World Footy News

2012 AFL Fiji Nines

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:30:15 +1000

After the debut of Fiji 9s in March last year; the 2012 version kicked off on Friday May 4 at Albert Park with 5 teams and over 60 players turning out.

AFL Fiji reporting that the 5 teams were the Nausori Delta Blues, the Nauluvatu Eagles, the Raiwaqa Bulldogs, the City Swans and the Cunningham Red Hills.

AFL Fiji paid high praise to the players and their team captains for co-organising the first leg of the tournament – as with no sponsorship from the Fiji Government, or the AFL, and no equipment from either, no prizes, other sponsors and since the return of Glen Butler (inaugural AYAD development officer) to Australia also the lack of a development officer.

The captains on the opening day were :

Eroni Kakaivalu (Cunningham Red Hills – finished 5th)

Sulio Magiti (City Swans – finished 4th)

Maciu Raida (Raiwaqa Bulldogs – finished 3rd)

Bill Tuni (Nauluvatu Eagles – finished 2nd)

Max Wolfgramm (Nausori Delta Blues – finished 1st)

AFL Fiji proudly pointing out that this years’ FIJI NINES goes down in history as the first locally organised and player-supervised footy tournament in Fiji.

The concluding round, held last Friday May 11 saw 50 players available for 4 teams with the Raiwaqa Bulldogs unable to field a squad. In wet and windy conditions at Albert Park, the Blues 1.6. (12) got up over the Eagles 1.1. (7). The Swans then overcame CRH, 3.8. (26) to 1.1. (7); followed by taking on the Eagles for another win 4.4. (28) to 4.1. (25) in a tight matchup. The last pool game saw CRH 5.1. (31) up over the Blues 3.4. (22).

The Grand Final was held between the City Swans 7.7.(49) and Nausori Delta Blues 6.8. (44). The Swans took away a $50 first prize from the $100 pool prize collected over the two weeks of the matches.

AFL Fiji thanked the Suva City Council for its ongoing support. ...

Junior All- American punter and son of a gun in WorldXVIII

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:15:02 +1000

The USAFL has revealed today on their website that they will have two representatives on the World XVIII team in the Australian Under16 Championships in Sydney this July.

Brad Heicklen (pictured left) is perhaps not such a big suprise as it was revealed that he would be in the squad back in February. Heicklin has been working for a number of years on punting and discovered footy through ESPN and subsequently hooked up with the Beachside Sharks in California. This year he has been playing as an onballer with the club in the SCAFL and the 14 year old shows great promise. His World XVIII audition tape can be seen below.

Nolan Ellis (pictured right) is perhaps the first of what we hope to see as generational American footy players. His dad Tom Ellis (and uncle Charley) played with the multi championship winning Denver Bulldogs and represented the US Revolution at multiple International Cups. He has literally grown up with the game in Denver and attended the 2005 International Cup in Melbourne. He began playing with Denver last year and has show great potential so far. The 16 year old will head to Perth this week to get some Australia experience under his belt before the Championships in July. His World XVIII audition tape can be seen below.

Proud father Tom (also a former US Revolution head coach) shared Nolan’s reaction on the USAFL website “He is excited to meet all the other players and just absorb all he can while he is there. He just wants to represent the USA, USAFL and the Denver Bulldogs well both on and off the field. The outpour from family, friends and teammates has been awesome. He just can't wait to get there! “

...

Indigenous Round details

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:16:34 +1000

The 2012 Indigenous Round will celebrate Land and Country. The launch in Brisbane was attended by AFL Community Engagement Manager Jason Mifsud, Murri elder Aunty Carol Currie, students from the Murri School and players Ashley McGrath (Brisbane Lions) and Jarrod Harbrow (Gold Coast SUNS).

Jason Mifsud said country is central to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders. “While players play for their jumper, they represent and acknowledge their land, communities and people. Land defines and inspires players on and off the field. This week is an opportunity for the players to share their stories about their country.

“Australia is made up of over 320 nations with over 500 languages each with its own distinct culture, protocols and connections, but all are brought together by Australia’s game,” he said.

