Irishman Zach Tuohy has become an important defender for the Carlton Football Club usually taking on the small forwards such as Luke Breust, Dustin Martin and Lindsay Thomas. His long kicking is very useful from defence but also comes in handy when he can pick off the ball when zoning off around the team's attacking 50m arc and kick some very handy goals.
The video below shows off some highlights of his 2013 season.
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In a repeat of last year’s Grand Final the Magpies turned the tables on 2012 Premiers Mt Roskill Saints. In a tense match, where the lead fluctuated throughout, it was the Magpies who managed to hold their nerve and maintained a late lead, eventually running out to a 76-65 win at the Onepoto Domain.
Mt Roskill lead for much of the start of the match, going into the 1st quarter break with a 3.4:22 – 3.0:18 advantage. Waitakere hit back hard, controlling territory for much of the 2nd quarter to go into the half time break 4.6:30 – 6.4:40 up.
The Saints were by no means out of the contest though, putting together an almost perfect third quarter to retake the lead, and the momentum in the match. With the final quarter looming, they moved out to a 7.10:52 -7.4:46 lead.
Dan McGregor, who coached and played for the Magpies, was very clear on how his team prepared for the match. “We’ve always talked about it coming down to the last quarter of the last game, and that’s what happened. Everyone knew that when that happened, we’d all be playing for each other.”
With the score locked at 52-52 halfway through the final quarter, Waitakere player Joel Burns stepped up to kick a crucial goal. From there, the Magpies held the momentum and refused to let the game slip away. The final score was 9.11:65 – 12.4:76.
Michael Gregson, a stand out on Anzac Day for the NZ Hawks, was a deserved Best on Ground winner, after providing plenty of quality ball to the Waitakere forwards through accurate and astute kicking. Strong performances were also registered by Dan McGregor, Dusan Hakaraia and David Rattenbury.
Matt Kemp, captain of the Mt Roskill Saints, was upbeat despite the loss. “It was definitely one of the better games we’ve played this year, and they’re a good bunch of guys too.”
Earlier in the day the North Shore Tigers won the AAFL Plate Final, defeating the Manurewa Raiders. After a horrendous start, the Tigers clawed their way back into the match, eventually taking back the lead near the end of the final quarter.
The Best on Ground winner for that match, Ty Smith of the North Shore Tigers, was proud of his team’s achievement. “To bounce back like we did is a testament to how far we have come as a club.”
2013 has been a successful year for the Auckland AFL, with a new two-division structure being tested. Steve Fury, President of the AAFL, is pleased with the season. “We’ve had lots of competitive games, club numbers and player numbers have been good, and we’re building well towards next year.”
The impact of the AFL New Zealand High Performance programme has been felt across the Auckland league. Both coaches acknowledged the performances of players who had recently been part of the Under 18 New Zealand Hawks.
Matt Kemp from the Mt Roskill Saints praised the young athletes in his side. “It’s been really good seeing some of our players come through from schools and high performance, like Grey Samuels and Taylor Alaelua. They’ve been among our best players this year.”
The same was true for Dan McGregor of Waitakere. “Eugene Hanna, Tevita Misiloi and Josh Copeland all had key touches at key times over the season, and they made a big difference for us today.”
For more:- http://aflnz.co.nz/waitakere-magpies-edge-thrilling-aafl-grand-final/
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The Flying Boomerangs were just too good for the NZ Hawks u16’s. This is no surprise as these indigenous Australians realistically will have been playing footy from not long after they could walk. Meanwhile many of the Kiwis will have been identified through talent spotting competitions like the Hawks Cup, with most players unlikely to have played more than twenty games ever. Over time, as the juniors come through in NZ the gap between the two sides is likely to become less, but right now the tour is best seen as a great experience for all involved!
The AFL Flying Boomerangs were formally welcomed to New Zealand with a powhiri (a welcome to country), held at Te Marae within the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum, which served as a fitting introduction to the indigenous Maori culture of New Zealand.
Playing with an exciting blend of skill and speed, the AFL Flying Boomerangs were simply too fast for the Hawks to keep pace. However, the Hawks earned respect through their dogged commitment throughout both games.
Before each match, both teams challenged each other with cultural performances. The New Zealand Hawks performed their haka, led by Te Rei Clark of Ngapuhi and Northland. The AFL Flying Boomerangs also performed their War Dance, meeting the challenge set out by the Hawks.
