There are still plenty of footy xenophobes out there who believe that Australian football should be played by Australians only. But anyone who has been involved with foreigners coming to the game seems to be quickly converted to the idea that the game shouldn't be restricted to those who live in Australia (which of course it is not). There is something special about sharing the game that has largely been a secret to the rest of the world, who for the most part take it up with great enthusiasm.

Luke Ball today wrote in The Age of his encounters with Collingwood team-mate Shae McNamara and surmises that the game can only be better off for the diversity that international expansion can bring. The following is an extract from that article Globalisation of our code can only make us better.

The Cincinnati Dockers Australian Rules Football Club will begin regular season play on the road against the reigning three-time Mid American Australian Football League (MAAFL) champions, Chicago United. This game will take place on Saturday June 5th at 3 PM central time at Waveland Park in Chicago.

The Seattle Grizzlies this week showed their stuff on TV show New Day Northwest.

The Sydney Swans' players will train today in the guernseys of their junior clubs, an initiative of Swans forward, Jarred Moore. So what will Mike Pyke train in is the big question?

While it will be a Canadian one, it will unfortunately be the guernsey he wore when he played in the Rugby World Cup for Canada - and not that of the Canada Northwind team (see below).

On any given weekend during an American footy season there can be any number of games happening across the US. With teams playing a number of one off tournaments and some smaller league structures, and metro leagues slotted in here and there the number can vary from one or two and on other weekends in the double figures.

This weekend is one of the latter. In Boston the OAFL Awfuls will be playing games against both Boston Demons and Baltimore/Washington Eagles. The Eagles and Demons will also play each other in their scheduled EAFL clash.

This Sunday the Southern California Australian Football League (SCAFL) will play the third place and Grand Final games for their metro competition, capping a nine round season that started in March. Our thanks to SCAFL President Corey Irwin for this preview

In the third place game the Riverside Football Club will take on the Los Angeles Swans. Riverside has been the talk of the competition this year, with a massive influx of new players thanks to a stepped-up recruiting effort. Look for players like Matt Morgan, Bobby Burgess, Pat Garthwaite and Deron Lien to lead the attack for RFC.

In 2010 the AFL has embarked on a new venture inviting two international teams, the World XVIII and the South Pacific Nations, to compete against Australian Under 16’s teams from varying states.

Both of the international teams will consist of U18 players from all around the world, tallying up to a whopping 21 countries represented. The teams will head down to Australia in July to take part in the NAB U16’s tournament, beginning with a game between the two international sides on Sunday July 4th, followed by games against other Australian states that week.

As the story was reported only a few weeks back on oafl.ca, the OAFL Insider got the chance to sit down with the two boys from the Ontario Australian Football League (OAFL) club, the Etobicoke Roos, who were selected for the World XVIII squad.

As the Ontario Australian Football League (OAFL) regular football season goes on hold this weekend for Canada's long weekend, May 24, a group of OAFL bandits entitled the OAFL Awfuls are set to hit the road down to Boston, Massachusetts.

The team will be participating in 2 matches on Saturday May 22nd against the US sides of the Boston Demons and the Baltimore Eagles.

In 2008 Columbus, Ohio became home to the Jackaroos and now the sports mad city has given US women's footy a new team, the Jillaroos. On a beautiful sunny spring day, seven lucky women came out to be a part of the first ever women's Aussie Rules practice/social/meeting ever in Ohio.

Jamie, Tonya, Kristi, Sara, Megan(not pictured), Julie and Stefanie wrote themelves into future footy lore as the inaugural core that can say they will have literally been there from the beginning. Coaches Chet Ridenour and Alan Gardner and Jackaroos supporters Scoota & Santosh helped guide these women over the basics of handballing, and kicking.

After some drills they were involed in some action in an "ultimate footy-esque" game. They posed for team shots, and headed to BW3s afterwards for food & drink, while bonding over "2 Truths & A lie," sharing and creating nicknames, and dividing up homework to jump-start this team before they meet again.

Next Training: Tues, May 18th, 6pm, Tuttle Park - (Open invite required - meaning you have to invite at least 1 friend out with you!)

For those interested you can listen to Shae McNamara the "Yapping Yank" and Steele Sidebottom on the Collingwoood Football Club's Pie Cast podcast at the link here if you are in Australia or here for our international readers using iTunes.

The big American missed a game through injury but hopes to return to Collingwood's VFL side this weekend.