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AFL Europe Match of the Round

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Match of the Round 30/7/16

DAFA 9s – Round Two | Sportpark De Eendracht, Amsterdam from 11:00

The DAFA 9s is the Dutch National 9-a-side footy competition, this year held solely in Amsterdam and is being contested by three teams, Amsterdam Devils (Black), Amsterdam Devils (White) and Den Haag Ooievaars.

Round One saw three very closely contested games with all matches finishing with seven points or less separating the teams at the final siren. Den Haag Ooievaars got the job done in Round One, walking away (or more accurately hobbling away) with two wins, with the White Devils beating the Black Devils to claim one win for the round. Both Amsterdam teams will be looking for revenge in Round Two, with the team top of the ladder after Round Two marching straight into the Grand Final on August 20.

This is the inaugural year of the DAFA 9s and each team is pushing hard to win their first flag and with the teams so evenly matched, we’re looking forward to another round of close and fiercely contested footy in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Devils (Black)

The Amsterdam Devils (Black) team is headed by their Captain Bill Johnstone and Coach Rick Hocking. Playing in the famous Amsterdam Devils kit the Black Devils have a strong outfit, however due to a few key players missing a week or two due to holidays this could hamper their campaign, one of these players being the key ruckman Reinier who is missing Round Two and the Prelim Final. Will the Black Devils make it through and have the chance to make use of Reinier in the Grand Final, only time will tell.

Amsterdam Devils (White)

The Amsterdam Devils (White) team is headed by their Captain (and DAFA President) Michel van Eijk and Coach Zach O’Neil. Touted as the bookies favourites prior to Round One, the White Devils have arguably the strongest team on paper however were hampered in Round One with two key players not taking the field and their Coach only making the second game as he rushed to the ground straight from the airport, after a well-deserved vacation in Greece. The White Devils will be looking to put out a stronger side in Round Two and try and force their way to top spot on the ladder.

Den Haag Ooievaars

The Den Haag Ooievaars team is headed by their Captain Maurice Verbakel and Coach Neil Cooke. The Ooievaars were not really fancied prior to Round One with their Captain and Vice-Captain both missing and a couple of key players carrying injuries. The Ooievaars got some luck however with Dan Lewis making one last appearance as he strengthened a weakened Ooievaars outfit. This was a vital plus to the Ooievaars as they took their chances and managed to hold off both Amsterdam teams to take out top spot after Round One. With both Captian and Vice-Captain back for Round Two, the Ooievaars will be looking to cement their place at the top of the ladder and book a place in the Grand Final at the same time.

 

 

EC16 Team Preview – Irish Warriors

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AFL Europe Championships Team Preview – Ireland Warriors

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.

Next up to be previewed is the Ireland Warriors. The boys from Ireland are always up around top of the placings and will be looking to further assert the dominance in London.

What’s happened since International Cup 2014?

Since the International Cup in 2014 the Irish Warriors have been consistent participants in the yearly Euro Cup. They finished third in the 2014 and were beaten by Croatia after the siren in Umag in the third-place playoff. There has been a high volume of player turnover in recent years for the Warriors.

The positive for the Irish is that their Draft Cup competition unearthed a lot of new talent and the squad will contain a number of players making their Warriors debuts.

The management for the Irish Warriors has undergone significant changes in recent years. The team at IC14 was managed by Paul Brogan and coached by Shaun McElhone, who led the team to wins at Euro Cup 2011 and 2012 as well as retaining the AFL Europe Championships in Dublin 2013. Shaun’s success was unable to travel Australia for IC14 but had the side coached under the watchful eyes of David Stynes and Lachlan Buzsard.

Since the success of the recent era a new coaching and management team has been put in place and it has evolved over the last few years. They’ll be looking to go one step better than previous tournaments and come away with the win at the Champs come August.

Who’s in for the AFL Europe Championships in 2016?

The joint coaching team of Brian Currane and Ciaran O’Hara, both of whom have worked with the team since 2014 and began the process whilst IC14 was underway.

Brian was one of the best forwards in Ireland for many years and was a member of the winning International Cup side from 2002. He was also involved in an administrative capacity for the AFL Europe Championships in 2010.

Ciaran has for many years been involved in the management of the National team, having travelled as an assistant to the International Cup in 2002. In the 2008 and 2011 instalments of the tournament he also managed the team. He coached Croatia at the last AFL Europe Championships in Dublin and has a wealth of experience coaching Irish club teams.