The first game saw damp conditions that made ball control difficult, but it was the AFL Flying Boomerangs who made much of the early running. Matthew Wilkes scored two goals during the first quarter, along with goals to Jordan Jeffery and Shai Bolton. The dominant display from the Boomerangs led to them leading 4.5:29-0.0:0 going into the break.
With the advantage of the wind in the second quarter, the Boomerangs extended their lead. Five more goals over the quarter reflected the passing and marking skills of the touring side. The half ended with the score 9.11:65-0.1:1.
A fired up Hawks side came out after half time, determined to put points on the board. An increase in intensity at the ball led to more possession, and more opportunities.. During the third quarter the Hawks scored their first goal of the game, with Jonty Hall cleaning up a loose ball to convert the opportunity. The period ended 11.18:84-1.1:7.
A hallmark of New Zealand Hawks teams at every level is the ability to keep improving right until the final hooter. So it was with the Under 16 New Zealand Hawks, the 4th quarter was their best. The match ended 16.23:119-2.3:15.
The post match awards emphasised the culture of friendship that has characterised the AFL Flying Boomerangs tour of New Zealand.
Each coach selected a player from each team to award a Best on Ground trophy. Hawks coach Mick Coultard recognised Utu Ah Kuoi from his own team, and Kym LeBois from the opposition.
AFL Flying Boomerangs coach Eugene Warrior was particularly impressed with the performance of Siope Ngata, a current holder of an AFL International Scholarship with the Hawthorn Football Club. Warrior also recognised Keenan Waterbury from the Northern Territory.
Eugene Warrior was generous in his praise for how the Hawks played. In particular he noted the physicality and courage showed by the home side. “The intensity at the ball from the Hawks was world class.”
Final Score: Game 1
AFL Flying Boomerangs: 16.23:119 (Jeffrey 4, Wilkes 3, Johnstone 2, Bolton 2, Walsh-Bannam 2, Garlett, Simpkin, Gray)
Under 16 New Zealand Hawks: 2.3:15 (Hall, Fifita)
The conditions were better for the second game and the AFL Flying Boomerangs benefitted in the first quarter. Right from the opening hooter they attacked, running clever lines to string together passes and marks. The remarkable display of skill saw the visitors race out to a 8.5:53 – 0.0:0 lead.
The Hawks, however, were not about to give up, and fought back. In an improved performance over the quarter, Sam McDougall slotted the first of his two goals for the game. The dominance of the AFL Flying Boomerangs was clear though, and they extended their lead over the quarter. At halftime the score stood at 13.6:84 – 1.1:7.
With the wind against them again, the Hawks were facing an uphill task in the third quarter. The backs worked hard to minimise the scoring opportunities available to the visitors, and the Hawks also combined to set Sam McDougall up for his 2nd goal. The score after three quarters was 18.14:122 – 2.1:13.
Up until the final whistle the Hawks kept pushing for points, and they managed to score two goals in the final quarter. In what turned out to be a higher scoring match for both teams, the final score finished at 25.18:168 – 4.3:27.
The Best on Grounds were awarded to both teams at the end of the match. From the New Zealand Hawks, Te Rei Clark and Sam McDougall were awarded the honours, after strong and consistent performances in the match.
All observers were impressed with the courage of Anthony Young of the AFL Flying Boomerangs, who committed to every tackle and contest with impressive zeal, despite being smaller than many of the players he was marking. Young was one of the visitors awarded a Best on Ground, the other was another small but effective player, John Garlett.
Following the matches, both teams shared their culture through teaching each other their respective prematch rituals. The New Zealanders learnt the AFL Flying Boomerangs’ War Cry, and in turn taught their guests the haka. It was a touching moment in a tour marked by friendship and mutual respect.
Touring teams play a major role in the ability of the AFL New Zealand High Performance programme to offer athletes opportunities to excel through AFL. With a major tour involving each of the Under 16 New Zealand Hawks, the Under 18 New Zealand Hawks, the Under 18 New Zealand Kahus and the Senior New Zealand Hawks to be played every year, the pathway from age group to open age national representation is available to all athletes within the programme.
For more see:-
http://aflnz.co.nz/afl-flying-boomerangs-take-first-tour-match/
http://aflnz.co.nz/afl-flying-boomerangs-notch-2nd-classy-win/ ...
With the commencement of 2014 many (but not all) Australian football clubs will be thinking of a new season and how they can best prepare, not just in terms of improving existing players but in terms of developing their club.
WFN has used this quiet period to formulate a questionaire for the benefit of all clubs and leagues. From the replies we will attempt to identify effective means of developing football club growth.
