This weekend there will be the largest Australian Football tournament in the world – and it won’t even be held in Australia. It’s the 17th USAFL National Championships in Dublin, Ohio.
On the line for this interview, I had Brian Barrish, a seven year veteran of the Philadephia Hawks, and the clubs current secretary. Brian also serves as the Media Manager for the USAFL.
A thousand players from almost forty clubs, and almost as many officials, coaches, and well wishers from across the United States will converge on Dublin, a small city of about 50,000, for the three day event starting Friday with admin meetings and clinics and ending on the Sunday.
The competition is played as 18 a side in the top two divisions on a full size oval, with the womens division given the option of playing 16 or 18 a side (agreed before match time). The lower the division the smaller the field, and the lower the number of players per side allowed to participate.
Division 4 has some sides combined from a number of teams, to faciltate as many as people as possible to play over the weekend.
Matches are done in the lightning carnival style, with two 20 minute halves. Only the grand final has extra time.
Teams are guaranteed three matches on the weekend before the finals. In total there will be 60 games plus finals.
Players are defined as nationals (citizens of the US/Canada) and non-nationals (Australians/Irish etc). At least half the players on the field at any time must be nationals. These are distinguished by the armbands they wear.
Brian wrote the official previews on the USAFL site, and says the favourites to win the competition are probably last years winner, the Austin Crows, but said if anyone can topple them, the Denver Bulldogs (eight times winners in their own right) are most likely.
He expects the Division 2 title to be a battle between Calgary and New York. The Golden Gate Roos, should play well too, and the Dallas Magpies should be in the mix.
Organising the Nationals involves dealing with hospitality, the state Parks department, and the local city. Brian says that the City of Dublin has been enormously supportive, and offered further social media support.
In addition to the weekends matches, but a match against the Manly-Warringah Giants will be held. There will also be a Masters v Legends game for previous players or older players to get involved with.
Brian supports the Hawks due to his affiliation with the Philadephia version, but he says he’s split with the Dockers) – and he first got interested in the footy when he was fourteen years old and channel surfing and found australian football on the TV.
From there he began listening to guys like Rex Hunt, Clinton Grybas and others on the radio online, and says the passion that these guys had for the game was obvious.
After recieving an invite to a Philadelphia Hawks grand final party in 2007, he was approached to play a game for the Hawks and he was hooked. He’s now in his seventh season, having played 58 games for Philadephia.
You can see more about the US Nationals at their website
conchie
Roar Rookie
Grand Finals http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20141013221451671 Division 1 Orange County 2.1.13 New York 2.4.16 Division 2 Columbus 1.0.6 Los Angeles 11.3.69 Division 3 Sacramento 7.1.43 Philadelphia 0.5.5 Division 4 Denver B/KC 4.6.25 North Carolina 7.2.44 Women's Denver 2.3.15 Golden Gate 0.4.4
Rake
Roar Rookie
New York Magpies took out Div 1 over the Orange County Bombers.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Day 1 report is here - http://usafl.com/news/20141011/ups-and-downs-day-1-usafl-nationals
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
yeah good old Clarkey giving himself slightly more credit than he deserves.
TD
Guest
Check out AFL fans association - that will show you who did the real work on australian rules football overseas
Craigo
Guest
@ clipper "The AFL would only have Australia capable of winning (like the RLWC)" New Zealand won the 2008 RLWC and has also been won by Great Britain a few times too.
TW
Guest
The AFL has had that attitude about financing since day one. It is a disgrace and I have told them the same to no avail. About 8 clubs are now directly involved in certain countries doing their bit. We do not know if they are reimbursed behind the scenes by AFL House.
Perry Bridge
Guest
The only stories I heard were re the UK - and that was former Carlton (and a couple of games at North) player Darren Ogier who was paid to be coach - was offered a 2nd year but was too cold for him!! But - this dates back about 15 years ago when chatting to his dad at a North Melb function. The main thing though is clubs based around expats in certain areas might likely include expats with business interests - and those might be leveraged off. Generating revenue more 'honestly' via admittance/broadcasting just isn't an option. However - as per the example of the host cities for a number of the events that have been occurring - the host cities are becoming much more accommodating and encouraging and that's a positive step forward. Just need a few more towns to set up permanent footy ovals!!!
conchie
Roar Rookie
Maybe the UK, I know of instances where players are offered jobs, accommodation etc to play in the UK, but wouldn't think the money if any would be a big amount.
