I’ll start this piece by stating what I mean: can Australian Rules get to the point of having a credible international competition, made up of players who were brought from overseas to the AFL to play, rather than immigrants who learned the code after they moved in their younger years, or code hoppers being retrained?
Here’s what would need to change for it to happen.
– The facilities
The first issue would be the grounds, oval’s rather than the rectangle which is used in most football codes around the world. You’d first have to go for countries which have cricket as a major sport, which the AFL is already doing with nations such as South Africa. More on this in a later point.
– An International Council which is entirely separate administratively from the AFL
You don’t want your sport to be dominated by a regional competition. While most of the money would be provided by the AFL, you couldn’t have them running the game if eventually a credible competition emerged, as it would be a conflict of interest. See the early days of the English FA and the sway it held over international soccer.
– A name change?
This one might be fairly contentious, but would an Englishman or a New Zealander want to play “Australian” football, or would this be detrimental in an international competition. Have a look at the NFL, a very popular sport locally, and financially, but you can’t help but wonder if being “American” football hinders it.
This name change might only occur in international fixtures to preserve the history of the code, or could be disregarded entirely for this purpose, but it could hold the sport back for the sake of a few syllables. If someone came to you and asked you if you anted to play a new game, would you be held back if it was Russian football. Perhaps this would add an “exotic” appeal however.
It might also stop any embarrassment when some West Indian team beats Australia at Australian Football.
– Maybe reduce the number of players allowed on the field for internationals
You already see it with Auskick, less players to reduce the strain, and allow more participation. This could translate into development for overseas leagues, meaning less resources are needed, bigger wages, etc.
The fact that you would need to reduce the field sizes would make for less infrastructure development as well. Fields with a running track around them would suddenly be perfect placed to play.
It might not ever happen, but in order to increase the chances, a few tweaks here and there might be necessary.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
A link to the Irish Warriors blog, as they start preparations for the forthcoming IC11: http://irishwarriorsaussierules.wordpress.com/
The Cattery
Roar Guru
This is an interesting and intriguing develoment - Australian Football will be included as a demonstration sport in the 2011 African games: http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/aussie-rules-football-included-in-2011-africa-games-as-a-demonstration-sport/story-e6frf33l-1226052827232?from=public_rss
The Cattery
Roar Guru
The PNG U16s have just taken second place in the Queensland U16 championships: http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20110502202305170#comments
The Cattery
Guest
Some more results from the weekend: DAFL Nth Copenhagen 11.16 (82) def Helsinborg 8.7 (55) Helsinborg 20.21 (141) def Copenhagen 11.8 (74) Port Malmo 11.6 (72) def Nth Copenhagen 6.12 (48) SAFL Sth Malmo 9.6 (60) def GV 5.11 (41)
The Cattery
Guest
Last week I reported on a historical first: the Oceania U16 rep squad taking part in the NSW U16 footy champinships. Oceania did well in their first game, defeating the North Coast by a goal, but got a few floggings in their other games agaisnt South Sydney, ACT/Sth Coast, Murray and the GWS Academy. An interesting side note is that NZer, Kurt Heatherley was the best player for Oceania. He is actually signed with Hawthorn on an international scholarship, having been previously spotted at an AFL combine held in NZ. http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20110424221112453
The Cattery
Guest
The AIS-AFL Academy U17 side has completed a historic game before 2,000 spectators in London against the European Legion U21 team, winning 27.21 (183) to 2.0 (12). Despite being four years older, the Europeans were well short of the skills and fitness levels of that AIS team, but at least were able to show some willingness at the contest, and that's a a good first step for broadening out such games in the future. It looks like the AFL is keen to continue with these sorts of AIS games, to give overseas teams some top competition but also as an education for these boys, most of whom will end up being top draft picks in the next two years. http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/112355/default.aspx
The Cattery
Guest
Further to the AFL story in the NZ Herald this morning, people might be interested in the NZ AFL strategic plan from earlier this year: http://www.nzafl.co.nz/Portals/0/1.AFLNZ%20Strategic%20Plan2010-2012.pdf
The Cattery
Guest
Australian Football is now an offiical part of the NZ PE curriculum. The NZ Herald has reported this morning that there are 30,000 Australian Football participants in NZ at U12 level, but only 500 participants at the over 20 level. A future AFL side in NZ is being discussed quite openly here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10721229&ref=rss
The Cattery
Guest
Seriously people, you have to read this bloke's journal - it's a great read!