In effect, we are asking clubs what they have and haven't tried in an attempt to widen support for their club and to rate their experiences.
A number of leagues have been approached and they have expressed interest in the results which will be open to everyone, and hopefully serve as a future reference. We hope all clubs around the world will share their experiences by following the link below.
There's no firm cut off date, but we hope to collate results by the end of January 2014.
World Footy Development Techniques Survey
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Being a quiet time of the year for footy across the world, a good old-fashioned feel-good story can often plug the hole. The following story is of an event last year, but on reflection deserved to be told then. Instead, we will tell it now.
Mid-way through last year’s footy season, Elliott Takolu from the Salamanda Port Powers club in Lae, Papua New Guinea, put out a call on Facebook. He was seeking a set of football jumpers if any clubs had a set to spare.
Elliott contacted me direct as my club, Pyramid Power, had already established many links with clubs across the world through their Brother Club Project.
Immediately our club swung into action, amplifying Elliott’s message and calling out to any of our friends who may be able to assist. Within the hour a response came back from our good friend, Gab Donnelly, from the Baulkham Hills Junior Football Club in the north-western suburbs of Sydney.
Gab offered, on behalf of her club, a set of unused Baulkham Hills Hawks jumpers. The set of 20 garments was in the mail later that week en route to Cairns.
As soon as I received them, I raced to Cazaly’s, as had been planned, to do a promotional set of photos showing off the jumpers. From there the jumpers headed off again to Lae, the second largest city in Papua New Guinea in the Morobe Province.
There was a period of time where the jumpers seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. For a month no trace could be found as enquiries were made in both countries as to the whereabouts of the recalcitrant jumpers. Eventually, the jumpers appeared, none the worse for wear, and a delighted Elliott was humbled as he took this donation to his players ready for their first match. Prior to this, Elliott had informed us, their players turned up to training and matches wearing an eclectic assortment of sports tops and singlets to play in. He assured us the boys would be thrilled and proud to wear the hawk colours, even though the club had the Power nickname and the closest thing to a jumper set was a few Richmond jumpers here and there.
Soon after, the mighty Salamanda Port Powers took to the field wearing their new jumpers, and the brown and gold stripes proudly decorated their home ground for future games throughout the 2013 season.
Those jumpers had completed a journey from Sydney to Lae, with a Cairns stopover, and changed the image and history of a club many miles away from the source of the jumpers. Additionally, this exchange of requests and responses has bought together three clubs separated by many miles, but bought together by a love of Australian Rules football, as well as a novel way of uniting clubs across the world: the Brother Clubs Project.
If there is a point to this story, it is to prove that there are ways and means for clubs from all over the world to come together to support each other. It would be an absolute delight to hear more stories like this as communication methods continue to make the world smaller and bring clubs into greater contact with each other.
Gab Donnelly, on behalf of the Baulkham Hills Hawks, summed it up best with her comment at the time, “Happy to help!” ...
Back at training in Melbourne after the Christmas and New Year break the Hawthorn squad looked primed to carry on 2014 the way they left 2013. Most of the squad had a tour of South Africa under their belt and their opponents might have hoped that the Hawks were showing some serious battle scars from their premiership campaign.
New recruits and draftees were out on show. International Rookie Kiwis Heatherley and Tatupu were on deck too - Kurt looking quick and skilled, Shem looking a bit underdone and reportedly not long out of a moon boot.
But Hawks fans out at the Ricoh centre were wondering who the slim red headed kid was?
Turns out he is Conor Glass - 16 year Irish Gaelic footballer. Described on the Hoganstand website as possibly "the best young footballer in the country" in September.
Glass was not among the Irish players put through AFL Europe Combine trialling by Tadgh Kennelly in December. And it seems that Hawthorn have not been scared away from Ireland by the departure this time last year of their first Irish signing in Ciaran Kilkenny who packed his bags and headed home after a month.
Watching some footage of Glass we know that Hawthorn and other AFL clubs will be watching his progress closely when he returns to Ireland.
For the record those that did attend the December trials were:- Shehroz Akram (Mayo), Conor McKenna (Tyrone), Conor McCarthy (Monaghan), Conor Jordan (Kerry), Niall Scully (Dublin), Ronan Daly (Roscommon), Ethan O’Donoghue (Kildare), Danny Owens (Tipperary), Stephen Coen (Mayo), Ciaron O’Hanlon (Armagh), Padraig McGirr (Tyrone), Rory Feely (Kildare), Peter Cooke (Galway), Israel Ilunga (Westmeath), Tom Devine (Waterford), Colin O’Riordan (Tipperary), Stephen Quirke (Tipperary), Kieran Murphy (Kerry), Cormac Curran (Waterford), Evan O’Carroll (Laois), Luke Flynn (Kildare), Padraig Lucey (Ker ...
