Australian rules football in Asia
Encyclopedia
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
as it is watched and played in the Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
region.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
has been played as an organised sport in Asia since the late 1980s, with the foundation of teams in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
based around universities in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Before this time, only informal matches had been played in some countries, the majority involving Australian servicemen.
Since the 1980s a number of clubs have been formed in east Asia, mainly by expatriate Australians, although in Japan, China and Indonesia the majority of the playing base consists of locals.
There is no official governing body as such, although an informal association named the Asian AFL has existed between clubs for some time, with discussion currently underway to formalise a regional body.
Previous to 2008, the only Asian league with sufficient local player numbers and organisational structure to have attended the Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
was Japan, although with the aid of partnerships also involving the AFL, Australian Football in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
became rapidly organised in 2007 resulting in their debuts in the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
2008 Australian Football International Cup
The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested....
.
Currently the sport in Asia is broadcast only on satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
through the Australia Network
Australia Network
Australia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
. Presently only Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
matches are shown, particularly the AFL Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
.
The main tournament and cup competition is between Australian expat-based clubs is the annual Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
. The 2011 Asian Champs will be played in Bangkok, Thailand - hosted by the Thailand Tigers for the second time.
Brunei
Australian rules football has been played in BruneiBrunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
since 1998 when a social match was held, followed by a meeting to establish the Brunei Australian Rules Football League. Anthony Rodaughan was duly appointed the League's first president.
The domestic competition soon commenced at the Jerudong International School
Jerudong International School
Jerudong International School , established in 1997, is a private international school located in Jerudong, close to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital city of Brunei. The school sits on a single campus in Jerudong that occupies almost . It is a co-educational institution that follows the British...
soccer field, with a three-team competition including players from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Brunei. Late 1998/99 saw huge changes in the fledgling competition as the country began ending numerous expat contracts. Player numbers were reduced but the league took stock and continued to provide a regular competition for its members. 1999 brought the formation of the Brunei Sharks, a composite side representing the league, playing their first match against the Singapore Wombats. The Sharks' first appearance at the Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
was in 2000 in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
.
Cambodia
Australian rules football has been played in CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
by members of the expatriate Australian community in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
since around 2000, when a club nicknamed the Cambodia Crocodiles was formed. The Crocodiles hosted other teams from around the Asian region for at least one tournament, but then went into recess.
A new club, now known as the Cambodian Kangas, was under formation in 2008, hosting a four-team Indochina Cup in Phnom Penh in November of that year, but this club also did not last beyond their first tournament. In 2010, the Cambodian Cobras formed, hosting the Vietnam Swans in Phnom Penh on July 31.
A number of Cambodian Australians play for the Southern Dragons in the Southern Football League
Southern Football League (Victoria)
The Southern Football League is an Australian rules football league, based in the south and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, for both seniors and juniors....
in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
China
Australian rules football has been played in China since the 1990s, and is currently played by senior clubs in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, with the Beijing AFL metro league beginning in 2009. There are also clubs in the special economic development zones of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
.
A representative team of mainly expatriate Australian players has represented China under the names "China Blues" or "China Reds" in competitions such as the Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
.
The first representative team composed entirely of Chinese nationals appeared at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
2008 Australian Football International Cup
The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested....
, competing as the China Red Demons.
East Timor
Australian rules football has been played sporadically in East TimorEast Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
since the country's independence in 1999 saw a large number of Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
personnel stationed in the country, although the first lasting club wasn't formed until early 2008.
In 2001 an organisation named the Timor Lorosae Australian Futeball Associacao (TILAFA) was formed in Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
and there were plans to send a team to the Arafura Games
Arafura Games
The Arafura Games is a Multi-sport event held every 2 years in the Australian city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory. It is an international event which draws its competitors from around the world. First held in 1991, the most recent Games, held in 2009, involved over 30 nations and over 3,000...
in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, although this organisation later disappeared.
In early 2006 two teachers from Kambrya College, a secondary school in the outer-eastern Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Berwick
Berwick, Victoria
Berwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Berwick had a population of 36,420....
, visited a partner-school in the village of Letefoho, Ermera district as part of the Friends of Ermera organisation, holding clinics in Australian rules football in addition to donating other sporting and educational materials.
In 2007, several matches were played between ADF personnel and locals at Democracy Field in Dili, including several Auskick
Auskick
Auskick is a national program in Australia to develop and promote participation in Australian rules football by children. It has proven to be popular with both boys and girls....
clinics.
In 2008, the East Timor Crocodiles team formed, making their debut at the 2008 Bali 9s tournament.