Supporting the coaches is a number of people, most notably, former captain Cian Quigley as team liaison.

The team itself is coming together well, blending a mix of youth and experience. With multiple International medal winners like David McElhone, Eoin O’Suilebhain and Gerard Walls mixing with some really exciting prospects like Stuart McKeating, Paul Murphy and Luke Hickey this Warriors side looks pretty formidable. Add to this some full format experience from the UK Leagues and the Irish could be hard to stop.

The side is made up of 9 players from both the Belfast Redbacks and Leeside Lions, 2 from the Galway Magpies, 2 from South Dublin Swans and a number of player representing UK Clubs such as the Manchester Mozzies, North London Lions, Wandsworth Demons and Wimbledon Hawks.

Pre-Tournament Focus

Due to very busy domestic league schedules it has been difficult for the Warriors to meet for training camps. Their players will be in form with regular carnivals and premiership games throughout the year keeping them fit and with good touch.

The Warriors will relish the opportunity to run out onto a full sized oval seeing as they don’t usually get the opportunity. They’ll look to add width and pace to their game which is something Irish players are traditionally very good at. With a high calibre of football player, the Irish will always a tough opponent and will be very difficult beat. Their Achilles heel is always their inability to train as a team before big tournaments which will put pressure on them early in the Champs to gel as quick as possible.

Who has the X-Factor?

The ruck duo of Gavin Murray and Dominic Joyce will be ones to look out for and can be really dominate. They could dictate first use for their midfielders which is key to winning big games.

The improvement shown by players like Sean Paul Henry is going to be vital for the Warriors. His natural athleticism has always had him at the forefront of opposition discussions but not his foot skills have become a focal point of his game which makes him a really exciting prospect for the Irish side.

Coaches thoughts – Brian Currane?

“We’d expect to have a fair crack at defending our title, but we know it will be difficult, GB were very good in 2013 and have improved since and the home advantage for them could be the percentages they need to take out their first European Championship.”

Team List (includes emergencies)

  1. Muiris Bartley (UCC & Leeside Lions)
  2. Sean Paul Henry (Belfast Redbacks)
  3. Luke Hickey (UCC & Leeside Lions)
  4. Brendan Kelly (Belfast Redbacks)
  5. Stiofan Mac Finn (Wimbledon Hawks)
  6. Tom McKenna (Belfast Redbacks)
  7. Paul Murphy (UCC & Leeside Lions)
  8. Conor O’Halloran (Leeside Lions)
  9. Eoin O’Suilleabhain (Leeside Lions)
  10. Tom Stack (Manchester Mozzies)
  11. Gerard Walls (Belfast Redbacks)
  12. Liam Burns (South Dublin Swans)
  13. Conor Fitzgerald (Wandsworth Demons)
  14. David McElhone (Belfast Redbacks)
  15. Sean McGlinchey (Belfast Redbacks)
  16. Stuart McKeating (Belfast Redbacks)
  17. David Miller (Belfast Redbacks)
  18. Gavin Murray (South Dublin Swans)
  19. Kevin O’Brien (Wandsworth Demons)
  20. Eoin O’Murchu (Wandsworth Demons)
  21. Conor Fitzgerald (North London Lions)
  22. Dominic Joyce (Leeside Lions)
  23. Ryan McCloskey (Belfast Redbacks)
  24. Kevin McDonnell (Galway Magpies)
  25. David McGinty (Galway Magpies)
  26. Kevin McSorley (Belfast Redbacks)
  27. Kevin O’Brien (Wandsworth Demons)
  28. Padraic O’Connell (Leeside Lions)
  29. Coilin O’Lordain (Leeside Lions)
  30. Rory O’Donnell (UCC & Leeside Lions)
  31. Alan Tobin (Wandsworth Demons)

EC16 Team Preview – Swedish Elks

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AFL Europe Championships Team Preview – Swedish Elks

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.

What’s happened since the International Cup in 2014?

The Elks have remained relatively quiet since the International Cup in 2014. The team participated in the 2014 Euro Cup with mixed results. They also hosted the 2015 Nordic Challenge beating Norway and Denmark (for the very first time) to claim the title.

2016 has seen the Elks host regional training sessions as well as a combined session following the Swedish Cup tournament in Norrtalje in June this year.

Who’s in for the AFL Europe Championships?

Head coach Daniel McClaer resigned in 2015 and the board spent a lot of time finding a new coach before finally settling on Brett Petersen based in Malmo. Unfortunately, Brett will not be attending the Championships in August so the team will be coached by manager and AFL Sweden President, Ryan Tucker.