This is the exciting story of the “Croatian Knights quest to build the first Aussie Rules field in Eastern Europe.” The Croatian Knights have started an information and sponsorship drive to try to make their dream a reality – a proper Australian Rules football ground of their own.
As stated in their prospectus brochure, “In 2013 an opportunity arose for the Association of Australian Football - Croatia to build the first Australian Rules football oval in Eastern Europe. For years our players dreamed of having locker rooms and being able to train and play on a flat grass field. For years we dreamed of kicking in front of real footy posts.”
In a project which is forecast to cost just short of AUD$30 000, they have raised almost AUD$18,000 already but have undertaken a funding drive internationally to seek assistance to raise the remaining funds.
The Knights would obviously be the key beneficiary of this project, but they rightly point out a range of other benefits which have wider reaching benefits for the wider European Australian Football community, including:
• Better training conditions for domestic clubs and for the national team
• Opportunity to play domestic league games on the proper oval
• Organization of 2016 European Championship tournament
• International friendly games
• Starting first junior program
• Recruiting and raising number of players due to better conditions
As stated by AFL Europe General Manager, Ben MacCormack, an opportunity arose through the Zagreb University to build the tailor-made oval, suitable for 18 per side matches, at the rear of the existing university grounds. The Zagreb Hawks had already been working closely with the university to train, recruit and run programs which focused on the game development of Australian football. According to Ben, once built this facility would be the largest 18 per side facility in continental Europe.
The attached link to a video produced by the Croatian Knights gives a fascinating insight into the project itself, including the need for the development. According to Josip Kravar, President of the AAFC (Association of Australian Football Croatia) the team has been going now for seven years and last season players were training and playing on rough fields with no grass, posts or even showers. This made it difficult to recruit new players. The new facility will solve these issues and offer an attractive facility for everyone to enjoy, boosting interest in the game.
A number of heavyweight ex-footballers have been called on to help spread the message and raise awareness of the project. They also call for assistance from the Croatian communities at home and also in Australia to get behind the project. International Multicultural ambassadors, Brett Kirk (ex Sydney Swans champion and current Fremantle Dockers Assistant Coach) and Tadgh Kennelly (ex Sydney Swans star) feature in the video to raise awareness and funds, as does former Hawthorn great, Robert Dipierdominico as he also urges people to donate to the cause.
Former Geelong premiership player, and European Legion coach, Brad Ottens, lends his support stating his delight at how the Croatians have embraced the game and that they “need a stadium” to take the game further, both in Croatia and across Europe.
The following link to the video is well worth watching as it gives the back story of Croatian footy, including chats with founders of the game in the country, Ante Loncar, Ivan Srpek and Robert Gojevic as they reflect on the past, the growth and the need to create this facility.
There is also a link to the brochure which gives more details about how to donate, as well as the breakdown of costs to complete the project.
Brochure produced by the AAFC.
The following is a link for those wishing to donate to the “Field of Dreams”:
Click if wanting to make a donation.
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Thinking of playing footy in Australia ahead of the 2014 International Cup? West Brunswick Amateur Football Club trains and plays on the grounds that were used for most of the International Cup games in Melbourne in 2008 and 2011 (Western Oval, McAlister Oval and Ransford Ovals in Parkville). And they are looking for IC14 players to join them.
(Picture above in the orange boots) Former Berlin Crocodiles player Gerrit Hahn celebrates with his West Brunswick teammates after kicking his first goal on Australian soil. ...
The following article is an adaption of an original story written for the Guangzhou Scorpions website detailing the finale to the first season of the GDAFL competition in Guangzhou, a competition within the overall SCAFL (South China Australian Football League).
The GDAFL finished it first season on the 4th of January. GZSU (Guangzhou Sports University) Seagulls 10.7 67 beat the GZ Scorpions 3.4 22 making the Seagulls the first GDAFL Champion. Seagulls won all of their games this season. It was amazing achievement for them.
In the first semi-final, GZSU Seagulls defeated the HuiZhou Hawks 19.8 122 to 0.3 3. They were very eager to win the first GDAFL championship and their offensive and defensive game was organized very well. The HuiZhou Hawks didn’t have enough players to join the final game, so they borrowed a few players from Scorpions. But even then the two teams were not level on the same stage, so the Seagulls killed the Hawks.
