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 admin@afleurope.org to receive a question sheet.
This week we’re taking a look at one of the longest serving Croatian players to date. Tomislav Cvetko started out in 2007 and quickly made a name for himself. He’s a multiple Croatian League MVP, captain of the Knights for the past 6 years and a regular in Team of the Tournaments. Regarded by many as the best forward in Europe, have a read of what got the big man into our great game.
Name:
Tomislav Cvetko
Club:
Zagreb Cvjetno Dockers
Nationality:
Croatian
What position do you play?
Forward mostly
AFL team you support:
Dockers, Swans, Hawks
Favourite AFL player:
Buddy Franklin
How did you find out about AFL?
Through a friend who lived in Australia in his younger age
How long have you been playing for?
10 years, since 2007.
What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?
3 Nations Cup 2007 in Wien. Brilliant weekend, immediately fell in love with the game and the people around it!
Best AFL moment?
I have so many, it’s hard to pick just one, but if I have to name a few: 2008 EU Cup in Prague – Silver medal (Croatian first EU Cup), 2010 EU Cup in Milan – Gold medal and EU Cup gold in Lisbon just now.
Any other interesting information, quirky stories or interesting things about yourself?
I don’t like clothes! 🙂
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-11-16 12:47:522016-11-16 12:47:52Player 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.
William Leysen is this week’s ‘Player of the Week’. William plays for the reigning Premiers of the CNFA, the Paris Cockatoos. He has been playing Aussie Rules for 2 years and rates his best AFL moment as the return of Ben Cousins.
Name:
William Leysen
Club:
Paris Cockatoos
Nationality:
French
What position do you play?
Midfielder
AFL team you support:
Fremantle
Favourite AFL player:
Nathan Fyfe
How did you find out about AFL?
I watched it on TV
How long have you been playing for?
2 years
What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?
Laying my first big tackle
Best AFL moment?
The comeback of Ben Cousins – inspirational!
Any other interesting information, quirky stories or interesting things about yourself?
Much like Ben Cousins my favourite time is the fifth quarter. This is the time after a game and what we often refer to in France as the fifth quarter.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-11-02 11:01:172016-11-02 11:01:17Player of the Week
AFL Sweden has a new member in its footy family. The Eksjo Bulldogs were officially welcomed to the AFL Sweden competition when they took part in their first intra-club game at the weekend. The Port Malmo Maulers travelled to Eksjo to help with numbers for the session.
Congratulations on playing your first intra-club match Bulldogs, we’ll follow your progress closely and wish you all the best going forward.
CNFA Wrap up
The second day of the CNFA Championships took place at the weekend. The ALFA Lyon took on the Toulouse Hawks and dominated from start to finish. They ended up amassing a huge 175-points to the Hawks 40.
In the other match the Bordeaux Bombers hosted the Paris Cockerels in picture perfect conditions. In what was a close game the Cockerels came away with the all-important four points with a 90 to 59 final score.
The final game of round 2 takes places this weekend with the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes taking on the Perpignan Tigers. Stay tuned for more news on that game later in the week.
Euro Cup flashback – Rob Fielder assists Russia
It’s been a few weeks since the Euro Cup but we’ve come across this gem of a photo from the tournament:
That’s England Dragonslayers coach, Rob Fielder, giving up his time following his teams game to help a coach-less Russian side during one of their hit-outs. What an absolute legend! No surprises that he was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to AFL England.
Simple gestures like that are what footy in Europe is all about. Great stuff Rob.
Ireland hold on to beat a fast finishing Bulldogs
The highly-anticipated AFL Europe Championships final rematch took place at the weekend in Dublin. The GB Bulldogs, with a host of changes, were hoping to further develop their talent pool prior to the International Cup in 2017. For the Irish, along with a lot of changes themselves, were seeking some redemption following a terrible performance on the mainstage at EC16.
The Warriors jumped out of the blocks early to dominant possession. Coupled with their frantic pressure they registered the first three goals of the match. Going into the first change 15-points up was a great start for the Irish boys and they continued this in the second to go into the main break with an 8.5. 53 to 4.4. 28 scoreboard advantage.
It took a half of football for the Bulldogs to finally switch on and it was the ever-dependable Myles Hudson and Alex Overton that led the charge from the backline. For the Warriors, Roch Hanmore and David McElhone were influencing the play from midfield.
Despite the improved efforts of the Bulldogs the third term ended with the Warriors registering three goals to the Bulldogs two, leaving a 27-point margin going into the final quarter.