There are a few new faces in the team but the majority of players have played in the Elks squad for a number of years. They hope to mix the older generation with the youth coming through but finding the right balance will be key.

Players are spread all across the country with all but one active team not having a player represented. Sweden have also taken advantage of neighbouring countries not entering a team with players from Norway, Finland and Lithuania.

Pre-Tournament Focus?

The lead up to this tournament has not been perfect having only recently secured a new head coach the team has not received the desired amount of attention moving into the Championships. Unfortunately, combined training sessions and team meetings have not been able to happen as planned which puts the Elks behind the eight-ball in terms of preparation. In saying this, the group of players play with and against one another at club level week in, week out which provides a level of familiarity.

The biggest hurdle will be the adjustment of newer players to the 18-a-side format after playing at 9-a-side format for their respective clubs. The Elks are renowned for their fitness, determination and voice on the field which will more than make up for any other areas they may be lacking.

Who has the X-Factor?

You can never go past veteran Andy Svensson. The oldest player in the team seems to get younger when he plays footy. Having played since the early 2000s he is a valued member of the team. Andy was a member of the combined Denmark and Sweden side that took out the championships 20 years ago in 1996.

New Elks, Alex Olsson and Calle Wrang have proved in domestic footy that they can produce, whilst stalwarts Chris Martensson and Hampus Olsson will lead the team with bravado.

One of the most improved players is Buster Sund from Norrtalje. He was just 17 years old at International Cup in 2014 and gained valuably from that experience to become one of the most dominant players in the Stockholm league in the past two years.

Coach’s thoughts – Ryan Tucker

“For me this tournament will serve as a great learning tool for the players looking to play in IC17. A bunch of new guys have never played 18-a-side footy and I am excited to see what can happen when the game widens. I am happy with the team we have put together and I think we have some great strengths in our fitness and passion for the game. our size will also be a factor during the tournament which we can hopefully exploit. Even though we have a few new players to the team our experienced players have a number of years behind them which will be very useful in tight games.”

Team List

  1. Andreas Svensson (Helsingborg)
  2. Anton Tellström (Helsingborg)
  3. Jacob Lantz (Helsingborg)
  4. Hampus Olsson (Helsingborg)
  5. Jacob Nilsson (Helsingborg)
  6. Philip Nilsson (Helsingborg)
  7. Robin Nilsson (Helsingborg)
  8. Niklas Jonsson (Norrtälje)
  9. Martynas Alijosius (Norrtälje)
  10. Erik Lindqvist (Norrtälje)
  11. Gustav Svensson (Norrtälje)
  12. Buster Sund (Norrtälje)
  13. Tim Lindgren (Port Malmö)
  14. Tobias Gogu (Port Malmö)
  15. Tony Persson (Port Malmö)
  16. Jonas Lovén (Port Malmö)
  17. Christopher Mårtensson (Port Malmö)
  18. Jonas Birgén (Årsta)
  19. Mattis Kvarnström (Årsta)
  20. Oscar Magnusson (Solna)
  21. Pekka Tångström (Göteborg)
  22. Kaj Karlsson (Södermalm)

 

Player of the Week – Lewis Brackstone

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AFL EUROPE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Lewis Brackstone has been an integral part of the West London Wildcats almost perfect season. After conceding the first match of the Round to fierce rivals, the Wandsworth Demons the West London Wildcats have made it their mission to finish out the season undefeated.

Lewis has been named in the 2016 AFL Europe Championship squad for the Great Britain Bulldogs and has been playing the game for the last 12 years. Congratulations on your almost perfect season, Lewis we look forward to seeing you play at EC!

Name:

Lewis Brackstone

Club:

West London Wildcats

Nationality:

English

AFL Team you support:

Geelong- Persuaded by the old man

Favourite AFL Player:

Brad Wedgwood & Dan Prigmore

How did you find out about AFL?

I found out about AFL in my first year of secondary school, Carshalton Boys, with the school gaining Sports College status the school wanted to push its students to achieve more and try their hand at different sports, plus having a load of Aussie PE staff helped thus they added Aussie Rules into the school curriculum.

How long have you been playing for?

I’ve been playing for around 12 years, the first 4 were at my school, where I’d only see limited footy time. I’ve been playing at the Wildcats for 8 years now, joining when I was 15.

What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?

My first memory of AFL was playing in my first school match at Full Back, with my coach at the time Ex Wildcat Paul Avery awarding me captaincy. He told me that I would have rule over the back line and that he had full confidence and faith in me that I’d bring him home a win, of which I didn’t let him down.

