Unfortunately the annual Arizona AFL Metro Footy World Invitational has had to be cancelled for 2005, with issues relating to field availability. But the good news for US footballers is that a new tournament has been announced - the Wild West Shootout, to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Confirmed starters are the Mojave Greens and Tucson Javelinas. The following is a press release from the organisers.

There is talk floating around the US that the South Eastern and North Eastern Australian Football Leagues may be merged to form a new Eastern AFL.

The Chicago Metro AFL will get a boost next year from the on- and off-field experience of Darren McCumber from QAFL club Labrador. In return, Chicago local Jeremy Morgan will take to the field for Labrador for season 2005.

Will the United States military be the next big area of growth for Australian Rules football? World Footy News conducted an email-based interview with some people who think it could be, and are actively leading the charge, with the first US Army side, the Mojave Greens.

The exciting USAFL television deal with ASTN, to broadcast US Australian Rules football matches, is now being put into place for the 2005 season schedule.

The USAFL works with Macquarie Univsersity (in New South Wales, Australia) and AFL club Essendon (in Melbourne) to provide two scholarships each year for promising players to travel to Australia and play at a higher level. The 2005 winners have been announced.

In what could be a first for secondary schools in the Northern Hemisphere, two schools in Canada have fielded Australian Rules sides. The Etobicoke Kangaroos Australian Football Club (from the Ontario AFL) has conducted three weeks of training, finishing with an inter-schools match, between St Clement and Bishops Strachan. The following is from Greg Everett (Head Coach of the Canadian National men's side, the Northwind).

The Arizona AFL have launched their new season and their new look website. The league is a trailblazer in the USAFL, with almost all players being American. Due to the weather in this western US state, they also play most of their season when much of the rest of the country is getting ready for the harsh winter months.

The Pratt Industries 2004 US Nationals have been run and won (see earlier stories), with Denver, Arizona and Cincinnati/Pittsburgh winning their respective divisions. worldfootynews.com have some photos from the tournament.

The Denver Bulldogs have again taken out the top division of the USAFL Nationals, the most prestigious event in US Australian Rules football. Other winners were Arizona and a combined Cincinnati/Pittsburgh side.