Posts

#EC16 Women’s Day 2 Match Reviews

/in , /by

DSC_0262

Irish Banshees vs European Crusaders

The women went back-to-back in their reduced carnival format to determine which two teams would qualify for the final on Saturday. First up on the second day of play were the Irish Banshees playing against the European Crusaders.

The Irish girls felt right at home with the gloomy skies and drizzling rain replicating the climate of Croke Park in their homeland.

Naomi Curtis opened the scoring for the Banshees with a classy goal. The rain didn’t deter Marley Beaven who continued to take the game on with her blistering speed, even having a couple of bounces along the way.

Goals to Fiona Roarty and another to Curtis gave the Irish a commanding lead just before the halftime break. Samara Warren was providing great tackling pressure for the Crusaders whilst out on the wing and got the ball into their attacking fifty against the odds on a number of occasions.

Aisling Gillespie added another goal to her already impressive tournament tally just prior to the siren and it was four goals to nothing.

The heavens opened after the break and the match turned into an absolute scrap. Neither side were giving away an inch. The slippery surface was proving challenging for a number of the players with many going ‘head over biscuit’ in their attempt to gain possession.

Gillespie decided she wanted a couple more goals before the game was over and she did just that scoring two more before the final siren sounded.

Final scores: 6.5. 40 to 0.0. 0

Goals:

Ireland: A. Gillespie 3, N. Curtis 2, F. Roarty

European Crusaders:

Best:

Ireland: A. Gillespie, O. Mulcahy, C. Fitzpatrick, U. Murphy, M. Beaven, L. Connolly

European Crusaders: C. Messant, M. Falkesgaard, C. Perez, H. Canton, A. Daley, R. Gouldingay

 

DSC_1403

Irish Banshees vs GB Swans

The two powerhouses of the competition were next to meet on the hallowed turf of Motspur Park. Following their thrilling 1-point game the previous day the growing crowd was getting excited about the prospect of this match.

Ireland had the better of the opening exchanges with a goal to, you guessed it, Aisling Gillespie giving them the upper hand from the get go. Marley Beaven was in a rich vein of form, constantly utilising her pace to either break the GB lines or chase down opponents.

The match was very congested and despite the rain affecting the player’s skills and execution it was one of the most fiercely contested and intense matches of footy at the tournament thus far.

The Swans wrestled back the ascendency and were peppering their forward fifty. They just couldn’t sneak through a goal and the Irish defence were herculean in their efforts to keep the ball from sailing through the big sticks.

The Banshees took the 1 goal lead into half time but neither side were comfortably in control. This one was going down to the wire, again.

The second half started how the first left off. The footy was hot and the tackling was intense. As both sides tired the game opened up and the ball was moving around the ground more freely. Ashleigh Payne was causing headaches in the Irish forward line and threatened the goals a number of times without prevail.

Alex and Danni Saulter were doing all they could for the Swans to move it forward but behinds were all the hosts could manage. With a minute on the clock and the Irish up by 6-points the ball flung into the Swans forward for it to be marked by the dependable Chloe Hall, who rushed back off the mark and slotted it through to level the score lines.

With only seconds left to go the Swans marked about 35 meters out with the siren sounding in the background. Any score would get the Swans the victory but a flooding back Banshees side stopped the ball on the line to keep the scores at 8 apiece. Another nail biter between the two rivals.

With a draw and a 1-point game between these two they’ve set the scene for an absolutely incredible decider at 2:30pm tomorrow afternoon.

Final scores: 1.2. 8 to 1.2. 8

Goals:

GB Swans: C. Hall

Irish Banshees: A. Gillespie

Best:

GB Swans: A. Saulter, D. Saulter, C. Hall, L. Cobham, S. Morris, L. Wilson

Irish Banshees: M. Beaven, C. Fitzpatrick, A. Gillespie, O. Mulcahy, L. Russell, A. Payne

 

DSC_1471

GB Swans vs European Crusaders

The Crusaders were desperate to register a win before exiting the tournament and a battle-weary Swans side were vulnerable following their previous game.

The Swans were backing up from their nail biter just moments earlier and went into this one hoping to avoid injury after already booking a spot in the grand final the next day.

The footy was like a bar of soap after another downpour and made it difficult for either side to get any clean possession. Maria Falkesgaard of the Crusaders was at the bottom of every pack while Rebecca Dickon again collected a ton of the football at centre half back.

Laura Park scored the only goal of the half for GB in a hard fought match thus far. The Crusaders were yet to register a goal for the tournament and they had one last half to do it.

The Crusaders came out on a mission and they came so close to getting that elusive goal on a number of occasions. They just couldn’t string together that final kick even with the crowd getting behind them with every forward entry.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the combined Crusaders side who also played their last game of the tournament. In a great show of sportsmanship, the two remaining women’s teams and crowd tunnelled the girls off the field in a show of appreciation for getting a side together against the odds.

The GB Swans will now face off with the Irish Banshees in tomorrow’s decider with another thriller in store.

Final score: 4.6. 30 to 0.0. 0

Goals:

GB Swans: L. Park, D. Saulter, R. Ramadan, L. Smith

European Crusaders:

Best:

GB Swans: R. Ramadan, D. Saulter, L. Turner, L. Cobham, A. Saulter, Z. Rowe

European Crusaders: M. Falkesgaard, R. Dickson, M. Jansen, C. Messant, C. Duquet, R. Goldingay

 

DSC_1552

#EC16 Men’s Day 3 Match Reviews

/in , /by

Irish Warriors vs Swedish Elks

The third round of men’s games kicked off with the unbeaten Irish Warriors taking on a determined Sweden. Hot and muggy conditions met the players at Motspur Park with both sides struggling personnel-wise following the hard-fought opening rounds.