The five-goal margin didn’t deter the reigning European Champions and they started the last term with a bang. A yellow card to an Irish player further aided the GB charge as they closed the gap to within 7-points late in the quarter. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs that’s as close as they came as the final siren gave the Irish Warriors a little bit of redemption for their loss two months earlier. Final scores reading 12.6. 78 to 10.11. 71.
Goals:
Ireland: R. McCloskey 4, C. Lordan 3, P. O’Connell 2, L. Burns, S. Guing, M. Bell
GB: A. Walkden 4, J. Hill 3, J. Coughlan 2, C. Britton
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-25 12:54:022016-10-25 12:54:02Around the Grounds
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.
Name: Cóilín Ó Lordáin (Lundy)
Club: Leeside Lions / Irish Warriors
Nationality: Irish
What position do you play?
Preferably anywhere around the mids, but unfortunately I’m a jack of all trades and a master of none so I’ve also been found from time to time in the ruck, backs and forwards!! I’m quite good, actually no I’m excellent so it’s no issue to me really.
AFL team you support: GWS Giants
Favourite AFL player:
Shane Mumford or that Eddie Betts lad is handy enough too I guess (Although this is nothing on Leeside Lions club legend and Irish Warrior teammate Paudie Connell).
The Irish league is quite small compared to our counterparts in other leagues, so there are a lot of friendly & not so friendly faces. In ARFLI it would have to be the evergreen Peter Ross. Petey is a great servant of the game having been to two international cups and an inspiration to us all in the league.
How did you find out about AFL?
Always had an interest from a young age due to the similarities and crossover with the GAA, as well as that the carnage that used be the compromise rules series; Mighty Stuff Indeed. TG4, a TV station here in lreland, used also show weekly highlights even though I hadn’t a clue what was going on.
My playing career itself didn’t kick start itself until I moved to Toronto in 2011. Out one Sunday to watch the Limerick hurlers in championship, a lorry load of pints and a few sneaky Jäger bombs later, some food was needed and I headed off for an auld dirty kebab. As I thought about how I was going to go about ringing in sick to work the following morning, I was stopped on the street by two Aussie blokes. Seeing me in my GAA gear they were fierce keen to get me involved in their footie club. So I handed them my number and said call me if they were ever stuck thinking nothing would come of it. The rest as they say is history.
How long have you been playing for?
6 years
What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?
Getting a phone call one Saturday morning 30 mins before the game asking would I be interested in playing a game that the team was a man short and badly stuck. Thrown into forward pocket out of the way, I was warned not do anything stupid that the team needed to win to make finals. I ended up kicking 5 goals and bouncing the footie on my first attempt. I remember thinking to myself afterwards, “This AFL craic is handy enough, I might actually keep this up”. I have never scored 5 goals in a game since nor bounced the ball in a match.
Best AFL moment?
Any time I have gotten to pull on the green guernsey and represent Ireland. Winning the ARFLI premiership this year undefeated was also quite special.
The trip away with the lads in Edinburgh and the bus trip to and from Belfast this year were quite epic as well and I’m sure they’ll live long in the memory of the lads too. Roll on Amsterdam next year 😉
Any other interesting information, quirky stories or interesting things about yourself?
Ihave a booming left leg. Unfortunately, it’s in dire need of a sat nav or something. It’s accuracy is questionable at times. However, it’s improving slowly and surely. It might work to perfection some day before I decide to hang up the boots.
I also have the finest and biggest arse in Ireland if not Europe, however my club mate Eoin Ó Súilleabháin gives me a right run for my money with his own derriere, although he is on the downward spiral now, age is catching up with him.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-19 14:48:412016-10-19 14:48:41Player of the Week
The 2016 edition of the Euro Cup was held in sunny Lisbon on the 8th October. With 374 players in action across 22 teams from 16 countries it was always going to be a huge day of Aussie Rules.
The National Stadium Jamor in Lisbon played host to the tournament with three pitches in perfect condition being used for the 9-a-side competition. Games kicked off bright and early at 9am with the pool stages allowing teams to jostle for position and qualify for the divisional finals.
The Pool Stages
Croatia and Germany were the early standouts with some dominant displays of Aussie Rules. The usual powerhouses of Ireland and England were clinical as ever and cruised through their initial exchanges. The final standings were as follows:
Pool A:
Croatia
Wales
Austria
Italy
Pool B:
Ireland
France
Jerusalem Peace Team Lions
Russia
Pool C:
Germany
Scotland
Norway
Portugal
Pool D:
England
Crusaders
Netherlands
First place in each pool went through to the Cup semi-finals and were in with a shot to be crowned Euro Cup Champions. Second place in each pool qualified for the Bowl finals and third and fourth place battled it out for the right to be crowned Plate winners.
