Tag: AFL London

AFL England Recognises LGBT Pride Month

AFL England Recognises Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month

AFL London to Walk in Annual London Pride Parade

June 12, 2018 – Each June, LGBT Pride Month attracts millions of participants around the world. AFL England wants to recognise and celebrate the part that LGBT people play in the footy community, both in England and around the world.

This year, AFL London will become the first AFL league to march in a pride parade, as they take part in the Pride in London festival on July 7th, with the weekend also being marked by a special ‘Rainbow Round’ of fixtures in the capital.

AFL London President Cai Davies says that since coming out in 2016, his sexuality has been accepted by members of the footballing community, and he is now committed to raising awareness of homophobia within football.

“As a gay man growing up in a very masculine footy environment back in Victoria, I felt uncomfortable and ashamed for years,” said Davies. “There were a lot of uncomfortable conversations, and the homophobic language you would hear from players and spectators made me feel like less of a human compared to those around me.”

“Since moving over to London, and joining AFL London as an umpire and coach of the umpires, I have been upfront about my sexuality to everyone. The reaction over here, just like when I came out in Australia, was amazing and everyone embraced it.”

Davies also noticed that there was already a group of out and proud footballers here in London, and since becoming AFL London chairman in 2017, he worked with the goal of getting the league to march in London Pride.

He says that one of the major reasons for this is that the diversity and sense of inclusion on display in England are “leaps and bounds ahead” of back home in Australia.

“By us marching in the Pride in London march, the message will be sent back home that it’s ok to be yourself within the world of footy, as people will always embrace, support and accept you for who you are.

“Footy brings people together; we want to share this experience with the world.”

So far this year Davies and a group of volunteers from around the league have jumped on board and helped out with fundraisers including everything from bake sales and drag queen nights, to help with selling special Pride jerseys which players will then wear during the London Pride march.

“We are excited to continue to show our support to the LGBT community,” said AFL England President Jason Hill. “Our community is made up of so many individuals and it is important to celebrate that diversity.

“I personally get so much pleasure seeing our leagues, teams and players get behind these events and I know I speak for our committee in our full, and unwavering, support to be a completely inclusive community for anyone wanting to play, or support, our wonderful game.”

About Pride in London
Founded in 1972, Pride in London is an annual LGBT pride festival and parade held each summer in London. This year the festival will be taking place on Saturday 7th July.

For more information head to aflengland.org or email info@aflengland

Good Week/Bad Week – 4th June 2018

After a brief hiatus, ‘Good Week/Bad Week’ is back and ready to take a look at the latest round of fixtures across England. The leagues are really starting to hot up, so let’s see who’s in contention as we approach the halfway stage of the season.

Good Week

The Manchester Mosquitoes once again look like the team to beat in the Central & Northern England league. After racking up 130+ points against the Huddersfield Rams and the Nottingham Scorpions, the Mozzies were restricted to just over half that against the Wolverhampton Wolverines this weekend. However, they still extended their record to 3-0 as they won 11.18.84 to 6.10.46 in tricky conditions.

 

With the Ealing Emus having a bye this round, the Reading Kangaroos knew that a win would take them top of the Men’s Social league owing to their vastly superior percentage. After opening up their campaign this season with two crushing wins over the Giants and Hawks, the Roos defeated the Putney Magpies 8.6.54 to 4.6.30. The 2016 Grand Final runners-up don’t face the Emus until the 14th July in Reading’s designated ‘Family and Friends’ Fixture.

 

The Great Britain Swans held a training camp this weekend in Cardiff, with players all over the country convening in the Welsh capital. A group of players from teams including the Nottingham Scorpions, Cardiff Panthers and the University of Birmingham took part. Swans Head Coach Ian Mitchell took to Twitter to praise the “superb development from everyone in the squad.”

 

Bad Week

The West London Wildcats swept the London Swans in Round 4, dishing out defeats for all three Swans sides. They included a 174-point mauling in the Men’s Premiership and the Raiders winning by 160 points in the Men’s Conference.

One small crumb of comfort is that the Swans’ Women’s Conference side remain top of the table, despite losing 8.9.57 to 1.4.10.

 

Sometimes it happens, and for whatever reason you’re unable to field a team. That was the case for the Nottingham Scorpions who were due to take the field against the Merseyside Saints. However, for the Saints were awarded a walkover when it was clear the Scorpions weren’t going to be making the trip to Merseyside.

The result means the Scorpions sit four points behind the Manchester Mosquitoes, with the Mozzies having a game in hand. The Scorpions’ next game? Against the Mosquitoes.

