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June 25, 2009 by Jake Anson
The Calgary Kookaburras have recorded a strong start to the northern hemisphere summer footy season by winning the inaugural Canadian Women's National Championships, held at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver on June 20. Fourty-seven women from Calgary and the Edmonton Emus travelled from Alberta to contest the Nationals, which were played in a round-robin format against the Vancouver-based WestCoast Wildcats. It is believed to be the first matches of 18-a-side women's club football played in North America.
In damp conditions, Canada's newest women's clubs took to the field for the morning's first match. Edmonton's team were boosted by a contingent of Calgary reserves players and they took a while to settle into their playing positions across the oval. A majority of WestCoast's players had played several seasons in the North Delta Junior AFL and exhibited better structure early. Marlena Ginocchio and Jenna Jakes were dominant in the forward line for the Wildcats, while Kate Ross dominated in the ruck for an Emus side struggling to keep up with their fitter opponents. The Emus settled in during the second half, conceding fewer free kicks and registering a goal courtesy of Rachel Mrdeza. Amy Wynne dominated in the midfield for WestCoast, and drifted forward to kick two goals that sealed a 50-point win.
With the wet weather clearing, Edmonton next took on Calgary in front of several-hundred spectators. The reigning US Champions got out to an early lead by creating space around the packs to allow effective clearances and to shutting down the Emus' attack with heavy tackling. Marie Galick laid some brutal tackles for the Emus and Carissa Glasier and Kyla Fisher battled in defence, but the midfield foursome of Kathryn Zakus, Lesley Zmurchuk, Caity Kidd and Amanda O'Rae gave no quarter as the Kookaburras piled on the goals. Char Olm and Erin MacDonald kicked six goals between them as Calgary went on to post an 89-point victory.
The final match of the day was a cracking contest between Calgary and WestCoast. The Wildcats started strongly, posting two behinds before the Kookaburras seemed to know the game was underway. Booming clearances and a handful of free kicks kept the ball in WestCoast's forward line, before Holly Greatwich goaled to put Calgary in front. Marlena Ginocchio answered for WestCoast minutes later, but Alicia Scanlon regained the lead for Calgary with a beautifully crumbed goal going into half-time. Calgary exploited their deeper bench by running the ball down the wings in the second-half, relying on their strong half-back line to beat their younger opponents. Lori Bossert goaled to put Calgary further in front, before Amy Wynne showed her class with a beauty on the run. There was to be no fairytale ending for the Wildcats however, with Calgary running out the game 15-point winners.
Calgary coach Jake Anson and captain Kathryn Zakus accepted the cup from AFL Canada President Darrel Perry. Amy Wynne (WestCoast) was named player-of-the-tournament after showing everybody why she has twice been picked to represent Victoria at the Australian Championships. Seven Kookaburras and six Wildcats were selected in the initial intake for the Team Canada Northern Lights squad, which will play the USA Freedom in two matches in 2010. Next year Toronto is expected to compete in the championships, as women's footy goes from strength-to-strength across Canada.
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June 12, 2009 by Bruce Parker
Experience the 2008 Australian Football International Cup through the players' eyes. Meet Canada's national players and Head Coach, including Scott Fleming — member of the World Team.
The Other Team Canada
Friday, June 12, 2009
Moose's Downunder Restaurant
830 West Pender Street, Vancouver
7:00 pm
$10 Entry Fee
SEE the Movie
MEET the Players
WIN a Northwind Jumper
FREE Appetizers
LIVE AFL Footy every Friday night
All proceeds go to support Canada vs. the USA in August.
Brought to you by:
June 3, 2009 by Bruce Parker
We are seeking an enthusiastic and self driven person to join the OAFL in the position of Executive Officer.
The Ontario Australian Football League (OAFL) is a not for profit agency governing Australian Football in Ontario, Canada. Collectively we represent 11 independent clubs and are governed by a 5 member Board of Directors who oversee the operational, financial and strategic development plans of Australian Football in Ontario. In addition the OAFL Board of Directors works with AFL Canada to develop and promote the sport nationally.
The 11 member clubs currently compete in a 14 round regular season followed by a 3 round post season which runs from May through to October.
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May 25, 2009 by Jake Anson
Australian football has returned to Edmonton in a big way, with Round Two of the Alberta Footy Women's League proving to be a smashing success on Saturday, May 23rd. Edmonton turned on a perfect, sunny 22-degree day as the three league clubs assembled at Queen Alexandra School in Strathcona to do battle in the Edmonton Emus' first home fixture.
The overall standard of footy was high, with the Calgary clubs putting in performances akin to the best women's footy played at US Nationals in recent years. The Emus, captained by Kyla Fisher and coached by Tristan Waldock, impressed everyone with their improvement over the past month and they showed that with more game experience and better fitness that they will improve considerably going into the women's Canadian Nationals tournament in Vancouver on June 20. Scores-wise, the Kensington Kingfishers defeated their cross-town rivals Hillhurst Nighthawks in the Calgary derby, while both Calgary clubs posted wins over the Emus.
The games were celebrated long into the night, with the Emus hosting their Jersey Presentation at their major sponsor's venue, the Walkabout Pub on Whyte Ave. The next round of the AFWL will be played in Calgary on Sunday, June 7. Full match reports, goal-kickers and participants from the weekend's matches are listed on the Calgary Kookaburras' website.
The Alberta Footy Women's League is the largest women's Australian football league outside Australia. Clubs from Calgary and Edmonton compete regularly over the five-month season, which includes the Canadian and United States national championships. The Calgary Kookaburras are the reigning US Nationals champions.
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May 25, 2009 by Bruce Parker
On a perfect football weekend where the weather at Toronto's Humber College Football Field mirrored typical winter football weather that you might find in any Country Victorian football town, had fans and football players experiencing everything from heavy rain to bright sunshine over a two day period. But unlike any small Victorian town, last weekend in Ontario was to be a historical weekend of football for the codes governing body AFL Canada and it's Ontario affiliate the OAFL as the organizers of the first Inaugural Canadian Australian Rules Football Men's Championship. There was plenty of excitement as the football got underway at the home of Australian Rules football in Ontario, The Humber North Football Oval. This was to be the first ever Canadian National Men's Championships and the tournament attracted eight teams who competed in two divisions on day one (Saturday) to decide who would be the top four teams that would returned the following day to play a final series and ultimately determine the National Championship.
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