2019 Champions League Team Previews: Part Eight
Only 8 days until the 2019 AFL Europe Champions League, with the tournament returning to Amsterdam once again for what is set to be a competitive day of football as the best club teams from around Europe battle it out.
This will be the fifth time the tournament has taken place, as this year will see all the games take place on Saturday the 6th of April. As part of the buildup, AFL Europe will be previewing all the teams competing. For part eight and our final edition of team previews, we will be taking a closer look at the men’s and women’s premiers of the 2018 event. Firstly the West London Wildcats from the Men’s side of the draw, and then the West Clare Waves in the Women’s.
Men’s Competition:
West London Wildcats
Keith Della-Vedova – Team Manager
How did you qualify for this year’s Champions League?
We qualified after winning the 2018 version of the AFL Europe Champions League.
Have you been involved with any pre-season tournaments? If so, how did that go? If not, have you had the chance to play any other teams recently in preparation?
A trip out to Cambridge University for a highly competitive game, we managed to give plenty of people some valuable game time that will hopefully put us in good stead for the tournament.
What can we expect to see from your team this Champions League?
As with every year, we look to be competitive and display a team first brand of football that is required to succeed in this tournament, prior year’s results are irrelevant! We have a mixture of new and experienced players that will look to create their own Champions League experience so expect to see a team ready to throw the kitchen sink at whatever comes our way.
Where do you rank competing in the Champions League in the AFL Europe calendar and what does it mean to the team?
It’s the premier European tournament and it’s always a privilege to play amongst so many other quality teams, it’s fantastic to see each team grow year on year which is what makes this tournament such a great concept. It’s a unique experience that not many will have the opportunity to be involved in let alone be lucky enough to be successful, you only have to go as far as our past players Facebook page and the comments every anniversary on the photo’s to see how much people value being a part of this tournament. This year’s team will draw inspiration from our past years teams and look to emulate them.
Do you have any extra bits of information about the club, like past years funny/interesting stories?
What happens on tour stays on tour!
Women’s Competition:
West Clare Waves
Rosie Currane – Team Captain

Liam McAllion – AFL Europe