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Goodes throws full support behind AFL England and the touring GB Bulldogs

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Adam Goodes has recently agreed to become AFL England’s Ambassador which will also extend to supporting the GB Bulldogs on their quest for success at IC14 in Australia this August. Goodes has long been interested in the growth of the game internationally including twice representing Australia in the International Rules Series. He has the huge honour of being Australian of the year in 2014 along with searching for his third premiership with the Sydney Swans.
 
“I am really happy to help grow the game internationally and support the AFL England guys at the IC14 in August. I look forward to watching them perform and supporting the Bulldogs and all the other Nations participating.” Goodes stated recently. 
 
Adam Bennett, AFL England President said “We are thrilled that someone of Adam’s standing in the game of AFL and the Australian community is prepared to get behind our efforts to grow the game in England and the Bulldogs ambitions in Australia. Adam represents everything that attracts British players to the sport (Athletic, Fair, Mateship) and we look forward to developing the relationship with him”.
 
“To have Adam on board as an ambassador will give the players a massive boost. For them to know that an AFL superstar is supporting them and watching with interest is a real coup” National Coach Mark Pitura added.
 
The GB Bulldogs are participating in the International Cup 2014 from the 9th – 23rd August and are aiming to achieve their best result.

AFL Announces Live Streaming

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In a first for the AFL International Cup we are pleased to advise that we will be streaming matches LIVE!  The following matches will be streamed live and will also be available on demand to watch at later date (details on how to view to follow).

  • All matches on McAlister, Ransford and Western ovals on Sunday August 10 (Round 1 matches)
  • All matches on McAlister, Ransford and Western ovals on Friday August 22 (Finals Round)
  • Women’s Grand Final at Punt Road Oval on Saturday August 22nd
  • Men’s Grand Final at MCG onSaturday August 22nd
  • USA Liberty v Canada Midnight Suns on Wednesday 20th August (Liberty have a BYE in round 1, this will ensure that they get at least    1 match filmed and streamed)

Sunday August 10th Streamed Matches (all times in Australian Eastern Standard Time):

McAlister Oval
9:30am – Ireland v Fiji [womens]
11:30am – Ireland v Fiji [mens]

1:30pm – Nauru v Indo [mens]

3:30pm – GB v France [mens]

 

Ransford Oval

9:30am – Tonga v India [mens]

11:30am – Tonga v Canda M suns [womens]

1:30pm – SA v Pakistan [mens]

3:30pm – PNG v Japan [mens]

 

Western Oval

9:30pm – USA v Finland [mens]

11:30am – NZ v Sweden [mens]

1:30pm – Canada N lights v USA Freedom [womens]

3:30pm – Canada v China [mens]

 

Wednesday August 20th Streamed Matches: 

12:00pm – USA Liberty v Canada Midnight Suns [womens]

 

Friday August 22nd Streamed Matches:

Ransford Oval

9:00am – 13 v 14 (div 2 playoff) [mens]

11:00am – 3 v 4 [womens]

1:00pm – 3 v 4 (3rd place Playoff) [ mens]

 

McAlister Oval

9:00am – 5 v 6 [womens]

11:00am – 7 v 8 [mens]

1:00pm – 5 v 6 (Div 1 Playoff) [mens]

 

Western Oval [mens]

9:00am – 15 v 16

11:00am – 9 v 10

1:00pm – 11 v 12

3:00pm – 17 v 18

 

Tigers defeat Crusaders in close battle as Women’s footy marches on in England

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by Ian Baxter

In sweltering conditions more Australia than Yorkshire another ladies game took place, this time in Sheffield, as the curtain raiser to the Central and Northern England League Men’s Grand Final.  The game was between the Tyne Tees Tigers and the Crusaders a team made up of ladies from the Wimbledon Hawks, Wolverhampton Wolverines and Nottingham.

In the first quarter the Tigers jumped out to an early lead kicking the first few goals with Lynn Mitchell winning the ruck taps and the Tigers midfield delivering the ball into the forward line. But the crusaders fought back into it with Laura Turner’s run and carry and Rania Ramadan accuracy in front of goal to bring it back to just 2 points at quarter time.

1Q Tigers 3.3.21 Crusaders 3.1.19

In the second quarter the Tigers using Michelle Healy to tag Turner nullified the Crusaders attack. And with Tigers midfielder Polly Moane, and forward Jordy Lane finding more of the ball they were able to kick three unanswered goals to take a 20 point lead into half time. Despite the heat and the hard running nature of the game the Crusaders managed to keep the pressure on the Tigers capping the quarter at 3 goals.

HT Tigers 6.3.39 Crusaders 3.1.19

Crusaders v Tigers

The third quarter, started in confusion as the Tigers switched Tanya Scully from defence to attack, Nicola McLaughlin did all the hard work winning the ball in the centre square then proceeded to kick the wrong way!

As the legs started to tire in the heat, the play became more open with more one on one contests. There was some tough tackling on display from both sides but in particular the Crusaders Sophie Morris.

