Round 11 gets underway Friday night with North Melbourne hosting Richmond at Blundstone Arena in Hobart. 

If you want to know when you can see the footy on TV in your part of the world, check out the schedule below. As always schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the local broadcaster so please check local guides for updates.

*We also recommend you check out the AFANA website if you are in North America as they tend to have the very latest information on broadcast schedules or changes. ...

St Kilda are looking to get a jump on other AFL clubs for the signing of the next Irish code crosser. County Westmeath gaelic footballer Ray Connellan will spend the next month at the club in an extended audition with the club.

(Photo:James Crombie - INPHO) 

St Kilda have previously had Irish players Colm Begley and Tommy Walsh on their list. ...

The St Kilda website has reported today (Saints to court the Kiwi market again that the Saints attentions have not been lost from New Zealand with a new deal to play up to 2 games in Auckland in 2018. Club chief operating officer Ameet Bains told Melbourne sports radio station SEN that St Kila “..see an opportunity to reinvigorate what we started doing in New Zealand.”

The proposed venue is Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium, which is primarily used for Rugby Union and as a Speedway circuit. St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis told the Age (AFL 2016: St Kilda want two 2018 games in Auckland that the Saints hope to play one pre-season and one home-and-away match in 2018 but with a view to increasing to 2 home-and-away matches beyond that.

There is a proposed redevelopment of the Western Springs Stadium into a boutique Test cricket and football venue. The AFL are not looking at helping to fund the redevelopment . The new stadium is to hold around 23,000 and is strongly supported by Cricket New Zealand. Currently the smaller more circular Eden Park in Auckland is pretty well too small a field for international cricket but is planned to be used still for cricket for Twenty20 matches.

Previously St Kilda has played matches in Wellington with a strong crowd of 22,546 in 2013 when they took on Sydney. Since then the attendances have fallen to 12,125 for last years Saints loss to Carlton. However – by Wellington soccer and Rugby Union standards that’s still a pretty good crowd. Matches at the venue for St Kilda were reportedly worth $500,000 each.

New Zealand is a key component of the AFL’ international strategy reported on by WFN last year (National Press Club push on International Vision. ...

Well! How About That?? Saturday 28th May. Channel Seven News at 6.00pm broadcast across Australia a news clip featuring AFL Sweden and players from Bromma Vikings and Solna Axemen.

Presented by Sevens Sports presenter Mark Soderstrom just about half an hour or so before the Adelaide Crows versus GWS Giants match at Adelaide Oval was certainly a surprise, although, I must say a pleasant one.

One can only hazard a guess at what prompted the Seven News team to run the clip and from where it was sourced, but it is great to see international footy getting a showing on mainstream television in Australia, brief though it might have been.

So, International Leagues and clubs out there, get busy with the video cameras and produce a 3-4 min clip showcasing your footy and send them off to 'Soders' at Channel Seven. If Channel Seven were to receive enough clips they might just be prompted to make it a 'regular' segment before the big game as happened tonight. ...

The following story by Sam Wharton comes to us courtesy of the Port Melbourne Football Club and originally appeared here.

The Port Melbourne Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Mikkel Kjoege as an addition to its playing list for the remainder of season 2016.


The football journey of Kjoege so far has been a story in itself.

Whilst his face may be familiar to some Borough supporters after he completed the majority of the club’s pre-season training sessions before the Christmas break, 21-year-old Kjoege was unfortunately forced to return to his home country Denmark following the expiration of his visa soon after.

“He was very impressive in most facets of the pre-season, and we thought he was a genuine chance to make our final playing list before he experienced those issues (with his visa),” coach Gary Ayres said.

Upon returning to Australia in recent weeks, circumstances have allowed the club to re-commit to officially listing Kjoege for the rest of the year as he continues to chase his dream of playing Australian Rules football at the highest level.

When he initially left Denmark a few years ago, Kjoege was quoted in a www.worldfootynews.com article as saying that “I had to quit my job as a soldier in the Danish army and leave family and friends in Denmark, to come closer to playing AFL someday. That’s how much I want to do this.

“Everything I do, I do to become a better footballer, to hopefully one day be the first Dane to play a senior match for an AFL club in Australia. This would be my biggest dream, and definitely something I aim for.”

Ayres was immediately impressed by what Kjoege had to offer upon seeing him run around North Port Oval during the pre-season campaign.

“Mikkel certainly displayed enough to suggest that he could make our list (in the pre-season),” Ayres said.

“He possesses great endurance and solid skills, is good in contested situations and overall, displays a willingness to learn and get better. It’s a credit to him how far he’s already come with his football.

“It’s great that the club has been able to re-commit to providing him with this opportunity.”

Last year, Kjoege played 16 games in the ‘Premier Reserve’ VAFA competition with Old Xaverians, booting 22 goals and being named in the side’s best players on four occasions.

