A few weeks ago Wes Hull gave us his first hand account of being on the end of a large pasting (You can read that here), today Joe Woodyard recounts the 1992 thrashing on Brisbane at the hands of Geelong, reminding us that one sided affairs are not restricted to local footy.

Carrara Oval, Gold Coast Australia, in thesoutheastern corner of Queensland

1992 was the 96th season of VFL/AFL footy. For round seven, Geelong traveled to Carrara Oval just south of Brisbane for a match against the Brisbane Lions. The Cats got off to a bit of a slow start on the season, losing their first two matches to Hawthorn and Melbourne despite scoring over 100 points. Their round six win over Fitzroy saw them kick 25 goals and score 175 points in a 98-point win over the Lions.

Brisbane began play in the (then) VFL in 1986 and was in the process of losing $10 million total during the 90-91-92 AFL seasons. Poor on-field play as well as insufficient public transportation meant the team wasn’t drawing well. Rumors of relocation and/or mergers swirled around the team. Coming into round seven, they had won once and lost three, and managed a draw against a West Coast squad that had a decent year.

This was a bit of the backdrop against which history would be made.

Gary Ablett, Sr. kicked nine goals in the Cats' big win over Brisbane.  He played 248 games, mostly with Geelong, and in four Grand Finals. He was named to the AFL Team of the Century in 1996.
 

The Cats got off to a fast start by kicking seven goals and leading 46-14 at quarter time. The lead would stretch to 89 points at the half, as Brisbane kicked just two behinds. The Bears would kick five goals in the third term but Geelong had eight major scores to lead 152-50 at the last change. What’s phenomenal is the Cats scored 14 goals (fourteen!) in the final quarter to lead by 163 points when Bill Brownless kicked a behind at the very end of the game for a 239-75 win over the Lions. Gary Ablett the elder kicked nine goals, Paul Brown added six, and four others kicked three apiece. John Hutton pitched in eight of Brisbane’s 11 goals on the night.

The 239 points became a league record for most points scored in a game by a team, beating out Fitzroy’s 238 in a win over Melbourne in 1979. So Brownless’ minor tally set the record, which still stands today.

Now before you wonder about Geelong running up the score, they lit up the scoreboard regularly in 1992. They put up 210 the following week against Adelaide and 181 the next. Their percentage for the season was an astounding 145.64, which means the Cats scored that many points for every 100 scored by their opponents. Geelong had the same regular-season record (16-6) as Footscray and Collingwood, so by virtue of having the highest percentage they took the #1 seed going into the postseason. That meant they could lose once in the playoffs and not be eliminated, a privilege earned by the top two teams during the home-and-away season.

Geelong would need that double chance because they would lose to West Coast in the semifinals. The Cats then beat Footscray the following week in the Preliminary Final, earning a Grand Final rematch with West Coast. The Eagles earned their first premiership with a strong second half, winning by 28 points.

It’s pretty wild that they’d win the big trophy despite drawing against a poor Brisbane side early in the season. You just never know.

As for Carrara Oval, officials poured a boatload of cash into renovations in 2009-11 and it’s now known as Metricon Stadium, where the Gold Coast Suns play home games.

The original story appeared on Joe's website -  Play On! An Australian Rules Football site ...

Recently retired AFL great Steve Johnson and Sydney premiership player Tadhg Kennelly are joining the Sydney Swans coaching ranks. 

The Irishman returns to the club where he played 197 AFL games, after holding coaching and development roles with the AFL following his retirement in 2011.

At this stage it would seem that this would remove him from the AFL payroll where he was International Talent Manager and has been heavily involved in the AFL Europe Combine testing which is predominantly focused on recruiting young Irish GAA talent.

Johnson, a triple premiership player and three-time All-Australian, will bring invaluable experience to the Swans following his outstanding playing career that spanned 293 games across 16 years with Geelong and GWS.

After kicking 516 goals during his career, Johnson will take the reins of the forward line.

Sydney Swans Head of Football Tom Harley says Johnson will be a great addition.

“Steve brings an impressive playing record and is widely acknowledged as having elite football IQ,” Harley said.

“Towards the end of his playing days, Steve invested in his coaching career and as such we are very confident that he will transition to become a quality coach.

“Steve and his family are settled in Sydney and we are excited about welcoming them to the Swans.”

Joining Johnson at the Swans will be 2005 Sydney premiership player Tadhg Kennelly.