On the women’s side of the draw it was a two pool competition. Fierce rivals, England and Ireland were drawn into same pool and reignited their recent battles early on with a hard fought group stage victory going in favour of the girls in green. A three team Pool B had another big clash as the Swedish and Danish locked horns in what was a thriller. The final group standings were as follows:
Pool A:
Ireland
England
Scotland
France
Pool B:
Sweden
Croatia
Denmark
The top two teams from each Pool went through to the semi-finals while third place qualified for the 5th place playoff.
Finals Time
In the Plate Division it was the Dutch and Austrians who won through to the much coveted final. The Dutch had a fiery hit-out against the Italians to give themselves a chance to retain their 2015 title while the Austrians accounted for the Norway Trolls to show how much they’ve improved in recent years.
It was a tight contest early with neither side hitting the scoreboard until the 6-minute mark of the first half when the Flying Dutchmen opened their account. They slotted back-to-back goals and jumped out to a 16 to zip lead at half-time. When the Dutch opened the scoring in the second half it was always going to be a tough ask for the Austrians. The Avalanches could only manage the solitary goal as the Dutch proved too strong in a game highlighted by its tight and physical clashes amongst players. For the second year in a row the Dutch were crowned Plate winners at the Euro Cup. The final score 35-8.
The second-tier Bowl Division final was contested between Wales and France. Both sides were incredibly exciting to watch in the Pool stages and were hoping to add some silverware to the trophy cabinet after a long, hot day of footy.
Wales jumped out of the blocks early to score the first goal of the game into what was a growing breeze. It didn’t take long for France to counter and they got back-to-back goals to take a 5-point lead into half-time. The French were elite with their foot skills and made the Welsh pay kicking out to a handy lead early in the second half. The lead proved enough for France as they held on for a memorable victory in a fast paced game. The final score 27-16.
It was two old foes going head-to-head again in the Women’s Final. England and Ireland had proved that they were the two best teams throughout the day and were pumped up for another highly anticipated encounter on the main stage.
In typical fashion it was a hard-fought first half between the two sides, neither giving an inch or taking a backward step with their attack on the football. This was reflected in the 1-0 score line in favour of the English at half-time.
The second half opened up with England capitalising on their chances when attacking into the breeze to go 7-points up. The Irish didn’t take long to reply and again we were in for another thriller. From nowhere the Irish grabbed another goal in what proved to be the match winner with the crowd erupting. The final few minutes can only be described as complete mayhem. When the final siren sounded three players were laying on the ground injured and seeking medical attention as the remaining Irish players were embracing in jubilation. Full credit to both sides for again putting an amazing display of women’s footy. The final score 16-7.
The Men’s Final pitted a massive Croatian side against a quick and agile Irish team. Under a setting sun and a growing crowd this was going to be one to remember, and it didn’t disappoint.
The breeze had picked up and the big kicking Croatians used it perfectly in the first half. They kicked two goals back-to-back within the couple of minutes to jump out to an early lead. The first half went all in the Croatians favour and some big hits highlighted their intent on claiming their second Euro Cup title. They went into the main break with a 20-point lead. The Irish opened scoring after the break but the Croatians were quick to reply. Neither side were giving up an inch but it was the Irish who were making their mark on the scoreboard. A frantic final few minutes’ left everyone at the ground perplexed as neither side celebrated as the final siren sounded. It was a draw, 35-points apiece, you couldn’t write a better script.
Extra-time was to be played with 5-minutes each way. The Croatians clicked into another gear and didn’t give the Irish a chance. Their bigger bodies had worn down the Irish and when Croatian Captain, Tomislav Cvetko, went back and goaled late in the second half of extra time it was all but over. The Croatian bench stormed the field in celebration as they were crowned Euro Cup Champions of 2016. The final score was 53-39.
A massive thank you needs to go out to Antonio da Cunha and his team at Move Sports for helping us make Euro Cup in Lisbon come together. Thank you to the umpire squad led by Shane Hill, our volunteers led by pitch managers Fanny Maillett, Laura Pinckney and Hayley Canton, as well as BarTV Sports for providing a first-class live stream of the tournament.
The tournament was played in the right spirit and showcased the amazing footballing community Europe has on offer. Thank you to everyone involved in making this great event so special and we’ll see you all again at the 2017 edition of the Euro Cup.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-17 13:17:092016-10-17 13:17:09Euro Cup 2016 - Review
The 2016 Euro Cup in Lisbon was held over the weekend under clear blue skies and a scorching sun. With 374 players from 16 countries across 22 teams participating the day was an incredible success.
