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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.

Player of the Week – Coline Duquet

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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’s player profile is on French ruck, Coline Duquet. Coline first fell in love with the game of AFL on a study exchange in Sydney, Australia, where she played for the University side. She has been a member of the French national side for the past few years and this year represented France in both the AFL Europe Champions League and ANZAC Day clash in Villers-Bretonneux.

Coline picked up the nickname ‘Emu’ during her time in Australia and loves singing the French national anthem before her games for her country.

Well done Coline, best of luck for the rest of the season.

 

Name:

Coline Duquet

Club:

Paris Cockerels

Nationality:

French

What position do you play?

Ruck

AFL team you support:

GWS Giants

Favourite AFL player:

Jeremy Cameron

How did you find out about AFL?

I studied in Sydney, Australia for a year and played a season with UTS

How long have you been playing for?

3 years

What is your memory of your first Aussie Rules game?

It was a preseason game in Sydney, really warm weather. They put me in the midfield and I didn’t know what I was doing but I felt really welcomed in the team and knew I would love it.

Best AFL moment?

Singing the French anthem with the French national team

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

At a training session in Sydney, the coach said “don’t bend over like emu” which made me laugh very hard because it sounded so Australian. My nickname there was emu.

 

AFL Europe works with DFAT to empower Women and Girls through Aussie Rules.

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The AFL footprint is extending beyond the shores of Australia at a rapid rate. Port Adelaide’s partnership in China, Europe’s continual growth in participation and the array of countries embracing Aussie Rules are increasing at a rapid rate. Countries as remote and varied as Palestine and Malta are jumping on board expanding the AFL bubble further outside of Australia.

On the 3rd of June in Palestine, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) hosted a ‘Young Women’s Sports Day’ in the capital of Ramallah. The Australian Representative Office (ARO) in Ramallah, in cooperation with the Palestinian Olympic Committee and the Higher Council for Youth and Sport, organised the day which was attended by 11 to 16-year-old girls. AFL Europe collaborated with DFAT by sending every girl home with an Auskick pack and ball.

With expectations set at 100 girls attending, the organising committee was amazed to have 150 keen and excited participants. Girls from villages, refugee camps and sporting clubs in the West Bank area were in attendance; being even more impressive considering the mercury reached a top of 34 degrees.

Aussie Rules was a hit amongst all 150 Palestinian girls as they were put through the paces with some kicking and handballing drills before they went into a free-for-all match, with everyone joining in the fun.

The footies and Auskick packs were much appreciated souvenirs for the girls and will act as reminders of the amazing day they had learning Australia’s Game. No doubt they be making appearances around Ramallah in the near future.

Marcia Pius, Head of Office at the ARO, commented that they were “very proud to share our love of sport with the Palestinian girls, and hopes to build on our cooperation with Palestinian sports institutions and the broader community in future events”.

A enormous thank you goes to Marcia Pius, Lima Anfous, and Amani Hato in the Palestinian DFAT office for ensuring Australian Rules featured in such an amazing initiative. It was a pleasure to be able to assist in the delivery of such a special day for so many girls in Ramallah.

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Benjamin Durance

Tuesday Around the Grounds

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Each Tuesday we put together a snapshot of what’s been happening all things AFL around Europe. If you or your club want something featured, please send through information to ben.durance@afleurope.org

AFL London Women’s Grand Final rematch goes down to the wire

After the men’s grand final rematch blowout, a couple of weeks ago, the women had their turn on a picturesque Sunday afternoon at Motspur Park. A few sore heads from a large day at the Epsom Derby on the Saturday didn’t deter the Hawks or Demons Ladies. The match was ferocious from the first bounce and the intensity never dropped.

The Hawks jumped out of the blocks in the 4th quarter and held onto a 2 goal lead, finishing 5.4. 34 to 3.4. 22. Full credit to both clubs and their coaching staff for showcasing the amazing growth and development of the women’s game here in London.

Clapham Cubs back on this Sunday 12th of June

After a two week lay-off due to the bank holiday and mid-term break the AFL Europe Juniors and Auskick program is back on again. All ages are welcome with the session running from 11am-12noon this Sunday the 12th of June at Clapham Common.

If you haven’t signed up your child or are seeking further information, please check the flyer below or follow the link to the Clapham Cubs website.

www.claphamcubs.co.uk

Cubs Poster

Massive weekend of football in Germany sees Munich Kangaroos and Berlin Crocodiles go undefeated

Two lightening rounds were held in Germany over the weekend, one in Munich and the other in Hamburg. 8 teams took part across the two tournaments with each playing 3 games.