Kennelly will join retiring Swan Jeremy Laidler as a development coach, while Nick Davis will take up the role of Talent and Development Manager for the QBE Sydney Swans Academy.

The 2017 AFL Coaches Association’s Assistant Coach of the Year, Rhyce Shaw, has been promoted to an assistant coaching position.

Harley says the Club is excited about its coaching group for season 2018.

“We are looking forward to the start of the pre-season with a new-look coaching group,” Harley said.

“Steve Johnson and Tadhg Kennelly will bring new ideas and a fresh perspective whilst Rhyce Shaw’s promotion from NEAFL coach to the senior coaching panel highlights how highly we regard him.

“We continually look at ways to improve and innovate and our 2018 coaching panel led by John Longmire provides us an opportunity to do so.”

The changes follow last week’s announcement of the departure of assistant coach Henry Playfair. ...

While Myk Aussie's countrymen back in South Australia are sleeping, the Canadian based expat is out doing his bit to promote the Aussie football code across North America. 

Appearing on the Fantasy Sports cable TV Network with host Gabriel Morency this week, Myk previews the 2017 AFL Grand Final featuring his beloved Adelaide Crows playing the Richmond Tigers.

You can watch him on the clip below.

To find Myk's other work go to http://www.mykaussie.com or @MykAussie on Twitter. ...

The 2017 AFL Grand Final kicks off at the MCG on Saturday afternoon in Melbourne. Richmond will play Adelaide in the Premiership decider.  The full international broadcast schedule can be seen below.

In addition to the TV networks you can also subscribe to the Watch AFL service that will give you live access to all the matches and more (outside Australia only).  You can access that service by clicking on the link here or the  Watch AFL banner below and paying the subscription fee.

“Lions, Lions Everywhere - to Lyon one and all

To have a kick and have some fun and chase that ol’ football.”

Such was the theme of last weekend’s Lions Cup – the inaugural football tournament put together by the ASLFA Lions in Lyon France. The event brought together Lions teams from France, Germany, Denmark and England to compete for the honour of being the greatest Lions in Europe.

The format was a six-match round robin draw, pitting each team against each other once. After the six completed matches, the results saw a three-way tie on wins at the top. The North London Lions, Odense Lions and ALFA Lions recorded two wins each – the title being decided by for and against.

Scores:

ALFA Lions 40 d Odense Lions 11

North London Lions 39 d Rheinland Lions 11

ALFA Lions 35 d Rheinland Lions 20

Odense Lions 18 d North London Lions 9

Odense Lions 32 d Rheinland Lions 1

North London Lions 50 d ALFA Lions 9

In the end it was the North London Lions winning the cup with a runaway score differential of +51 (or 208.5%). Odense narrowly took second place (+3 or 106.0%) from the ALFA Lions (+3 or 103.7%). The battle for second and third was so close that had the ALFA Lions kicked just two more behinds for the day they would have finished second. 

But the results mattered less than the fun and camaraderie experienced by all on the day. The event was well received and may well become a permanent post-season fixture for travelling Lions. There will be some other very curious Lions looking on from the wings (Leeside Lions in Ireland and even the Jerusalem Peace Lions in the future as a warm up for future Euro Cups).

A great initiative for European footy and played in a spirit of coming together to have fun.

Well done, Lions.

“Go Lions, [insert your Lions here] Mighty Lions

We’ll kick the winning score,

You’ll hear the mighty roar.”

  ...

In part one of this feature the case was argued that for the good of both the AFLW and international footy (both women's and men's) the AFL needs to allow and encourage international rookie spots on AFLW lists starting now, ready for AFLW 2018.

The benefits include a pool of internationals ready to: boost the standard and colour of the AFLW, to promote the sport back home, to demonstrate a semi-pro pathway exists, and to one day provide opposition that will allow Australian women the chance to pull on an Australian jumper to play a true Aussie Rules international (a potentially alluring but difficult to quantify enhancement to AFLW).

All this for virtually no cost as the spots should be in addition to the regular lists, they don't even need to include payments (better if they do but initially I think most will agree we'll take what we can get). These women will put their lives on hold for a precious opportunity and will repay the game many times over in return.  Just allow the free hit list positions and, like in the AFL men's competition, allow rookie elevation to replace an injured player (there were plenty last season) if the international is deemed good enough.  And if she is good enough then presumably she'll be given a regular list spot the following year.