In the second semi-final, the Scorpions also showed their strength when they easily defeated the DongGuan Giants 17.5 107 to 1.1 7.
In the match to decide third place, the DongGuan Giants entered the game having just finished a hard game with Scorpions. As a result they looked like they were too tired. Also, the Hawks still had the players which they had borrowed from the Scorpions earlier who still gave their best performance. As a result the HuiZhou Hawks won the game as 15.4 94 to the DongGuan Giants 3.7 25.
The Grand Final was a hard and tough game for the two teams. From the beginning both teams showed the confidence to win the final. The Scorpions had a strong defence, so the Seagulls found it hard kicking a goal. But overall the Seagulls skill level was higher than the Scorpions and they handled the pressure of the game as it wore on. The GZSU Seagulls won the final in the end.
The Final standings of 2013 GDAFL
1. GZSU Seagulls
2. Guangzhou Scorpions
3. HuiZhou Hawks
4. DongGuan Giants
Our thanks to the writers from the Guangzhou Scorpions and the GDAFL for this story. Some changes have been made to the original text to ensure continuity. ...
A sample of footy from Stuttgart Germany from April 2013 for your viewing pleasure.
With the arrival of the 2014 football season, the reality of the next International Cup is just around the corner. World Footy News will be looking at the prospects of teams planning to come out to Australia for the event over the coming months. This story, looking at Finnish football, has been reproduced with the kind permission of Justin Lassey at Bigfooty Media. It is the written article drawn from the recent video clip http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20131113101224554 posted late last year.
In this instalment of the International Footy series we talk to Janne Hokkonen, the President of the Finland AFL.
Janne first got involved in Australian football when he was looking for a hobby in 2009. He says it was an accident, when a family friend introduced him to the game. He started playing kick to kick in the park with a small group of guys, and within the month was playing in his first game. He says that he’s spent most of the time in the backline, but has played all over except ruck due to his short stature.
Janne is the President of the FAFL board which takes responsibility for the organisation of the national team, including its practice matches, as well as the national league grand final and the preseason competition.
Janne says that the league has taken some forward strides since it started, but that it can be difficult to branch out, and to get people to watch games.
The Finland AFL consists of four teams, with plans to branch out to two other towns in the country, but those teams are not yet competing in the league. Distance can be a problem with one of the teams located a 6 hour drive from its nearest side.
Janne hopes for 2 or 3 more teams in the FAFL and a good regional league in the future.
The League consists of about 100 players, with around 25 Australians. Janne says that two of the 4 teams are almost completely stocked by guys from Finland, and the other two teams are around 50/50.
The league plays a variant of 9 a side, with six players on the bench. There are three in the forward line, three on the ball, and three in the backline. The field used is the typical European soccer field. There can be difficulties booking fields because sometimes confuse the game with rugby union and are concerned that players may ruin the pitches.
Teams play 10 games in the Finnish summer if they make finals in the FAFL league competition. They also play a number of games in the FAFL Cup preseason competition. While presently the FAFL cup consists only of Finnish sides, there are plans to try to expand that to national leagues close to them, like Sweden.
There are the beginnings of a junior program in Finland, where one of the coaches had a young son who was of the age to begin Australian footy and began a junior program to accommodate that.
The Finnish national team was originally called the Lions, but are now known as the Icebreakers. The name change was a necessity says Janne, because of the number of national sides already known as the Lions.
At the recent Euro Cup, Finland finished sixth. They couldn’t get the player numbers to go to the European Championships due to a somewhat unique reason – mandatory national service.
Janne tells me that plans are afoot for the Icebreakers to come to the International Cup in 2014 – having only competed once before – and expects the team to be a lot stronger than it was in the past, as its players get more experienced in the game. There are a small number of Finnish players living in Australia who will make the Finnish side at the IC Cup in 2014. ...
Embedded below is the full 1996 documentary "100 Years of Australian Football", which of course refers to the VFL/AFL history rather than the age of the game.
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The following press release from the NTFL focuses on the upcoming driver safety message, something that affects everyone, way beyond the boundaries of footy in the Northern Territory. This weekend’s round is dedicated to this message.
Round 14 of the TIO NTFL season has been renamed “Road Safety Round” in a bid to raise awareness among high risk drivers of the need to heed road safety advice.
Sponsored by TIO and supported by NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services, St John Ambulance, Careflight and NT Road Safety, the NTFL Road Safety Day will bring together players, supporters and spectators to consider the issues of road safety.
