After spending the season so far as an emergency for the Swans after impressing in the preseason, Mike Pyke finally made his debut for the Sydney Swans on Sunday afternoon. It seems Pyke was not all cool and calm about his shot at the big time as he sent his mother (who had travelled from Canada to see his debut game) away when she came to visit him on Sunday morning. But calm enough to cruise from his home on his bike down to the SCG.

Yes of all the internationals in recent years to make the switch, his is the most remarkable - from a rugby career which included Test match representation for Canada and playing professional rugby in Scotland less than 12 months ago to riding past the Sydney Football Stadium (where he might have reasonably been expected to line up at some stage in his rugby kit) and on to the SCG to play Australian Rules Football.

The need to find talent away from the main draft has encouraged some clubs to look outside traditional talent pools, and a tall, quick, coordinated guy who has played contact sport at the highest level who comes knocking on your door (and only takes up a rookie list spot) was too much of a good offer for the Swans to pass up.

Pyke acquitted himself well once the grand stories of transition were behind him and siren sounded. And after seven minutes on the bench he began his job, backup ruckman, giving the main ruckman a breather and providing impact with fresh legs - "a credible impression" said the Associated Press article that was printed in various media around the world.

Mike Pyke's rapid transition to senior AFL football has come before anyone would have thought possible when he was signed up with the Sydney Swans in Decmeber 2008. But the last few weeks on the fringe of selection must have dragged out for the big Canadian. Today the Swans confirmed that he would indeed be starting on Sunday against Richmond at the SCG. The former rugby international for Canada impressed in the preseason matches for the Swans and it seemed only a matter of time until he would get his opportunity at the highest level of his adopted sport.

We know our regular Canadian readers will be watching Mike's progress closely, and hopefully he will be an inspiration to young Canadians who are already playing Aussie rules in their own country.

For many years Australian Football had a good toe hold in Canada, but it was limited to Ontario and very little beyond that. In recent years a lot of progress has been made in British Columbia and Alberta, so bringing players together from across Canada in a club or provincial championships would seem to be well overdue. So it was pleasing to see AFL Canada announce the 1st Annual Canadian National Championships of Australian Football. It's scheduled to run in conjunction with G'Day Toronto Australia Week 11 -16 May, and sponsors include Air Canada and Crowne Plaza.

Notionally it's an excellent opportunity to showcase the sport's development, pit the newer clubs against the established Ontario ones, and put on a big event, like the US Nationals. In fact US clubs are also welcome. Disappointingly though it appears that only local teams will be playing, with the Calgary and BC sides not likely to make it, nor Ottawa or Quebec, or any US clubs. worldfootynews.com spoke to some of those involved to find out what the situaton is.

With the success of the Calgary Kangaroos Australian Football Club and their cross-town associates the Calgary Kookaburras at last year’s US Nationals, Alberta is looking to branch into local schools in an effort to attract youths to Australian football.

The "Downunder Travel" Alberta Footy Schools Program is a new development in Calgary which began in October last year. It is a program which Alberta Footy believes will revolutionize footy in Alberta by introducing children to the sport.

The program consists of sending dedicated football development officers into schools to facilitate skills acquisition and to build a relationship between students and Alberta football clubs. The facilitators will return to the same schools every week for five weeks, gradually introducing more-complicated football concepts to the students.

As we move toward the start of the 2009 season, USFootyNews.com will be previewing the Top 10 teams in USFooty as voted in the preseason USFootyNews.com and WorldFootyNews.com poll.

At No. 7 is the Seattle Grizzlies. Seattle finished the 2008 season as USFooty Division II National Champions, 6-4 in the regular season and 7th in the last Top 10 poll. Obviously, the victory over the Calgary Kangaroos (pictured) for the National Title, was the highlight of the 2008 season.

As we move toward the start of the 2009 season, USFootyNews.com will be previewing the Top 10 teams in USFooty as voted in the preseason USFootyNews.com and WorldFootyNews.com poll.

At Number 8 in the Preseason Poll is the Boston Demons. Boston finished the 2008 regular season 2-3. They went 1-2 at Nationals and finished 6th in the last Top 10 poll of the year. That said, they had two big wins during the year. One against New York in New York in the last game of the year and one against 2008 EAFL Premiers, the Baltimore Washington Eagles at Nationals. According to Demons President, Michael Larsen, "We have a strong rivalry with the Eagles and beating them in Colorado Springs was a highlight of our year."

The Miami Dolphins have reportedly signed 30 year old Jy Bond, son of former Richmond player (and 3AW football commentator) Graham Bond as a punter. Bond has been in training over the last few years to get a shot at punting in the NFL. He was drafted to Richmond under the father/son rule some years back, but never played senior football for the club.

Bond is likely to have to compete for the punting spot throughout the preseason until either he or incumbent punter Brandon Fields is cut from the squad. Ben Graham and Sav Rocca both went through this process before making the final roster to debut in the NFL.

Former Sydney Swans and Collingwood forward Nick Davis has also been in the US in recent weeks for punting trials and has reportedly had interest from the San Diego Chargers (the former club of Darren Bennett). Further trialling could also see him win a preseason slot with an NFL club to compete for a punting spot when the regular season rolls around. Davis along with a group of other hopefuls from Australia have been showing their wares in specially organised sessions in front of a number of scouts from various NFL clubs and colleges in the US.

There have already been some Australians offered college scholarships this year to play gridiron football, such as Alex Dunnachie who has a full, four-year scholarship at the University of Hawaii. Dunnachie was playing Under 19's for Banyule in the VAFA in 2008.

As we move toward the start of the 2009 season, USFootyNews.com will be previewing the Top 10 teams in USFooty as voted in the preseason USFootyNews.com and WorldFootyNews.com poll.

At Number 9 in the Preseason Poll is Chicago United. Chicago finished 2008 ranked 10th with a record of 6-1. They also repeated as MAAFL Premiers. In 2009, Chicago looks odds-on to "three-peat" as MAAFL champions. They have a favorable MAAFL schedule, hosting both No. 10 Nashville Kangaroos and the Milwaukee Bombers. Head Coach Paul Drake agrees. "Have to like that schedule indeed and it certainly bodes well for a stab at the three-peat."

Photo courtesy of Fernanda Schwartz.

Andrew Werner, older brother Joe Werner and Joe's wife Katy Werner have decided to follow their sporting dreams to Australia. Joe Werner was a standout basketballer for UW Lacrosse and was also picked up as a tight end for the Green Bay Packers. In 2008 he was offered the opportunity to play for the Kilsyth Cobras in the South Eastern Australian Basketball League. This year, Joe's wife, Katy Werner, a former UW Lacrosse basketballer herself, was offered the opportunity to play for the Lady Cobras.

This week, Joe's younger brother Andrew, pictured at left with Geelong coach Mark "Bomber" Thompson, joins them both in Australia. While Joe and Katy play basketball in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Andrew will be heading to the other side of the continent and the country Western Australian town of Mt Barker to play Aussie Rules.

Mike Pyke’s rapid journey to AFL footballer has seen the Sydney Swans elevate the big Canadian to the senior list last night. Evidently there is a dearth in Australia of big men with the ability to cover the ground quickly in the mould of Dean Cox. This has created the opening for Pyke and there has been much speculation as to whether he could possibly do the unthinkable and debut in this weekend’s Round 1.

It currently looks like that will not happen and he will be named as emergency for the Swans clash with St Kilda at Docklands Stadium on Saturday night. That still leaves the door ajar for him to complete his transition from playing rugby union in France last year to being at the elite level of the Australian game.