Jarrod Harbrow, of the Yidinjdji mob of Far North Queensland reflected on the importance of staging Indigenous Round. “Indigenous Round not only allows us to showcase the talent that Indigenous people bring to the gamed but helps celebrate the huge impact AFL has on indigenous players and its communities,” Harbrow said.

Brisbane Lions’ Ash McGrath hails from Wangkathaa in Western Australia. “AFL has an enormous impact in Indigenous communities and this has been demonstrated by the amount of great Indigenous talent we now have at AFL level,” McGrath said. “Indigenous Round is extremely important to acknowledge the contribution that Indigenous communities make to our game.”

In 2012 there are 79 Indigenous players. The AFLPA has compiled the players’ countries in an interactive map: http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/19215/Default.aspx

Highlights of the Round include:

All nine Indigenous Round matches will feature a Welcome to Country ceremony; a symbolic ceremony where the traditional custodians of the land welcome members of the wider community.

The AFL and Rio Tinto will conduct the Footy Means Business camp in Melbourne this week, culminating on Saturday May 19 with participants playing in the curtain raiser at the AFL Dreamtime at the ‘G match. Now in its third year, the Footy Means Business program provides 18 to 24-year-old Indigenous men with exposure to elite AFL programs and training, along with networking opportunities in corporate environments to strengthen employment and leadership skills.

Curtain-raisers: Rio Tinto Cup played between Footy Means Business participants will play prior to the Dreamtime at the G match. The match commences at 4.12pm Saturday May 19. The match will be broadcast to the following locations on television: Southern Cross - Darwin & Central markets and GWN7 - Regional WA. Radio coverage will be provided by NIRS into Sydney/Brisbane/Darwin/Perth and various regional centres around Australia.

The Aboriginal Power Cup Boys and Girls final prior to Port Adelaide v North Melbourne match at AAMI Stadium at 11.35am Saturday May 19.

The eighth annual Dreamtime at the G match on Saturday night between Richmond and Essendon. Pre-match entertainment features a performance from Shane Howard and his band along with Dan Sultan, Amy Saunders, Emma Donovan, William Barton, Bart Willoughby and Tjimba Possum Burns.

The Long Walk will depart Birrarung Marr at 6.30pm Saturday May 19 and continue through, over the William Barrack Bridge to the MCG.

There will also be a Long Walk into TIO Stadium prior to the Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns match in Darwin, on Saturday May 19.

...

Tommy Walsh's long awaited debut to come

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:34:52 +1000

Perhaps it was the rapid debuts of Marty Clarke for Collingwood and Michael Quinn for Essendon that set the expectations high for Irish recruits. They made their AFL debuts after being at their clubs only months after arriving from Ireland.

But for 24 year old Tommy Walsh it has been a long waiting game as his chance to debut at AFL level never came at St Kilda. Whether it was a matter of the timing never quite being right, or that Ross Lyon did not have confidence in the Irishman - in the two years at Saint Kilda he was confined to the VFL.

After deciding he wanted to be traded to Sydney, possibly after a little advice from his former county Kerry team mate Tadhg Kennelly, he did play in the NAB Cup for the Swans (as he did with the Saints in 2011). But still his proper AFL debut has not come and has left his supporters wondering if it ever would.

But now after watching almost the first third of the season from the sidelines and playing in the Swans reserves team in the NEAFL his time has finally come. The big blonde Kerry lad will this morning front the press with Swans coach John Longmire to announce he will debut against Melbourne at the MCG this Saturday. He will be wearing the number 17 that Kennelly carried for 178 games at the Swans. We hope that he has the luck of the Irish and goes a long way at the top level. ...

AFLPA Indigenous Player Map Launched

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:20:53 +1000

The AFL Players’ Association this week launched the first ever Interactive Indigenous Players’ Map to highlight the cultural diversity amongst Indigenous players.

Featuring 79 current players from 41 language and/or cultural groups in Australia, the map aims to inform and educate the football community and wider public on the various language and cultural groups of Indigenous AFL players.

Adam Goodes, AFL Players’ Indigenous Advisory Board Chairman said, “Indigenous players represent a diverse range of language groups across the country. The different language groups each have their own distinct traditions and culture and can differ greatly between each group.