I've put out the call myself, I've shown the backing for this or similar ideas from people in the international footy community from our own Troy Thompson to Peter Holden on Girls Play Footy to former USAFL President Denis Ryan and Great Britain Swans Team Manager and GB Bulldogs player Jason Hill.

Now let's hear from AFL club the GWS Giants, from an international team captain, from a current AFLW player very familiar with international footy, and a player who could've benefited from such a position during 2017.

First to the Giants.  When approached about this the Giants CEO David Matthews (formerly head of AFL Game Development) agreed in principle with the concept, and put us on to their newly announced AFLW Head Coach, Alan McConnell (pictured above), who is also the Giants' Director of Coaching across the club's men's and women's teams.  McConnell has immense experience in the industry, and his credentials include playing for Footscray, coaching Fitzroy, was an Assistant Coach at Geelong and the AIS-AFL Academy’s High Performance Coach.

McConnell was right behind the push to give international rookies a chance.

"We do support the push for international rookies as we strongly believe the opportunity to transition to the AFLW competition is real. With the competition set to expand in 2019 and 2020, broadening the talent pool is critical to the success of AFLW and that’s where I think looking internationally could become very important".

The best way to support the players would be up for discussion, with the Giants' coach suggesting:

"We do agree that it would need to be on a contractual basis that supports the development of talent and that’s likely a full-time or year-round commitment".

It's also encouraging to know that someone so well embedded in the system is confident that some players can make the leap.

"We saw with a player like Ellie Brush (W League soccer star) last season that there is scope for athletes to transition to AFL very quickly with the right training and environment."

Not surprisingly the Great Britain Swans' captain, Laura Turner (pictured above addressing her team at IC17), was also fully supportive and felt the gap between her side's best players and the AFLW was not that large and the prospect of rookie spots would be a great tool for growing the game.

"In Great Britain the women's game has exploded in the last 18 months, participation has dramatically increased and we have established ourselves on the world stage finishing third in IC17. The gap between some of our most talented British players and the AFLW is currently not that big. Our challenge now is to go back home and promote the game to keep the momentum going. To be able to entice new players and motivate current talent with the very real possibility of making a living from playing the sport would undoubtedly fuel the progression of the sport overseas.

"With the introduction of international rookie places on each team the skills and knowledge gained by those players would be huge. Not only from a playing perspective but the possibility of completing high level coaching courses (something not currently available in Great Britain) and experiencing strategic game development would help those players who return to their native countries to invest into the development of the game overseas.

"There is a window of opportunity with the AFLW. If the AFL is really serious about making Australian Football a global sport then this is an opportunity not to be missed".

And what about players within the AFLW already, do they see a problem with such a move?  We asked the Western Bulldogs' Lauren Spark (pictured left in action for the Wimbledon Hawks) her thoughts.  Lauren played 7 of a possible 8 games in the inaugural AFLW season and was in the top 10 players for average marks across the season, going on to represent Victoria in their big State of Origin win over the Allies (rest of Australia).  She is in a special position to comment given that although she is an Australian she was playing footy in England when drafted.  In fact Lauren helped set up a junior club in London and worked with the Great Britain Swans at IC17.  The Western Bulldogs tall defender/ruck felt there were international women not far away from AFLW level. 

"After spending two years within the London AFL competition, and being involved with the European Championships and international Cup, I believe there are quite a number of girls from various countries that would be up to playing AFLW after a full season of training and knowledge development. They have proven their passion for the game and have grown their skill development off their own backs. The fact they haven't grown up with the game and have to find their own resources to learn, shows their commitment to the game".

Lauren supports the notion that one rookie spot at each of the eight clubs could be filled.

"I believe so. Some girls have already taken it upon themselves to move to Australia to pursue their dreams of AFLW, hopefully we see a lot more willing to move across and take up the sport full time in the coming years.

"[Without international rookie spots] I think at this stage, it would require a large commitment from the player to be noticed internationally. As the popularity of AFLW grows, we’re more likely to see more girls travelling from overseas to be a part of our great game which is really exciting. Seeing how well AFLW has been received in its first year is really promising".

The one area Lauren wasn't completely on the same page was Australian representation.  Although she has represented Australia in beach volleyball, for Lauren the goal as an aspiring young football player was to play at national level.

