The fortunes of the Irish men’s and women’s squads for the upcoming IC17 tournament in Melbourne next August are already on the rise with their announcement last month of the men’s Warriors squad. Selectors and team officials will continue to fine tune the squad over coming months in preparation. The women’s Irish Banshees squad will be announced in due course.

The Irish Warriors management team have today named an extended Ireland based training squad for the 2017 AFL International Cup. More players may be added in the weeks ahead depending on performance in the Winter Championship and arrangements are also being made for UK and Australia based players to train and have trials and these will be announced in the coming weeks.

  A final squad of 30 players will be selected from the three groups in the spring. The final management team for the tournament has been confirmed today too, with Mick Finn joining Brian Currane and Ciaran O’ Hara on the senior coaching staff. The team will be managed by Michael Currane, and Paul Ryan will once again serve as tour manager.

Squad:

Gareth Baird

Muiris Bartley

Matt Bell

Liam Burns

Oisin Collins

Kieran Conroy

James Galvin

Stephen Guing

Rochford Hanmore

Sean Paul Henry

Luke Hickey

Domnic Joyce

Brendan Kelly

David Lally

Adam Looney

Colin Lordan

Mark McCauley

Ryan McCloskey

Brendan McDevitt

Kevin McDonnell

David McElhone

Sean McGlinchey

Stuart McKeating

Tom McKenna

Kevin McSorley

Paul Murphy

Gavin Murray

Padraic O Connell

Paul O Halloran

Kevin O Sullivan

Shane O Sullivan

Seamus Owens

Ronan Sheehan

Peter Traynor

Gerard Walls

John White

For more information on Ireland’s IC17 campaign or other new regarding Australian footy in Ireland, you can visit their website at: www.arfli.com ...

In a move which will see our great game reach more casual Chinese viewers than simply the attendance at the game, the AFL is negotiating with local Chinese broadcasters. It is hoped that the Gold Coast versus Port Adelaide match might attract an even larger market which, in turn, gives greater opportunities to grow the game in China. The following article from Matt Thompson at www.afl.com.au looks at this development for the historic game next season.

CHINESE broadcasters are in talks with the AFL to telecast next year's premiership season game in Shanghai to the local population.

Gold Coast and Port Adelaide will face off at the Jiangwan Sports Centre in round eight on Sunday May 14 in the first home and away game to be played in Asia. 

 With the local flavor surrounding the match, it's expected the local television audience could reach well into the millions.

"We do expect it to be televised into China," League operations executive Travis Auld told AFL.com.au

"Those details haven't been finalised," he added. 

"I certainly think it'll be a big deal for the networks there to be able to show a game locally.

"They’ve been showing a number of our games, not just Port Adelaide games, games throughout last year.

The match will be telecast into Australia by Channel Seven and simulcast on Telstra's AFL Live app and Fox Footy.

While a final seating plan is still being worked out and tickets are yet to go on sale, the AFL is hopeful it can attract a crowd of around 10,000 supporters made up of expats, locals, corporates and travelling fans.

"We've had interest from a couple of thousand supporters who are looking to travel over for the game, and there's also within that a significant number of people who are interested in purchasing corporate seats.

"I imagine it'll be around the 10,000 mark which we think will be fine, and will provide a really good atmosphere on the day and also a good product for TV."

The League will look to engage Australian expats and others already involved in footy in China to help boost interest in the match.

"There's a local AFL competition, so we'll run some activities in and around the game, a local round robin of some sort," Auld said.

"We'll also work pretty hard locally to market the game, and introduce a number of locals to our game for the first time and (see) what it's like to watch the game live."

The original article can be found at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-12-28/shanghai-game-set-to-be-broadcast-into-china ...

The AFL's All Australian team was announced back in September this year.  State of Origin football is in a long hiatus - but theoretical State teams are announced each year - the Big Footy Forum has a selection of user submitted teams here for 2016.  They take in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia as well as an Allies team (NT, Tasmania, ACT, Queensland and NSW). 

But what about the rest of the world? If the Rest of the World were to play against any of the teams above, what is the best team they could muster?  We have determined eligibility along the line of the International Cup eligibility rules and we have named the 2016 World Team (so this does not include foreign born but Australian raised players).

Irishman Pearce Hanley has been named captain of the 2016 team despite what was perhaps a below par year by his standards at the Brisbane Lions.  He will of course hope to return to form in 2017 with his new club the Gold Coast Suns. 

As with the International Cup the coach can be Australian but should have a strong link with international football. This year we have selected the coaches of the Indonesian Garudas that won the Indochina cup against China and Indochina in Vietnam.  