The Munich Kangaroos proved too strong on their home turf and finished the day undefeated. Over in Hamburg the Berlin Crocs took the spoils winning all three games comfortably.

Congratulations to all teams who made the carnivals a great success and are showing the continued growth of Aussie Rules in Germany.

Mozzies put on a show on the Tyne

It was the second lightning round of the season for AFL Central North East England at the weekend hosted by the Tyne Tees Tigers ARFC.

The Manchester Mozzies continued their strong start to season 2016 following a runners-up finish at the AFL Europe Champions League. They amassed a total of 341 points across two games at the weekend and proved to again be strong favourites in the ever-growing Central North East England competition.

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Demons do their part for MND research

This weekend’s Queens Birthday clash between Collingwood v Melbourne also sees the second instalment of the Cure for MND’s ‘Big Freeze at the G’.

The Wandsworth Demons will be hosting the West London Wildcats at Clapham Common on Saturday and will be putting on a fundraiser to help out with the efforts in finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease.

With hats and beanies for sale, raffles throughout the day and a cake sale there’ll be a great atmosphere down at the Common. Keep an eye out on AFL Europe’s and the Wandsworth Demons website and social media for more information regarding the weekend.

Girls umpire too!

A special mention has to go out to two of AFL London’s most dedicated volunteers, Lisa Wilson and Kate Grabowski, who umpired their first Premiership game together on Friday night in a match between the Hawks and the Demons.

The game was well controlled and officiated by the girls with all involved playing in the right spirit. It was a great show of development for Aussies Rules abroad and hopefully we’ll see more women take the leap into umpiring.

Congratulations Kate and Lisa.

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Ben Durance

 

 

Tigers beat Convicts in the wet

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By Ian Baxter

On Saturday June 7th women from all over Great Britain and Ireland converged in Newcastle to play the Tyne Tees Tigers Women’s team at North Shields Rugby Club. The visiting team, the Convicts, were able to boast 2 Irish internationals, a French international, a couple of experienced Australians and no less than 4 of the always well drilled Glasgow Sharks side. It was clear that these girls would be no pushovers, especially for the Tigers side who were all playing in either their first or second game of Aussie Rules.

In a 9 –a-side game played over 4x 15 minute quarters, both teams showed skill, flair and commitment that at times belied the heavy rain and always slippery conditions. During the first quarter playing with the wind and some luck the Tigers took control of the game whilst the convicts got to grips with the conditions and their new team mates. Convicts ruck recruit Rachel ‘Killa’ Kilmartin used her height to dominate the ruck contest from the get go, but the hard running of Tigers midfielders Lucy Kavanagh, Polly Moane, and Michelle Healy coupled with the strong marking of forward Jordy Lane allowed the Tigers to take a 25 point lead into the first break.

1Q: Tyne Tees Tigers 4.2.26 Convicts 0.1.1

The second quarter saw the Convict Tia Bool work her way more into the game with her Australian experience and class on the ball evident to all, allied with the pacy running of Kirsty Gray saw Bool kick the convicts first goal of the game. But it wasn’t to be, as a stellar quarter by the Tigers midfielder Lynn Mitchell saw her kick 3 goals and attract the attention and chants of the growing crowd as the Tigers piled on 5 goals to take a 50 point lead into the half time break.

HT: Tyne Tees Tigers 9.3.57  Convicts 1.1.7

In the Third quarter again the convicts stepped it up with the run and carry of the Irish pair Carolann Cass and Fiona Roarty coming to the fore. Enabling French International Gaelle Hazimeh to double the vistors goal tally. But a comeback wasn’t to be as the Tigers defence of Grace Campbell and Tanya Scully marshalled by the majestic Lisa McHugh, were able to deal with the attack and rebound effectively allowing the hard working forwards of Jordy Lane, Karen Keane and Nicola McLaughlin to add another 5 goals to the Tiger tally.

3QT Tyne Tees Tigers 14.4.88 Convicts 2.1.13

The final quarter saw some tired legs continuing to compete over the rain sodden ground with Glasgow Sharks representatives Evelyn McGee, Kristi Jo Fawcett and Sarahmairead McLachlan standing their ground as they had all day, through the midfield and backline against a strong tigers attacking formation. The Tigers added another 2 goals to finish up the winners by 88 pts and not even the weather could dampen the spirits of the players and crowd who’d enjoyed themselves immensely that afternoon.