Buster Sund, fresh from the AFL Europe Coaching Course held on the Wednesday, was running around like a man possessed. Every chance possible he was battering the opposition with his physical presence. When asked what game plan Sweden followed at the coaching course the big Swede simply responded with the words, “we go and smash them”. The Irish will vouch that Buster was following his coach’s wishes on this day.

Despite their typical physical presence, the Swedish side’s ill-disciple cost them with back-to-back fifty meter penalties gifting the Irish the opening goal.

David McElhone was leading from the front in the Irish engine room. The wrecking ball was doing it all both on the inside and lacing out opponents with adept outside work.

Regular Ireland ruckmen, Gavin Murray, was given a reprieve from his usual role and switched up forward for the boys in green. The big man showed his versatility with a big pack mark and goal to register the first of his four goals.

The Swedes were best served by Hampus Olsson down back, who again took numerous intercept marks. His side were left reeling when he went down with a quad strain.

A second quarter surge put the game comfortably in Ireland’s favour as they dictated play at will. Chris Martensson was doing all he could in the Swedish midfield to stem the free-running Warriors.

A massive fire up from now playing coach, Ryan Tucker, had the Swedes raring to go after half time. The Elks dominated the early exchanges but were unable to convert their opportunities. Their defence pressure has been the benchmark for the tournament and they didn’t disappoint in the third term by only allowing two Irish goals.

The Swedes ran out of legs in the fourth term and the class of Ireland shone through. Most notably Muiris Bartley who was running hot with three consecutive goals to cement his spot as one of the star players of the tournament.

A long-bomb from Eoin O’Murchu put the nail in the coffin as the Irish claimed top spot and a place in the AFL Europe Grand Final this coming Saturday.

Their upcoming contest with Great Britain is one of the most highly anticipated matches in recent history especially following their 1-point thriller on Tuesday.

Final Scores: 19.14. 128 to 0.5. 5

Goals:

Ireland: G. Murray 4, P. O’Connell 3, M. Bartley 3, D. Joyce 2, K. McDonnell 2, E. O’Murchu 2, C. O’Halloran, C. Fitzgerald, C. O’Lordian

Sweden:

Best:

Ireland: G. Murray, M. Bartley, D. McElhone, K. O’Brien, D. Joyce, P. O’Connell

Sweden: B. Sund, C. Martensson, J. Lantz, A. Svensson, A. Tellstrom, A. Olsson

DSC_0372    DSC_0370

GB Bulldogs vs German Eagles

After a mostly overcast and cloudy day the sunshine broke through for what was the final game out of five for day three of the AFL Europe Championships.

The GB Bulldogs had a point to prove after horrible kicking in front of goal against the Irish two days previously halted their chances of beating their arch-rivals.

The big hitting Germans were hoping to take it to one of the bigger AFL nations and wanted to impose their trademark strength at the contest.

Martin Schuttoff started the game strongly for the Eagles while Jason Hill was finding a heap of the pill after switching into the midfield.

David Jordan opened the scoring for the Bulldogs following a nice passage of play along the wing and into the forward flank. A further 3 goals and the Bulldogs went into the quarter time break in a comfortable position.

Jakob Jung of Germany was shown the ultimate respect from the Bulldogs coaching staff who smartly opted to tag the smooth moving midfielder. Despite amazing efforts from both James Talbot and Matt Goodman the classy midfielder worked his way into the game to provide Germany with some solid resistance despite the Bulldogs overall dominance.

A three goal second quarter to GB’s David Hastie allowed the home side to take full control of the match going into the main break.

Bulldog’s veteran, Owain Ryland, showed why he’s one of the most capped players in the squad with a very dominant showing across half-back and through the midfield to start the second half.

All heat was out of the match mid-way through the third term with both sides having one eye on the upcoming finals matches on Saturday.

Warwick continued to work hard in the ruck and gave his midfielders first use in what was a great contest with Germany’s Johannes Orlowski.

The Bulldogs ran out the final quarter with a further three majors.

The final scorecard reading: 18.14. 121 to 0.5. 5

Goals:

GB Bulldogs: J. Coughlan 3, D. Hastie 3, L. Gedney 2, A. Overton 2, D. Jordan, C. Cooney, M. Sharp, A. Walkden, J. Harvey, J. Hill, M. Kilheeney, M. Whiteley

German Eagles:

Best:

GB Bulldogs: M. Warwick, G. Dibble, O. Ryland, J. Coughlan, A. Walkden, M. Sharp

German Eagles: J. Jung, M. Preiss, T. Menzel, T. Thormann, M. Thormann, K. Haigh

 

DSC_0450      DSC_0457

#EC16 Day 2 Review

/in , /by

German Eagles vs Swedish Elks

The 2nd day of matches at the AFL Europe Championships was again graced with beautiful sunshine. The German Eagles and Swedish Elks kicked off proceedings with what many pundits predicted to be the most bruising and physical encounter of the tournament.

Both sides were eager for the contest and this showed when they both started warming up at full intensity 45 minutes prior to the first bounce.

With the breeze at their backs in the first quarter, the German side, took the ascendancy early in the match. The footy was camped in the Eagles forward 50 with only their accuracy for goal proving costly. Tristan Thormann backed up his performance from Sunday to again assert a physical presence to every stoppage or contest he took part in.

Buster Sund picked up the slack for the Elks and did his best to swing the momentum in his sides favour. Despite the Eagles having the better of the game early, the Elks got a goal against the run of play to open the scoring for the day. A quick reply from Germany and this match was all level going into the 2nd term.

The 2nd quarter was a see-sawing affair with the Swedes and Germans trading goals to start the quarter. Andreas Svensson racked up a ton of the footy in the midfield for Sweden while their backline was being well served by Hampus Olsson who had a handful of last ditch intercept marks in the Elks defensive 50.