East Timor, playing as Timor-Leste participated in its first International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
in 2011.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is home to one of Asia's oldest Australian rules football clubs, the Hong Kong Dragons having played their first match in 1990. Based primarily around expat Australians, the club plays frequent matches against other expat-Australian clubs in the Asian region, including other teams from mainland ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The Hong Kong Dragons have won the coveted Asian Championships title three times, in 2003, 2004 and 2007.
India
The West Australian Football LeagueWest Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
toured India in 1969, playing a series of exhibition matches between East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
and Subiaco Football Club
Subiaco Football Club
The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle...
s, which attracted large crowds and interest.
Australian rules football began in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with the creation of the Indian Amateur Australian Football Association in 2001. The organisation was based in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, but disbanded in 2004.
The potential for the game has several times attracted interest from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, with the WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
proposing an exhibition match
Australian rules football exhibition matches
Australian rules football has been introduced to a wide range of places around Australia and the world since the code originated in Victoria in 1859....
for Mumbai.
The next appearance of organised Australian rules in India came with the visit of Brian Dixon
Brian Dixon
Brian Dixon is a former Australian rules footballer and Victorian Politician.Dixon played 252 VFL games for Melbourne between 1954 and 1968, playing mostly on the wing...
to Calcutta in 2006 which resulted in the formation of starter clubs in the city and a platform for the development of an Indian team for the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
. The first Indian national team was drawn from players recruited by the AFL India in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, as well as Indian nationals living in Melbourne.
Indonesia
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
and also Ngada.
It is currently played in Indonesia by clubs in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
(formed in 1995), Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
(formed in 1997) and the Borneo Bears based in Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
, these three clubs being mainly made up of expatriate Australians. There is also a league consisting of local villagers around the Pancawati area in West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
. The Jakarta Bintangs and Bali Geckoes regularly contest the Java-Bali Cup and participate in the Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
.
A club was under formation as of 2006 in Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
, although this project was ultimately unsuccessful.
Founded in 2003, the West Java Australian Football League (WeJAFL) has over 500 local junior and senior players in the local competition. The large number of local players makes it the Asian nation with the highest participation rate amongst locals, although an Indonesian team has not yet appeared at the Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
.
The Jakarta Bulldogs Australian Football Club, Established in late 2006, is an Aussie Rules Football Club made up of primarily of Under 18 year old expatriate and local students from the British International School Jakarta, although they share no affiliation with the school. The club was founded by Australian-born brothers Alf Eddy (Club Captain) and Max Eddy (Head Coach) and has played against a wide variety of local Australian Football teams such as the Pancawati Eagles, Depok Garudas, the Bandung-New Guinea AFC and the Jakarta Bintangs. Since 2006 the club has gone from strength to strength obtaining full sponsorship from ANZ Bank which allowed for the acquisition of proper uniforms of AFL standard and new footies in 2007. In 2008 Bulldogs will take part in the inaugural Junior Asian Championships, going into the competition with high expectations from all involved. A Finnish member of the club, Tuomas Anttila, was scouted to play with the Finnish national team at the 2008 International Cup, but was unable to make the journey.
The Borneo Bears were formed in Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
in 2008, making their debut at the 2008 Bali 9s tournament.
The Jakarta Bintangs, Bali Geckoes and Borneo Bears formed the AFL Indonesia in 2009, with a centralised plan for further development of the sport among native Indonesians, and the long-term goal of an Indonesian side at the 2011 Australian Football International Cup
2011 Australian Football International Cup
The 2011 Australian Football International Cup is the fourth edition of the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition run by the Australian Football League....
.
Australian rules football in Indonesia receives regular coverage from the Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Globe
The Jakarta Globe is a daily English language newspaper in Indonesia, launched on November 12, 2008.The paper averages 48 pages a day, and publishes Monday to Saturday...
and is now regularly played on television via the Australia Network
Australia Network
Australia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006. The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to...
including live coverage of the AFL Grand Final.
Japan
Australian rules football in Japan is coordinated by the AFL JapanAFL Japan
AFL Japan is a league and governing body for Australian rules football in Japan.The Top League season runs from April to November, with a summer break during August. All teams including the University teams compete in the Top League. The most successful team has been the Tokyo Goannas, who have...
, with a national league based mainly in Tokyo (affiliated with the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
) but with clubs in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Nagoya and Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
. Development teams from the AFL Japan
AFL Japan
AFL Japan is a league and governing body for Australian rules football in Japan.The Top League season runs from April to November, with a summer break during August. All teams including the University teams compete in the Top League. The most successful team has been the Tokyo Goannas, who have...
regularly tour to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and have competed at all Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
s to date.
