women's team for the 49th Parallel Cup on August 4-5. To reserve a place, contact Head Coach Leigh Barnes - freedomcoach@usafl.com and for more information, contact Team manager Amy Bishop - freedom@usafl.com.

After two and a half seasons in the VFL, has Shae McNamara's time come? With the injury to Collingwood's Lachy Keefe last weekend adding to an already heavy injury list, McNamara has moved one spot closer to his AFL debut. The opponent this week is the winless Gold Coast which could make a soft landing for a debutant which could be in his favour.

But the Magpies are not likely to gift an AFL debut out of sympathy, so it would have to come on the back of them needing a tall defender, which is where McNamara has been spending time this year in the VFL. He is also competing for a spot against his VFL teammates in Ceglar, Witts and the Irishman Caolan Mooney who continues to advance in his adopted game.

While Collingwood has some injuries they also have some players on the way back from injury in Tarrant, Brown and Reid who all are some chance to return this week which would probably be coach Nathan Buckley's preference with the team already down on experience.  So all in all his chances are probably better than ever, but still slim at this stage.

After an earlier relationship may have seen the USAFL club Chicago Swans and the AFL's Sydney Swans drift away from each other, they have found each other once again.

The Sydney Swans website reports that: Long-time friend of the Chicago Swans and Sydney reserves coach Jared Crouch said the new affiliation was a relationship that benefitted both clubs. “For them, they want a little bit of support and for us it’s about getting our name and our brand out there and offering any help we can,” he told sydneyswans.com.au.

“(Australian Rules) football is actually pretty big in the US. Other clubs already have affiliations. There are the New York Magpies, the Nashville Kangaroos and Boston play in Melbourne’s colours, so it’s about getting our name and brand on that scene.” As part of the new affiliation, 'Windy City' native and Chicago Swans player Jason Wilhelm visited the Swans headquarters at the SCG last week, and was treated to a guided tour with Crouch.