AFL recruitment looking outside the square
Roar Guru
By Michael C, 19 Dec 2009 Michael C is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, Majak Daw, Peter Labi
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Those followers of the international growth of Australian Football, despite and often in spite of the (lack of) efforts of the AFL; were pleased recently when the AFL announced that in next year’s National Under 16s Championships, a ‘World XVIII’ would participate in Division 2.
It now appears, following a highly successful Oceania Under 16s tournament in Fiji last weekend, that the AFL has decided that Oceania will be represented by a stand alone Under 16 squad with a separate ‘World XVIII’.
Presumably, the World side will be mostly comprising talent from South Africa.
However, there’s potential for talent from junior and school programs through Denmark, Sweden, the UK and Canada, in particular.
The main point, however, is the sudden increase in interest. A video compilation of Carlton’s PNG rookie, Peter Labi, highlights the level of talent here.
This kid looks to be a natural.
Along with this development, we’ve also seen this week North Melbourne rookie list Majak Daw, a Sudanese refugee who has been playing footy for about four years after coming here at the age of 12.
And Brisbane rookie listed Sean Yoshuira, born in Japan ,who came here aged 7.
It all adds a nice little cosmopolitan flavour that is sometimes accused of not existing in the game.
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- Explore:
- AFL, Majak Daw, Peter Labi
Forgetmenot said | December 19th 2009 @ 7:36am | Report comment
Great news.
Will be very interesting to see the media reaction if either team pushes one of the state teams to their limit.
These teams are hopefully the beginning of a more concerted effort by the AFL to grow football internationally.
The AFL realise that they should not be spoonfeeding anyone overseas, but at the same time should be able to provide support to get football programs running, and organise the business aspect of leagues and clubs, including marketing and financial aspects.
bever fever said | December 20th 2009 @ 10:06am | Report comment
Physically i would say the islander teams have a advantage over euro/british/celtic aussie teams, just as PNG teams i believe would have a pace advantage, at this age level.
At the end of the day aussie teams i reckon will know the system a bit better (umpires, grounds weather etc ), and we are talking about division 2 which incidentally used to include PNG in the old teal cup format in the early 80′s
Look forward to seeing what will pan out.
Savvas Tzionis said | December 19th 2009 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
But the inference was that the Sudanese player is ready to play next year.
If you read the fine print, he himself said that it is 3-4 years away.
I also hope that he does not sacrifice his culture and language in order to make in in the AFL.
Michael C said | December 20th 2009 @ 8:08pm | Report comment
Savvas -
any rookie listed player is no certainty. Majak Daw has some stunning attributes. Perhaps pending success of those ahead of him at North, overall team success etc……3-4 years might be 18 months.
Re Language and culture…..do you lament similarly for the fellow from the Ivory Coast playing soccer in Queensland???
Westcoast929406 said | December 19th 2009 @ 2:55pm | Report comment
This move should give a boost to the Northern Hemisphere International footy – Currently the development focus appears to be centered on the Big 3 in the Southern Hemisphere.
What will be the selection criteria for an initial N.H. squad with about 30 players. The countries nominated in the article appear to be the likely candidates to supply players, along with South Africa which has just passed the 20,000 mark in participants.
We hope that Mike McFarlane who set up the North Delta Junior comp in Vancouver 6 years ago sees some rewards for his efforts.
Chuq said | December 19th 2009 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
The big 3 in the Southern Hemisphere? Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia?
Westcoast929406 said | December 19th 2009 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
Er well not quite – Actually the same countries as Rugby 15`s in the S.H.
Westcoast929406 said | December 19th 2009 @ 6:35pm | Report comment
A correction here– South Africa – New Zealand – PNG
Republican said | December 19th 2009 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
A Kiwi who regularly posts on the World Footy News site, suggests that the AFL have introduced an extra side to dilute the competition so as not to suffer the embarrassment of an O/S side beating one of the Oz Div Two teams. This is stereotypically a very Kiwi sought of response is it not and smacks of ignorance.
To the contrary, this will enhance the Oceania teams chances, since this is a stronger AFL demographic due to it’s geographic proximity to Oz. The Oceania side will no longer have the weaker demographics piggy backing on their superior pedigree, which would have seen the selection process a little tokenistic if anything.
I believe that the second side will derive it’s competitive edge from any Saffa and Irish component whereas the Oceania side will now be far more potent, allowing more room for extra players from their demo, to join the squad, who otherwise would have had to step aside for those players representing northern hemisphere countries in particular.