AFLNT CEO Tony Frawley says the AFLNT is very supportive of this initiative and has encouraged all NTFL clubs to actively participate.
“The football community across the Top End has lost numerous members due to road accidents and AFLNT along with NTFL clubs fully support the efforts of TIO who has been a long standing supporter of the NTFL for many years.”
Chief Executive Richard Harding says TIO is dedicated to improving road safety in the Territory.
“We aim to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on Territory roads by working collaboratively with our road safety partners and the community to create awareness, educate and promote safer road user attitudes and behaviours.”
The NTFL Road Safety Day will target high risk drivers directly through a fully integrated education and public awareness campaign focussing on the risks of road safety and the choices and consequences all drivers face.
Under 18 teams scheduled to play at TIO Stadium on the day will attend Road Safety Awareness Sessions to discuss road safety and hear first-hand from the organisations that deal with road trauma and its consequences.
Both teams in the Palmerston Magpies v Tiwi Bombers Premier League Game will wear the “Seatbelt” customised Guernseys and the umpires will wear “Seatbelts Save Lives” shirts for all matches throughout the day.
A range of spectator Road Safety Awareness activities will be held at half time including, road safety messages on the big screen, emergency vehicle displays, TIO’s drink driving Party Safe program, Kidsafe NT and Good Sports information stands.
“This will be a big day of football, with a very big message,” TIO CEO Richard Harding said.
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It is with a heavy heart on the sad news of the death of South African Simphiwe “Stone” Mbhalo that we offer our condolences to the family, friends and the AFL South Africa community. Details are scant but we believe he was shot and died aged just 24.
In the international footy community he is best known for kicking the after the siren goal in the International Cup match against Ireland in 2008. For those unfamiliar with the moment the report of the match can be found here (and see the footage below). He kicked two goals in that match and was named in the best players four times in the IC08 tournament.
He also played for the South Africa Lions at IC11 and was named in the best players in their match against the USA played at the Olympic Stadium (ANZ Stadium) in Sydney and again in the best playersin South Africa’s win over the Great Britain Bulldogs.
In 2010 he was named Best on Ground in the footyWILD National Championships Grand Final. Stone had been a volunteer with AFL South Africa since 2010 in Nyanga and was made an AFLSA Community Development Coordinator in 2012.
AFLSA published the following notice on their website
REST IN PEACE SIMPHIWE 'STONE' MBHALO
1989 - 2014
"Your sudden death has touched our lives and hearts dear colleague. We will miss you very much but as our dear friend you live further in our hearts as a fountain of friendship"
...
The first match of the current tour of South Africa by the School Sports Australia team was played today. The School Sports Australia team is an Under 15 representative school team, selected from the best players in the School Sport Australia carnival held in Darwin in August 2013.
The AFL Community – Schools website stated that the School Sport Australia National Australian Football Secretary, Mr Luke Soulos, has confirmed through correspondence to AFL South Africa, that the squad would consist of 25 players, 1 Umpire and 6 Team Officials.
Mr Soulos went on to say that “we had a fantastic experience in 2012 and the feedback from students, staff and parents was overwhelmingly positive - that should the opportunity arise again we should Tour. It’s not just about playing representative football against another Country in South Africa - it’s much more than that! It’s about the educational and cultural experiences that the students and staff gain from being part of this Tour.
Sport is the vehicle that allows such lifelong experiences to be gained. We are looking forward to rekindling friendships made and also visiting Cape Town on this Tour and experiencing all that it has to bring. Thank you to the AFL and Mark Riddiford (AFL Schools & Education Manager) as well as AFL South Africa, in particular July and Phindile, for their organisation and support behind the scenes and we look forward to catching up with them as well”.
The tour commenced on Wednesday January 15th and concludes on Monday 27th January. The tour not only involves matches against the AFL South African team and facilitating Footy Wild clinics in various communities but also cultural experiences such as visiting the apartheid museum, Soweto tour, visiting Nelson Mandela’s house and attending the Hector Petersons Memorial.
AFL South Africa Talent & Football Manager, Benjamin Motuba added on the AFL Footywild website that “as we are preparing for the 2014 International Cup the timing of School Sport Australia visiting our country and in the process play three games with our Lions Team will be a great opportunity for us to prepare the team. We will use the tour to select our final team to take to Australia in August. For me the difficult part is that I will be on the sidelines coaching instead of playing the game I enjoyed in the last 15 years.”