“The Indigenous Advisory Board worked together with the Players’ Association on the concept of the map, and we are thrilled to see it brought to life to celebrate Indigenous Round and the contribution of Indigenous players to the game.

“The map profiles each of our countries – not necessarily where we were recruited from, but where our families originate from. It is important for us to share our stories and where we come from with each other, and the interactive map is a way of sharing this with the wider community.”

Interactive Indigenous Player Map Facts:

· There were once over 250 known language groups across Australia.
· Each language group has its own distinct culture and traditions.
· There are currently 79 Indigenous players on AFL lists
· In 2012, Indigenous Players represent 41 language and/or cultural groups. Cultural groups are a collective of language groups who have a common cultural identity.
· The largest cluster of players is in the Noongar (Southwest Region of WA) cultural group with 33 players originating specifically from here.

The AFL Players’ Association Indigenous Advisory Board is the first of its kind in Australian sport, and was established by players to continue to improve the AFL landscape for Indigenous players.

The Advisory Board liaises directly with the Players’ Association to provide guidance on the development of the programs and support services which directly relate to Indigenous players within the AFL.

The Interactive Indigenous Players’ Map can be found at www.aflplayers.com.au/interactive_map ...

Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:21:33 +1000

The AFL and the Reach Foundation today announced the launch of the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award in honour of the former Melbourne Football Club President and champion player who passed away in March this year, following a lengthy battle with cancer. The announcement was made by Jim Stynes’ widow, Sam Stynes, Melbourne Football Club President Don McLardy and AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou.

This award will commemorate Jim Stynes’ tireless service and leadership across the community and will be bestowed annually to the AFL player who demonstrates the values of Jim Stynes in his commitment to the community and understanding the value of helping others.

Nominations will be sought from AFL clubs before the award is presented at the Brownlow Medal dinner at end of the Toyota AFL Premiership season. The inaugural Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award will be presented at this year’s 2012 Brownlow Medal Ceremony.

A selection panel including Sam Stynes, the CEO of the AFL, an AFL Commissioner, a Reach representative and the previous year’s winner will select the award each year with the recipient receiving $20,000 from the AFL to be donated to the charity or community program of their choice.

Andrew Demetriou said: “We are all indebted to Jim Stynes’ memory and will forever be inspired by his contribution to Australian life that is matched by few in the history of the game.

“This award is a joint initiative of the AFL and Reach and will recognise those AFL players that make outstanding contributions to the community and display the same values that accompanied Jim throughout his remarkable life.

“This award is a fitting tribute to Jim’s boundless commitment to the broader community such as establishing the Reach Foundation and supporting numerous community initiatives during and after his playing career.

“Jim’s achievements with Reach and countless other projects throughout the community have provided an extraordinary legacy that will continue to touch the lives of so many people.

“The award will be presented on Brownlow Medal night each year which is a fitting tribute to Jim’s achievement as the 1991 Brownlow medallist. I’ve absolutely no doubt this prestigious award will be held in the highest regard and will go some way to commemorating the immeasurable contributions Jim made to the broader community .”

Don McLardy said: “This award is a wonderful tribute to Jim and a great way for Jim’s legacy to live on.

“His contribution to the Melbourne Football Club and the broader community has been immeasurable. I know all Melbourne Football Club supporters will be immensely proud that an award of this significance has been created in Jim’s honour.”

The Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award will sit alongside the Jim Stynes Medal for the best Australian player in Australia v Ireland International Rules matches. ...

NY Magpies vs Boston Demons

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:15:51 +1000

Stateside Footy presents its first match of 2012 between the New York Magpies and the Boston Demons (w/ Lady Demons Highlights). This episode was recorded on location at Ipswich River Park in North Reading, Massachusetts on Saturday, April 28, 2012.

Stateside Footy is a cable access TV show that features Aussie Rules Football as it is played in the U.S.A.

NOTE: Montreal Angels clip used at halftime was used with permission by the Montreal Angels Australian Rules Football Club, owners of the content. ...

Boston Demons 2011 year in review

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:30:29 +1000

The latest Stateside Footy episode can be view below "Boston Demons 2011 Year In Review" looks back at the 2011 Boston Demons Footy season and shares the highlights of the year. The season is recapped game by game, and the standout moments of the year for the Demons and Lady Demons are all shown just as they originally appeared on "Stateside Footy".

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AFL Round 8 - International TV broadcast schedule

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:10:27 +1000

Please note that these details are correct at the time of publishing. WFN accepts no responsibility for any changes to these times by broadcasters. Please check local guides or afl.com.au.

2012 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 8 INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE Friday 18 May – Monday 20 May

GAME	DATE	TIMESLOT	MATCH	VENUE	STATE	LOCAL TIME	EST	CST	WST	GMT	NETWORK	SD/HD
1	Friday 18 May	Night (N)	Collingwood vs. Geelong Cats	MCG	VIC	19:50	19:50	19:20	18:50	9:50	SEVEN	SD

2	Saturday 19 May	Day (D)	Port Adelaide vs. North Melbourne	AAMI Stadium	SA	13:15	13:45	13:15	11:45	3:45	SEVEN	SD
3	Saturday 19 May	Day (D)	Hawthorn vs. Fremantle	Aurora Stadium	TAS	14:10	14:10	13:40	12:10	4:10	FOX	HD
4	Saturday 19 May	Twilight (T)	Sydney Swans vs. Melbourne	SCG	NSW	16:40	16:40	16:10	14:40	6:40	FOX	HD
5	Saturday 19 May	Night (N)	Essendon vs. Richmond	MCG	VIC	19:50	19:50	19:20	17:50	9:50	SEVEN	SD
6	Saturday 19 May	Night (N)	Western Bulldogs vs. Gold Coast SUNS	TIO Stadium	NT	19:10	19:40	19:10	17:40	9:40	FOX	HD

7	Sunday 20 May	Early (E)	Brisbane Lions vs. GWS GIANTS	Gabba	QLD	13:10	13:10	12:40	11:10	3:10	FOX	HD
8	Sunday 20 May	Day (D)	Carlton vs. Adelaide Crows	Etihad Stadium	VIC	15:15	15:15	14:45	13:15	5:15	SEVEN	SD
9	Sunday 20 May	Twilight (T)	West Coast Eagles vs. St Kilda	Patersons Stadium	WA	14:40	16:40	16:10	14:40	6:40	FOX	HD

...

TERRITORY/NETWORK	GAME 1	GAME 2	GAME 3	GAME 4	GAME 5	GAME 6	GAME 7	GAME 8	GAME 9	HIGHLIGHTS PROGRAM
TELEVISION
AUSTRALIA NETWORK
Asia – Hong Kong	18/5 @ 1730 HKT		19/5 @ 1200 HKT		19/5 @ 1700 HKT		20/5 @ 1100 HKT			22/5 @ 2330 HKT
Asia – India	18/5 @ 1700 IST		19/5 @ 0930 IST		19/5 @ 1430 IST		20/5 @ 1500 IST			23/5 @ 0030 IST
Asia – Indonesia	18/5 @ 1630 WIB		19/5 @ 1100 WIB		19/5 @ 1600 WIB		20/5 @ 1000 WIB			22/5 @ 2230 WIB
Asia – Japan	18/5 @ 1830 JST		19/5 @ 1300 JST		19/5 @ 1800 JST		20/5 @ 1200 JST			23/5 @ 0030 JST
Pacific – Fiji	18/5 @ 2130 FJT		19/5 @ 1600 FJT		19/5 @ 2100 FJT				20/5 @ 1230 JST	22/5 @ 2300 FJT
Pacific – Vanuatu	18/5 @ 2030 VUT		19/5 @ 1500 VUT		19/5 @ 2000 VUT				20/5 @ 1130 VUT	22/5 @ 2200 VUT
ESPN
Africa					19/5 @ 1130 CAT					25/5 @ 1100 CAT
Caribbean					19/5 @ 0530 USET					22/5 @ 1700 USET
Israel					19/5 @ 1230 IST					25/5 @ 1200 IST
UK & Ireland	18/5 @ 1030 BST				19/5 @ 1030 BST				20/5 @ 0730 BST	22/5 @ 1800 BST
EUROSPORT 2
Europe (including Russia)				19/5 @ 0830 CET					20/5 @ 0830 CET	22/5 @ 2300 CET
UK & Ireland									21/5 @ 2245 BST	22/5 @ 2330 BST
FOX SOCCER PLUS
USA			19/5 @ 0000 USET		19/5 @ 0530 USET					24/5 @ 1400 USET
MHz NETWORKS
USA	21/5 @ 2200 USET									26/5 @ 1400 USET
ORBIT SHOWTIME NETWORK
Middle East	18/5 @ 1230 KSA		19/5 @ 0700 KSA		19/5 @ 1230 KSA			20/5 @ 0800 KSA		21/5 @ 1900 KSA
OVER THE LINE SPORTS MEDIA
Boats and Ships	18/5 @ 0950 GMT
SKY TELEVISION
New Zealand									21/5 @ 2330 NZT	22/5 @ 2200 NZT
TSN 2
Canada	18/5 @ 0530 USET									Available on TSN.ca
VIVA SPORTS
Latin America	20/5 @ 1430 MST
ONLINE
LIVEAFL.tv
Worldwide (excl. Australia)	18/5 @ 0950 GMT	19/5 @ 0345 GMT	19/5 @ 0410 GMT	19/5 @ 0640 GMT	19/5 @ 0950 GMT	19/5 @ 0940 GMT	20/5 @ 0310 GMT	20/5 @ 0515 GMT	20/5 @ 0640 GMT

Rising of the Sacramento Suns

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:05:34 +1000

The following is a press release from the Sacramento Australian Football Club

May 15, 2012, Sacramento, CA – The Sacramento Australian Football Club (SAFC) is pleased to announce that the men’s and women’s representative teams are now officially named the Sacramento Suns.

The SAFC is excited that the club will now boast both a men’s and women’s, nicknamed the Lady Suns, representative team that will participate in the 2012 USAFL National Tournament to be held in Mason, OH, during the weekend of October 13-14.

The Suns and Lady Suns first official games will be against the Las Vegas Gamblers and the Arizona Lady Hawks, respectively, in Las Vegas on July 28.

On August 18 the SAFC will be hosting the Denver Bulldogs men’s and women’s teams, both defending USAFL Men’s Division 1 and Women’s Division Champions respectively, in Davis, CA, and possibly with other USAFL clubs.

“This is an exciting and, at the same time, a very ambitious year for the club,” exclaimed SAFC President Saleh Tyebjee, “We are ready for the challenge and look forward to the Sacramento community getting behind us as we try our best to represent the area on the national Australian Football stage.”

The Sacramento Suns logo, designed by club members, attempts to capture the local landmarks that identify us throughout the country, as well as elements of the greatest game on grass, Australian Football.

The logo includes the prominent gold Tower Bridge set in the foreground of the mighty Sierra Mountains, with a glowing sunrise beginning another glorious day that Sacramento is well known far across this great land.

The logo is bordered by a stylized shape of a typical Australian Football and the 4 white stripes at the very top of the logo cleverly represent the laces of the football and, if turned upside down, also represent the goals used in the sport. This shape is commonly used in logos associated with Australian Football.

The colors of red and yellow, along with the name, were chosen not only for their relevance to the Sacramento area but also because they are used by the Gold Coast Suns, one of 18 professional teams in the Australian Football League (AFL).
The SAFC have established a relationship with the Gold Coast Suns and they have provided their blessing for us to claim an affiliation with the club.

A uniform has also been designed for the Suns and the jersey is, of course, designed using the the same color scheme and includes the new Suns logo, a bright and prominent Sun, along with a stylized version of the Tower Bridge.

Players for the Suns teams will be chosen from the local Sacramento Australian Football League (SAFL), which begins on May 19, in Davis. The majority of the games will be played at James McClatchy Park in the downtown neighborhood of Oak Park on Saturday afternoons. Spectators are welcome and potential players are encouraged to come and try the game and perhaps pull on a Suns jersey someday. The full SAFL Schedule can be seen at www.sacfooty.com/eventsschedule.htm

For more information on the SAFC visit www.sacfooty.com or email info@sacfooty.com.

For further information on Australian Football:
Australian Football League - www.afl.com.au
United States Australian Football League - www.usafl.com ...