Best AFL moment?

Without doubt my best AFL moment was being selected to play in the World XVIII to go out to Australia to participate in the u16s NAB challenge cup. Being coached and mentored by Michael O’Loughlin was a true honour.

Any other information, quirky stories or interesting thing about you?

Played with AFL hopeful Emmanuel Irra & current Swans defender Aliir Aliir during my time in the World XVIII. I’m an avid Game of Thrones watcher since 2011

 

Tuesday Around the Grounds

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Tuesday Around the Grounds

 

Swedish Ravens Announce 2016 Euro Cup Squad

The Ravens are getting really excited about the Euro Cup 2016! This year it will be held in Lisbon on the 8th of October and after a good start to the season for women´s footy in Sweden these are the players who have been selected for this years Euro Cup squad. Congratulations to the players below and most importantly, go Ravens!

Jenny Nilsson
Josefin Sjölén
Hanna Falkenström
Ida Rasmark
Isabelle Karlsson
Linnea Lindemann
Cecilia Andersson
Linn Gardell
Stina Nylinder
Sammy Vallgren
Jill Nilsson
My Almkvist
Cecilia Gelinder
Linnea Kempe
Elin Göransson

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AFL London has finished the season and move into finals

With Round 10 of AFL London now done and dusted all four divisions head into the first week of finals this Saturday 23rd July. A special mention goes to the Wimbledon Hawks who have made the finals with all three of their divisions, for the first time in their history. The first week of finals kicks off this week with:

Saturday 23rd July

Clapham Common

11am Social:                         South London Demons v Ealing Emus

12.30pm Conference:         Clapham Demons v Shepherds Bush Raiders

2.30pm Womens:                Wimbledon Hawks v North London Lions

4pm Premiers:                    Wandsworth Demons v West London Wildcats

 

Sunday 24th July

 Peckham Rye

11am Social:                         Reading Roos v Wimbledon Hawks

12.30pm Conference:         South East London Giants v North London Lions

2.30pm Women’s:               Wandsworth Demons v South East London Giants

4pm Premiers:                    North London Lions v Wimbledon Hawks

 

The Croatian Knights have announced their Euro Cup squad for Lisbon in October

The Croatian Knights have announced their 2016 AFL Europe Euro Cup team for the tournament on Saturday 8th October 2016, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Croatian Knights 2016:

  1. Igor Galez  (Zapruđe Giants)
  2. Tomislav Đuran  (Sesvete Double Blues)
  3. Miro Jurmanović  (Zagreb Cvjetno Dockers)
  4. Dejan Pavković  (Sesvete Double Blues)
  5. Filip Lenić  (Zapruđe Giants)
  6. Zvonimir Murković  (Zapruđe Giants)
  7. Josip Motik  (Sesvete Double Blues)
  8. Jan Doležal  (Zagreb Hawks)
  9. Hrvoje Kežić  (Ploče Eagles)
  10. Josip Habljak   (Sturt FC)
  11. Ivan Molnar   (Zagreb Cvjetno Dockers)
  12. Tomislav Cvetko (c) (Zagreb Cvjetno Dockers)
  13. Tomislav Nedić   (Velika Gorica Bombers)
  14. Bruno Benčić   (Zapruđe Giants)
  15. Ivan Ivoš   (Zagreb Cvjetno Dockers)
  16. Mislav Karamatić  (Sesvete Double Blues)

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The Norrtälje Dockers have had their best start in history

 After 5-of-10 rounds play in the 2016 season, the Norrtälje Dockers have shot out of the blocks with their best start to a season to date, sitting in second place on the ladder heading into the summer break. The SAFF’s newest club have turned many heads this season winning 4-out-of-5 matches that they have played, going down only to last year’s premiers the Södermalm Blues, back in round 2.

 

Manchester Mosquitoes to host AFL CNE Grand Final in their 6th GF appearance

The Manchester Mozzies will host Nottingham Scorpions after beating Huddersfield Rams on the weekend 144-59, while the Nottingham Scorpions had a win over the Wolverhampton Wolverines to make it into the big dance. Saturday 23rd July will kick off with the plate final at 12pm and the Grand Final at 2pm at Burnage Rugby Club, SK4 3EA, Manchester.

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Euro Cup Registrations is now live!