Jakob Jung showed his class in the midfield and displayed why he was one of the most talked about talents in Europe, while teammate Ruben Streicher was getting off the leash for the Germans up forward and when he marked and goaled from deep in the forward pocket the momentum well and truly shifted in the Eagles favour.

With a two goal lead to the Germans at halftime and kicking with the breeze in the third term meant the boys from Sweden had to muster something special to get back in the game. Some inspirational words from coach, Ryan Tucker, had the Elks come out from the main break like men possessed.

The intensity went up a notch in this game and the Swedish side did everything they could to get themselves back into the match. Spot fires were opening up after each contest with neither side taking a back foot.

Two goals in quick succession for Sweden to Phillip Nilsson and Chris Martensson to open the 4th quarter and the Elks opened the door for a come-from-behind victory. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be with Germany’s, Jan Huesken, kicking his third goal of the game and sealing what proved to be Germany’s first win in a full 18-a-side match in over 3 years, a great achievement for coach Mark Woods and his chargers.

Final scores: 7.14. 56 to 4.4. 28

Goals:

Germany: J. Huesken 3, R. Streicher 2, M. Herthum, H. Van de Stay

Sweden: K. Karlsson, A. Olsson, P. Nilsson, C. Martensson

Best:

Germany: J. Jung, T. Thormann, J. Huesken, M. Schutoff, M. Preiss, R. Streicher

Sweden: A. Svensson, H. Olsson, B. Sund, A. Tellstrom, T. Persson, J. Nilsson

 

DSC_0162     DSC_0108

 

GB Bulldogs vs Irish Warriors

The much anticipated game against these two old rivals was set to be an absolute thriller and it didn’t disappoint. With a twilight bounce, a growing crowd joined the boundary at Motspur Park to catch a glimpse of these two European powerhouses go head-to-head.

With a few injuries, a no-show and a dip in the Serpentine taking its toll on the home side they had to utilise their full squad for this game. The Irish weren’t without their troubles with a few knocks from their first hit out against the Germans ruling out some of their players.

Squad issues aside both teams were fired up for what was most likely a dress rehearsal for the Championship match in a few days’ time. The match opened with the footy whizzing from end-to-end. Neither side could string together more than a handful of clean possession, with a mixture of nerves and intense opposition pressure forcing simple skill errors.

Muiris Bartley was collecting a heap of the footy across the halfback line for Ireland and was launching the Warriors into attack with his raking left boot. Similarly, for GB was Luke Booth who was everywhere for the home side.

The 1st quarter deadlock was eventually broken by Irish forward pocket, Ryan McCloskey, whose nous around the goals was second to none. Another goal to Padraic O’Connell and the Irish had the better of the opening exchanges.

The 2nd term was a complete scrap. The footy was hot and neither side took a backward step. The Bulldogs were again hampered by their inability to covert forward entries. They finished the first half with 10 behinds and no goals in what proved a goalless term for both sides.

It was a low scoring first half with the scorecard not reflecting the excitement the game was providing its spectators. Jack Coughlan and Chris Britton were doing all they could to get the home side up-and-about while Gavin Murray was proving pivotal for the Irish in the ruck.

The match resumed similar to how it left off. Turnovers were again hurting both sides. Dominic Joyce got off the chain and opened the scoring for Ireland. Ill-discipline crept into the Bulldogs game and coupled with their inaccuracy in front of goal was putting the game out of reach.

With 3 goals to GB’s 0 in the third term the Irish looked like they had this game on ice. Injuries took their toll on the Warriors with a handful of players finishing their day early.

The Bulldogs started the 4th term still without a goal to their name. Cashman finally broke through for the hosts to breath some life into his Bulldogs teammates. Cashman goaled again and before you knew the game was alive. Andrew Walkden jagged another for GB and the game was well and truly turning into a nail biter. A mercurial tap on to an open Liam Burns steadied the ship for Ireland and gave them a 7-point lead with 5 minutes to play.

The footy was locked in the GB forward line with conversion again proving costly for the Bulldogs. They couldn’t buy a goal. It took a left-foot snap deep in the forward pocket from Vice-Captain, Michael Sharp to get the Bulldogs within a solitary point of the Irish with 2 minutes on the clock.

That was all she wrote in this blockbuster with the Irish able to hold on for what was a thrilling 1-point victory. Inaccuracy was the achilles heel for Great Britain and will be something they will look to rectify in their final pool game on Thursday.

Final Scores: 6.5. 41 to 4.16. 40

Goals:

Ireland: R. McCloskey 2, P. O’Connell, D. Joyce, E. O’Murchu, L. Burns

GB: M. Cashman 2, M. Sharp, A. Walkden

Best:

Ireland: M. Bartley, G. Murray, K. O’Brien, D. McElhone, P. O’Connell, D. Joyce

GB: M. Sharp, A. Cochrane, L. Booth, A. Overton, C. Britton, J. Coughlan

 

DSC_0269     DSC_0226

AFL Europe Championships – Day 1 Review

/in , /by

Match Reviews 14/8/16

Ireland Warriors v Germany Eagles

The 2016 AFL Europe Championships kicked off in style with the highly fancied Ireland Warriors taking on the German Eagles. In steamy conditions at Motspur Park, the Warriors were looking to stamp their authority as top-dogs of Europe with a strong showing against their opponents.

It didn’t take long for the Irish to open proceedings with a goal after 2 minutes to steady the nerves in the Championship opener. Muinis Bartley was finding plenty of the footy across the wing for the Irish and delivering into the forward line at will.

The Germans found their rhythm midway through the first quarter and held the Warriors firm for the vast majority. Tristan Thormann was herculean for the Eagles asserting his physical presence around the contest and making his opponents think twice with ball in hand with his ferocious tackling pressure.

Key-forward, Kevin McSorley broke the deadlock with an amazing snap on his left foot from the boundary to give the Warriors a steady lead in the closing stages of the quarter.