Certainly any extra PNG content that this team can muster, will increase the Oceania pedigree immensely.
Cheers
Dave1 said | December 19th 2009 @ 5:43pm | Report comment
Gaelic football is introducing the mark
http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/other-sports/2009/12/09/Earley-gives-thumbs-up-to-mark/gnid-59307/
“……Dermot Earley, the Kildare midfielder, has given his seal of approval to the GAA’s introduction of a “mark” in Gaelic football.
The GAA confirmed on Tuesday that the “mark”, similar to that used in Australian Rules, will be one of several experimental rules changes trialled during the 2010 Allianz National Football League…”
Kamai said | December 19th 2009 @ 6:18pm | Report comment
Come on………….Ive been travelling the globe for the past 5 years and no one gives two hoots about that Southern Australian game.
Real football (Soccer) and occasionally Rugby seems to be the norm.
Get over it Aussie rules fans,,it never will be taken seriously outside of the big A.
jono52795 said | December 19th 2009 @ 9:32pm | Report comment
Have been keeping up to date with this issue for a while now. After the success of the Oceanic Cup, I reckon the AFL are on to a real winner here. Allowing a standalone Pacific Side will prove just how athletically capable some of these young men are. Likewise with a “World XVIII” side, there is some serious talent from places like Sth Africa, USA, Ireland etc…
Your old stereotypical view that “soccer and rugby is the norm overseas” is just about the only true thing in your entire statement. The game is only just starting to be boosted in awareness overseas, and most of this is geared towards AFL recruitment of young, athletically skilled athletes. The game is in its infancy overseas, and as evident by the plethora of underage talent outisde of Australia; has gigantic potential.
Our game doesn’t need to be well known around the world for it to be one of the best sports on the planet, but expanding it to foreign countries is the right way to go about things. Rugby and (in particular Soccer) have reached their full popularity potential in most parts of the globe. Our game is slowly turning heads around the world, and for positive reasons!
In the wise words of an unkown in regard to the game spreading overseas: “You’ll never know, unless you ever know!”
rugbyfuture said | December 19th 2009 @ 9:56pm | Report comment
i do think the AFL game has its placed, but by expanding like this it’ll end up like gridiron is in australia, everywhere else
Michael C said | December 22nd 2009 @ 5:02am | Report comment
hmm…..
the similarity is that both AFL and NFL have only the one primary professional league (acknowledging NFL-Germany).
the difference is that Grid Iron is a over complex game that shares very similar ‘space’ with the 2 Rugby codes.
The examples from the UK of Aust Football going really well in schools (even displacing soccer on the carriculum in a famous instance) – is that the position about midway b/w soccer and rugby(s) is hugely beneficial, as, kids who play soccer or rugby outside of school have made their choice and often don’t want to play the other game where they just aren’t competitive. Aust Footy allows a meeting in the middle but with a whole new challenge.
Kamai said | December 19th 2009 @ 9:50pm | Report comment
Rugby reached its full popularity pontential………………umm er ok,
Try googling Rugby union player numbers in the USA 2002 compared to 2009.Starting to plateau eh…..not.
Aussie rules turning heads probably for the wrong reasons, a bumbling mess of a game.
Good luck spreading your game to the rest of the world,you sure will need it!!!!?
Dave1 said | December 20th 2009 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
AFL isnt a bumbling mess of a game.
wce4real said | December 20th 2009 @ 4:04am | Report comment
Yet another thing the AFL have over thugby
how many sudanese players are there in the nrl or any africans
how many japanese in the nrl or any asians
how many muslims
how about players from canada or ireland the united states again 0
we have a much better international profile than the nrl as they only have australians and a couple of kiwis and a few poms
hahaha the nrl has nothing talk about white bread the nrl needs to take a leaf from the AFL’S book look os for talent
our international cup is bigger than their world cup aswell and they have the advantage of piggybacking rugby union
Dogs Of War said | December 20th 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
Are you trying to compare the 2 sports by way of what cultures and religious people have played the game?
It’s no contest really, the first Jap played way back in the 70′s, while we have had American NFL Football players try there hand at Rugby League. The NRL doesn’t need to look overseas as it’s only AFL that’s looking for a specific type of player, other sports are way more accommodating of all shapes and sizes.
I love how you threw Muslims in, when one of the greatest players just retired last year, Hazem El Masri, a guys that used his profile in the game to show many people what muslims are about in real life, not what you read about in the paper.