Laos
The Lao Elephants were formed in VientianeVientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
in 2007, as the first Australian Rules Football club in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. The team played their first international fixture against the Vietnam Swans and Thailand Tigers in November 2007 in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
. The Lao Elephants impressed many by defeating archrivals Vietnam and Thailand on debut at the Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in September 2008.
Later, the "Phants" were victorious in the Mekong Cup held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 22 November 2008, involving the Cambodian Kangaroos, Thailand Tigers, Vietnam Swans and Lao Elephants.
The first domestic match in Laos was held in May 2009, with the Northerners (squad members based in Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
and Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang , is a city located in north central Laos, where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong River about north of Vientiane. It is the capital of Luang Prabang Province...
) defeating the Southerners (mine workers from the Sepon
Sepon River
The Sepon River is a small river at Lao Bao town border area of Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. It forms a border between Vietnam and Laos. One side of the river belongs to Vietnam and other belongs to Laos. The river is located near the Savannakhet Province of Laos.The Sepon River is 1 m deep and...
area) in Savannakhet.
Macau
Macau Lightning AFL club was formed in 2009 and began running Auskick Clinics at the International School of Macau. With an increasing demand for more football from the kids participating, the club started Saturday morning training which continues to grow with boys and girls aged between 4 to 13 years. In September 2010 the Macau Lightning Auskick played their first match against the Hong Kong Auskick marking the first of many future match days between both clubs.It was a small beginning for the Senior Macau Lightning Team in 2009 with only a handful of guys looking for a social kick. As word spread of AFL in Macau numbers gradually grew to a competitive squad of 30 players by May 2010. 2010 has seen the Senior Team make their International Debut with matches against Hong Kong Dragons in May, touring to Guangzhou in August and participating in the China Cup against the Hong Kong Dragons and the China Reds in early September.
Malaysia
The Australian armed forces (2/19th battalion) played Australian rules football at Port DicksonPort Dickson
Port Dickson or PD to locals is a beach and holiday destination situated about 32 km from Seremban and 90 km from Kuala Lumpur. It is located in the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia...
in 1941.
Australian rules football has been played in Malaysia since the late 1980s in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, primarily by expatriate Australians living and working in the city. The club was initially known as the MARK Tigers (Malaysian Australian Rules Kelab) and the team recorded their first win in August 1994 against a team from the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
base in Butterworth, Penang
Butterworth, Penang
Butterworth is the principal town of Seberang Perai in the state of Penang in Malaysia. Named after William John Butterworth, Governor of the Straits Settlements , Butterworth was established in the mid-19th century as a landing place across the channel from the capital of Penang, George Town...
. Between 1993 and 1997, the club became consistent contenders on and off the field in Asia. Games were mainly played against the RAAF in Penang, the Singapore Wombats and the Jakarta Bintangs.
The Asian economic crisis of 1998 saw many members of the Australian community in Malaysia return home, leaving the club in great difficulties. The team reformed under a new name, the Malaysian Warriors, which has continued to this day. In addition to teams visiting Malaysia, the Malaysian Warriors have toured to Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
to contest the "Killing Fields Cup", to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
for the "Changi Cup", to Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
for the "Communist Cup", to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
for the "Fish Bowl Cup" and to Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
for the Adidas Bali 9s tournament.
Pakistan
Aussie Rules is played in PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Swat Valley, coordinated by the AFL Pakistan. The AFL Pakistan has held school tournaments and aims to send a Pakistani national team to the Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
in future. The AFL Pakistan is also connected with an anti-drug charity network.
Philippines
The Philippine Australian Football League (PAFL) was created in 2004. The league currently runs a two-team competition in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The teams, the Dingoes and the Eureka's, were originally based on the division of Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
(Eurekas) and Non-Victorian (Dingoes) players, but with expansion that divide has not been followed. PAFL hosted the 2005 Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
, its representative side is known as the Philippine Eagles.
Singapore
Australian rules football started in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in April 1993, when a group from the Australian expatriate community founded the Singapore Lions (later Wombats) Australian Football Club. The Singapore Wombats play between 8-10 matches throughout each year against visiting Royal Australian Navy ships, as well as a number of tour matches against other expat-based teams from around Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Sri Lanka
Australian Rules FootballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
is not currently played in Sri Lanka. However the sport in being discussed how best to promote it in Sri Lanka when a group of AFL officials met with the country's Minister of Internal Trade & Cooperatives, Johnston Fernando
Johnston Fernando
Johnston Xavier Fernando is a Sri Lankan politician, current Cabinet Minister of Co-operatives & Internal Trade and a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.- Portfolio :• 1991 - Councilor in Kurunegala Municipal Council...
in 2010.