"When choosing football as a junior, the ultimate goal is to play at AFL level in Australia. I think any athlete would love to represent their country, but to be a part of the national league was my ultimate goal. Playing for Victoria in the AFLW State of Origin earlier this year was an incredible honour. I think there’s definitely potential for Australian Rules Football to thrive internationally, however if your dreams are to represent your country at a Commonwealth or Olympic Games, other sports may be a better pathway".

But would an international player drop everything and move to Australia just for the chance to be on an AFLW list?  Lauren Spark suggested yes, and in fact several players have already moved just to increase their chances.  So finally to Kim Hemenway (pictured right) from the United States club New York Magpies, who many thought should be on an AFLW list already, but perhaps missed her chance when the Sydney Swans decided not to compete for an initial AFLW spot.

"If I had a chance to come over as a rookie and not get paid, I'd jump at that chance in a heartbeat. I would try to make it work. There's nothing wrong with proving your worth, it's just a matter of having the chance to do so."

So there you have it, support from every angle.  Come on AFL, do the right thing, do the sensible thing, do what is best for the game in the long term.  Will you give these women a chance?

  ...

The tables have finally turned in European Australian Football with both the men's and women's England teams not only claiming but dominating the Euro Cup 2017.

The most pleasing thing about both squads is that there were a number of debutants, players who have never pulled on the England guernsey before. Ruckwoman Allanah Blount's involvement in IC17 had a huge impact on her development despite the 23 year old only picking up the Sherrin in March this year.
 

For the Dragonslayers fellow Sheffield boy Mark Ireland whose IC was cut short by a wrist injury showed great promise as a cross code rugby player.

Some could argue that the men's Irish team which contained few IC players was not a true representation of the best of the best Irish talent however with the Dragonslayers squad only fielding 5 International Cup GB players the teams were in the same boat come the final.

The same could not be said for the women's teams. Both squads contained experienced players many of whom have taken part in previous Euro Cup competitions and played in IC17. The fact of the matter is that England truly dominated in both games.

The development of the game on English soil has finally come to fruition with the huge success of the London League and pockets of significant growth and development out of london in places such as Nottingham and Manchester.

Despite this forward thinking and investment in the game, it is not all a pretty picture outside of London with some men's clubs coming close to folding due to a lack of members. Hopefully recent home achievements can spur on these clubs to follow the model of the Nottingham Scorpions who last year created their first women's team and invested heavily in attracting new male members.

Success breeds success in life and the next three years in preparation for IC20 will certainly be interesting. The Irish are wounded but have long proven that you should never write them off, there is always more fight in the dog.

The Banshees will also need to cope with the transition to new leadership with the retirement of their long standing coach. Knowledgable, dedicated and all round gentleman, Pat Levy.

At the beginning of a new 'three year cycle' it is evident that the dominant European team will be that which can offer significant investment in the development of the sport in their home country.

England Vixens 37
Irish Banshees 14

Irish Warriors 58
England Dragonslayers 9 ...

AFL Victoria today announced the new clubs entering the Swisse Wellness VFL Women’s competition for 2018 (the third season of the competition since the VWFL was dissolved).

Six VFL Women’s licences have this week been granted for the 2018 season, with Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond, St Kilda (AFL) and Williamstown to join the competition next year, while the VU Western Spurs will be known as the Western Bulldogs and will wear the red, white and blue in a strengthening of the two clubs’ relationship.

Seaford will transfer its licence to St Kilda (AFL), with the Saints to partner with the Frankston Football Club to form the Southern Saints, while Casey Demons will also form part of the expanded competition after Cranbourne transferred its licence to Casey in August.

AFL Victoria Competitions Manager John Hook said the addition of new clubs to the competition will help create more state-league opportunities for women across Victoria.

“This is certainly an exciting time for our competition, providing more chances for women to showcase their skills at state-league level in Victoria,” Hook said.

“The interest from clubs wanting to join VFL Women’s has been overwhelming, and we have been working with all licensees to ensure they meet key criteria for a strong and sustainable competition moving forward.

“A key focus for all the clubs entering the VFL Women’s competition has been the development of talent in their regions, continuing to expand the pathway from the TAC Cup Girls competition and Next Generation Academies.

“AFL W expansion starts in 2019 with six new clubs entering the competition over two years, so the Victorian female talent pathway has a key role to play in helping develop future and current AFL players.

“Having a strong state-league competition will aid this.”