The main pitch was live streamed throughout the day with a record number of people tuning in from all over the globe. Blow-by-blow commentary for the majority of the day brought the games to life and make for great viewing on replay.
Under a setting sun on the main pitch the crowd grew to watch the finals matches. Congratulations to the Netherlands (Plate), France (Bowl), Ireland (Women’s Champions) and Croatia (Men’s Champions) for claiming victory in their respective divisions.
A special thank you to our three pitch manager’s Fanny Maillett, Laura Pinckney and Hayley Canton for ensuring the day ran smoothly along with our umpiring squad led by Shane Hill.
Stay tuned for a full event report in the coming days.
Sparky joins the big time after AFL Women’s Draft
Wimbledon Hawks stalwart, Lauren Spark, became the second Hawk to join the newly formed AFL Women’s League for 2017. She was taken at pick 76 by the Western Bulldogs.
Sparky’s selection sets up a mouthwatering clash with Hawks teammate, Kate Shierlaw, at some stage next year.
We wish both girls all the best in the inaugural AFL Women’s league.
Australian Masters kick off tour with a win
The Australian Masters side which is touring England and Ireland have kicked off their campaign with an 11-point victory over Oxford University at Merton Sports Ground.
The boys will have to rest up as they visit the Australian High Commission today before taking on an AFL England All-Stars side in Reading on Saturday. Further details on that match at the link below:
The CNFA season is upon us with round 1 of the 2016/17 season kicking off this weekend. The Paris Cockatoos will be hoping to avoid second year blues after they claimed the premiership in their first season against the Cergy-Pontoise Coyotes in the season decider earlier this year in June.
Its set to be a fantastic year of Aussie rules action in the CNFA. Check out the fixtures below:
Hawks and Demons covering all bases
The Wimbledon Hawks and Wandsworth Demons supplied record numbers of participants to this year’s Euro Cup.
The Hawks had players in 5 of the 16 countries:
England: Jason Hill, Myles Hudson, David Hastie, Jennifer Bennett, Louise Darby, Lisa Wilson, Charlotte-Ellen Eales and Jess Milford
France: Chloe Romeo
Scotland: Rachel Kilmartin, Lauren Spark (Coach), Kate Shierlaw (Assistant)
Ireland: Stiofan Mac Finn
Wales: Jordan Wynne
The Demons had a total of 22 club members playing or coaching for 4 countries, umpiring or volunteering in an amazing show of community involvement.
Well done to both clubs for great achievements and for all their efforts ensuring the 2016 installment of the Euro Cup was a great success.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-13 15:01:192016-10-13 15:01:19Around the Grounds
The Jerusalem Peace Team Lions are back in for Euro Cup 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal. The Lions team manager, Avraham Benvenisty has provided us with an insight into their preparations leading up to this year’s tournament.
The Jerusalem Peace Team Lions are taking part in their 2nd European Championship!
This time, we’re coming to Lisbon!
The team was founded again a few months ago, with only 3 players that knew how to play the game (or that have even watched a game before), but recruitment brought us to the point of having 14 lads that know the rules, learned the game, and accomplished the goal of playing in the upcoming Euro Cup!
So… What did the team go through over the past few months?
– No pitch for the first week of training’s
– Fasting of players for a month of training
– No goals to practice properly
– No Footy shoes for some players
– 1 broken cheekbone, one broken back, several broken teeth
But also:
– Hard training’s and workouts
– Practice matches (and winning a tournament in Israel!)
– Raising $15,000 for the Euro Cup
– Jews, Muslims and Christians, all fighting together over one odd looking ball!
So –
EURO CUP 2016 LISBON, HEAR THE LIONS ROAR!
The Lions kick off their 2016 tournament against the Irish Warriors at 10am before taking on France and Russia later in the day.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-06 16:51:502016-10-06 16:51:50Jerusalem Peace Team Lions - Euro Cup 16'
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 admin@afleurope.org to receive a question sheet.
This week we are profiling the silver-fox from the Irish Warriors, Eoin O’Murchu. If you’re in Lisbon for this weekend’s Euro Cup then keep an eye out on this veteran winger.
Name:
Eoin O Murchu
Club:
Wandsworth Demons
Nationality:
Ireland
What position do you play?
Wing and Midfield
AFL team you support:
Sydney Swans
Favourite AFL player:
Pearce Hanley from the Brisbane Lions. Honourable mention for “Buddy” Franklin from the Swans too.
How did you find out about AFL?