 The 2016 AFL Europe Euro Cup registrations have now gone live for October 8th in Lisbon, Portugal. Registration is €110 + the Eventbrite fee, including accommodation, breakfast, registration for playing, an event T-Shirt and entry into the after party. Click here to register!

Announcement

2016 AFL Europe Euro Cup

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Welcome to the 2016 Euro Cup! This year’s tournament is being held in Lisbon, Portugal at the National Stadium Jamor.

Date: Saturday 8th October 2016

Venue: Lisbon, Portugal (National Stadium Jamor)

Map:

 Pitch Map

Registration:

Your registration fee of €110 + Eventbrite Fee, this year INCLUDES all of the following:

  • Playing registration fee
  • Event t-shirt
  • 2-night accommodation at either Hotel Amazonia or Praia Mar (price is for a triple room with two of your teammates)
  • Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday at your hotel
  • Wristband and free entry in the official after-party

Please note – if you wish to stay at the accommodation for longer (before or after the tournament), please contact us ASAP on admin@afleurope.org so we can organise this for you. Beds are limited so get in early. 

 

Eventbrite - 2016 AFL Europe Euro Cup

 

Volunteers:

Any volunteers who which to help during the event can register on Eventbrite AND contact AFL Europe at admin@afleurope.org. The price for Volunteers covers your accommodation and breakfast we will supply you with lunch, t-shirt and never ending gratitude.

Umpires:

All umpiring enquiries regarding Euro Cup can be made by contacting umpires@afleurope.org – registration is available on the Eventbrite link.

Information Pack:

2016 Pre-Tournament Booklet

Player Eligibility:

1) The Player was predominantly resident in the country of the league between 10 and 16 years of age subject to the qualification in sub clause A below.
2) The Player is a citizen of the country of the league at the time when the competition is conducted, subject to the qualification in sub clause A below.
3) The Player is not under suspension in that Player’s local competition during the period of the competition.
AFL Europe may on a case by case basis, waive the eligibility requirements if it is satisfied that a player is a bona fide resident in the country of the league and his participation would be in the best interests of the competition. Submissions in this regard must be made by lodging a Application for Eligibility Exemption – 2016. Any player who has previously obtained exemption must apply again in 2016 – please complete the form and email to admin@afleurope.org

Tournament Rules and Eligibility

Team Registration & Waiver:

The Eventbrite form makes it compulsory for all players, coaches and team officials to specify which team they are registration for/with however, all teams need to submit a Euro Cup 2016 – Team Entry Form before the cut-off date (Saturday 17th September) as well as a Euro Cup 2016 – Team List and a AFL Europe Euro Cup – Waiver and Release – all players must sign this form before registration on Friday 7th October 2016. This will ensure all information is received by us and we can then go ahead with the rankings and draw.

Match of the Round

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Match of the Round 15/7/16

Round 2 CEAFL Review

This weeks ‘Match of the Round’ is going to review the 2nd round of the CEAFL which took place last week in Dobl near Graz, Austria.

Following a successful 1st round in Zagreb, Croatia the ladder looked like this:

  1. Zaprude Giants 15 Points
  2. Zagreb Dockers 12 Points
  3. Sesvete Double Blues 10 Points
  4. Zagreb Hawks 10 Points
  5. Styrian DUDogs 8 Points
  6. Eagles 6 Points
  7. VG Bombers 4 Points

With the round originally planned with 8 teams, the tournament was eventually run with 5 teams, comprising of the Styrian DownUnderDogs, Sesvete Double Blues and the VG Bombers with full squads, the Zaprude Giants with 7 players and a mixed team combining players from the Prague Dragons, Zagreb Hawks and Zagreb Dockers.

With the Giants only having 7 players they were entitled to an 18-point handicap each game. In addition, all games for the Giants along with the Semi Final were played as 7-a-side games.

The group stage included all 5 teams in the one group – every team played each other once. Only the last two games weren’t played due to a lack of numbers from the mixed side and an agreed draw between the Double Blues and Dogs.

The final standings from the group stage is as follows:

ladder

The final series was kicked off with the Dogs taking on the Bombers followed by the Double Blues locking horns with the Giants.

The first semi-final between Dogs and Bombers ended as a convincing victory for the Dogs as the VG Bombers had numerous injuries and despite a handicap were unable to get close to the Styrian side.

The second semi-final was an absolute thriller between the Giants and Double Blues which saw the Giants clinch victory in the dying minutes of the game.

The Grand Final was played as a 7-a-side game between the Styrian DownUnderDogs and Zaprude Giants. The Giants started with an 18-point handicap and lead by 1-point at halftime with the scores reading 19 to 18.