The first match details, courtesy of AFL Footywild are as follows:
SCHOOL SPORTS AUSTRALIA TOUR - 18 JAN 2014
GAME 1 RESULTS - TUKS Sports Grounds, University of Pretoria
School Sports Australia vs South Africa Lions
SSA 17.16.118 vs SA 13.10.88
South Africa Best players – Steven Matshane, Karabo Morokane, Vuyisile Pani, Thando Dlamini, Tshoboko Moagi
School Sport Australia Best players - Sam McLarty, Stan Wright, Alex Di Placido, Michael Humble, Lachlan Mckenzie, Harrison Hawkin
South Africa Goal Scores – Steven Matshane (6), Karabo Morokane (2), Vuyisile Pani (1), Jurrie Wessels (1), Tshoboko Moagi (1), Banini Sekori (1), Akholiwe Figlan (1)
School Sport Australia Goal Scores – Sam McLarty (6), Alex Di Placido (3), Michael Humble (1), Kayden Jarvis (1), Harrison Hawkins (3), Jed Kemp (1), Mitchell Maguire (1)
The remaining games on the tour will see:
Game 2 - 21 January 2014 in Potchefstroom (Mohadin Cricket Ground)
Game 3 - 24 January 2014 in Khayelitsha (Khayelitsha Cricket Ground). ...
The Caledonian Australian Football League in Scotland is showing no signs of slowing down on its growth and now they have launched their social media outlets its only going to get better.
With their website http://www.cafl.org.uk/ they hope to reach a bigger audience and grow even more.
CAFL has one of the highest percentages in Europe of locals playing the sport of Australian Rules Football and this has been increasing year on year with figures showing that 83% of CAFL 2013 participants were Scottish. So what does such a high figure mean to the sport here in Scotland and the CAFL itself?
In the past other leagues have relied heavily on transient Australians to form, play and administer Teams/Leagues. In some instances this comes with the problem that these people move on after short periods of time leaving a huge gulf behind them resulting in badly managed teams and leagues which struggle and often cease to exist.
Traditionally leagues with excessive numbers of Australians have been seen to turn local players away as the thought of taking up a new sport and playing against teams full of players brought up on the sport can be daunting and unwelcoming to beginners.
CAFL has addressed this issue by keeping our number of playing Australians to a minimum, preferring to have our Australians coach and develop player's skills and understanding of the sport as opposed to playing it.
CAFL are the first in Scotland to offer a "Women’s Only" league and a programme for Junior development and leagues.
If you are considering playing they are also offering your first month free, so there is no reason to get involved!
You can also find the CAFL twitter and Facebook pages at https://twitter.com/CAFL__ and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caledonian-Australian-Football-League/1409033519343387 ...
The New Zealand Hawks and the AIS AFL Academy will renew their annual competition at The Westpac Stadium in Wellington, on the 25th of January 2014. Entry into the stadium will be free.
The New Zealand Hawks last played the AIS AFL Academy in January 2013, in a match that finished with the Australians emerging with a hard fought win. This year the fixture promises to be equally as competitive. Though NZ do not have the Hawthorn Rookies Kurt Heatherley and Shem Tatupu, Melbourne’s International Scholarship holder Maia Westrupp nor AFL legend Wayne Schwass who made his debut for his country last year there is no doubt the team will be tough competition for the talented juniors at the AIS.
The squad will blend youth and experience, and feature New Zealanders based both around the country and in Australia. Contingents of players are currently training in Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Melbourne, and the Northern Territory of Australia.
Many of the named New Zealand Hawks have represented their country before including Michael Gregson, Andrew Howison. Andrew Christensen, Sam and James McKenzie, Kade Riddell and Shane Leat who have all played the AIS previously. 2013 AFL New Zealand NPC Player of the Tournament, Otago stalwart Ben Miller, will also play.
The presence of AFL International Scholarship players Siope Ngata and Joe Baker-Thomas will make for an intriguing contest with their AFL AIS Academy peers. Ngata and Baker-Thomas, of the Hawthorn Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club respectively, are seen as potential future professional AFL players. Their performance against the AIS AFL Academy will be a key measure of their progress.
Much of the squad has also been selected from Australian leagues. As more New Zealanders pick up the sport, the number of eligible players involved in high level AFL competitions has grown.
One such player is Khan Haretuku, of the Frankston Dolphins. Haretuku will be returning to the New Zealand Hawks after enjoying a strong season, kicking 13 goals across 10 matches for the Dolphins.
Members of the New Zealand Hawks also represent the Northern Territory Thunder, with a four man contingent led by Thunder captain Cameron Ilett joining the squad. Their experience will be crucial in strengthening the New Zealand Hawks.