With more run and carry on display from the Crusaders in particular the tireless Rachel ‘Killa’ Kilmartin and French pair Chloe Raso and Gaelle Hazimeh the crusaders came back strongly into the game. Tigers captain Lisa McHugh sweeping up in the back line allowed the Tigers to edge the quarter by a single point and the game remained in the balance going into the final break.

3Q Tigers 9.5.59 Crusaders 6.2.37

Crusaders v Tigers

In the final quarter as the Tigers tired the Crusaders pushed on reversing the 2nd quarter, with Jess Forster, Turner and Ramadan scoring 3 unanswered goals.

With the Tigers profligate in front of goal, managing 4 behinds, they hung on for a 7 point win.

Full time Tigers 9.9.63 Crusaders 9.2.56

 

Goals:

Tigers: Moane 4 Lane 3 Healy 1 McHugh 1

Crusaders: Ramadan 5 Turner 3 Forster 1

sheffieldd

 

Following this 4th successful women’s game this year the ladies are now looking forward to taking part in the Axios Euro Cup in October. With an AFL England women’s training session to occur in Chippenham in September the future of the women’s game in England has never looked so bright.

French Team Player Profiles

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 Name: Jérome Canonici

Cano

Age: 31

Size: 1.80 m

Team: Firesharks Herault Montpellier club

Jersey number: I don’t have a specific one, sometimes 82

Position: Usually in defense

Why and when I started playing: I started in 2008. I wanted to discover another sport, but I also wanted to keep an oval ball.

Expectations for IC: Qualifying for the first group and going as far as possible in the competition

Best footy memory: This season, for the team spirit and the determination and will power of our group.

 

 

 Name: Thomas Depondt

Depondt

Age: 25

Size: 1.87 m

Team: Alfa Lions (Lyon)

Jersey Number: 3

Position: Ruckman

Why and when I started playing: I tried for the first time during my travel around Australia. We worked in a farm close to Port Lincoln (SA), and the farmer was an old footy player still following footy, his passion. So we played one game and we loved that, so we played the end of the season (6 games).

Best Footy Memory: Supporting the Bombers, we went to Patterson stadium in Perth to watch this big contest against the Dockers. That was an exciting game and my first time at a big stadium for an AFL game. In the end the Bombers won by 3 points.

 

 

 Name : Clément Coste

Coste

Age: 29

Size: 1.93 m

Team : Montréal Demons (Québec, Canada)

Jersey Number : Demons = 6 ; France = 26

Position : Ruck

Why and when I started playing: Like many Frenchmen, a trip in Australia in 2009, allowed me to discover footy through television.

I had the privilege of playing 3 matches with the Bordeaux bombers where I secured 3 victories against Paris, Strasbourg and Toulouse as a ruck man. In Quebec Canada, I played with the Montreal Demons right at the beginning of the 2013 season. Elected best on ground on the 4th round of the AFL Quebec; I made the 2013 all stars team.

This sport is extremely complete physically. It offers me the possibility of practicing a sport without any stoppage, be constantly in the air and on the ground and be ready to take a hit and tackle again in return. Australian Football allows me to constantly run every quarter and to give the maximum of my abilities

Expectations for IC: In 2014, and more precisely August, I will be having the honour of representing my country and the privilege of sharing a brotherly moment among 30 people. I want France to be represented by 18 players on the pitch that want to give their all with a heart on fire. My objective is to bring to France everything it can take out of me.

Best Footy Memory: My 3rd footy game: Against Toulouse, in December 2012 with the Bordeaux team, we delivered a complete game and we left with our head held high with a beautiful victory.

#IC14 #coqsweek #gofooty

The 2014 Swedish Cup is upon us!

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2014 SWEDISH CUP

By Michael McCormick

AFL Sweden is set for a big day of football that will separate the men from the boys and determine which team will be crowned the Swedish champion for season 2014.

In further preparation for their International Cup campaign, all of the Swedish Elks players will be taking the field tomorrow for their respective local clubs.

Coined the festival of footy in Sweden, the Swedish Cup brings together teams from all over the country to compete on one big stage

The lakeside city, Jönköping in the South of Sweden will play host to the seven teams who will be competing.

As well as six teams from Sweden including the Årsta Swans, Norrtälje Dockers, Helsingborg Saints/ Malmö Maulers, Göteborg Berserkers/ Karlstad Eagles, and the Bromma Vikings/Solna Axemen/Södermalm Blues, the Oslo Crows from Norway will be making a special appearance at the Cup.

“The Bersekers and the Eagles who don’t play regular competition are putting together a team and it is great to have Oslo along again this year, we love to have them here enjoying the fun,” said AFL Sweden President, Jörg Pareigis.

The round robin tournament will see each team face off against each other in a condensed game format. Teams will play two halves of eight minutes which has been shortened from the traditional four quarters of twenty minutes,

“It is a real tough day of footy with such a jam-packed schedule, but that is what makes it so unique to regular weekly footy,” stated Pareigis.