Manel Dharmakeerthie and Milton Amarasinghe, a former Director General of Sports, are working together to develop Australian Football in Sri Lanka. Their first aim is a tournament to be held in 2011. Fernando was supportive of their plans, and has agreed to offer, "his fullest support to develop footy (in Sri Lanka)."
Several current and former AFL players were also present at the meeting, including the AFL's new International Ambassador, Brett Kirk. The players are in Sri Lanka to learn more about that country's indigenous Vadda people and their place in Sri Lankan society, in an attempt to assist Australia's own indigenous communities upon their return.
Thailand
Australian rules football has been played in ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
since the 1990s with the creation of the Thailand Tigers by Australians living in the city of Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. The Tigers run a domestic social league in Bangkok, as well as competing as the Tigers in regional competition. The Tigers hosted the 2007 Asian Australian Football Championships
Asian Australian Football Championships
The Asian Australian Football Championships are an annual tournament of Australian rules football between mainly expat-Australian teams from around Asia.-History:...
.
The Thailand Tigers, was established in the 90's and has grown strong ever since. The club plays weekly intra-club matches fighting for the inaugural 'Bob & Gerry Cup' (the club founders). Also playing in international tours including hosting the annual Anzac Day Cup and events such as Indo-China tri-nations and the Asian Cup.
The Tigers is now a tradition for expat's from Australia and beyond, extending to the Tigers netball team for the ladies, bringing everyone together regularly for sports and social events. Family, partners and children are always welcome to Tigers events.
Anzac Day Cup - Hellfire Pass
Every year for Anzac Day, the Tigers invite an international club for a special match commemorating the memory of the POW's from the Bridge on the River Kwai and Hellfire Pass.The day begins early with both teams attending the dawn service at Hellfire Pass, the moving tribute sets the tone for the day.
The full time match fielding 14 on field players commences 1:30pm in the full heat of Kanchanaburi close to the Myanmar border. The match is also attended by the Quiet Lions and VIP guests of the last remaining Diggers (POW's) who attend every year for the game. At the game's end the winning team and best player are presented with their awards by 'Snowy' a tribute to mankind with a genuine Aussie personality.
The Anzac Day Cup held in Thailand is open to all public and the Thailand Tigers welcome all. Find out more at : Thailand Tigers Anzac Day Cup
Vietnam War era
Australian rules football was first played in Vietnam during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
A match was played in May 1966 between members of the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
A social game was organised in 1969 by Captain Bill McMahon of Croydon, Victoria
Croydon, Victoria
Croydon is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Croydon had a population of 22,029.-Public transport:...
, a former Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
and Sandringham Football Club footballer, "Diggers" vs "The Rest" which was played with Vietnamese soldiers in August at the headquarters of the Free World Military Assistance Organisation.
In 1971, Australian Force Vietnam (AFV) and 110 Signal Squadron played a match in Saigon organised by Private Conboy of Clifton Hill, Victoria
Clifton Hill, Victoria
Clifton Hill is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. The border between Clifton Hill and Fitzroy North is Queens Parade and Smith Street. Merri Creek defines the eastern border of Clifton Hill. Its Local Government Area is...
a previous member of Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
Under 19s squad.
There was at least one contest between 110 Signal Squadron and 104 Signal Squadron in 1970, one being played at a police or army academy at the sea-side village of Vung Tau and a little later another between the Nui Dat
Nui Dat
Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province was the location of a prominent Australian military base in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The site was chosen by Lieutenant General John Wilton in 1966 and was built mainly by men from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment...
based units of 104 Signal Squadron and 106 Field Workshops on a pretty rough ground at the Reinforcement Wing at the Dat.
Lance corporal Ian Granland of 104 Signal Squadron organised a game of Australian Football at Nui Dat in 1970. There weren’t too many grounds of a suitable size on which the game could be played, but luckily it was learned that there was one within the Task Force Area in the area of 1 Australian Reinforcement Unit.
Lance corporal Geoff Morris and Granland did a recce and located the ground. It was big enough for Australian Football and it even had posts erected but the grass literally ranged from 20 cm to 1m in height. That meant that it would have to be cut!
In the meantime Granland organised a game against 106 Field Workshops.
Next job was to locate a slasher. Word of mouth informed the two that 105 Field Battery had an old Massey Ferguson Tractor with which they used to tow their guns around, plus a slasher.
Permission to use it for mowing the ground was given. Morris became the driver and the machine was driven over to the field and he began driving it round and round. He got the grass down reasonably short but certainly not bowling green stuff however good enough. The mowing had to be done the day before the game because any earlier and the grass would have grown significantly enough to require another cut.