After a contested start to the game the Irish found a way to get their run and carry going which broke the game open after quarter time. Gavin Murray was not only dominant in the ruck but was proving invaluable around the ground for the Irish. His battle with the Eagles, Johannes Orlowski was one of the highlights of the match as the two big men went blow for blow all day.

Heading into the second half the Irish had a firm hold on the game and were controlling the tempo for large periods of time. AFL London’s Irish superstar, Kevin O’Brien, was dictating play from the centre and topped the possession count by a long way.

The Germans never gave in though and credit must go to their resilient backline for repelling constant attacking forays from the Irish. Donning the boxing headgear, Rob Macher, lead the tackle count and showed real spirit against a wave of green jumpers.

The heat was taking its toll on some of the German players, most notably Karl Haigh, who came off with cramp late in the third. He must have been pulling the wool over his opponent’s eyes as he returned to the field to slot the Eagles second goal of the game after what must have been some miracle work from resident sports trainer, ‘magic hands’ Shanahan

Inaccuracy marred the final quarter for the Warriors who had gone in at halftime with a very precise 10 goals, 2 behinds. Jan Husker snagged his second goal late in the fourth for the Germans who showed real fight and determination. The Irish would be happy with how they gelled after having their first training session together on the Saturday and will go in confident against arch-rivals, the Great Britain Bulldogs, on Tuesday evening.

The final scorecard reading 17.11. 113 to 3.0. 18.

Goals:

Ireland: P.O’Connell 4, K.McSorely 2, D. Joyce 2, R. McCloskey 2, G. Walls, E.O’Murchu, M. Bartley, C. Fitzgerald, C. O’Halloran, C. O’Lordian, L. Burns

Germany: J. Husker 2, K. Haigh

Best:

Ireland: K.O’Brien, G. Murray, R. McCloskey, P. O’Connell, L. Burns, L. Hickey

Germany: T. Thormann, J. Jung, F. Neumann, J. Orlowski, M. Priess, K. Haigh

 

DSC_0428 DSC_0435

 

 

Great Britain Bulldogs v Sweden Elks

Host nation, the GB Bulldogs, graced the field in the second game of the tournament against surprise packets the Swedish Elks. With the mercury peaking just prior to first bounce both sets of players knew they’d be in for a fair slog and the first 15 minutes of the quarter proved just that.

The Bulldogs were getting their hands on the footy first but poor skill execution and some silly free kicks were really hurting them.

Dave Jordan steadied the ship for GB with an intercept mark across the wing before delivering a lace out pass to Andrew Walkden who went back to slot the opener.

Inaccuracy was killing the Bulldogs early on and kept the Swedes in the game. Kaj Karlsson was a beast in the midfield for the Elks and was starting to swing the early momentum.

Enter Marc Cashman, the big centre half forward chalked up his first goal of the game following another bullet pass from Bulldogs midfielder Luke Booth. From here on the Bulldogs were dominant.

Jordan and Sharp were wreaking havoc on the wings for GB while David Hastie jagged two goals back to back to open the second quarter.

Despite not troubling the scorers the Elks were very much threatening the GB backline. Andreas Svensson was central to the cause and was one of the most influential players on the ground for the Elks in the midfield. Jacob Nilsson was doing his best to resist the Bulldogs attack and was continually bombing the ball out of the Swedes under pressure defence.

With three goals to Cashman to open the final quarter, taking his tally to six majors, the heat was well and truly out of the contest.

With some junk time goals stretching the score out to over 100-points the Bulldogs well and truly stamped their authority on their home tournament.

Final scorecards reading 18.17. 125 to 1.1. 7.

The result leaves a tantalising Tuesday evening game against old foes the Irish Warriors which will be a battle of strength vs. speed. This will be one of the games of the Championships with a lot of history adding to the theatre of this faceoff.

Let’s not forget the showdown between Germany and Sweden on Tuesday afternoon which is set to be one of the most bruising encounters of the tournament. Both sides love the rough stuff and will leave nothing in the tank.

Play starts from 4pm on Tuesday.

Goals:

Bulldogs: M. Cashman 6, D. Hastie 3, J. Coughlan 2, C. Cooney 2, A. Walkden, M. Kilheeney, L. Booth, A. Cochran, L. Gedney

Elks: A. Olsson

Best:

Bulldogs: M. Cashman, L. Booth, J. Talbot, D. Jordan, M. Hinchey, M. Kilheeney

Elks: A. Svensson, H. Olsson, A. Olsson, T. Persson, A. Tellstrom, K. Karlsson

 

DSC_0561 DSC_0563

1 DAY TO GO!

/in , /by

AFL Europe Championships Preview

14th -20th August

The pinnacle of full format AFL in Europe has arrived. National teams from around Europe have landed in London to compete for the title of best national team in Europe. Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden and Germany will contest the men’s division while Great Britain, Ireland and a combination of players from France, Denmark and Britain will form a European Crusaders side to compete in the women’s side of the draw.

The week long tournament will be held at the home of Aussie Rules in London, Motspur Park, and runs from Sunday 14th to Saturday 20th of August. The first round of men’s matches takes place tomorrow with the Irish Warriors taking on the German Eagles at 1pm. This will be followed by the host nation, the Great Britain Bulldogs going head-to-head with the Swedish Elks at 3pm.

The men’s draw has each team play one another once before they contest the finals on the Saturday. The host nation, the Great Britain Bulldogs, along with the Irish Warriors are tipped to be the strongest sides at the triennial competition. The Bulldogs are renowned for their hard and tough style of football while the Warriors like to take the game on and use the space utilising their run-and-carry.

The Swedes and Germans are harder to get a gauge on and they’ll be real surprise packets at this tournament. Both countries have thriving domestic competitions and on their day can cause upsets to their more fancied opponents. The Elks and Eagles won’t mind the underdog tag and will work it in their favour come game day.