The Swedish Cup will kick off bright and early tomorrow morning and by the end of the day a new king of AFL in Sweden will be crowned.

 

#elksweek #IC14 #AFLSwedishCup2014 #WhoIsStrongest

Check out the Swedish Elks facebook page to keep up to date!!

Swedish Cup Draw source: Swedish Elks facebook page

Swedish Cup Draw                                                 source: Swedish Elks facebook page

 

Swedish Elks ready to take on the world’s best

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by Michael McCormick

One of the premier sides in Europe, the Swedish Elks, are preparing to test out a new look team in the upcoming International Cup in August.

The Elks will blood several young players after having gone through a year of transition. More than half the team made their representative debut in a friendly match against Denmark in March this year.

“We will be looking to use the International Cup to build our group and give experience to the up and coming AFL players of Sweden,” stated Swedish Elks Team Manager, Jeremy Darke.

Darke, a 27 year old Australian expat who also coaches local team the Norrtälje Dockers, revealed that although playing non-European teams is a draw card for the tournament, old rivalries die young.

“To go up against teams that we have never faced before is the excitement of the International Cup,” said Darke. “Although we would love to beat Finland on the world stage.”

Having finished in eleventh place in 2011, the Elks are striving for a top ten placing in this year’s competition.

“With a spread of players from all over the country and domestic competitions it has been difficult to have stand-alone training sessions.

To prepare we have scheduled 2 friendly matches against Denmark and the Stockholm Dynamites.”

Although it will be the first trip down under for most of the younger players, Darke expects them to step up and catch the eye of AFL fans the world over.

“Hampus Ollson, Jacob Nilsson, Buster Sund are all young, solid players with a lot of passion for the game,” revealed Darke. “I’d expect them to be among our best performers for the tournament.”

The Elks have been fortunate in securing sponsorship to lessen the financial burden associated with making the trip to Melbourne.

“We have be able to acquire 6 bronze sponsors, but fundraising is still coming along slowly.”

The challenges faced to get there will be outweighed by the rewards, and not just in the form of competing.

“It would be a dream to go and watch the Gold Coast play in Melbourne and watch Ablett Jr. work his magic.”

#elksweek #IC14

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Finland Icebreakers Player Profile- Antti Nurmikoski

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Name: Antti Nurmikoski
Team: Vaasa Wombats/Finland Icebreakers
Jersey number: 9
Position: midfield/offence
Why and when i started playing:
Mika (Kupila) and Kaj (Karlsson) were starting a team in Vaasa, I was working at the same place as they were, so after some Youtube videos and details asked they talked me in to it.
Expectations for IC:
Life-long memories and experience to share back in Finland
Best footy memory:
Probably this whole trip as a player. I never would have guessed where this sport would take me when I started. France, Scotland, Sweden and now finally, Australia!
Presidents Comments (Mika Kupila):
Never gives up, great goal kicking and understanding of the game. Best of all, an awesome team player on and off the field. He’s been a crucial part of getting the team up and running in Vaasa.
#icebreakersweek #IC14
Antti Nurmikoski

Finland Icebreakers prepare for International Cup

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INTERNATIONAL CUP 2014

TEAM: FINLAND

by Michael McCormick

Since their disappointing 2008 International Cup campaign, the Finland Icebreakers have gone back to the training track and established themselves as an up and coming threat in the AFL Europe competition. They will compete in the International Cup in 2014 with a renewed ferocity towards the game.

Captain of the Finnish national team and Chairman of the board, 28-year-old Mika Kupila, believes that his team has the ability to improve upon their previous International Cup results.

“I’d love to see a couple of good wins and tough fights with stronger teams,” Kupila stated. “Our team has a lot of potential and if we can play on our own level, I’m sure we can cause an upset here and there.”

The local competition was shortened to allow for a focus on the Icebreakers’ bid to claim some upset victories.

“We play 9v9 here in Finland so going full field will require some extra sessions,” Kupila explained. “We’ll have training in July to focus on key points with transitioning to the big field,”

The pool of talent runs deep in FInland, but Kupila remains confident that senior players such as Fredrik Romar, Ville Saarinen and Kaj Karlsson will prove their worth and be amongst the Cup’s best players.

As with the other European teams attending the Melbourne based competition, Finland has struggled with their fundraising efforts.

“The players themselves will mostly fund the trip,” Kupila revealed. “We will however be getting some assistance with accommodation in Melbourne and are, at the moment, in talks to hopefully get flights sorted out as well.”

Being a long time Carlton Blues supporter, the Icebreakers’ captain is looking forward to the opportunity to watch a game live and hopefully witness a win.

“Being in Melbourne, I hope to catch one of their games and I wouldn’t mind meeting the guys either,” Kupila remarked.

As far as his own team’s chances of winning, Kupila admits that it will be a tough march to the finals, but the focus remains on improving on 2008’s efforts.

“Competitiveness is key, if we can match them, we can beat them.”

IMG_2574

 

#icebreakersweek

 

Stay tuned during the week for more updates on their progress.