This was pre centre square and 50m arcs so a hand mower was used for the goal squares, centre circle and boundary.
Lance Corporal Granland umpired the game.
The players turned up in their Land Rovers and trucks. What jumpers they wore is till a mystery but it certainly wasn't 'skins v shirts'. There were players of all ages, size and shape and some bloody good footballers amongst them too. A photograph of this game would be a gem today.
104 Signal Squardron won the game. The umpire copped a bit of abuse from the opposition but that was par for the course. It was in the days of the one central umpire.
The out of bounds on the full rule had only just been introduced and of course it was applied. Some of the older heads were not too happy but recognized that it had become a law of the game. Many of the blokes who had probably been pretty fair footballers in their youth but now in their late thirties or so they were no match for youth and speed. Some of these tried to slow the youngsters down by wacking them but the umpire was on top of that.
There was no function after the match or anything, just back to the units. But, it was a good relief because obviously everyone who played etc. just loved the game.
Current Clubs
Organised Australian rules football has been played in VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
since 1998 when the Saigon Saints, was formed by expatriate Australians. It was followed shortly after by new rivals the Hanoi Hawks, also established by Australian expatriates. The Saigon Saints stopped playing in 2001.
In 2003, footy was reborn in Hanoi under the Hanoi Swans banner with a tri-nations tournament against Hong Kong and Thailand. In 2007, a movement started in Saigon to get footy up again with the goal of combining with Hanoi to form a national team, the Vietnam Swans.
In July 2007, the Vietnam Swans, played together for the first time in Bangkok for the 8th Annual Asian Championships. They returned to the Asian Championships in 2008 in Singapore and have been playing ever since.
In 2009, highlights included the ANZAC Day Match against the Thailand Tigers at Hellfire Pass on the Death Burma Railway; a Black Saturday Tribute Match and Fundraiser against the Bali Geckos; a match against and the Asian Championships.
Vietnamese Community in Melbourne
A team drawn from the MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
Vietnamese community also competed in the Australian Football Multicultural Cup
Australian Football Multicultural Cup
The Australian Football Multicultural Cup was an amateur Australian rules football competition featuring teams drawn from melbourne's migrant communities...
in both years of the competition's existence (2004, 2005) and has competed against touring teams from the Japan Samurai
Japanese national Australian rules football team
The Japanese national Australian rules football team represent Japan in Australian rules football.The team represents the best Japanese born players and is selected by AFL Japan from domestic competitions which have been running since 1987.-Identity:...
. Members of this team have expressed interest in working to develop Aussie Rules amongst local players in Vietnam, with plans to visit Hanoi for matches against the Vietnam Swans.
Players from this squad eventually formed the Elgar Park Dragons, a team mainly made up of Vietnamese-Australians affiliated with Box Hill North in the Victorian Amateur Football Association
Victorian Amateur Football Association
The Victorian Amateur Football Association is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia consisting purely of amateur players. Unlike the Victorian Football League and the VFL/AFL, the VAFA has always been strictly a purely amateur league and has affiliations with both AFL Victoria...
. In 2009, the Dragons became a stand-alone club under the name Southern Dragons, moving to the Southern Football League
Southern Football League (Victoria)
The Southern Football League is an Australian rules football league, based in the south and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, for both seniors and juniors....
.
A number of Vietnamese members of the Elgar Park Dragons also played for Team Asia at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
2008 Australian Football International Cup
The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested....
.
Asian performance at International CupAustralian Football International CupThe Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
| Flag | Nation | Nickname | 2002 2002 Australian Football International Cup The 2002 Australian Football International Cup was the inaugural international Australian rules football tournament held in Melbourne, Australia in 2002.... |
2005 2005 Australian Football International Cup The 2005 Australian Football International Cup was the second time that the Australian Football International Cup tournament, an international Australian rules football competition was held.... |
2008 2008 Australian Football International Cup The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested.... |
2011 2011 Australian Football International Cup The 2011 Australian Football International Cup is the fourth edition of the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition run by the Australian Football League.... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
Red Demons Australian rules football in China Australian rules football in China is an article on the Australian brand of football played in the People's Republic of China.- History :The sport has been played in the People's Republic of China since the 1990s... |
- | - | 15th | TBC |
 |
India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Tigers | - | - | 16th | TBC |
 |
Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Samurais | 10th | 9th | 8th | TBC |
External links
- Thailand Tigers
- Jakarta Bintangs
- Malaysian Warriors
- Vietnam Swans
- Aussie Rules China
- Shanghai Tigers
- Beijing Bombers
- Video of TJ Sports Channel Tianjin interview from YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Hong Kong Dragons
- Singapore Wombats