Even though the Dogs showed courage and almost drew even in the middle of the second half, it proved a lack of experience from the Dogs that led to an 8-point win from the Zaprude Giants.

Review of the teams:

Prague Dragons

The Dragons faced some late cancellations from various players, therefore only 4 guys made the long trip down from Prague. Nevertheless, together with players from the Zagreb Hawks and Dockers they teamed up and showed great passion and enthusiasm. With a full squad that will be on show at their home tournament, the Dragons will be another difficult opponent and raise the quality of the CEAFL competition.

VG Bombers

Founded earlier this year, the Bombers have already shown great courage and massive improvement from game to game. In their second group game, they even had the chance to knock off the more experienced and eventual winners, the Zaprude Giants, but failed to mark the final kick of the game which was only centimetres from goal, losing by 3-points. Their continual improvement is great for the CEAFL competition and they will on develop further in each tournament they play.

Sesvete Double Blues

In their second year of existence, the Double Blues from Sesvete are getting closer and closer to the more established clubs from Zagreb. The Double Blues were dominant throughout the group stages along with the first half of their semi-final against the Giants. They seemed to run out of gas in the second half with the Giants clinching victory in the dying minutes to win through to the final.

Styrian DownUnderDogs

The 1st round of the CEAFL in Zagreb saw the Dogs get their first win against a Croatian team in almost 5 years. With this success in their minds they started their home tournament with another win and managed to beat all the other opponents in the group stage. The Dogs won 5 games on their way to the Grand Final before a fast finishing Giants stopped them in a thrilling game.

Zaprude Giants

Winning 2 out of 2 tournament, the Giants emphasised their ambitions to win the CEAFL this year. If they combine their level of skills and experience again in the final round in Prague they will be hard beat and could claim the CEAFL title.

 

 

 

 

2016 CEAFL ladder after 2 of 3 rounds:

  1. Zaprude Giants 30 Points
  2. Styrian DUDogs 20 Points
  3. Sesvete Double Blues 20 Points
  4. VG Bombers 14 Points
  5. Zagreb Dockers 12 Points
  6. Zagreb Hawks 10 Points
  7. Prague Dragons 8 Points
  8. Eagles 6 Points

The Dogs would like to thank all the teams for attending the 2nd round of the CEAFL and providing such entertaining games of football. The whole CEAFL is now looking forward to the 3rd and final round of the 2016 CEAFL tournament on the 10th of September in Prague.

 

A huge thank you to Michael Jud, Martin Schittegg and Oliver Krajacic for compiling this amazing review of the 2nd round CEAFL tournament. We can’t wait to hear how the final round pans out.

 

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EC16 Team Preview – GB Bulldogs

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AFL Europe Championships Team Preview – GB Bulldogs

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.

Kicking off our team previews is the host country men’s side, the Great Britain Bulldogs.

What’s happened since International Cup 2014?

In the 2014 International Cup the Bulldogs were drawn into Pool A alongside Ireland, Naura, Fiji, France and Indonesia. They claimed victories over France and Fiji and overall finished 9th.

In the current world rankings Great Britain are ranked 11th.

Following the International Cup in 2014, Head Coach Mark Pitura, departed from the top position. With no time pressure the GB management team took their time with the new coaching selection. In early 2016 it was announced that reigning AFL CNE premiership coach, Dean Thomas, would step up as GB Head Coach. He will be assisted by long-serving player, Will Worthington, as well as Jason Hill and Rhys Long as Team Manager’s.

The past 12 months have been very positive for the GB side with England finishing 2nd in the Euro Cup in Croatia with many of the current GB squad present.

Who’s in for the AFL Europe Championships

All 30 players have now been announced with a very fresh look to the squad that competed at IC14.Only Will Worthington, Owain Ryland, James Talbot and Andy Smith (unfortunately now injured) remain from the squad that flew to Australia 2 years ago. The squad comprises players from across the country with representatives from the Wimbledon Hawks, the North London Lions, the Manchester Mozzies, the Wolverhampton Wolverines and the Wandsworth Demons leading the way. Players from the Huddersfield Rams, the West London Wildcats, Southampton Titans and the London Swans making up the remainder of the 30. This just goes to show the strength and development across the country. Many of the squad will be Bulldogs debutants despite having International experience with their home nations team in tournaments like the Euro Cup.