In addition to those currently on AFL lists (including International Scholarships) we have named the o'hAilpin brothers who have dominated for a third year running in the Ovens and Murray Football League (and were formerly on AFL lists).  Mick Finn the Irish International Cup captain continued his great form for Heidelberg in the Northern Football League in their premiership season and again has been selected.  Also among the emergencies named are AFL Europe players Mikkel Kjoege, Sam Willatt and Josip Habljak who all made state league lists in Australia in 2016.

This team is intended to be an annual announcement, you can see last year's team here. 

Here is our 2016 World Team

...

With less than a year to go until the next International Cup in Melbourne, nations are already making provisions to assemble lists and support personnel ready for the event. The GB Bulldogs provisional first list has just been released. Whilst predominantly made up of players in the AFL London and AFL Central & Northern England competitions, the list is also represented by players from Wales and Scotland.

Also featured are players now playing overseas in the Netherlands and Australia. Included in the list is Sam Willatt who will bring his experience to the squad after having been a part of the AFL’s Western Bulldogs/Footscray (VFL) powerhouse, with both winning flags.

The website states:

Coach Dean Gavin Thomas and the AFL Europe Champions Great Britain Australian Rules Football are proud to announce their preliminary 52 man squad for the AFL‘s AFL International Cup 2017 held in Melbourne in August 2017

GB Bulldogs Preliminary List

Thomas McBride – Glasgow Sharks Australian Rules Football Club

Neil Cooke – Amsterdam Devils

Owain Ryland – South Cardiff Panthers

Mark Ireland – Sheffield Thunder

Anthony Roy Brannigan – Tyne Tees Tigers

Luke Booth – Huddersfield Rams

Alex Overton – Huddersfield Rams

Josh Kenney – Huddersfield Rams

Chris Britton – Manchester Mosquitoes

Andrew Cochran – Manchester Mosquitos

Tim Gower – Manchester Mosquitos

Andy Walkden – Manchester Mosquitos

George Dibble – Wolverhampton Wolverines Australian Rules Football Club

Craig Degville – Wolverhampton Wolverines

Ian Mitchell – Wolverhampton Wolverines

Harry Duffield – Wolverhampton Wolverines

Lewis Gedney – Wolverhampton Wolverines

Cameron Cope – Wolverhampton Wolverines

Ross Denton – University of Birmingham/North London Lions

Jack Coughlan – University of Birmingham/North London Lions

Michael Sharp – University of Birmingham/North London Lions

Tomos Wyn-Jones – University of Birmingham/North London Lions

Olly Harvey – University of Birmingham

Samuel Walon – University of Birmingham

Ryan Daniel Cawley – University of Birmingham

James Talbot – North London Lions

Matt Warwick – West London Wildcats

Jack Wood – West London Wildcats

Alex Watson – The Wandsworth Demons

Charlie Steel – Wandsworth Demons

David Jordan – Wandsworth Demons

Andy Smith – Wandsworth Demons

Myles Hudson – Wimbledon Hawks

David Hastie – Wimbledon Hawks

Jason Edward Hill – Wimbledon Hawks

Marc Cashman – Wimbledon Hawks

Jordan Wynne – Wimbledon Hawks

Will Worthington – London Swans

Ryan Spivey – Sussex Swans Australian Rules Football Club

Sam Willatt – Footscray Bulldogs

Ross Ashman – Manly Warringah Giants

Ryan Floyd – Heidelberg West Football Club – Celebrating 80 Years

Olly Smith – University of Queensland Australian Football Club

Sam Pitman – East Malvern Football Club

Dominic Mitchell – Power House Amateur Football Club

Luke Matias – Caulfield Grammarians Football Club

James Anthony Trigg – Lara Sporting Club Football Section

Adam Ballard – Caulfield Bears

Adam Coxsell – Caulfield Bears

Sean Walton – Caulfield Bears

Luke Murchie – Caulfield Bears

Inti Aburto – Tasman Football Club

Support Staff

Guy Titman

Hilary Wilson

Millie Morgan

Charley Dakin

Simon Vardy

Congratulations to all involved and good luck to those selected for the final squad next August.

Original source – the AFL England website at: http://www.aflengland.org/ωp=1599

  ...

Nick Bowen from the www.afl.com.au website reports that Essendon’s legendary coach has taken the initiative to push for his club to pursue an AFL match in India. With former head of football in India, Sudip Chakraborty, now at the club, there is a real possibility that the club could link with another to bring a match to the nation sooner rather than later.

KEVIN Sheedy will lead a contingent of Essendon officials to India as the Bombers seek to tap into the growing Indian community around the club and, longer term, eye hosting an AFL game on the subcontinent.