 

After an opening round against sides from the Welsh Australian Rules Football League, the South of England AFL got their first chance to take on one another in Portsmouth this weekend.

When the dust had settled, the Sussex Swans found themselves bottom of the ladder after 42 and 23 point losses to the Portsmouth Pirates and the Southampton Titans respectively. There record moves to 1-4 and will have to refocus for the next round robin weekend in a fortnight.

Have a great story? Think we missed something? Email info@aflengland.org!

Wandsworth Demons to Host ‘Big Freeze on the C’ for FightMND

‘Big Freeze on the C’ Takes Place 9th June

Event features three AFL London fixtures, and Clapham Cubs Junior Session

June 1, 2018 – On the 9th June, the Wandsworth Demons are hosting their third annual ‘Big Freeze on the C’ to raise money for Australian charity FightMND. The event will feature three matches, with the Demons taking on the London Swans in the AFL London Women’s Conference, Men’s Conference and Men’s Premiership.

“The Big Freeze on the C is quite a personal cause for many of our members,” said Wandsworth Demon President Xavier Holland, “With a number of them having personal experience with friends and relatives who have suffered from MND.

“It was set up by one of our former members Gaby Duncan, but in just a couple of years it has grown into us raising over A$12,000 last year. To have the club come together to support and raise funds for FightMND is something we are very proud of!”

During half-time in the final game, there will also be the opportunity for children and juniors to enjoy a session with the Clapham Cubs, London’s first Junior Australian Football Club.

There will also be plenty of FightMND merchandise on sale, along with a bar, bake sale, ice dunking and a raffle with prizes including a signed Melbourne Demons jersey and a Sherrin football.

For those looking to join in the fun, the games kick off at 12pm and continue on until 6pm. Organisers are hoping for a great day of footy, and all for a good cause.

About FightMND

FightMND is a registered not-for-profit Australian health promotion charity. They are Australia’s leading independent Motor Neurone Disease (MND) foundation focused on funding large-scale, collaborative research, clinical trials, and improved care for all Australians living with MND.

Find out more at www.fightmnd.org.au

2018 Season Gets Underway This Weekend

AFL England Ready for Start of 2018 Season

London and Central & Northern England Leagues Kick Off This Weekend

April 26, 2018 – AFL England are looking forward to the start of the 2018 season ahead of the opening weekend of fixtures. Both the AFL London and Central & Northern England leagues have their first round of fixtures this weekend, ahead of an exciting ten rounds of competition.

Here are the defending premiers in each division, and their 2017 Grand Final results:

AFL London

  • Men’s Premiership – Wandsworth Demons 4.14.38 def. North London Lions 5.5.35

  • Men’s Conference – Shepherds Bush Raiders 7.8.50 def. Clapham Demons 4.5.29

  • Men’s Social – Wandsworth Demons 6.5.41 def. North London Lions 1.3.9

  • Women’s Premiership – Wandsworth Demons 6.2.38 def. South East London Giants 0.1.1

  • Women’s Conference – West London Wildcats 4.8.32 def. Wandsworth Demons 0.1.1

Central & Northern England

  • Men’s Premiership – Manchester Mosquitoes 16.13.109 def. Nottingham Scorpions 9.12.66

Southern England

  • Men’s Premiership – Southampton Titans def. Sussex Swans

In the opening weekend of fixtures, the defending Men’s Premiership winners the Wandsworth Demons take on the West London Wildcats, with the Wildcats fresh from their fourth consecutive Champions League title earlier this month.

Other notable Round One fixtures include a rematch of the 2017 Men’s Conference Grand Final, where the Raiders face the Demons, and a rematch of the inaugural Women’s Conference Grand Final where the Wildcats face the Demons.

Moving slightly north and the defending Premiers the Manchester Mosquitoes have a bye in Round One, meaning that the other four teams will battle it out. Last year’s losing Grand Finalists the Nottingham Scorpions face up to the Huddersfield Rams.

The Southern England league kicks off on the 19th May. This year the Southern England league and the Welsh league will be linking up with an inter-connected league structure. This will involve the leagues running separately for league games, and combining for tournaments. Points from both the league games and tournaments will decide the placings in each league, with these deciding who will play against each other in the SEWARFL Grand Final.

Grand Final Dates

AFL London (Women’s Conference) & Central & Northern England – 4th August

AFL London (all other divisions) – 11th August

SEWARFL – 11th August

For more information and for full fixtures, head to aflengland.org or email info@aflengland.org