The women’s tournament kicks off on the Thursday with three consecutive days of fixtures culminating in the final on the Saturday. The GB Swans have set the benchmark early in 2016 with a host of victories at shorter format tournaments. The Irish girls will do their best to get the ball on the outside where they are most dangerous with their speed and skill. The biggest unknown in the women’s tournament is the European Crusaders. They’re a side made up of the most footy-mad girls from France, Scandinavia and Britain who were desperate to get a game when their countries were unable to fill a full squad. They’ll be a real unknown force in this tournament and depending on how they gel as a side could seriously contend for the top prize.

With games taking place on every other day from Sunday London will be brimming with Aussie rules action. Keep an eye out on the AFL Europe social media and website for updates and match reviews daily.

The full tournament schedule:

Sunday 14th August

  • 1pm Irish Warriors v German Eagles
  • 3pm GB Bulldogs v Swedish Elks

Tuesday 16th August

  • 4pm German Eagles v Swedish Elks
  • 6pm GB Bulldogs v Irish Warriors

Thursday 18th August

  • 1:30pm GB Swans v Irish Banshees
  • 2:15pm Irish Banshees v European Crusaders
  • 3pm European Crusaders v GB Swans
  • 4pm Irish Warriors v Swedish Elks
  • 6pm GB Bulldogs v German Eagles

Friday 19th August

  • 11:30am Irish Banshees v European Crusaders
  • 12:15pm GB Swans v Irish Banshees
  • 1pm European Crusaders v GB Swans

Saturday 20th August

  • 12:40pm Men’s third place P/O
  • 2:30pm Women’s final
  • 4pm Men’s final

 

 

 

Ben Durance

 

 

EC16 Team Preview – Irish Banshees

/in , /by

AFL Europe Championships Team Preview – Irish Banshees

Every three years the AFL Europe Championships take place for teams to assert their dominance and claim bragging rights against their European counterparts, as well as gain valuable 18-a-side match practice in the lead up to the International Cup the following year.

In the lead up to this year’s AFL Europe Championships in London we’ll be focusing on each team and previewing their chances of taking out the top prize.

In the first of our women’s team previews we are getting to know the Irish Banshees a bit better.

What’s happened since International Cup 2014?

The Banshees last competed at International level in 2014 where we went down to Canada in the final of the International Cup in Melbourne but managed to bounce back from that disappointment to beat a very impressive England Vixens side in the final of the Euro Cup in London.

Since 2014 a number of our key players have moved on or are unable to travel to London due to other sporting commitments which mean the Banshees side that takes to the field in London will have only 5 players who have previously experienced international football.

On the flip side, the positives for the Banshees is that this year we have unearthed a lot of new talent and their enthusiasm and love of the game will be on display in London.

Brendan Kelly, who is the coach of the Ulster Kookaburras has joined the coaching staff for the 2016 tournaments. Shaun Saurin who previously coached the squad to Euro Cup success is unable to travel to London due to a family wedding but is doing some preparatory work with the team in advance of London.

 

Who’s in for AFL Europe Championships in 2016?

At the tournament there will be a joint coaching team of Pat Leavy and Brendan Kelly. The team are in safe hands as Pat, who managed the team at IC14 and EC14 has played with the Warriors from 2003 to 2013 which included two International Cup campaigns as well as numerous Euro Cups.

Brendan has also played in numerous Euro Cups and at IC14. He is currently a member of the Irish Warriors team competing at the Championships and he is hoping to retain the title he won in 2013.

The management team also have a number of support staff behind them, most notable Deirdre Ní Chearaill, former Banshee international and current lady president of ARFLI who has been one of the driving forces behind resurrecting the Banshees in 2016. She will be acting as team liaison.

The team is shaping up pretty well. We can see huge strides in each player’s development since the start of the summer. There is a good blend of youth and experience in the squad and some very exciting new players will be on show. On one hand you have multiple international medal winners like Emma Kelly, Fiona Roarty and Carolann Cassidy and on the other you have really exciting new prospects like Olivia McCann, Colleen Quinn, Claire Donnelly and Clara Fitzpatrick.

Add in some full format experience from the AFL London league gained by Onóra Mulcahy and Linda Connolly and we think it’s a formidable team.

We have 16 players from the Ulster Kookaburras, 1 from the Galway Magpies, 2 players from London club, the Wandsworth Demons, with the remainder coming from the Dublin Angels.

 

AFL Europe Championships focus

We would have liked to have had more collective training sessions in the lead up to the tournament but to counteract that we have linked in with the men’s carnival rounds in the ARFLI premiership. This has allowed the girls learn the finer points of AFL from looking at the men’s game.

We’re looking forward to playing on a full oval as we rarely get the chance, so in particular we’ll be looking to add width and pace to our game, which will allow the players adapt their Gaelic football skills to a new game. The experience of 18 a side will be of huge benefit going into IC17.

Our strength is definitely the quality of our footballers. All the players have played Ladies Gaelic Football to a high level in Ireland. Our weakness is probably the lack of 18 a side football in Ireland and an inability for the team to train collectively on a regular basis.

 

Who has the X-Factor?

Emma Kelly, Onóra Mulcahy and Fiona Roarty can really dominate, so it’s certainly worth watching out for them. As we are travelling with a relatively new squad, a number of players have really improved out of sight over the last few months so it would be unfair to single any one player out.

That is the exciting part of a tournament, you never know which player we will be all talking about by the end of it – hopefully it will be one wearing green!

 

Coach’s thoughts – Pat Leavy

“We’d expect to have a fair crack at getting to the final, but we know it will be difficult. The Crusaders will have the best players from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and France, while the GB Swans are currently the benchmark in Europe. The GB women’s league is probably the best female league outside of Australia. The Vixens were excellent the last time we played them in 2014 and have improved since.