The Bombers' party will fly to Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, where they will attend the Indian AFL national championships, after which Sheedy will select the team that will represent India at the International Cup in Melbourne from August 5.

 The four-time Bombers premiership coach told AFL.com.au Essendon and the AFL had a great opportunity to grow Australian football by spreading the gospel to Indians, both in Australia and their homeland.

"We have a lot of Indian people out in the Essendon catchment area who barrack for the Bombers, they've come out here to live and they've fallen in love with our game. When you look at that happening you've really got to support that," Sheedy said.

"I was reading the other day the numbers of Chinese and Indian people wanting to come to Australia, and also wanting to live in Australia, have really spiked.

"We should welcome that and make sure that they feel every part of living in Australia and, of course, in enjoying our great Australian game."

Sheedy said it would be exciting to see the best Indian players in action at their national championships, which will run from January 15-17 and feature teams across two divisions.

Long one of the game's true visionaries, Sheedy is dreaming big about the inroads the AFL can make in India, the world's second-most populous country behind China.

Sheedy believes a good number of India's 1.3 billion residents could embrace Australian football and hopes the Bombers can eventually host his former club Richmond in a game there.

"To me, you've got to get there now and inspire people, get people to want to be involved in the AFL and help (them) enjoy the game. It's a great opportunity not just for Essendon but the game in general, but Essendon are going to lead the way," Sheedy said.

"When [Indians] get the passion to love a sport they could really get to love AFL. They're not really big into soccer, they're not into rugby league and rugby really, so we've got a great opportunity here and we should nail it and get on top of it right now.

"My last trip into that Asian region was when we went to Shanghai to see whether there was an opportunity there and, of course, the AFL has a game there this year.

"Hopefully it is the forerunner to a game in India. I would love to see the Tigers and the Bombers in India one day, maybe the Bombay Bombers and the Bengal Tigers play each other."

Essendon will sponsor and support the Indian team when it travels to Melbourne for the International Cup. The Indian team will wear Essendon jumpers, train at the club's Tullamarine headquarters and receive coaching from its AFL coaches.

The Bombers have two players of Indian origin on their list, Alex Morgan and Ben McNiece, while the club most recently travelled to India in October 2014, when Dyson Heppell, Zach Merrett, Joe Daniher and David Zaharakis took part in a cultural exchange program.

The International Cup is played every three years. No expatriate Australians are eligible to play. Teams are comprised solely of amateurs who must be nationals of the countries they represent.

In 2014, there were 25 teams (18 men’s and seven women’s) that represented 18 different nations. Papua New Guinea won the men’s final while Canada won the women’s final.

The original story can be found at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-01-12/indian-summer-dons-sheedy-eye-footys-newest-frontier

  ...

Late last year the ABC reported about a young girl in Toowoomba who was taking Australian Rules football by storm, and in the process taking apart cultural and gender stereotypes to be an amazing role model and inspiration for all young, aspiring football players. Here is the story of Zimra, as reported by Allyson Horn for the www.abc.net.au website.

Ten-year-old Afghan refugee Zimra Hussain is tearing up football fields across south-east Queensland, her hijab flying in the wind.

Zimra and her family are part of the Hazara, a group heavily persecuted in Afghanistan by the Taliban.

They arrived in Australia in 2014.

She played her first game of football less than a year ago, as a new resident of Toowoomba on the state's Darling Downs.

 Now, she is a self-confessed footy fanatic, breaking down cultural barriers and misconceptions.

"It's my passion — it's an Australian game and I want to be part of Australia," she said.

"They thought it was a little but weird, me playing in a hijab.

"I said it's part of my culture and they were like, 'are you hot in itω'

"And it was like, 'no, I'm not', so they're used to it now."

She is known as the 'Afghani Axe' and is one of dozens of refugee children in Toowoomba who have been drafted into an Aussie Rules program to help their integration into the community.

Looking for community connection

Church pastor Ross Savill started the initiative after he noticed hundreds of new arrivals struggling to integrate.

 10-year-old Afghani refugee Zimra Hussain kicking an AFL football in Toowoomba on Queensland's Darling Downs

"I think a lot of these kids and families were just looking for something where they could connect with the broader community," he said.

"I think it's broken down barriers both ways.

"If you take Zimra for example, people watch this little girl run onto the field with a hijab on and they watch her play and enjoy the game, and they get to know her and her family.

"I think all sorts of things happen when we get to know people as people, not as labels or as what we think they are."

The program has had remarkable success and is now formally supported and encouraged by the AFL.

AFL regional manager Keith Webb saw more advantages for the progression of the game.

"We've got a lot of these refugee kids coming through that are naturally built for the game," he said.

"They're tall, athletic, move well.