AFL Europe Championships focus

Head Coach Dean Thomas has spent the first half of the year instilling team ethos, plans and support structure in place within the training squad while nailing down his squad from the Bulldogs performance squad. Thomas brings a wealth of knowledge and success with the Manchester Mozzies and has been working on translating this success into the International arena.

Who has the X-Factor?

With a very young looking Bulldog’s squad, many of who are making their international debut, it’ll be very hard to pick who would potentially provide the difference in this tournament.

The University of Birmingham keep producing high quality players and their link up with the North London Lions continues to be fruitful. Ross Denton, Jack Coughlan, Jonny Harvey, Andy Walkden, Chris Britton, George Dibble and Michael Sharp have all come through the pipeline and will be worth a watch at EC16.

The London league is seeing impressive performances from the Wimbledon newbies in Myles Hudson, David Hastie, Marc Cashman and Jason Hill. While Alex Watson and David Jordan at the Wandsworth Demons are putting in highly rated performances along with West London Wildcats defender, Lewis Brackstone.

The AFL CNE league continues to churn out new and young talent in Craig Degville, Andrew Cochran and Harry Duffield.

More experienced players such as Owain Ryland, Andy Smith, Will Worthington and Luke Booth will be key to bringing success, through their big tournament experience and years of service to the Bulldogs.

All in all, X-Factor performances have the ability to come from the whole GB squad and we’re as excited as anyone to see who’ll shine at the AFL Europe Champs in August.

Coach, Dean Thomas’ thoughts and aims for the AFL Europe Championships

“The tournament itself is a fantastic opportunity for locally produced players to showcase their capabilities and test themselves at a higher level than they have previously competed in. It’s also an opportunity for the sporting public, in the UK, to get along and see for themselves, the entertaining nature of the sport we participate in. The players themselves can’t rely on experienced Australians to guide them in this tournament. It is therefore their opportunity to claim the limelight.

Our end goal, like every other nation attending, is to win the tournament. There has been a major overhaul of the squad, with a view to sustainable long term improvement, but in the short term we are quietly optimistic that the players we are assembling will be primed in August to deliver a very competitive performance in every game we participate in”.

Great Britain Bulldogs Squad:

  1. Lewis Brackstone (West London Wildcats)
  2. Chris Britton (Manchester Mozzies)
  3. Luke Booth (Huddersfield Rams)
  4. Marc Cashman (Wimbledon Hawks)
  5. Jack Coughlan (North London Lions)
  6. Craig Degville (Wolverhampton Wolverines)
  7. Ross Denton (North London Lions)
  8. George Dibble (Wolverhampton Wolverines)
  9. David Hastie (Wimbledon Hawks)
  10. Jonny Harvey (North London Lions)
  11. Jason Hill (Wimbledon Hawks)
  12. Myles Hudson (Wimbledon Hawks)
  13. Owain Ryland (London Swans)
  14. Michael Sharp (North London Lions)
  15. Andy Walkden (Manchester Mozzies)
  16. Alex Watson (Wandsworth Demons)
  17. Jack Wood (West London Wildcats)
  18. Will Worthington (London Swans)
  19. Andrew Cochran (Manchester Mozzies)
  20. Harry Duffield (Wolverhampton Wolverines)
  21. David Jordan (Wandsworth Demons)
  22. Andy Smith (Wandsworth Demons)
  23. Spike Kilheeney (Manchester Mozzies)
  24. Cameron Cope (Wolverhampton Wolverines)
  25. Alex Overton (Huddersfield Rams)
  26. Ryan Spivey (Susses Swans)
  27. James Talbot (North London Lions)
  28. Matt Warwick (West London Wildcats)
  29. Martyn Hinchey (Southampton Titans)
  30. Matthew Goodman (The Wandsworth Demons)

 

2016 AFL EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIPS

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The 2016 AFL Europe Championship Schedule taking place in London from August 13-20th.  AFL Europe’s triennial 18-a-side tournament is a warm up for the AFL International Cup in August 2017. With match days falling on, Sunday 14th, Tuesday 16th, Thursday 18th, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th at Motspur Park (Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Ground, KT3 6NE) this year’s competitors are:

 

MEN

German Eagles

Great Britain Bulldogs

Irish Warriors

Swedish Elks

 

WOMEN

European Crusaders (Made up from France, GB and Scandinavia)

Great Britain Swans

Irish Banshees

 

SCHEDULE

DAY ONE – SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST

1pm Irish Warriors v German Eagles

3pm Great Britain Bulldogs v Swedish Elks

 