The final team structure for the 2018 Swisse Wellness VFL Women’s season will be announced at the end of October after all current clubs have assessed their position in the competition for next year. The fixture will be released in mid-December alongside the Peter Jackson VFL fixture ...

A collection of young amateur footballers from Melbourne are getting a chance to take footy to the Emerald Isle.

A representative squad comprised of youngsters from the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) is currently touring Ireland and will be competing against Gaelic footballers from the Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA in an international rules test match this Friday, October 13th. These two teams have participated against each other in international rules matches before, with both sides earning victories.

In addition to this fun and challenging opportunity, the VAFA boys have also had chances to teach the finer points of footy to the locals, starting with Christian Brothers College in Cork. They’ve even linked up with the UCC Bombers, an Aussie rules team in Cork that competes in the nationwide competition, the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI).

“It is invigorating to see the passion and enthusiasm for our sport -- something that back home we take for granted as a part of our weekly and yearly routine,” said VAFA umpire Haydn O’Connor, who has been journaling his thoughts on the VAFA’s website as the Ireland tour rolls on.

The first game of the tour featured the VAFA side against Bishoptown, with the visiting Aussies winning easily. However, slippery conditions slowed them down in the next match in Lough Rea against the Tuam Stars, and the VAFA boys lost narrowly despite attempting a comeback late in the third period.

With only a couple days of rest between each match, it has certainly been a challenge for the visiting Aussies to prep for a new opponent and a new city each time, but it’s safe to say that the tour continues to be a rewarding experience for all involved. The VAFA is off to Dublin next, and they’re certainly excited to bring the great Aussie game to a broader audience in the historical Irish capital. ...

The 2017 All-Australian squad has been official but secret since August 28th, but the AFL has now revealed the 17-man team that will compete in the International Rules Series (IRS), which will comprise two test matches, one to be held on November 12th at Adelaide Oval, and the second to be played at Domain Stadium in Perth on the 18th.

To say that this year’s Australian side is star-studded would be an understatement. Prior to this year, this group has collected a combined 34 All-Australian honors, 10 AFL premierships, four Brownlow Medals, one Norm Smith Medal, five AFLPA MVP awards, and nine AFL Rising Star nominations. In addition, Eddie Betts, Paddy Ryder, Chad Wingard, and Shaun Burgoyne have made a combined eight appearances with the Indigenous All-Stars.

While many of the faces on the Australian side will be very familiar to the average footy fan, many of them will actually be making their IRS debut, including GWS’s Toby Greene, Fremantle gun Nat Fyfe, two-time Brownlow winner Gary Ablett Jr, and Brisbane disposal machine Dayne Zorko.

Head coach Chris Scott is excited and motivated to get his team ready to reclaim the Cormac McAnallen Trophy, which Ireland took home after a 2015 victory at Dublin’s Croke Park during the last IRS test match. It will be Scott’s first IRS match as a head coach, having taken the reins from Alastair Clarkson earlier this year. Scott’s brother Brad, head coach at North Melbourne, will assist him, as will Fremantle’s Ross Lyon.

“As selectors, we needed to balance the team with players who have represented Australia before, and understand the game and how it is played against Ireland, and also look to the next generation of elite players who deserve the opportunity to represent us on an international stage,” Chris Scott said.

Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury is participating in the IRS for the first time since 2008, and he’s sensing a lot of fresh buzz around the league as the Aussies gear up for the first clash against the Irish in two years.

"It's probably moved up another level with having a selection criteria around All Australians,” Pendlebury stated at the press conference.

“It really is the chance to play with the best of the best."

2017 All-Australian IRS Team
● Gary Ablett, Gold Coast Suns*
● Eddie Betts, Adelaide Crows
● Travis Boak, Port Adelaide Power
● Shaun Burgoyne, Hawthorn Hawks
● Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong Cats
● Nathan Fyfe, Fremantle Dockers*
● Brendon Goddard, Essendon Bombers
● Toby Greene, Greater Western Sydney Giants*
● Michael Hibberd, Melbourne Demons*
● Rory Laird, Adelaide Crows*
● Zac Merrett, Essendon Bombers*
● Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood Magpies
● Paddy Ryder, Port Adelaide Power*
● Joel Selwood, Geelong Cats
● Rory Sloane, Adelaide Crows*
● Chad Wingard, Port Adelaide Power
● Dayne Zorko, Brisbane Lions*
  ...