"We've got quite a few of the boys and girls that are taking the next step through our representative pathways, getting identified by talent spotters, really trailblazing in that side of the game."

Although still young, Zimra has been picked for representative duties, and the AFL predicts a long and successful future.

"She's obviously very talented, she's someone who just lives and breathes the game," Mr Webb said.

For the young girl, it is a future Zimra never could have dreamed of, though her sights are now firmly set.

"I want to play in my future and I want to be professional," she said.

"My favourite team is the Adelaide Crows — I like them because of Eddie Betts.

"He's like a magician and my hero. I want to be just like him.

"I just have to keep working hard — and I will."

Allyson’s original story can be found at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-05/10yo-afghan-refugee-finds-passion-in-afl/7998096

Picture: www.abc.net.au ...

Naomi Ackerman has reported on the Evening Standard website the “clamour to join London teams as hard-hitting game soars in popularity”. With the inaugural AFL Women’s league competition about to kick off in Australia on February 3rd when Carlton and Collingwood play the historic opening match, women’s footy is set to explode further across Australia and the world, and this article reflects that growth with a look at the growth in the game being experienced across London.

It is not a sport for the faint-hearted — but that appears to be the attraction as London women sign up in their droves to play Aussie rules football.

The game, which involves full-body tackles and running for about nine miles in a match, has been played by men in Regent’s Park for more than 25 years but now it has soared in popularity among women who “enjoy a bit of rough and tumble”.

 Aussie Rules features 18 players a side, is played on an oval field and bears similarities to rugby and Gaelic football. Dangerous physical contact is banned but it is known for its crunching impacts and fierce battles to control the ball.

The first women’s “footy” teams, set up two years ago by Cancer Research manager Lisa Wilson and Australian accountant Marianna Graham, were so popular that more squads were created and  London now has the sport’s largest women’s league in Europe. A free taster day for the sport will be held on February 11 in Victoria Park.

This year a “London All-Stars” team will play its first international games, against Canadian and Irish national sides. A British national squad, GB Swans, will visit Melbourne this summer for an international competition.

 Ms Wilson, 25, who plays for Wimbledon Hawks, said: “We organised every- thing ourselves. I’m from Manchester and found out about the sport while studying in Melbourne. It’s not just expat Aussies. Hundreds of women play in our AFL London Women’s league and many are British. I’ve tried netball, hockey and football — and this has the best team spirit.”

Ms Graham, 35, who manages South East London Giants, said: “It’s not like rugby where you get tackled for no reason, though tackles can be hard and in the air. Aussie rules involves as much as 15k running so it’s great for fitness. British girls have loved it — they enjoy a bit of rough and tumble I guess.”

She added: “It’s such an achievement to have got this far. The history of footy in Australia is as a boys’ club — boys played footy, girls netball, so it has taken a while to break down barriers.”

Teams include the Giants, Hawks, Wandsworth Demons and North London Lions, plus clubs in Shoreditch, Chiswick and Putney.

For details about the taster day visit: www.afllondon.com/womensfooty 

Original article can be found at: http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/londoners-are-barging-their-way-into-women-s-aussie-rules-football-a3438661.html

Picture: The Evening Standard

  ...

To enhance interest in the fortunes of the GB Bulldogs team for this year’s IC17 in Melbourne, the following list has been prepared to list all players to have had the honour of representing the Great Britain team. The following list is from the www.aflengland.org website.

The Great Britain Bulldogs have been involved in International Competition since 2001 and we’ve been trawling through the records to put together a full list of players who have competed for the Bulldogs in that period of time. With records going back to the AFL International Cup of 2002 below are the players who have represented their nation across time