The Cattery
Guest
Austin Crows star wingman, Jesse Leos, a native Texan, is on the verge of making his senior debut with the Barwon Heads footy club in the strong Bellarine comp. You can read his journey to date here: http://austinfooty.com/latest-news/diary-of-a-redneck-texan-down-under/ " I knew this would be a chance of a lifetime. It fit perfectly with my desire to take on an adventure and further my love of footy. With his connections and Aussie mates, he helped acquire me a job in Geelong, my own bungalow in the awesome town of Barwon Heads, and a footy team willing to give a Texan a look. How great has footy been to my life? I was in a rut after my college soccer career ended. I was searching for something to satisfy my competive nature, love for sport, and the comraderie of a team. In footy, I got all that back and then some. " With each passing year, we are hearing of more non-Australians making the trip to Australia to play in the stronger country leagues for a season or two, and they will take this experience back with them to the fledgling comps back home to help improve the standard of footy there.
The Cattery
Guest
Birmingham Bears have won the AFL Britain Central & North-West League pre-season Lightning Cup, held in Hull. http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/2011042218292442
The Cattery
Guest
This is a very amusing blog of an American's introduction into Aussie rules in a league in the States: http://www.sbnation.com/2011/4/21/2120137/australian-rules-football
The Cattery
Guest
The Northwind has announced its squad for this year's IC. It can be found here: http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20110422063747514
The Cattery
Guest
SBS, better known for having supported soccer at great government expense for the last 30 years, has just started up this Chinese language blog on Australian Football: http://community.sbs.com.au/jiaming_pi/blog/
The Cattery
Guest
There have been some news reports of various AFL matches being planned for overseas, the full story and links can be found here: http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20110420211250639 In summary: 1. a Western Bulldogs home match, against Hawthorn, to be played in NZ, is back on the agenda; 2. GWS are looking at an exhibition match in London, perhaps later this year; 3. a game between Richmond and Essendon, sponsored by Austrade, is being mooted for Mumbai.
The Cattery
Guest
Abu Dhabi has just won its first ever AFL Middle East Premiership, defeating Doha 15.14 to 13.13 in front of 400 fans. http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20110419204341255
Republican
Guest
The Cattery I am not sure about the cred of this supposed Nth Coast rabble. It would seem its catchment in respect of this sides selection is very ambiguos. Anyway - the South Sydney 18 absolutely flogged the Oceania on day 2 and they are a fairly mediocre demographic in respect of Aust Footy.
The Cattery
Guest
I wouldn't take such a bet. I'm not sure that what you are saying is correct. All the leagues that are now operating overseas have mostly been established with zero assistance from the AFL. To this day, assistance from Jolimont remains minimal, which is fair enough, afterall, their focus is running the game here in Australia and ensuring its long term health. An idea is certainly forming that we might be able to source players from outside of Australia. A few tentative steps have been taken in that direction. AS we speak, an Oceania rep team is participating in the NSW U16 champions, and actually defeated North Coast in their first game. But being able to source an occasional player from the Pacific is not the same as expanding the game there (in a professional sense). They are two different things - do you see the difference? So no, I would not wish to bet my house on it.
The Cattery
Guest
The NSW U16 footy championships are underway http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20110419125208257 There are two notable points about the championships this year: 1. The Swans and GWS academies are competing for the first time (the acadamies compete as U15s) 2. An Oceania U16 is competing for the first time, with reps from Fiji, Nauru, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Note that PNG competes in the Queensland championships. In their first hit out, Oceania has actually defeated the North Coast 7.16 to 6.6, which indicates that the work in the Pacific by the AFL over just the last two years is starting to bear fruit. The Fiji press has covered the participation of five reps from Fiji: http://www.fijilive.com/sports/news/2011/02/22/19581.Fijilive
Aware
Guest
You've obviously got a chip on your shoulder, thinking everyone who criticizes the AFL hates the game. I grew up with the game...before the AFL circus was invented. "They" are the people who run the AFL and they want professional expansion overseas. YOu can bet your house on it.