Final Tyne Tees Tigers 16.6.102 Convicts 2.2.14

The day was a great success and a positive step forward for the development of the game in Europe. The next planned ladies game in England will be held in London on the 21st of June as part of the Wimbledon Hawks Ladies Day. For more information contact Tia Bool tia.bool@afleurope.org

Goals

Tigers: Lane 5 Mitchell, Healy 3 Keane 2 Kavanagh, Moane, McHugh 1

Convicts:  Bool, Hazimeh 1

Teams

Tigers: Lucy Kavanagh (capt), Lisa McHugh, Jordy Lane, Lynn Mitchell, Nicola McLaughlin, Polly Moane, Michelle Healy, Tanya Scully, Karen Keane, Grace Campbell

Convicts: Tia Bool (Wimbledon Hawks), Gaelle Hazimeh (Wimbledon Hawks), Rachel Kilmartin (Wimbledon Hawks), Fiona Roarty (Belfast Kookaburras), Carolann Cass (Belfast Kookaburras), Kirsty Gray (Glasgow Sharks), Evelyn McGhee (Glasgow Sharks), Kristi Jo Fawcett (Glasgow Sharks), Sarah Mairead McLachlan (Glasgow Sharks)

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Tyne Tees Tigers Ladies victorious at the Haggis Cup

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Pictures ©Duncan Gray

Tigers Victorious in their 1st Women’s Australian Rules Football Match

Glasgow Sharks 14 pts. defeated by Tyne Tees Tigers 30 pts.

On Saturday the 12th of April, England’s first female Aussie Rules club-side travelled to Glasgow to take on the Glasgow Sharks Ladies in the 2014 Haggis Cup. This is the first time two British clubs have played a women’s game. The Tigers ladies who had only picked up an Aussie rules ball for the first time 12 weeks previously were excited with the anticipation of playing in this historic game.

The game was played as 8-a-side with 4 x 15 minute quarters on a full size rugby pitch. With the home side having a large interchange bench (in Aussie Rules players can sub on and off at anytime) and the Tigers having none over the course of the game the Tigers fitness would be tested.

The first quarter was a cagey affair as each side sussed each other out. The Tigers created plenty of opportunities but only managed to kick 2 behinds (worth 1 pt.) and a late Glasgow goal (worth 6 points) saw the home team go into the 1st break 4 points ahead. The second quarter saw the Tigers start to look more composed with Lynn Mitchell kicking the Tigers first competitive goal to take the lead. The high quality of the marking and kicking game of Tiger players Lisa McHugh and Polly Moane caught the eye of the spectators and coaches alike.

The Tigers worked hard for each other in the third quarter adding another goal seeing them take a 5 point lead into the final break. With one quarter remaining and less than a single goal between the sides, would the Tiger legs tire and allow the larger Glasgow squad to escape with the victory? Instead of fading the Tigers grew stronger moving the ball quickly with some long kicking, good marks and quick hands to kicking another two goals extending their lead and eventually running out the winners by 16 points.

Haggis Cup Ladies 2014 -3 ©Duncan Gray

Afterwards Tigers Captain Lucy Kavanagh talked of her pride in being involved in England’s first Aussie Rules team “I felt extremely proud to be representing the Tyne Tees Tigers in the Haggis cup. Not only did we make history by becoming the first ever women’s English AFL team we won the Haggis cup! What an amazing day!”

Tigers Coach Ian Baxter “I’m very proud of what the girls have achieved today. It’s not easy to take up an entirely new sport, but to be pioneers of the game is a fantastic achievement. To play as well as they have is a credit to them and the hard work they’ve put in.”

Given the success of the day both the Tigers and the Glasgow Sharks are looking to hold a return match in Newcastle with dates in the late spring/early summer currently being discussed.

Haggis Cup Ladies 2014 -2 ©Duncan Gray

Quotes from some of the girls after playing their first games

Lucy Kavanagh (Tyne Tees Tigers Captain)

“Being involved in setting up a ladies team has been very rewarding. Hopefully we can stick at it at training and continue to develop the team! I felt extremely proud to be representing the Tyne Tees Tigers in the Haggis cup. Not only did we make history by becoming the first ever women’s English AFL team we won the Haggis cup! What an amazing day! I hope to continue the good work at training and push forward in strengthening the ladies team as a whole!! “

Nicola Mclaughlin (Tyne Tees Tigers)

“I like Aussie rules for the skills and that the game is fast paced. The game on Saturday was a good introduction and hopefully over the next few months we can keep working on our skills and raise the profile of the women’s team. The more women we get on board the more chance we have of raising the profile of Aussie rules so we can get a few matches. The haggis cup weekend was brilliant great banter with all the teams!”