 Player                                                   Games  Goals     BoGs

1              Adam Ballard                   11           0              1

2              Adam Bennett                  24           5              4

3              Adam Coxsell                    5            0              0

4              Adam Street                       4            0              0

5              Adrian Gerolemou          5              0              0

6              Aiden Dillane                   6              5              2

7              Alasdair Lindop               14           0              0

8              Alastair Delooze             4              1              0

9              Alessandro Attanasio     11           0              0

10           Alexander Overton          6              2              1

11           Alexander Watson           2              0              0

12           Alistair McKinnell             4              0              0

13           Allan Burchell                   5              0              0

14           Amerigo Holthouse         6              0              0

15           Andrew Atack                   4              0              0

16           Andrew Cochran             6              2              2

17           Andrew Norton                5              0              0

18           Andrew Purcell                5              0              0

19           Andrew Ruinoff                6              0              0

20           Andrew Walkden             6              13           3

21           Andy Brockett                   4              2              0

22           Andy Craig                        8              1              4

23           Andy Grubb                       6              0              1

24           Andy Schmeully               2              0              0

25           Andy Smith                        9              0              0

26           Andy Whiteaker                9              13           2

27           Anish Patel                       5              0              1

28           Anthony Brannigan         1              0              0

29           Anthony Trigg                   15           1              6

30           Ashley Swift                      16           6              2

31           Barry Malone                     6             3             2

32           Baz Brown                         3              0              0

33           Ben O’Brien                       6              1              1

34           Ben Rees                           13           0              7

35           Ben Smith                           5              0              0

36           Brendan McGeever           11           1              4

37           Bryce Goldsborough         2              0              0

38           Cameron Cope                   3              0              0

39           Charles Steel                      6              0              0

40           Charlie O’Hagan                0              0              0

41           Chaz Burgen                       1              0              0

42           Chris Britton                         6              2              2

43           Chris Dickson                       7              1              4

44           Chris Donnellan                  1              0              0

45           Chris Glen                            2              0              0

46           Chris James                         10           9              4

47           Chris Wands                        6              0              0

48           Christian Lloyd                    6              1              1

49           Christopher Cooney           3              3              0

50           Ciaran Merrigan                  1              1              0

51           Clyde Murray                       5              0              0

52           Colin Anderson                    2              0              0

53           Connor Walsh                      7              0              1

54           Dale Claridge                      7              0              0

55           Damian Banks                    1              0              0

56           Damian Holland                 6              2              0

57           Dan Chambers                   7              1              0

58           Dan Di Lieto                        4              1              0

59           Danny Coppard                 2              0              0

60           Danny James                     4              0              0

61           David Carpenter                1              0              0

62           David Gamble                    4              0              0

63           David Hastie                       5              11            0

64           David James                       6              0              3

65           David Jordan                      5              3              1

66           David Saunders                 9              8              2

67           Dean Anderson                  2              0              0

68           Dean Fraser                        3              0              0

69           Derek Shaw                        5              0              0

70           Dermott Connolly               1              0              0

71           Dick Baker                           1              0              0

72           Dominic Mitchell                 12           4              4

73           Donal Mullen                      7              0              0

74           Edward Doe                       5              6              0

75           Elliot Rich                            4              1              0

76           Eoin O’Connor                   6              5              2

77           Farai Goredema-Braid     4              0              0

78           Fergal Bolger                     2              0              0

79           Fraser Brown                     5              1              0

80           G Williams                           1              0              0

81           Gareth Blackstaffe-Turner           10           1              0

82           Gareth Sturge                     1              0              0

83           Gary Dutton                         6              0              2

84           George Dibble                    5              0              1

85           Glen Ralph                          1              0              0

86           Graham Bickerdike            4              0              0

87           Graham Tuffin                     5              0              1

88           Guy Littlefield                      1              0              0

89           Harry Duffield                      1              0              0

90           Harry Triggs                          10           0              0

91           Harry Zalk                            6              1              0

92           Henry Simpson                    11           0              0

93           Iain Mobbs                            11           0              0

94           Ian Barker                             2              0              0

95           Ian McNicholas                   4              0              0

96           Ian Mitchell                           15           1              1

97           Inti Aburto                             9              0              3

98           Jack Coughlan                    6              10           4

99           Jack Wood                           3              0              0

100         James Howard                   1              0              1

101         James Stewart                    1              0              0

102         James Sullivan                   12           0              1

103         James Talbot                       15           1              2

104         Jamie Cope                        1              0              0

105         Jamie Swift                         1              0              0

106         Jason Hill                            5              4              0

107         Jay Sinclair                         6              0              1

108         Joe Cooper                         7              1              0

109         Joe Murphy                         6              0              0

110         Joe Swift                              6              1              0

111         Joe Watkins                         10           0              0

112         John O’Brien                       1              0              0

113         Johnathan Boyle                20           2              9

114         Johnny Sharpe                   5              1              0

115         Jon Coller                            4              5              0

116         Jon Conradi                        6              0              0

117         Jonathan Dickson              8              0              1

118         Jonathan Harvey               4              1              0

119         Jordan Wynne                    1              0              0