DAY TWO – TUESDAY 16TH AUGUST

4pm German Eagles v Swedish Elks

6pm Great Britain Bulldogs v Irish Warriors

 

DAY THREE – THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST

1.30pm Great Britain Swans v Irish Banshees

2.15pm Irish Banshees v European Crusaders

3pm European Crusaders v Great Britain Swans

4pm Irish Warriors v Swedish Elks

6pm Great Britain Bulldogs v German Eagles

 

DAY FOUR – FRIDAY 19TH AUGUST

11.30am Irish Banshees v European Crusaders

12.15pm Great Britain Swans v Irish Banshees

1pm European Crusaders v Great Britain Swans

 

DAY FIVE – SATURDAY 20TH AUGUST

1pm Men’s Third Place PO

2.30pm Women’s Grand Final

3.30pm Men’s Grand Final

 

Good luck to all involved, we can’t wait to host you in London from 13th-20th August 2016.

 

For volunteering, physiotherapists, or umpires please email admin@afleurope.org

Match of the Round

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Berlin Crocodiles v Rheinland Lions  

It’s the first game of the German 16-a-side Premiership. Rheinland Lions are making the trip to Berlin to take on the Berlin Crocodiles in what is set to be an intriguing battle between two sides who didn’t meet in the 9-a-side tournament earlier in the year.

The Crocodiles finished that tournament by winning 11 out of a possible 12 games to finish second behind the Munich Kangaroos. The Lions had an indifferent tournament and lacked consistency winning 50% of their games to finish fourth with a 6-12 record.

This weekend’s fixture in Berlin earmarks the start of the 16-a-side Premiership which runs up until the 10th of September when the season culminates with the Grand Final. This year’s format will see 3 teams competing in the larger format which also includes the Munich Kangaroos. The Kangaroos will go into the season as early favourites due to their dominance in the earlier 9-a-side Championship were they didn’t drop a game.

The weekends clash has added importance as the winner will go through to play the Kangaroos in what is effectively a preliminary final with the winner going straight through to the grand final in September.

Berlin 2

The Crocs have improved rapidly in the past few seasons and account this to the development of their internal 9-a-side Berlin tournament which consists of four teams, as well as the commitment from their first home-grown German coach, Constantine Hoher. This will be their first 16-a-side game in over two years which could prove difficult and how quickly they adjust will be key to winning this game.

The key players for the Crocs are their four big recruits for the year in Rhys Ironmonger, Mitch New, Luke Edwards and James Sunderman. All four have played reasonable football back home in Australia and have added real depth and talent to the Berlin list.

Berlin 5

The Lions have had an indifferent season thus far coming into the 16s Premiership and attribute some major team changes since their Premiership season and Champions League appearance in 2014/15 as a major factor for their inconsistency. The positive for the Lions is the fact that their team is made up primarily of young Germans. Despite their inexperience they’re enthusiastic, fit, strong and pushing hard for an all-out assault on the 16s Premiership.

The key players for the Lions are the midfield generals Julian Wichmann and Tobias Menzel. The latter has arrived back from a year exchange in Australia where he further developed his skills and tactics. Richard Huggard is one to look out for as well. Despite living in Australia, Huggard, returns to Germany every 2 years and pulls the boots on. Huggard should provide extra motivation for the young squad by showing his commitment to the team with the great lengths he travels to pull on the mighty Lions jumper.

It’s set to be a blockbuster to open the Germany 16-a-side Premiership season with plenty on the line for both sides. The winner books themselves a place against the Munich Kangaroos and a chance for automatic entry in the Grand Final. If that doesn’t get the two teams excited for this weekend’s blockbuster, then I don’t know what will.

Best of luck to the Berlin Crocs and Rheinland Lions, we look forward to hearing the result of this one.

Coach’s thoughts – Constantine Hoher (Berlin Crocs)

“I’m looking forward to the final and excited to see how we will go in our first 16-a-side match since 2014 (due to the comp being restructured to a 9-a-side format last year). We have a lot of height in our team this year and we are planning to use this to our advantage. So despite the fact they have been a strong team in the last few years I think we can give them good competition at our home ground and hopefully come away with a win.”

 

Coach’s thoughts – Kristopher Marsh (Rheinland Lions)

“The season has been quite up and down for the team so far. Even though skills have improved tremendously since the previous season the team has not always lived up to their potential. However, the squad is in good shape and has been training hard over the past days to work on their consistency. Certainly, motivation won’t be an issue since the boys are looking forward to their favourite away game in the capital.”