I played Gaelic Football up until I move to London 7 years ago so I always had an interest growing up. Jim Stynes was from my neighbouring club in Dublin and I followed Tadhg Kennelly’s career when he played too. When I found out there was a league in London I really wanted to get involved.
How long have you been playing for?
6 years
What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?
Chest marks, getting smashed in my first tackle and beating the West London Wildcats in the lashing rain in Putney.
Best AFL moment?
Being named the Rest of the World Club Captain for the Wandsworth Demons last year but winning EU Best and Fairest in my first season at the Demons is a close second.
Notable mention goes to the hard earned froths at the Alex with the Demons after every game. Nothing better than dropping a few Fozzies with the Dees and Shedees 😉 post game.
Any other interesting information, quirky stories or interesting things about yourself?
While I love footy, nothing beats Hurling which was my main sport until I moved to London. Also, my surname is Irish for Murphy which people find very confusing in the UK!
People don’t often associate me with being a big drinker as I usually shy away from the traditional AFL London post-game boat race but a close few know of my ability to down a pint in under 2 seconds.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-06 12:10:552016-10-06 12:10:55Player of the Week
Its only 3 more sleeps until the Euro Cup kicks off again for another year. This year’s installment is taking place in sunny Lisbon, Portugal and is being contested by 15 men’s and 7 women’s teams.
The 1-day tournament is being played at the National Stadium Jamor with three fields in action throughout the day. The 9-a-side format will have teams jostle for top spot in their respective pools in the morning before battling it out in the finals during the afternoon.
Stay tuned on the AFL Europe website and social media for a full tournament preview later in the week.
Clapham Cubs hit record numbers
Sunday 2nd October saw the return of the Clapham Cubs (London’s very own junior Auskick program) with record numbers in attendance. The Cubs had 21 junior players enjoy a morning of kicking and handballing the Aussie rules ball.
Massive congratulations to Lisa Wilson and her team at the Cubs for their great work in developing the game over here at the junior level.
AFL Europe Grand Final Lunch goes down a treat
The annual AFL Europe Grand Final Lunch was held last Friday 30th of September in the Australian High Commission Ballroom.
The event is held in association with the South Australia Club and was a great success with special guests David Zaharakis, Nigel Smart, Kym Koster, Pat Cash and Phil Liggett enjoying the festivities.
Thanks to all those guests who attended and made the event so enjoyable. If you were unable join us last Friday, ensure that you are primed and ready to get on board for the 2017 edition.
AFL Europe want you!
AFL Europe are currently seeking applications for the role of General Manager. If this position is of interest to you or someone you may know please follow the link below for further information.
The culmination of the 2016 HLAN season is upon us. Two of the oldest clubs in Croatia meet with one of the most anticipated match-ups set to treat the crowd in Zagreb.
It’s the Zagreb Hawks vs the Zagreb Dockers. Hawks are the oldest club in Croatia and are celebrating their 10-year anniversary. The Dockers were second to the scene in Zagreb and have been the dominant side in recent seasons.
The 2013-2014 Grand Finals are still fresh in the minds of Croatian footy fans. In these years the Hawks went back-to-back against the Dockers until a player exodus at the end of 2014 for the Hawks saw the Dockers climb to the top of the pile.
Season 2015 saw a changing of the guard with the Zagreb Dockers dominating and saw them claim the premiership cup for the first time.
The Dockers will be confident going into this match-up and with players like Cvetko, Ivos and Cudina they have reason to be.
For the Hawks the return Josip Habljak from Sturt Football Club in the SANFL back in Australia will be a pivotal player. He’s now spent two years in the SANFL system and will lift the confidence of the players around him.
Both teams will be excited to stake their claim as the best team in Croatia after falling short in the CEAFL competition a couple of weeks ago.
Best of luck to both sides and be sure keep an eye out for the full match report to come out early next week.
Coach’s thoughts- Ivan Molnar (Zagreb Dockers)
“We have a lot of respect for the Hawks team. Not only because they have their ruckman back from Australia, but because they are a well organised and balanced team. Underestimating them would be fatal. It is said in our league that we are the favourites to win the title, but in one game anything can happen. No game is win before it has started so we will be highly motivated to defend the title and to prove that we are the best team in Croatia”.
Coach’s thoughts – Josip Kravar (Zagreb Hawks)
“As coach of this team I can say that we are proud to play in the grand final and I am proud of my team to be here now. Some of my greatest masterpieces were created against the odds of reality, so we will give our best”.
afleuropehttp://afleurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Untitled-design-3.pngafleurope2016-10-02 14:02:382016-10-02 14:02:38Match of the Round