120         Josh Kenney                      1              0              0

121         Julian Ford                          15           7              6

122         Justin Silverthorne             11           0              0

123         Karl Bucci                            3              0              0

124         Keith Farr                            9              0              1

125         Kiran Patel                          5              0              0

126         Lee Ocsko                           6              0              0

127         Lee Tarn                              10           10           1

128         Leighton Channell            1              0              0

129         Lewis Gedney                    4              3              0

130         Liam Corbett                      2              0              0

131         Luke Booth                         10           3              4

132         Luke Matias                        22           7              13

133         Mango                                  1              0              0

134         Marc Cashman                  3              8              1

135         Mark Hoffman                     5              0              0

136         Mark Horsman                   4              1              0

137         Mark Ireland                       4              1              1

138         Mark McMenamin             1              0              0

139         Mark Nelson                       2              0              0

140         Mark O’Boyle                     1              0              0

141         Mark Strong                       1              0              0

142         Mark Todd                          14           3              1

143         Martin Anderson               7              2              0

144         Martin Peel                        1              0              0

145         Martin Quinlan                  1              0              0

146         Martin Smith                      5              0              0

147         Martyn Hinchey                 17           0              3

148         Matt Kilheeney                 10           7              1

149         Matt Taylor                         3              0             0

150         Matt Whiteley                   12           1              3

151         Matthew Goodman          4              0              1

152         Matthew Warwick             5              0              1

153         Michael Arnander            2              0              0

154         Michael Kilheeney          2              0              0

155         Michael Sharp                  6              2              2

156         Mick Whiles                       15           0              0

157         Midas Maynard                6              0              0

158         Miles Westbrook              5              0              0

159         Myles Hudson                  6              0              1

160         Neil Cooke                        5              0              0

161         Neil Elliott                          1              0              0

162         Neil Martin                         2              0              0

163         Nick Osman                       1              0              0

164         Nick Stevens                     5              0              2

165         Ollie De-Lieto                    9              0              3

166         Olly Smith                           5              1              0

167         Owain Ryland                   14            2              7

168         Padriac McKeever             5              0              0

169         Paul Avery                           5              0              0

170         Paul Barry                            7              0              0

171         Paul Chaplin                       5              0              0

172         Paul Francis                        14           0              0

173         Paul Geddis                        2              0              0

174         Paul Harris                          22            2              3

175         Paul Hodge                         5              0              0

176         Paul Manley                        6              0              1

177         Paul Welland                      5              0              0

178         Perry Wild                            6              1              1

179         Phil Holby                            6              0              0

180         Phil Holtam                         6              0              0

181         Phil Norton                          5              0              0

182         Phil Osman                         1              0              0

183         Richard Haile                     1              0              0

184         Richard Lucas                    9              6              1

185         Rob Burgess                      7              6              3

186         Rob Chamberlain             6              0              1

187         Rob Fielder                        4              1              0

188         Rob Harmeston                 12           3              3

189         Robert Cockburn              11            0              0

190         Ron Wilkinson                   5              0              0

191         Ross Ashman                    10            2              1

192         Ross Denton                      3              0              0

193         Ryan Cawley                     1              0              0

194         Ryan Spivey                       1              0              0

195         Sam Boyd                           4              0              1

196         Sam Brunton                      1              0              1

197         Sam Dixon                          7              0              0

198         Sam Pitman                        5              2              0

199         Sam Wood                          7              4              3

200         Samuel Willatt                    9              12           2

201         Scott Rymer                        5              3              1

202         Sean Walton                      15            1              11

203         Shane Claridge                  5              0              0

204         Simon Golby                        2              0              0

205         Simon Jones                        6              0              0

206         Simon Tempest                    1              0              0

207         Simon Vardy                        4              3              0

208         Steve Allen                           4              0              0

209         Steve Bailey                         1              0              0

210         Steven Maguire                   5              3              2

211         Stuart Egginton                    1              0              0

212         Tennant Hilditch                  1              0              0

213         Terry Lovekin                       5              0              0

214         Tim Atkins                             6              1              0

215         Tim Dillon                              11           0              0

216         Tim Smith                              4              1              0

217         Timothy Gower                     1              0              0

218         Tod Simpson                        1              0              0

219         Tom Case                              7              0              0

220         Tom Crompton                      5              0              0

221         Tom Gillard                            4              0              0

222         Tom Judson                           13           4              2

223         Tom Mercer                            11           6              4

224         Tom Sobush                          1              0              0

225         Tomas O’Mongain                1              0              0

226         Tomos Wyn-Jones                2              2              0

227         Tony Bell                                 11           2              1

228         Tony Keany                           6              1              0

229         Trevor Turton                        1              0              0

230         Ty Hallam                               11           0              0

231         Vincent Carey                       7              1              3

232         Wayne Cockram                   6              1              0

233         William Worthington             16           4              6

If you believe this to be incomplete or could offer further records to help enhance this please get in touch bulldogs@aflengland.org

Note: For the squads competing before 2016 each player selected for a squad has been awarded a cap

*BoGs (Best on Ground) – not all matches have these voted for

Last update Ireland v GB – Dublin, October 2016

The original article can be found at: http://www.aflengland.org/ωpage_id=1757 ...