From a Banshee point of view, how the tournament unfolds will be determined by how our players react to full format and knowing the potential in our team, I’m excited at seeing how they will develop as the tournament progresses but expect a great team performance and hopefully we will get over the line”

 

Squad

  1. Claire Donnelly (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  2. Terri Kelly (Dublin Angels)
  3. Ciara Mone (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  4. Catherine Collins (Dublin Angels)
  5. Emma Kelly (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  6. Fiona Roarty (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  7. Carolann Cassidy (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  8. Olivia McCann (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  9. Onóra Mulcahy (Wandsworth Demons)
  10. Naomi Curtis (Dublin Angels)
  11. Mairead Walsh (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  12. Marley Bevan (Dublin Angels)
  13. Ursula Murphy (Irish Exiles AFL)
  14. Linda Connolly (Wandsworth Demons)
  15. Leona Russell (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  16. Claire Doherty (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  17. Clara Fitzpatrick (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  18. Aisling Gillespie (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  19. Edel Gray (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  20. Crea McAleer (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  21. Tracey Moloney (Irish Exiles AFL)
  22. Amy O’Donnell (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  23. Nuala O’Hagan (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  24. Colleen Quinn (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  25. Oonagh McAnespey (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  26. Niamh Mc Fadden (Ulster Kookaburra’s)
  27. Colleen Mallon (Irish Exiles AFL)
  28. Ashleigh Payne (Dublin Angels)

EC16 Team Preview – GB Swans

/in , /by

AFL Europe Championships Team Preview – GB Swans

Every three years the AFL Europe Championships take place for teams to assert their dominance and claim bragging rights against their European counterparts, as well as gain valuable 18-a-side match practice in the lead up to the International Cup the following year.

In the lead up to this year’s AFL Europe Championships in London we’ll be focusing on each team and previewing their chances of taking out the top prize.

In the first of our women’s team previews we are getting to know the GB Swans a bit better.

What’s happened since International Cup 2014?

The GB Swans were established earlier this year by two England Vixens players who wanted the opportunity to play in tournaments alongside the GB Bulldogs (men’s team), including the European Championships and the International Cup. Since the formation of the team, the GB Swans have attended two events, the Champions League in Amsterdam and the AFL London Preseason Cup in Peckham. In what couldn’t have been a better start for the team, they won both tournaments, making a name for themselves as a team to beat. Charlotte Eales and Lisa Wilson, who founded the team, have been working hard to schedule selection days, prepare the team for the upcoming tournament, arrange kits and are working hard to bring in sponsorship. The management team have hugely been helped out by Jason Hill, Team Manager for the GB Bulldogs.

 

Who’s in for AFL Europe Championships in 2016?

The GB Swans are lucky to have 3 excellent coaches; Garth Nevin as Head Coach and Lauren Spark & Ian Mitchell as Assistant Coaches who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team. On announcement of the GB Swans forming a few months ago, the Swans received nearly 50 registrations of interest from girls across the country. After two selection days in Birmingham and Glasgow, a squad of 26 was selected for the European Championships. The girls come from a number of different teams representing England, Scotland and Wales. Unfortunately, we are yet to have a Northern Ireland girl register, but we hope to get them engaged soon! Clubs that are represented by the GB Swans are: Glasgow Sharks, Wimbledon Hawks, University of Birmingham, Greater Glasgow Giants, Wandsworth Demons, South East London Giants and North London Lions.

 

AFL Europe Championships focus 

The two selection days we had in Birmingham and Glasgow were doubled up as training camps to give the coaches an idea of the skill and fitness level of the girls in order to give feedback to aid improvement before the tournament. Alongside these, many of the players selected for the EC16 team played in the AFL London Preseason Cup back in April. Many of the girls have played together before for the England Vixens and Scottish Sirens, or within their clubs, however this will be the first time for many of the girls playing together.

With many of the girls coming from the AFL London league, there is a wealth of 18 aside experience which will be one of our strengths. However, fitness is always an issue when playing on an Oval as large as the one at Motspur Park. The girls will be looking to neaten up their skills, clean hands and kicks whilst ensuring constant pressure on and off the ball.

 

Who has the X-Factor?

Sisters Alex and Danni Saulter have had a bout of injury this season with the latter being out all season with a fractured elbow, sustained in the AFL London Preseason Cup. With both girls nearly back at full fitness they will be a force to be reckoned with; Alex in the half-back line and Danni strong in the midfield. They will both be hoping to replicate their fantastic performances in the 2015 Euro Cup where they both played for the England Vixens who took out the title.

One of our youngest, Chloe Hall, recently moved from playing at the University of Birmingham to the South East London Giants. She has rapidly adapted to the 18 aside format and her knowledge, skill and commitment to the game has been outstanding. She will be one to watch at this tournament and in the future for GB Swans. She also stands out as she has a tomato blush as she exerts herself into the contest. A real leader and hard ball getter!

 

Coaches thoughts – Garth Nevin 

“I’m not going to lie, I have set high expectations. I believe the talent we have in our team we should push very hard for the No 1 European spot. I hope that the girls send a message to the other countries competing in the International cup in 2017. We mean business. Another aim is to open the doors for the upcoming inaugural year of Women’s AFL in Australia for all GB women. The commitment these women have shown inspires me to pass on every bit of AFL knowledge I have. Whatever the result, I will be extremely proud of these ladies and honoured to be the first ever coach of the GB Swans.”