archie
Guest
Do any of the overseas players get paid? Wondering if it would help if state players went to play in the overseas pro leagues
clipper
Guest
Lroy - I don't think even most of the hardened AFL fans would truly believe this - maybe rival the league world cup, but the RWC is a huge event that is growing with quite a few countries capable of winning the event. The AFL would only have Australia capable of winning (like the RLWC) - can't see that changing much in the next 20 years. I do like the idea in the last paragraph - that would encourage growth overseas.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Leonardo - The AFL has the 'AFL International Cup' played every 3 years. Correct - Australia don't participate but do host. Much of the allure for players is to come to Australia and attend AFL matches, play on footy fields in Australia and win through if possible to the GF at the MCG (and this years womens GF was at Punt Rd oval). The problem still is that players (noting - expats Aussies do NOT qualify) - generally are self funding, a little sponsorship here and there, a lot of fund raising, Tonga as an example fund raised about 2/3s of the airfairs etc and to get both a mens and womens side over the last 1/3 was covered by the Govt but when in Melbourne there billeted with the Tongan community. The Fijians ran some fund raising whilst out here. PNG couldn't get their womens side over - although, sponsors have been jumping on board through the tournament and with the victory and home town parade the AFL PNG really seems to have broken through. Coming from Europe or North America and it's more expensive and a big ask especially say the US where people only get the 2 weeks annual leave - that's their entire 2 weeks to come here. It's a big ask financially and time wise. Running it each year would be impossible and would kill off some of the regional tournaments. In Europe for example the year before an IC they run a 16-18 aside European Championships - but, every other year they run the 9 aside Euros The AFL puts precious little money into it. They have some club establishment grants that can be accessed but when it comes IC time - you'd love to think that the AFL would seek to cover X % of travel and Y % of accommodation - but that doesn't happen. However - with as per this year 7 womens teams and 18 mens teams - and allowing for some players who might be Aust based (temporarily or permanently as some players who have discovered the game have moved to Australia to live and play) players who can reduce the cost burden - but allow for say 500 players and officials travelling to Australia for 2 weeks minimum. It'd be nice if the AFL could put in grants of up to say $500 that a person that could be sought towards travel/accommodation.
Leonardo
Roar Guru
Lroy, the AFL already have some sort of World Cup don't they, except that Australia doesn't play in it. The AFL have the money to stage a World Cup whenever they like, its just a question of how even it would be and how interested the rest of the world would be in watching it. Good luck with the championships Wookie. Dublin is a lovely place to visit. They have a fantastic Irish Festival there every year about this time and competitions and prizes for Clogging, Tatting, Liddling, Best legs in a Kilt, the Reddest hair, Greenest Eyes and the Most Freckles.
Lroy
Guest
Wow, this is great news. REally, Australian Rules could put on a world cup that in 20 years would rival the rugby union world cup, (third biggest sproting event in the world) I kid you not. I played in Toronto back in 1995 for the Balmy Beach Saints... we had 16 players a side, and each side had to have half Canadian players... actually, for the top sides, there was a limit of 8 Ozzies per side.. the Canucks were pretty good. In my side we were allowed to have a couple of ring ins each week (backpackers) because we always struggled to make up the numbers. The standard of footy was surprisingly good, there was always a couple of guys floating around who had played a few games in the WAFL, SANLF etc.. a few ex reserves types from the old VFL.. and the umpires adviser was a former Fitzroy player from the 1970's (forget his name sorry). The Aussies used to man up on each other so there were no easy kicks. My first game I ended up on a guy who had spent the previous year playing for Port Melbourne.. crikey he was fit. I told the coach I couldn't keep up with him, so he agreed that I could play a kick behind the play... I ended up with a heap of possessions myself, the pair of us ended up being best players in our respective teams. I recall meeting a guy in Phoenix Arizona who said they were trying to put a team together... they have a team here in Vietnam, and I think the boys in Thailand also play.. Who would have thought Aussie rules would go global?? The AFL should fund a world cup every year, where the top club in each nation gets flown to Melbourne to play in a carnival during Sept, the top 2 teams play off in the lead up to the AFL grand final, how cool would that be??
Perry Bridge
Guest
At the recent AFL International Cup it was great to take the chance to chat to members of both the US and Canadian mens and womens squads (given each had to womens teams, so, 4 womens teams all up) - and the stories of how they came across the game. The IC being for non-Australians. I spoke to one of the US coaches who at 46 is a veteran of about 17 seasons of playing after he'd come across the game many years back while playing basketball in Minnesota with a guy from Melbourne - - the key now in the US is that the 1st and 2nd generation of AMericans might be able to develop junior programs. In Canada there has been better cut through with juniors/schools but still not ideal. Accidental footballers in the main - however - certainly there is an allure there for non-Australians when the opportunity arises.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Check out Worldfootynews article about the Olinda Ferny Creek footy-netball club 2 wks in Vanuatu with the local AFL Vanuatu, Vanuatu Netball, local schools, hospital etc (http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20141007110636719). End of season trips to tropical Pacific paradise ain't too shabby!!! More Aust Footy clubs should be looking down this path.
Rake
Roar Rookie
Thanks Wookie, always a great weekend. Go NY Magpies!
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
hey look the trolls are out early
Chris
Guest
"Players are defined as nationals (citizens of the US/Canada) and non-nationals (Australians/Irish etc)." Players are defined as nationals (Australians who happen to also have American/Canadian passports) and non-nationals (Australians who don't have American/Canadian passports).
Gyfox
Guest
I have fond memories of the San Diego Lions when I lived in California. The national championships were a great event every year