It is now less than two weeks until the next instalment of the Fitzpatrick Cup, this year to be played in Cork and hosted by the UCC Bombers. The www.afleurope.org website has the following comprehensive write up of the event.

The 2017 AFL Europe calendar kicks off with a bang on Saturday 4th of February with the 4th edition of the Fitzpatrick Cup being hosted by University College Cork (UCC).

The ‘Fitz’ is a relatively new addition to the AFL Europe schedule with it first being run in 2013 to tie in with the International Rules Series held in Dublin between Australia and Ireland.

(Picture: UCC Bombers ready to host 2017 Fitzpatrick Cup - AFL Europe)

Four teams took to the field that day with Oxford, Dublin City University (DCU), UCC and Magherfelt College competing in the inaugural competition. The Chairman of the AFL Commission, Mike Fitzpatrick, was in Dublin for the event and attended the tournament named after him.

Since then the competition has boomed with each tournament growing stronger and stronger. The following year saw five teams compete in Birmingham, with six facing off the year after that. 2016 saw further growth with the introduction of the women’s competition enhancing the tournament profile.

This year sees the competition move to Cork, Ireland, and has eight men’s and three women’s teams pulling on the boots and competing to become the Intervarsity Champions of Europe.

Head organiser, Eoin O’Sullivan, along with the rest of the UCC organising committee have worked tirelessly putting together this year’s premier universities competition and are expecting it to be the biggest and most successful tournament yet.

In the men’s competition, it’ll be the University of Birmingham who’ll be looking to claim their third straight ‘Fitz’. They’ll be coming up against home side and runners up from 2016, the UCC Bombers, who’ll be looking to impress and go one better in front of a home crowd.

For the women, it’ll be a very close field with UCC, Maynooth and Oxford locked in to compete in the women’s second instalment of the competition. It’ll be the home-side, UCC, who’ll have the home crowd advantage and could prove the clincher in tight games.

The 2017 ‘Fitz’ is shaping up to a the biggest and best yet with the standard of football from the youthful university students sky rocketing each year.

Be sure to stay tuned into the AFL Europe website and social media for more details and previews over the next month.

https://www.facebook.com/events/369288496783296/

Teams:

UCC 1

UCC 2

University of Birmingham

Oxford University

Cambridge University

Maynooth 1

Maynooth 2

Irish Mixed Universities

Honour Roll:

2013/14 – UCC

2014/15 – University of Birmingham

2015/16 – University of Birmingham

Details:

Saturday 4th February 11am to 4pm

UCC Farm sports grounds, Curaheen, Cork City

After-Party at the Mardyke Complex

Original article from AFL Europe’s writers can be found at: http://www.afleurope.org/news/ ...

This weekend sees an historic occasion for football in the Northern Territory when two of the founding clubs clash to celebrate 100 years of footy in the NT.  The following media release from the AFLNT details the event and its significance.

 AFLNT Media Release

This week, in Round 15 of the 2016/17 TIO NTFL season the Wanderers Football Club and Waratah Football Club both celebrate their 100 year anniversary in a historic ‘Foundation Cup’ clash at Gardens Oval at 4.00pm on Thursday.

Other planned festivities for the week include a centenary ball and the naming of respective teams of the century on Friday for Waratah and Saturday for Wanderers. 

 The Northern Territory Government is also hosting a Waratah and Wanderers Centenary Anniversary Reception at Parliament House this evening.

Along with Darwin Buffaloes, these clubs were the forefathers of Australian Football in the Territory.    

AFLNT Chairman Ross Coburn said such a historic occasion was a privilege to bear witness to.

“This moment in our history is significant from a sporting and cultural point of view.

“Today, football is the people’s game. It brings people from all walks of life together and is an integral part of the fabric that makes Darwin families what they are,” Coburn said.

AFLNT CEO Michael Solomon echoed the sentiments.

“From all accounts, these clubs started from humble beginnings, borne out of passion and persistence.

“To see them today and know what they have achieved 100 years later, is something all players, officials, volunteers, families, and fans involved should be very proud of.

“I encourage everyone to get along to Gardens Oval tomorrow for the annual Foundation Cup match between Waratah and Wanderers and to join in the fun,” Solomon said. ...

Rick Hanlon is an iconic name when it comes to the development of the game of Australian Rules football in Cairns and throughout Cape York and the Torres Strait islands. His influence has been felt far and wide, and many young men and women have benefitted from his vision, energy and determination. The following article from AFLQ (AFL Queensland) looks at Rick’s background and the amazing body of work which preceded the award over many years.

Cape York Regional Manager Rick Hanlon has been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal in today’s Australia Day honours for his services to Australian Rules Football. 