Lynn Mitchell (Tyne Tees Tigers)

“It was amazing to be a part of and win the Haggis, especially because we are such a small team. Hopefully this will help to get some more people interested in the sport. For a team/club that has not been together long there is a wonderful sense of camaraderie. It feels great to have our first game over and to get the win against a team that would have been the favourites. It is just brilliant and I can’t wait for the next one. “

Lisa McHugh (Tyne Tees Tigers)

“Great weekend! It was all very well organised and gave us a real taste for Aussie rules! Feel very proud to be the First Ladies team in England and to have brought the Haggis Cup home to Newcastle. Hopefully it will be the first of many!!”

Polly Moane (Tyne Tees Tigers)

“It was an amazing experience to play our first game of Aussie rules and come away with a trophy! Everyone worked really hard and all our training with the men’s team paid off! Hopefully this is the start of big things for the tigers women and men’s teams!

Stacey Hughes (Glasgow Sharks Captain)

“Today was a great day for women’s Aussie Rules in Britain. It’s the third year that the Haggis Cup has included a women’s match of some sort and to welcome Tyne Tees, a brand new team, to Glasgow and have so many of our players playing their first ever game of Aussie rules today was great for the development of the game. I’m proud of the effort from all my girls today but unfortunately Tyne Tees were too strong for us on the day. I feel the wind and luck played a big factor in the outcome of the game but it was a fiercely fought contest and there are lots of positives for us to take from the match. I look forward to coming up against Tyne Tees in the future and wish them the best of luck developing the women’s side of their club.”

Haggis Cup Ladies 2014 -1 ©Duncan Gray

In the next couple of months, 3 games are planned in Great Britain:
June 7th – Newcastle hosted by Tyne Tees Tigers
June 21st – London Wimbledon Hawks Ladies Day
July 26th/27th – Doncaster (provisional) as curtain raiser to AFLCNE Men’s Grand Final
Any British women interested in joining please drop an email to Ian Baxter ianjamesbaxter@gmail.com

The next European women’s competition will be the Axios Euro Cup in London on the 4th/5th of October. Please get in touch with your country’s coordinator for more information.

Haggis Cup Ladies 2014 -5 ©Duncan Gray

Afterglow – A look back at the Axios Euro Cup in Bordeaux (2/2)

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Wesley Hull

In this second part of the interviews arranged by the Bordeaux Bombers and the CNFA after the recent tournament in France, the focus is on women’s footy. Vanessa Degrave, a player for the French team – Les Inattendues – looks at how she became involved in Australian Rules football – in France.

How did you get involved in Aussie rules here in Europe?

Vanessa Degrave: “Our rugby coach was friend with the coaching team of the Bordeaux Bombers. One year ago, they came to see us as they wanted to create a French female footy team. Eight of us were more than happy to be part of this project so we started to train with the boys and got a chance to be part of the Axios Euro Cup.

How did you discover the game?

“I heard about the game in St Médard en Jalles where the Bordeaux Bombers are playing and also during my Rotary exchange student year in Australia in 2010. However, I never showed any interest in the sport before I got the chance to try it.”

What team do you play in, what position, and from what country?

“I played the Axios Euro Cup with the French team (Les Inattendues). During that game I was a follower.”

Are there many girls who play it where you are living?

“One year ago, only 2 girls were playing with the Bombers: Gaelle Hazimeh who moved to Toulouse and Chloé Tabountchikoff. One year later we are nine at training. Paris and Toulouse have the same story. This gives us a real chance to play more games in the future.”

Why do you enjoy the game?

“I think footy is a mix of many sports. You need to keep on running and have good physical skills. Also I love the fact that I can kick and hand pass the ball; in rugby my role doesn’t allow me to play with my feet.  All this made me really happy on the field.”

What is appealing about it?

“The welcoming spirit of the boys, the atmosphere around the ground and the game itself were really appealing to me. Also the fact that your teammates are always supportive and cheer you up, no matter what is really different from rugby.

How many girl teams competed at the event?

“I think we were between 30 and 35 girls playing for two different teams.”

How do you see the growth of Aussie Rules as a sport for females in Europe?

“I think the growth has a good potential as it is a good mix of many sports.”

How does it compare to say soccer which traditionally attracts more girls?

“I think it takes the good part of rugby and soccer and gives more freedom to each of the girls on the field.”

 

Women willing to play please feel free to contact your country’s coordinator for more information (http://afleurope.org/female-football/how-to-join/)