 

Squad

  1. Beth Bailey
  2. Carolyn Baker (Glasgow Sharks)
  3. Jen Bennett (Wimbledon Hawks)
  4. Freya Blount (University of Birmingham)
  5. Lea Cobham (North London Lions)
  6. Louise Darby (Wimbledon Hawks)
  7. Charlie Eales (Wimbledon Hawks)
  8. Chloe Hall (University of Birmingham)
  9. Stacey Hughes (Glasgow Sharks)
  10. Kirsty Gray (Greater Glasgow Giants)
  11. Rose Lewis (Wandsworth Demons)
  12. Laura Mackay (University of Birmingham)
  13. Jess Milford (Wimbledon Hawks)
  14. Sophie Morris (Wolverhampton Wolverines)
  15. Rania Ramadan (North London Lions)
  16. Zoe Rowe (Greater Glasgow Giants)
  17. Alex Saulter (North London Lions)
  18. Danni Saulter (North London Lions)
  19. Caroline Sellar (Glasgow Sharks)
  20. Louise Smith (Glasgow Sharks)
  21. Ellie Sutherland (Glasgow Sharks)
  22. Lynsey Torrance (Glasgow Sharks)
  23. Laura Turner (North London Lions)
  24. Lisa Wilson (Wimbledon Hawks)
  25. Lucy Jones
  26. Laura Park (Greater Glasgow Giants)

 

 

Around the Grounds

/in /by

AFL Europe Championships only 5 days away

The much anticipated triennial AFL Europe Championships kick off this Sunday with the men’s first game day. All matches are taking place at Motspur Park and involve Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Sweden and the European Crusaders. The men’s tournament runs from Sunday the 14th to Saturday the 20th with the women taking the field from Thursday the 18th until the Saturday.

For more information, click on the link below.

5 days

http://afleurope.org/events-media/events/2016-afl-europe-championships/

An All-Glasgow showdown set for SARFL Grand Final

The Glasgow Sharks have sealed their place in the Scottish AFL Grand Final with a nail-biting preliminary final win against the Edinburgh Bloods. With the scores tied deep into the 4th quarter the Sharks eventually ran out 11 point winners in a thriller at Linlithgow Park. This win ends a recent run of dominance from the Bloods in the Scottish AFL league and gives the Sharks one up on their old foes.

Presidents from both clubs had their say on the weekends results:

Bloods President, Craig Stevens

“It was a hard fought, high quality match. We’ve unfortunately come out on the wrong end of the result. We wish the Sharks and the Giants all the best next week in the big one.”

Sharks President John McIntyre

“Great contest and a good result from our club today. Both sides put their all in today and it was one of the best matches to be involved in. The Bloods came at us hard in the last quarter but we withstood the pressure. Off to the Grand Final to play another quality side in an all Glasgow final next week!”

The Grand Final will now be an all-Glasgow showdown between the Sharks and the Greater Glasgow Giants at the same venue as the prelim. The stage is set for a great finish to the SARFL season next Saturday.

Edinburgh BloodsGlasgow Sharks

AFL Sweden back in action

This weekend saw the Stockholm League kick back into action after their mid-season break. The Sodermalm Blues had their first loss of season 2016 following a 10-point defeat at the hands of the Norrtalje Dockers. The Blues a notoriously slow starters following summer breaks so they won’t be too concerned about this result despite finals being just around the corner.

Matt Schulte kicked a cool 7 goals for the Dockers while Johan Dalberg got himself a handful of goals for the Blues.

Final score: 13.6. 84 to 11.8.74

 

Leeside Lions get up over the Belfast Redbacks in ARFLI Grand Final

The culmination of the Irish Aussie rules season took place over the weekend with the Leeside Lions convincingly beating the Belfast Redbacks at Mardyke Arena in Cork.

The Lions last played in an ARFLI grand final in 2011 and broke the strangled-hold the Redbacks and the South Dublin Swans have had on the competition in recent years with their performance at the weekend.

They lead at every change to finish the big one in a canter with the scoreboard reading 16.8. 104 to 7.10.52.

Best on ground honours went to Matt Moore with a crucial 7 goals to his name for the day.

Leeside 2 Leeside

Italy confirms their place at Euro 2016

The Italian national team will make their long awaited return to the international arena at Octobers Euro Cup in Lisbon. The Italian’s have been on hiatus for the past few years but are now back on track to make their mark on AFL in Europe.

Massive congratulations on all involved in getting the side ready for this year’s tournament.

The squad is as follows:

  1. Giovanni ALLOISIO
  2. Luigi ARNULFO
  3. Tommaso ARNULFO
  4. Federico BERNASCONI
  5. Filippo BOLOGNESE
  6. Jacopo CARBONCINI
  7. Denis CONTE
  8. Thomas DIANA
  9. Niccolò DE GIORGI
  10. Marco DEL GAIZO
  11. Daniele GENNARA
  12. Andrea LORENZI
  13. Jacopo NOSARI
  14. Bruno NUGNES
  15. Mattia SACCHI
  16. Christian TIRANTI

HEAD COACH Armando COLOMBO

ASS. COACH Matthew HEWITT

Wildcats, Hawks and a couple of Demons taste success in AFL London Grand Finals

The final day of season 2016 for AFL London took place at the weekend under blue skies and a beaming sun.

The day started off bright and early with the South London Demons controlling the Social division decider from start to finish to claim back-to-back premierships against a courageous Reading Roos. Demons midfielder, Brett Hoare was awarded ‘best on ground’ honours for his tireless work through the middle of the ground. The final scorecard read 8.10. 58 to 3.2. 20.Demons 1

The Conference division pitted the Clapham Demons against the Shepherds Bush Raiders who were attempting to win their 7th straight premiership. In a see-sawing affair the Demons jumped out to a 10-point lead with 9 minutes on the clock in the fourth. They eventually held out for a thrilling 3-point victory in what turned out to be the match of the day. High-flying Brazilian winger, Ricci Leumann of the Demons became the first non-Australian to be crowned ‘best on ground’ in an AFL London Grand Final as he repeatedly provided the crucial link between the backs and forwards for the Clapham side. The final score in this match was 8.2. 50 to 7.5. 47.