Following a successful Australian Football career in Tasmania, Mr Hanlon moved to Cairns in 1998 as the AFL’s North Queensland Regional Manager before shifting his focus to the Cape York region.

Mr Hanlon’s pinnacle achievement was the development of AFL Cape York House in 2013, a 48 bed boarding facility based in Cairns that provides for the education and nurturing of remote young people to the highest academic levels. 

The vision for AFL Cape York House was to create a best-practice, sustainable, highly engaged community development organisation to support as many young people as possible from across the many varied communities within the Cape York region. 

AFL General Manager Inclusion and Social Policy, Tanya Hosch, said she was pleased someone within the AFL family had received one of Australia’s highest individual honours today. 

“Rick Hanlon has dedicated nearly twenty years of his life to promoting Australian Football within North Queensland and in doing that has provided young people of the region with education and career opportunities through our sport,” Ms Hosch said. 

“Identifying Australian Football as a vehicle to engage Indigenous young people from Cape York and the Torres Strait, and the strength and potential of young people, supporting their further participation and development in education, family and community is a particular highlight of Rick’s impact and work.

“Through all of this, the concept of AFL Cape York House was born, and even though the development of the house was ten years in the making, Rick and his team have created a facility that continues to enrich the lives of young Indigenous men each year.

“On behalf of the collective AFL family, we would like to congratulate Rick on this honour and thank him for his continued and dedicated work to AFL and the wider community,” she said. 

AFL Queensland CEO Dean Warren echoed Ms Hosch in congratulating Mr Hanlon. 

“To be recognised in the Australia Day Honours is a testament to the enormous impact Rick has had on the Far North Queensland community and in particular, Indigenous youth from Cape York and the Torres Strait,” Mr Warren said. 

“He is a man of passion, vision and drive whose refusal to the accept the status quo was a catalyst for the AFL Cape York Program, which continues to have a significant impact on life outcomes for Indigenous boys and girls. 

“Rick’s work in establishing AFL Cape York House is transforming the lives of disadvantaged young men, and their communities, through education and increased opportunity.

“This is wonderful honour and fitting acknowledgement for his inspiring contribution to the AFL and broader community.” 

Original story can be found at: http://www.aflq.com.au/21977-2/

Picture: AFL Cape York House, Cairns

  ...

The 2016/17 NTFL season is getting very close to the pointy end as teams now jostle for their finals positions, or at least their best possible finishes. Interestingly, the top two teams are already decided, as are the two bottom teams – though not their actual finishing positions.  Most of the interest, however, will centre on the final positions of the middle four teams.

The Top Two – Nightcliff still sits atop the ladder with 14 wins for the season. They have only lost one game – to St Mary’s – and play two of the bottom teams in the final two rounds. That sets up a wonderful match next round when they again meet the Saints. The winner of that match will almost certainly go on to claim the minor premiership. Saints have the harder run home (against Tigers, Crocs and Waratah – all likely finalists) but have proved they have the ability to beat all of those opponents. 

The Bottom Two– The Tiwi Bombers and Palmerston Magpies have endured horrid seasons. Palmerston are four games adrift of sixth placed Buffaloes, meaning they cannot make finals. The Bombers are worse, without a win for the season (one draw against waratah back in Round 7). Whilst they can both rattle some cages over the remaining rounds, their goals would already be set to finish the season positively and plan for 2017/18 season.

The Other Finalists– Wanderers sit in third place and are most likely to stay there. They cannot catch the top two teams, and play the bottom three teams in the run home. They would have to endure a freak upset along the way to lose their Qualifying Final position. Southern Districts Crocs and waratah hold fourth and fifth spot respectively. Half a game separates them, so this weekend when they meet each other, Waratah seeks to secure finals once and for all whilst Crocs will be out to flex their muscle against their likely Elimination Final opponent. With Waratah to meet Saints in the final round, fifth place might be their best hope.

The Wild Card– Darwin Buffaloes sit in sixth place, a game and a half behind Waratah and with a comparable percentage. Here’s the deal. Whilst unlikely, the Buffaloes need to beat the first, third and fifth placed teams in their final rounds. If they did, however, and Waratah lose to both Crocs and Saints, then Buffaloes could perform their own miracle. But it is a distant hope. Nevertheless, it will be exactly what they have in mind, so teams will have to treat them with great respect.

So, whilst things are far from over, the patterns are there. Predicting is a dangerous game, but here are the tips for finishing order.

1.       St Mary’s

2.       Nightcliff

3.       Wanderers

4.       Southern Districts

5.       Waratah

6.       Darwin Buffaloes

7.       Palmerston

8.       Tiwi Bombers

Flag Prediction – St Mary’s

Grand Finalists – Saints v Tigers

Smokey – Southern Districts ...