This season, he has crossed to play with his nominated ‘home’ club West Coburg in the Essendon and District Football League (EDFL), and made his debut on Saturday in the reserves side that was victorious over Pascoe Vale. He was named in the best players.

We look forward to seeing Mikkel’s development continue, and wish him the very best of luck!

Mikkel replaces the recently departed Zac Keogh on our official playing list of 68 for season 2016. Keogh played three Senior games with the Borough, booting one goal. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Zac all the very best in his future footballing endeavours, and thank him for his contribution to the club.

You can checkout some footage of Kjoege past highlights from AFL Europe in the video below.

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The AFL Record for Round 11 features an animated Mason Cox on the cover (see below) and a featured two page spread inside discussing his journey and impact so far.   Below the ominous figure of Cox on the cover are the words "Be Warned! There are more of us on the way".

You can watch the latest episode of "On the Record" here where Mason Cox  is discussed and compared with the NRL's Jarryd Hayne who attempted to cross over to the NFL. 

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Footy returns to Melbourne on Friday night with Round 12 kicking off at Etihad Stadium. The struggling Bombers host the Hawks in what is always a clash full of feeling between these two clubs.

If you want to know when you can see the footy on TV in your part of the world, check out the schedule below. As always schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the local broadcaster so please check local guides for updates.

WATCHAFL.AFL.COM.AU this weekend are offering free streaming of all Round 12 matches - conditions apply and not available in Australia.

*We also recommend you check out the AFANA website if you are in North America as they tend to have the very latest information on broadcast schedules or changes. ...

At a function today, AFL Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick announced the initial eight women’s teams to take part in the national competition for 2017. As well as the Melbourne and Western Bulldogs, both teams having had teams playing on a regular basis, Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney were granted licences to compete next year.

Geelong, St Kilda, Richmond, North Melbourne and West Coast were the unlucky clubs to miss out on inaugural selection, but have received provisional licences to clear their path for entry into an expanded league for women from 2018.

The Gold Coast Suns, Port Adelaide, Essendon, Sydney and Hawthorn did not pursue a licence for next year but will consider their options for women’s teams further down the track as the new competition unfolds.

 The following article appears on the www.afl.com website:

TRADITIONAL heavyweights Carlton and Collingwood join Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs as the Victorian contingent in the first year of the AFL national women's league.

Fremantle has edged out West Coast in the battle of the west to be the Perth-based team in the eight-club inaugural competition.

Adelaide, Brisbane Lions and Greater Western Sydney are the other non-Victorian clubs to compete in the eight-week season in February-March next year.

The other AFL club applicants, Richmond, Geelong, North Melbourne and St Kilda, along with the Eagles, have been granted provisional licences to be part of an expanded women's league in 2018, depending on development of the game in their areas.

Next season's women's competition will feature six home-and-away rounds, with the top four playing two semi-finals and a Grand Final.

The women's Grand Final could be played in the week between the end of the NAB Challenge and the start of the AFL season, or as a curtain-raiser to the AFL season opener at the MCG on either a Thursday or Saturday night.

"This day has been a long time coming. The number of women and girls playing football has doubled over the last five years,'' AFL commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said at the launch near the city-end goals of the MCG on Wednesday morning.

"Our CEO Gillon McLachlan calls it a revolution and it is. A fully fledged national competition with the best women players will grace AFL grounds, wearing AFL jumpers and representing passionate AFL tribes.

Full statement from the AFL and Mike Fitzpatrick's speech

"On behalf of the AFL Commission, I want to express our deep gratitude to those who continue to help grow and develop women's football at all levels.

"The establishment of a national women's league will provide a platform to inspire young girls to reach for the stars and provide another avenue for Australian Rules fans to enjoy. Our game will never be the same.''

Club representatives with Gillon McLachlan and Mike FItzpatrick at Wednesday's launch

Another media announcement was to follow with more details of how the women's league would work.

Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce, who will be the most prominent player in the inaugural league, said it was a banner day for women.

"We've seen on so many issues that sport is a powerful vehicle," she said.

"To see women out there playing a really physical sport, at our most powerful, will (encourage change) across all of society." ...

The following is a story from the Coburg Football Club’s website which looks at how two of its Muslim footballers balance their celebration of Ramadan and football. Towards the end the article also looks at a cross-section of the cultural backgrounds of a club in suburban Melbourne – their case is not unique as the multicultural growth in footy goes from grass roots to the highest level. It is nevertheless an interesting example. The story by Adrian Dixon can be found at: http://coburgfc.com.au/lions-stars-embracing-culture/

One aspect that the Coburg Football Club prides itself on is its diversity with regards to its multiculturalism.

As the suburb of Coburg is based in the City of Moreland, there are many different cultures that represent the municipality, whether it be the background of their heritage or what religion they believe in.

And while the AFL encourages its clubs, at both league and state level to promote their multicultural stories among its players and staff, it provides great publicity for clubs like the Lions in order to increase its awareness.  