Demons

A first-time premier was set to be named in the Women’s division and it was the Wimbledon Hawks who were crowned champions in a demolition of the North London Lions. The girls from the Hawks were unstoppable from the first bounce and finished their perfect season in style holding their opponents scoreless. The Lions should hold their heads high after fighting valiantly all day in front of a large crowd of supporters. Lauren Sparks of the Hawks finished as ‘best on ground’ in a clinical display through the midfield. Final score reading 10.5. 65 to 0.0. 0.

Hawks 1

The final game of the day was the much anticipated Premiership division decider between arch rivals the West London Wildcats and the Wandsworth Demons. Unfortunately, the game didn’t live up to its hype as the Wildcats controlled the tempo of the match and never gave the Demons a sniff. The boys from the West proved too fast and skilful for their opponents whose ill-discipline and turnovers at crucial moments proved costly. The Wildcats were best served by midfielders Todd Pfeiffer and Andy Challis, but it was Captain and Full-back, Jared Risol, who deservedly claimed ‘best on ground’ honours for his role in constantly repelling Demons forward entries and launching his side onto the offensive. The final scorecard reading 14.10. 94 to 7.1. 43.

Wildcats

 

 

 

Tuesday Around the Grounds

/in /by

Around the Grounds – 2/8/16

West Lothian Eagles ARFC start up in Scotland

AFL Scotland’s welcomes a new club to its ranks with the West Lothian Eagles taking flight. The Eagles are looking for new recruits and pushing for a side in the coming seasons. This is great news for Aussie rules in Scotland.

The Eagles have their next training session on Monday the 8th of August. Jump over to their Facebook page to keep up-to-date with all things Eagles.

https://www.facebook.com/wleaglesarfc/?fref=ts

 

Jacob Raiwalui…remember the name!

Jacob Raiwalui picked up his first Sherrin 3 months ago. Last weekend he was being put through his paces by AFL royalty, Tadgh Kennelly.

Jacob stands at 6’6 and resides in France where his father, Simon Raiwalui, a former Fijian Rugby star, now co-manages French rugby side, Stade Francais.

The skies the limit for Jacob and hopefully his passion for the oval ball continues grow because he develops his skills and knowledge of Aussie rules.

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 18.42.12

 

ARFLI Grand Final set to be a ‘corker’

Mardyke Arena UCC, Cork plays host to the ARFLI Grand Final in 2016. The Leeside Lions will be playing in their first grand final since 2011 having not dropped a game in the regular season. The Lions come up against a formidable opponent in the Belfast Redbacks who are competing in their 5 straight grand final.

This match is set to be a thriller, with free entry for all patrons, a huge crowd is expected for the crowning of the new Irish champions. Jump onto their event page and spread the word.

Keep an eye out on the AFL Europe website and social media as we feature this match as our ‘Match of the Round’.

https://www.facebook.com/events/643829235769315/

 

Former Hawk does the rounds at AFL Europe clubs

Hawthorn Premiership player, Max Bailey, is doing the rounds throughout Europe by visiting a number of clubs following his 6-month stint in Tanzania as part of the Future Warriors Project.

Max’s first stop was a Thursday night training and fines session with an AFL London club before running a weekend training program in Graz, Austria. He’ll be in Munich and Amsterdam meeting the local clubs for the remainder of this week.

Follow the big man’s progress on his Instagram @maxintanzania2016 and #MaxyOnTour

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 18.43.37

 

AFL London Grand Finals takes centre stage at Motspur Park

The culmination of the AFL London season is here. This Saturday 8 teams across 4 divisions will fight for the title of AFL London Premiers. The Wimbledon Hawks will again play hosts for the day at the picturesque Motspur Park. It’s set to be a great day both on and off the field with the festivities kicking off at 10:30am with the Social division and culminating at with the Premiership match starting at 4pm.

Schedule:

10:30am – Social Division – South London Demons v Reading Kangaroos

12:00pm – Conference Division – Clapham Demons v Shepherds Bush Raiders

2:00pm – Women’s Division – Wimbledon Hawks v North London Lions

3:30pm – Premiership Division – West London Wildcats v Wandsworth Demons

Keep an eye out on the AFL London Facebook page for match previews of every game in the lead up to the weekend.

https://www.facebook.com/AFLLondon/?fref=ts

 

 

 

Player of the Week – Onóra Mulcahy

/in /by

AFL EUROPE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 

Each week AFL Europe is profiling a European player and finding out how they got into the great game of Aussie Rules and a bit about themselves. If you’d like a profile or know of someone who would, then email ben.durance@afleurope.org to receive a question sheet.

Onóra plays for the Wandsworth Demons in the AFL London Women’s League. Only starting Aussie Rules this year Onóra has already been chosen for the Irish National team, the Irish Banshees due to her natural take to the sport. Studying architecture, Onóra has stopped getting questions about all her bruises and injuries from her colleagues due to her passion for Footy and Gaelic! Good luck for the rest of the AFL London final series and the upcoming AFL Europe Championships Onóra!

Name:

Onóra Mulcahy

Club:

Wandsworth Demons

Nationality:

Irish

What position do you play?

Ruck Rover

AFL team you support:

Carlton ( Mainly because they have so many Irish with them)

Favourite AFL player:

Ciaran Sheehan, We are both from Cork

How did you find out about AFL?

I played Gaelic Football with a girl who played with the Demons ( Jess Edwards) and we played Compromise Rules game and my interest was piqued.

How long have you been playing for?

January 2016

What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?

These people are crazy! What are you doing? This is a very different game to Gaelic. Phew! Glad I’m wearing gumshields.

Best AFL moment?

I took a messy ball from a tussle on the on the ground, dodged a tackle and made a good clearance. First time I felt like I knew what I was doing.

Any other interesting information, quirky stories or interesting things about yourself?

Every Monday going to work I have a new injury or bruise from Footy or Gaelic, colleagues have stopped asking what has happened. Besides playing sports napping is my favourite pastime.