In a surprise move, Mike Pyke, a 200 cm 24 year old Canadian International Rugby Union player has signed on with the Sydney Swans as an international rookie, the first non-Irish international player signed up on the AFL's alternative lists.

It was hoped the two year international lists would lead to AFL clubs scouting international Aussie Rules players, but young athletes from other codes was always another likely source, though at age 24 it's a surprising decision.

The USAFL today announced that the 2009 National Championships will be held in Mason, Ohio at Heritage Oak Park, 24 miles north of downtown Cincinnati and South of Dayton Ohio.

The City of Mason covers over 11,200 acres and is home to nearly 25,000 people and approximately 500 businesses. Cintas Corporation, Mitsubishi, Procter & Gamble's Health Care Research Center, and Luxottica Retail are among the companies located in Mason. Mason is known as the resort area of southwest Ohio. Kings Island Amusement Park, The Beach Waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge and Conference Center, and The Golf Center at Kings Island are among the prominent recreation destinations in Mason. Mason is home to the world-recognized Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati. The main host hotel is the Kings Island Resort, located nearby to the championship grounds.

WorldFootyNews.com and USFootyNews.com have teamed up to present the USFooty Top Ten Poll for 2008. This is the 5th edition of the poll and the penultimate before the USFooty National Championship Tourney.

1. Balt/Wash Eagles (7-0)  (4 # 1 Votes)  (UP from 3)
2. Denver Bulldogs (3-3)  (4 # 1 Votes)
3. NY Magpies (6-3)  (2 # 1 Votes)  (UP from 4)
4. San Diego Lions (1-2)   (DOWN from 1)
5. OC Bombers (2-1)   (UP from 6)
6. Golden Gate Roos (1-1)   (DOWN from 5)
7. Nashville Kangaroos (5-2)
8. Chicago United (3-1)   (UP from 9)
9. Dallas Magpies (4-0)   (DOWN from 8)
10. Atlanta Kookaburras (4-1)   (IN)

Also receiving votes Milwaukee Bombers (3-1), Seattle Grizzlies (4-4) (OUT), Boston Demons (2-3), Florida Redbacks (2-4), Minnesota Freeze (0-2), Philadelphia Hawks (1-2).

The USFooty Website last week ran a note on its front page that Greg Norman was playing golf in Colorado Springs at the US Senior Open golf tournament with a tenuous link to the fact that the 2008 USAFL Nationals will be taking place in Colorado Springs. More interestingly was the following footage featured in much press in Australia (and I assume elsewhere in the world) of a black bear roaming the course.

[youtube:XqOCzV7bAoE]

Always looking for media attention to bolster the profile of the game in the US, it would seem that the organizing committee might want to organise some wildlife of their own. Perhaps scenes reminiscent of the International Rules clash in Ireland a few years back (where a small dog decided to join the match) could see a bear run onto the ground during a game and chase the ball and players around? Then again it might be easier to dress up Rich Mann or Paul O’Keefe in a bear suit and let them loose?

Former Essendon AFL Premiership player and Australian representative, Chris Heffernan, made his debut for the highly ranked New York Magpies in Philly as they took on the Philadephia Hawks on Saturday July 26 2008. Heffernan retired as an AFL player after the 2007 season at the age of 28. The midfielder player made his AFL debut in 1997 and played 170 AFL games, mostly for the Bombers, including their 2000 AFL Premiership. He also represented Australia in the International Rules series against Ireland in 2000.

Heffernan recently moved to New York. Heffernan joins a talented mid-field with Jordon McIntyre, Michael Murphy, and Joel Keating and Andrew Bridges in the ruck. Heffernan wore #10 for the Pies against the Hawks with some useful possessions (see video). Assistant Coach, Shane Devine, named Heffernan in the best players for the Magpies in their demolition of the Hawks. Heffernan is certainly a welcome addition to a very talented New York team that is looking at challenging for the USFooty National Championship.

Heffernan follows a few former AFL players into USFooty including John Ironmonger (Golden Gate) and Cameron Trickey O'Brien (San Diego), although Heffernan comes in with many more games of AFL, an AFL Premiership and an Australian cap.

Football in the US is for the most part a game of distance. To play an away game requires at best a road trip and in many cases an air trip. So any time a new team comes along it usually means less travel and more games for their nearest neighbors. Many teams in the US will only play a handful of games each year (outside of tournament weekends) and desperately need more teams and less distance to travel for the game to prosper.

Each year there are stirrings of new teams coming on line, some never make it much further than this (the Mobile team rumored last year come to mind) and some struggle on for a long time but eventually put things together. Columbus in Ohio has struggled to get things happening for a couple of years and looked to almost be getting to a playing stage in 2006.

This didn’t amount to anything in ‘06 or ‘07, but a team has emerged in 2008, and what’s more they have their first competitive game on the board. Their next challenge is will be to stick around unlike some other teams that have raised their head briefly and disappered again soon after.

This Sunday sees the 2008 SCAFL Grand Final being contested by the Beachside Sharks and the OC Jets. The Sharks will be looking to make it two in a row, while the Jets will be looking to exact revenge for their four point loss in last years Grand Final. The Sharks Club President (and founder) Adam Howarth will play his last game with the club.

On the Beachside Sharks site Howarth reflected on the work involved "Well, it's been a hard two years getting this club started and finding a way to get us in the position to win a second straight Grand Final. It's tough work and I couldn't have done it without the dedication of our coach, John Fragomeni, and the support of the players and their families." Howarth has played in every game for the Sharks and will be looking to go out in style before handing over the running of the club to the new President.

TORONTO, Ont. - On one of the biggest days of Australian Football in Ontario, Canada’s national team, The Northwind, were no match for the OAFL Australian All-Stars, in front of a good crowd of 500 people at Humber College South. Under perfect skies the Aussie All-Stars, led brilliantly by their big full forward Danny Walker who kicked 5 goals, outclassed Northwind by 52 points.

USFootyNews.com's Jeff Blankman has interviewed San Diego Lions and US Revolution backman Brett Ullman, ahead of next month's International Cup.

[youtube:UdPhcR3ueM4]

The following story is contibuted to us by Rebecca Cassidy - Public Relations Officer for the Yankeroos.

Australian Rules football has become a popular extra curricular activity for American ‘Study Abroad’ students studying at The University of Notre Dame Australia’s Fremantle Campus. The successful Study Aboard program has been operating for a number of years and sees students from American university’s such as Notre Dame, Indiana and Portland University travel to Fremantle for their ‘cultural and academic’ exchange.

Introducing them to Aussie Rules was the brainchild of local Fremantle businessman, Mr Tony Fairhead. He explains, “The initiative began in Semester 2, 2006 and has become a regular event on the students’ calendar. “The team, called the Yankeroos, is formed at the beginning of each semester. Our aim is to teach American students the rules of the game and how to play, therefore promoting Aussie Rules to the Americans.”