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.

Good Morning America's viewers were today treated to Jeremy Howe's spectacular mark against Sydney on the weekend as their "Play of the Day".

The USAFL's Nolan Ellis was last night featured on Denver's local news following his selection in the World XVIII squad.

The AFL tells us that the full team will be announced in the next couple of weeks, after final acceptances of invitations from internationally based players.

Australian based players are reportedly progressing well in the selection process with a large number of nominations received, including some players still involved in State trials.

This Saturday sees a big day of footy in Philadelphia.  EAFL rivals Florida, New York and the Baltimore/Washington Eagles will all be in town to take part.  And following on from their successful tour to Chicago last year, the Onatario Australian Football League will again send a team across the border to compete during a bye weekend in their own league.  There will also be a Reserves and a Women's match on the day.

The 2012 Philly Footy Festival as it is known will be played at the Hawk's home ground,  FDR Park.   The match schedule is as follows: