The ability for Australian football to expand beyond our shores has been severely limited in the past, for a variety of reasons.
Footy overseas prior to the late 1990s was generally the domain of ex-pat Aussies. Obviously not all ex-pat Aussies are ‘footy family,’ to put it mildly.
However, that has been gradually changing and here are some current examples of the new ‘ex-pats’ growing the game as they move around the globe.
In a story running on WorldFootynews.com, the efforts of some Danish AFL ‘old boys’ are highlighted.
Briefly from the article:
In the Norwegian city of Tromsø, Helsingborg Saints old boy Johan Julin is part of a group founding the world’s most northerly club. In Andorra, British expat Doug Pate is running a club. Páll Finnsson, the Icelandic captain of the Denmark Vikings at IC08, this weekend pulled on the boots at the French Championships.
Back in Iceland, Páll’s brother Jón Hrói Finnsson has also been trying to get the sport started since returning from his stint playing footy in Denmark. It seems his efforts are paying off, with school clinics underway and a senior side in formation in the town of Ólafsfjörður.
Around 400km away in the Icelandic capital Reykjavík, a group of around a dozen senior players have been kicking the footy on a weekly basis since May, under the leadership of Friðgeir Torfi Ásgeirsson, another Icelander who learnt to play in the DAFL.
Clearly, to some people, a personal investment has been made and it’s no longer just about Aussies wanting to get together, drink beer and regale in tales from home.
Along with league’s transforming from 80 percent ex-pat Aussies to 80 percent locals, the game in small pockets overseas is developing a life of it’s own.
This is a curious case study.
I stress again, no one is talking ‘world domination’ here. And a couple of dozen blokes in Iceland is hardly a revolution.
It is a start though, and Denmark went through that process twenty-odd years ago.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- AFL, AFL Iceland, international AFL
June 12th 2009 @ 11:43am
Redb said | June 12th 2009 @ 11:43am | Report comment
Jf,
let’s just put Forgetmenots comments about possible high standard internationals aside, park that one over in the 30-50 years away truck.
There are pockets of more than expat leagues developing in PNG, Pacific Islands and South Africa. It is estimated that a native South African will be playing the AFL within 10 years maybe earlier. So how any international footprint ‘adds’ very much depends on what it can contribute to the talent pool available to be recruited to the AFL elite competition. This is not about ‘test standard countries versing Australia one day.
The recent International Cup is a classic example of the how far an expat base can grow, there were 12 international teams, no expats allowed. Teams from NZ, South Africa, NZ, USA, Canada, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, China, India, even an Israeli-Palestine peace team.
As a famous commentator use to say: Bloody marvellous stuff.
Redb
June 12th 2009 @ 12:07pm
Michael C said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
JF -
Agreed – in general. And heck, AFL standard internationals is a mile away vs other stand alone nations.
Right now – we could assemble a dozen Irish players (present and recent past), and take all the foreign born or sons of (using RU and FIFA WC eligiblity criteria that sees a fellow from Morwell called Hutchinson, because of one grand mother heading over to play soccer for Malta?!?!?!?) and we could get a nice little squad that would obviously include guys like Brad Moran, Trent Croad, David Rodan, Alipate Carlisle, Harry O’Brien, Aaron Edwards, Nick Natanui etc. (I know the McVeighs grand dad was from the North of England – so, we could expand to the grandparents rule!!).
But – the greater aspect at present is the amateur aspect of it all. That said, at last years 3rd International Cup, the quality of play in the PNG vs Nauru game I watched was pretty damn good. Sth Africa, NZ and Ireland could play some pretty good footy too. And I just love seeing the annual tri-series between Denmark, Sweden and Germany!!
The potential is more for players – and with the AFL and Australia as the ‘world capital’ of the game. Well, might we see within 10-20 years a whole batch of kids from PNG, RSA, and various other lands. Nothing about creating an AFL level international program. For players though, you need junior exposure and to get into schools – - that’s happening here and there.
Also, at junior levels – I gather the ability to tour RSA and Ireland with junior squads (even if playing IR matches) – I gather is important in accessing AIS facilities and funding.
btw – keep mindful, FootyWILD in South AFrica is going great guns – and is anything but an ex-pat league. It’s also a program that looks like expanding into Botswana and Ghana at very least. In PNG – footy has been more popular than many realise since WWII and is certainly having an organisational rebirth in recent years (and QLD is a vital pathway).
OVerseas, more an more, we are no longer talking ex-pat dominated clubs/leagues. Don’t confuse everything with the “Malaysia” vs “China” asian championships of ex-pats.
And at the end of the day, perhaps the best thing about all this – is, given that most of these people have had stuff all exposure to the game or the media of the game – - it prooves that the game stand alone can be and is appealling to people other than just Victorians!!!(as some would have us believe). And so, when people other than ex-pat Aussies are trying to spread the game – - that’s pretty damn cool. For now, the numbers and presence isn’t enough to satisfy the demands of some (as Pippinu mentioned). But, we know. We know that the game is pretty cool and it sits comfortably in a niche position half way between soccer and rugby/grid iron that is actually one of the few sporting vacuums left.
btw – the Fed Govt has recognised the game as an ‘export product’, and there may yet be a new era of growth in the next 10 years – - -that WILL be mighty hard for the AFL to balance and facilitate given the domestic draw of resources in kicking off GC17 and WS18.
June 12th 2009 @ 12:12pm
Norm said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
- “let’s just put Forgetmenots comments about possible high standard internationals aside, park that one over in the 30-50 years away truck.”…Redb, you left some zeros off!
June 12th 2009 @ 12:17pm
JF said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
Gents, i understand and appreciate your comments about international players adding to the AFL, Mike Pyke style. As a more general comment, I hate to see sports get caught up in a this race for global presence. Does it somehow grant their sport greater validity if they have a global presence? I imagine two passionate irish sports fans, 1 supports football the supports gaelic football, does it really matter that one’s game has total global presence and the others has virtually no global presence? I would suggest not, they are both passionate supporters of their team and endure the same emotional journey of their team.
June 12th 2009 @ 12:18pm
Michael C said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
Redb -
Gotta be a little pedantic and correct you, actually there were 12 at IC 2002, 11 at IC 2005, and last year there were 16.
Last year Finland, Sweden, China, India and the Peres Peace team debuted.
Denmark and Nauru appeared for the first time since 2002,
and Japan, Samoa, PNG, NZ, Canada, USA, Great Britain, Ireland and Sth Africa have been to all three.
The wild card in 2005 was Spain – - there’s still footy there, but, there’s stuff in Madrid, and stuff in the Catalan region, and they don’t seem too inclined to send a united side!!!
And the cool thing is we’ve had 3 separate winners, Ireland (over PNG), NZ (over PNG), and finally PNG has pulled off the ‘big one’.
June 12th 2009 @ 12:24pm
Pippinu said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
JF
I agree with your comments 100%, and agree with your Irish analogy (and you could throw in an American one as well with equal validity).
To the vast majority of aussie rules fans, it has never mattered, and probably never will.
But I add this proviso – there is a chance in an increasingly globalised and homogeneous world, that aussie rules will be left behind (although American Football will never suffer that fate).
So there is an argument that if the game were to be accepted in a few countries (in a way that, say, Lacrosse is played in half a dozen countries), that that might provide the game with a bit of insurance and a bit of future proofing.
Also, many Australians are not as generous as your good, kind self, and do use the point of lack of international competition as a means of putting the game down (regardless of the fact that by most measures, AFL is right up there in terms of the Australian market place).
June 12th 2009 @ 12:26pm
Michael C said | June 12th 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
JF -
this this race for global presence is NOT instigated by the AFL. The AFL has been forced to react to what’s been happening despite it.
(or perhaps inspite of it).
The AFL didn’t even seem to take the International Cup half seriously until last year – and even then, it dawned on people over the course of the year (perhaps as the reality of the compromised drafts for GC and WS dawned on people).
A little story. Earlier in the year, we VAFA clubs were requested to act as ‘hosts’ for IC 2008 teams. THe tournament had been pushed back from late July, to early August previously, and this time would be late August/Early September. Obviously – AFL clubs woulnd’t want to be impacted/distracted around this time. As time progressed though, more and more AFL clubs were willing to take it on – even my cash strapped North Melbourne took on the Samoans. I think it was a waterhsed year in International footy.
Mike Pyke – remember, he is a direct RU convert who is NOT a product of the Canadian footy leagues (there’s a really good one around Ontario – about 10 teams, well run – good length season). So, Pyke is an exception – apart from anything that he instigated it and came to the AFL rather than being ‘poached’ – for want of a better word.)
June 12th 2009 @ 1:35pm
Forgetmenot said | June 12th 2009 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
By high standard internationals, i dont mean ones including Australia. I mean matches between national teams that are exciting to watch, and skillful.
I can afford to look a little while into the distance, im still quite young.
June 12th 2009 @ 1:45pm
Redb said | June 12th 2009 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Forgetmnot,
Yeah I think the timeframe for high standard internationals between teams not involving Australia is not far away at all. PNG and South Africa within 3-5 years.
Redb
June 12th 2009 @ 4:29pm
Michael C said | June 12th 2009 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
Redb – Forgetmenot -
I know a lot of people want to bench mark presently – and PNG or RSA vs a VAFA team, or rep team, of a country team??
We DO know that Maffra are still beating the NZ falcons – - but, again, in one off games where Maffra are ‘in season’ vs the Falcons having their first serious hit out together – - isn’t really a fair test anyway.
And to think about throwing together a ‘world team’ after an international cup and expect them to A. all be available to hang around for an extra week to prepare and B. to gel together to be competitive – - and expect them to take on an Australian team or rep team – - that’d be a mighty ask as well.
One of the best indicators now is the number of PNG lads in various Australian states and comps, and a good number have impressed and done really quite well. Not all of these guys were head and shoulders dominating the International Cup mathces – - so, there’s some pretty healthy standards coming through now – - as you say, within 3-5 years – - it’s not far off.