Dave1 said | December 20th 2009 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
The roosters signed a player form South Africa
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/roosters-sign-south-african/story-0-1225740176912
“THE Sydney Roosters have opened a fresh wound in the war between the rugby codes by signing a South African teenager and announcing they intend to target the country’s most prestigious schoolboy competition, Craven Week.
The Roosters yesterday confirmed they had recruited representative centre JP du Plessis, 18, from renowned rugby union school Paul Roos Gymnasium……”
Dogs Of War said | December 20th 2009 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
I don’t count him as he only came for the free 1 month accommodation that the Roosters put up, not that South African’s haven’t played top level Rugby League in Australia before.
captain nemo said | December 20th 2009 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
MC, as much as you dislike rugby league, would you please correct wce4real please.
Q1, there is usually a couple of African NRL players floating around the place. Has been like that for decades. I believe a few South Africans are having a trial with the roosters. former Springboks such as Tiaan Straus who played for the Sharks. Broncos have a great young kid called Jharal Yow Yeh. Look at the playing list of any NRL team and it is made up of probably 60% non anglo saxon players. seems pretty multicultural sport to me. Souths for example have signed players for next year from England, NZ, Tonga, Samoa and fiji.
Q2, how many Japanese players are there in the NRL?? none that I can think of but lets put the shoe on the other foot, how many AFL players get offered a professional sporting contract in Japan each year???? Plenty of NRL players can go to Japan to play rugby!!! You are getting all high and mighty because a Japanese kid who migrated to Australia as a 7 year old is playing AFL.
Q3, how many muslims play Rugby league?? Heaps, its the game of choice from most muslims living in Australias biggest islamic belt in Oz in Sydneys South west.
Q4, Canada 0, Ireland, been a few that have held 1st grade positions over the last decade ie Brian Carney, USA, there has been a number of Americans who have tried their luck in the NRL and moreso state leagues. Knights player Clint Newton is an American citizen.
Q5. i doubt it mate. A couple of kiwis in each team. More like almost half of each team is now made up of kiwis. AFL has a better international profile?? mate, I’ll put you straight. Your game has ZERO international profile. Obviously you have not travelled!!!!
Q6″hahaha the nrl has nothing talk about white bread the nrl needs to take a leaf from the AFL’S book look os for talent”
Most players in the NRL are from overseas mate!!!
Q7″our international cup is bigger than their world cup aswell and they have the advantage of piggybacking rugby union”
what, your AFL doesn’t even play in your international cup!!!! At least a fair percentage of players in the rugby league world cup are pro players.
wce4real, mate go and do some travelling mate, you are embarressing MC. Although he would never criticise a pro AFL fan even if he types absolute garbage. Once again, another brainwashed Victorian, and BTW, rugby league is not my first sport but I hate seeing a brainwashed Victorian spruiking crap.
Michael C said | December 20th 2009 @ 8:16pm | Report comment
I cringed when I read it, but, you’ve done a fine enough job of setting it straight.
btw – it’s not the kind of code vs code point scoring that should be done here.
The whole point of all this is that it’s kinda nice that this is happening, that the AFL has finally come to the party, as, grass roots advocates overseas have been pushing hard for some recognition and – the establishment of real pathways is super important,
otherwise, we’ll just keep hearing about the kid who played 2 seasons of footy in the off-season from Rugby who went on to be a national star reknowned for his kicking game……..
btw – re KB’s silly comment earlier on,…..thing about a kid like Majak Daw, all he knew before Australia was soccer – 3 years in a refugee camp in Egypt and all it was was soccer……..and yet…..he comes to Australia, and is ‘drawn’ towards this other game……which prooves the old adage of “different strokes for different folks”,…..
AndyRoo said | December 22nd 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Good post MC.
Football is starting to have these players come through (their was a big chunk of ex refugees in the Joeys) but unfortunately Kofi Danning who looked very promising has stalled a bit and last week did his knee in.
I hope Majak Daw does well because he is very well spoken and has a good story to tell. At least until the media trainers get to him and he learns to sprout “you know, you know, one game at a time, you know, you know”
King of the Gorganites said | December 21st 2009 @ 8:06pm | Report comment
who says we want those types?
pH said | December 21st 2009 @ 11:10am | Report comment
AFL played in a number of countries – over 52,000 registered players across 38 leagues at last count – and growing fast, suggests that 20 years from now there could be modest growth in Australia to say 1 million players (from current 700,000), but at same time equal number in 50 leagues around the globe. The AFL as biggest pro-league gets to draft the best talent from a player pool (17 to 22 yr old male % of 2 million players), this supports the standard of competition and maintains sponsors and TV rights including a growing proportion of international TV rights.