Thursday 23rd January will see the annual National Combine which will no doubt see many AFL recruiters in attendance, not just monitoring the AIS players but looking to find the next crop of potential AFL NZ gems joining AFL International Scholarship holders Baker-Thomas, Ngata, Westrupp and the rookie listed Hawks Tatupu and Heatherley.
Participants in the National Combine are the cream of the AFL New Zealand High Performance programme. Attendance at the National Combine is invitation only for participants, though spectators are welcome.
40 of the top young athletes from around the country have been invited to attend, and will measured in a variety of tests. Athletic skills are tested in the 20 metre sprint, agility, vertical leap and beep test, while football specific skills are tested in kicking and handballing drills.
With the AFL International Cup scheduled for later this year there may even be a bolter or two among the teenagers who might find a spot in the NZ Hawks Senior squad.
New Zealand Hawks Squad:
Michael Gregson – Auckland
Shane Leat – Auckland
Matthew Argus – Northern Territory
Michael Boyce – Auckland
Samuel McKenzie – Auckland
James McKenzie – Auckland
Cameron Ilett – Northern Territory
Jay Johnson – Auckland
Andy Christensen – Melbourne
Andrew Howison – Melbourne
Lachlan Argus – Northern Territory
Tim Morton – Auckland
Brendan Clark – Northern Territory
Ben Miller – Otago
Sean Butler – Canterbury
David Rattenbury – Auckland
Jared Court – Canterbury
Kade Riddell – Wellington
Cam Bailey – Canterbury
Will Gregson – Auckland
Siope Ngata – Auckland
Matt Crighton – Canterbury
Khan Haretuku – Melbourne
Joseph Baker-Thomas – Wellington
For more please see:-
http://aflnz.co.nz/national-combine-offers-talented-athletes-opportunities/
http://aflnz.co.nz/strong-nz-hawks-squad-named-to-face-australia/ ...
In an extraordinary display of international friendship, Cairns based junior club, Pyramid Power, have just gained their 100th international Brother Club.
This week, the Port Adelaide Football Club, one of the 18 national teams in the AFL, agreed to become the 100th club to join the Pyramid Power Brother Club Project. This extraordinary gesture sees the tiny idea from a tiny club in North Queensland reach an unprecedented level of acknowledgement and acceptance from one of the biggest clubs in the world of Australian Rules football.
The Brother Clubs Project was commenced in 2012 when Pyramid Power sought to expand its supporter base through the use of social media and make genuine friends with Australian Football clubs all over the world. What started as a small group of clubs who commenced sending messages of support has now grown to include teams from almost 40 countries across the world. Many of these clubs jointly assist each other when needed as well as simply keeping in touch.
Since the project began, Pyramid Power has received assistance with scholarships for their players for 2014 and many football jumpers from “brothers” across the world which will one day feature on the walls of their club rooms once they are built. Their players have also benefitted from messages of support sent to them prior to finals matches in the past two seasons, with the kids in awe of the fact that people from clubs across the world know of their feats.
In return, Pyramid Power has sent equipment to clubs in Fiji, Canada and Papua New Guinea, as well as sending documents and expertise to clubs in England, Ireland, Scotland and Canada to help develop school and junior programs overseas. The club has also had two of its coaches, President Brett Kennerley and U16 Coach Wesley Hull, become ambassadors for the Footys4all Foundation, a Melbourne based charity which ensures that footballs reach kids in need across Australia. The club is also currently involved in assisting junior clubs in South Africa to keep playing by gathering donations of equipment to send to the poverty-stricken community.
The Brother Club Project has grown beyond its expected popularity, but not its aims. In a world that is sometimes driven by issues more financially viable than friendships, it is refreshing to see a junior football club prepared to follow old-fashioned conventions and simply value friends and be there for them.
Anybody interested in Pyramid Power’s Brother Club Project can contact the club through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wesley.hull.58 , or visit their website for information at http://pyramidpower.weebly.com/brother-clubs-project.html
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Last weekend’s victory by the Toulouse Hawks over the Bordeaux Bombers has completed the pre-Christmas/New Year part of the season as winter tightens its grip over Europe. The results so far this season, however, will ensure a very tight finish when footy resumes again in mid-February.
Sitting outside the top four with just one win are the Bordeaux Bombers. Mathematically they could win all their games and fall into the finals, though they would have to beat both the Coyotes and Fire Sharks to get there, which would be a tough task…but not impossible.