Two of Coburg’s higher profile players, Ahmed Saad and Ozgur Uysal both share the Muslim Heritage. Ahmed was born to Egyptian Parents in Australia, and moved there for a few years before returning to Australia. Ozgur is of Turkish descent. The pair grew up in Melbourne’s North West, Roxburgh Park where both managed their junior football for the local club there, although Ozgur later on in his junior career moved to Greenvale (who he still has aligned as his local club).

As well documented, Ahmed returned to the VFL this season following a stint in the AFL with St.Kilda, while Ozzie first played for Coburg in 2010 having come out of the TAC Cup system with the Calder Cannons as a 23rd man.

And at this time of year, most Muslims in Australia are entering the phase of Ramadan. The word ‘Ramadan’ is derived from the Arabic word meaning “Intense Heat, Scorched Ground and Shortness of Food and Drink.”

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. During this month, it is seen by Muslims as a period of prayer, fasting, charity giving and self-accountability. For each year during the regular calendar, it begins either towards the end of Autumn or Winter months, and it lasts for a month. This year, it began on the seventh of June, only a few days after Coburg’s big win over Richmond.

What the day consists of for both Ozzie and Ahmed are that the fast during the daylight hours- which as a result means they are not to consume any food whatsoever, until the evening hours of the day.

“It’s a month where we fast from dawn till dusk, sunrise till sunset, it’s an opportunity for us to be grateful for what we have and to get closer to God and do as many good deeds as possible.”

While the fasting period you’d imagine would have an effect on the players in regards to performance, it wasn’t necessarily the case on the weekend. Ahmed managed a match-winning six goal performance on the weekend, while Ozzie arguably had his best performance of the season where he managed 26 disposals, seven tackles and six clearances.

“I’ve been doing it since I was eight years old. Here in Australia we are doing it easy, we are breaking our fast at ten past five unlike my family in Egypt who are doing it much tougher they end up fasting until about 8:30-9PM at night and its 35 degrees. it make us feel for the poor and for the less fortunate and as a result it’s a great opportunity to for us to fed the poor and help who is in need."

Further to clarify the current list is made up of players with many different heritages. Danny Younan is from a Lebanese background, Featherstone is of Welsh descent with his name originating from Poland, Dion Hill is New Zealand Maori, Mark Kovacevic Croatian, Nick Robortella, Josh Iacobacco Michael Ercolano & Adam Valeri are all Italian, Garrett McDonagh Irish, Kyle Staples is born to an English parent, and Richard Bamblett and Michaelis McMasters are Indigenous Australians. Assistant and Forward Line Coach Adam Campbell was born and lived in New Zealand before moving to Victoria, while High Performance Manager Derek McConn migrated to Australia from Ireland.

All of these different cultures represented within the club are what represents us as a strong community and cultured focused club at Coburg.

The AFL’s Multicultural Round will be played in Round 16 from 7-10 July as a recognition of the role played by people of multicultural backgrounds at all levels of the game both in Australia and across the world.

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Round 13 kicks off in Melbourne on Friday night with North Melbourne hosting Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium. 

If you want to know when you can see the footy on TV in your part of the world, check out the full schedule below.

As always schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the local broadcaster so please check local guides for updates.

*We also recommend you check out the AFANA website if you are in North America as they tend to have the very latest information on broadcast schedules or changes. ...

The following story by Matt Thompson is from the www.afl.com.au website detailing the new head of diversity for the AFL replacing Jason Mifsud who left the position earlier this year.

THE AFL has appointed a second woman to its executive ranks, in a week when social issues, particularly attitudes towards women, have been at the forefront of the football conversation.

Tanya Hosch becomes the League's general manager of inclusion and social policy, a position revamped following the departure of long-time diversity advisor Jason Mifsud.

The AFL started its search to replace Mifsud more than four months ago. 

Hosch was the joint campaign director of Recognise, an organisation that is pushing for the inclusion of indigenous Australians in the national constitution.  

Olympian and Labor senator Nova Peris had been considered a frontrunner for the role but has missed out on the job.  

Hosch joins corporate affairs boss Elizabeth Lukin as the second female on the AFL executive.

"We have been on a long and extensive search for the right person to fill this role, and are delighted that Tanya came forward as the standout candidate for the position," AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said in a statement. 

"Tanya's extensive experience in public policy and advocating for inclusion and diversity will bring untold benefit to the AFL competition in particular and the broader game at a community level.

"She is someone of immense character and strength, with highly developed leadership, advocacy and diplomacy skills."

The League says Hosch will be responsible for setting and driving AFL strategies and policies that will promote inclusion and diversity across the football industry.

Hosch will take up her position on August 29. 

A decision on the appointment of an Indigenous Commissioner to the AFL for will continue to be investigated. For more information on that appointment, go to: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-05-27/afl-commits-to-indigenous-commissioner-by-2018

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