This is no “world game”, but it is the solid future of a sport with a global dimension (as most sports have).
bever fever said | December 21st 2009 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
The fact that australian football is growing O/S is a double edged sword IMO, personally i would love to see the game create a healthy niche in a few countries with potentially something along the lines of league or union … but how would it be run, would the AFL have control or would their need to be a world body, if in 50 years time would Australia still be in control of the game that was invented in a pub in Melbourne.
ATM its not a concern and this new oceania development is all about deepening the player pool with the thought of having 20 teams.
As for the post above stating that their are 52 thou players playing footy O/S —–eventually they will become a increasingly important part of australian football.
King of the Gorganites said | December 21st 2009 @ 8:07pm | Report comment
“personally i would love to see the game create a healthy niche in a few countries with potentially something along the lines of league or union … ”
what do u mean about this? is rugby only a niche sport?
rugby has a long history throughout the world. the AFL has NO history internationally
bever fever said | December 21st 2009 @ 8:26pm | Report comment
A bit touchy, compared to soccer rugby is a niche sport, rugby may be played in a lot of countries but only a handful where it is taken seriously.
But my post is not a dig at rugby and its not my intention to start some point scoring.
King of the Gorganites said | December 21st 2009 @ 8:37pm | Report comment
thats fine if you dont want to start something, but then why take a swipe at rugby. rugby has been growing massively. it is the number one sport in Wales, Ireland, the south of France, NZ, the pacific islands, the number one sport in the English mid lands, the Scottish borders.
further, the game recently had 80K in milan. there are professional leagues in Japan, Russia, Germany.
Do you it may be a niche sport, but for millions of supporters it is there game.
bever fever said | December 21st 2009 @ 9:14pm | Report comment
Are you the union version of oikee ?… for christsakes man it is not the number one sport in Ireland and its debateable about Wales (these days)or anywhere else you mentioned bar a couple of pacific islands.
Its the number 4 football code in this country.
Believe what you want, i will grant you that it is big in some private boys schools in NSW and QLD.
captain nemo said | December 21st 2009 @ 10:53pm | Report comment
bever, rugby is the 2nd biggest football code on the planet. hardly a niche sport!!! It holds the 3rd biggest sporting event in the world with test matches regularly rating in the many millions. hardly a niche sport my friend. Regarding Wales and your doubt as to if rugby is the national sport in that country, have you ever been to wales??? Just curious, because anyone who has would know the answer to that question. Bever, are you a pro googler?? There is a big bad world out there mate but of course you come back to stating that rugby is “only” a private schoolboy game in NSW and QLD. Tip mate, turn the computer off and go and travel. If you do, you probably never hear the word AFL…
King of the Gorganites said | December 22nd 2009 @ 11:50am | Report comment
bever fever- you say that rugby is the 4th code in australia. that may be true at the moment but that does not mean it will hold true for the future. remember 2003? rugby was undisputably number 2 in oz. things have regressed since then, but things can change quickly. rugby can easiley rise again to number 2 or 3. dont get to cocky because rugby is currently number 4. dont forget rugby is an olympic sport. we will rise again.
as for Ireland- its a tigh call between rugby and soccer but i would argue rugby is number 1 based on the strength and professionalism of the proviences.
Wales- thats not debateable. i refer you to the attendances at any Welsh rugby international. they sell out Millenium 6 times a year. soccer does it once ever 4 years. no comparsion.
Redb said | December 22nd 2009 @ 12:47am | Report comment
MC,
Definitely gathering some momentum now from almost complete obscurity less than 2 years ago.
Not sure splitting the under 16 ‘World’ team so soon is a good idea with the addition of the Pacific Islands but then again the ‘world’ team moniker is temporary anyway if certain Int development continues. Wont be long before a junior rep South African U16 & 18 team is playing.
Redb
Michael C said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:57am | Report comment
exactly right, I think along the way – for the hecklers, we’ve mostly indicated what we might see would be junior level ‘international’ sides, and for AFL seniors, perhaps within 10 years we might be able to see a rough and ready ‘senior world’ side, that may include 10 Irish, 6 PNG and 6 RSA and 6 ‘others’ and perhaps a ‘recent arrival’ or two.