AFL Asia has a new, dedicated website at

The website replaces the former EAAFL website.

For all the latest information happening around Asia in the Asian Australian Football League, click onto

How awesome is the footy in Asia?

Mega awesome!

Yesterday, we reported on Central Blues (Toronto) player, Renee Tong wanting to win $10,000 to help her get to next year’s International Cup in Australia (you can help her win by voting for her. Click here now).

You will recall that Central Blues is also the team of Viet Kieu player, Kien La, who has played for the Swannies before back in November, 2011.

Today, we have received an update from Kien:

I’m in Canada now but planning on heading back (to Vietnam) around October.

Congratulations to the Vietnam Swans by the way on picking up the positions of President and Secretary of the new Asian Footy League. I just read that on World Footy News.

Speaking of WFN, Shane Hendrikson (WFN’s writer for Asia) is playing with my club this year and this past weekend, the Swannies’ name came up.  What a small world.

Also, another former teammate of mine is now playing with (former Swannies Skipper), Dukesy back home in Australia. I guess my name came up when they were talking about playing footy outside of Australia.

Such a small world indeed.

It’s amazing all these connections you make while playing footy around the world. Or, Awesome I should say.  Mega awesome.

The Vietnam Swans – connecting communities.

The September issue of the magazine is out this afternoon in Saigon and Tuesday in Hanoi.

The Word is a platinum sponsor of our 2013 AFL Grand Final Parties in Hanoi and Saigon and so, in this issue, the magazine features a full page spread.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on a hard copy, you can view the magazine on line by .

The Word magazine is the what’s on guide to Vietnam. In this issue, the Word also “visits Phong Nha Caves, home to the largest cave in the world and for unfettered nature, probably the most beautiful visitor site in Vietnam”.

For more information about the Swannies AFL Grand Final Parties, click onto Hanoi or Saigon.

Thank you to the Word magazine for being a platinum sponsor!

Matthew Luke is a super star Swannie. Proving his credentials, Matthew has slapped a Swannies’ sticker on his school locker back in Melbourne!

Matthew is always doing what he can to help spread the word of the Swannies. It was only this time last year that he caught up with Carlton great, Alex Jesaulenko to discuss the latest developments with the Swannies. Alex was so impressed with what Matthew had to report, that he autographed a jumper for the Swannies to auction at one of our AFL Grand Final Parties.

Soon after, Matthew was in Singapore proudly wearing his Swannies hat on the roof top of Marina Bay Sands  – whereupon he picked up the Swannie of September award!

Meanwhile, Matthew’s Dad, Cameron, isn’t a bad bloke either. Pictured above at the 2011 ANZAC Friendship Match with the late Peter Harvey, Cameron is the owner of (leaders in floor sanding supplies), a Gold Sponsor of the Vietnam Swans. And now, Lagler Australia has confirmed that it will be a Platinum Sponsor of the Vietnam Swans’ 2013 AFL Grand Final Party in Saigon (for full details, including a list of sponsors for the 2013 AFL Grand Final Parties, click onto Saigon and Hanoi).

Honk! Honk!

Go you Swannies in Australia!!

Footnotes:

• Swannies stickers will be available at this year’s AFL Grand Final Parties.
• We will be running our Swannie of September competition again. Take a photo in September with some Swannies memorabilia for your chance to win a club polo shirt! to see last year’s entries.

Renee Tong is a Chinese Canadian who plays football with the Canadian Northern Lights. She’s also been a team mate of former resident Swannie and Viet Kieu, Kien La (click here for an update from Kien), from the Central Blues in Toronto.

Renee is desperately wanting to compete in next year’s International Cup in Australia.

To help her get there, she has entered a competition in Canada where the winner will collect $10,000 to put towards their ‘athletic dream’. The winner is determined by the most number of votes that they receive – and so, given her Chinese origins, Renee thought who better to ask for help than AFL Asia??

Renee says that she is “currently in second place in the contest but I am only behind by 500 votes.  If I can get as many people as I can to vote for me every day until the end of the contest (tomorrow – 31 August midnight EST time), I actually have a shot at this unbelievable grant!

“AFL Canada and AFL Europe have been helping promote and I hope you’re able to do the same . Any votes are hugely appreciated.”

To vote for Renee, just .

Items of related interest

• , Renee Tong, Genuine Health website.
• , Tobietta Rhyman, World Footy News.
• To see the website of Renee’s Central Blues AFL, Toronto, .
• To vote for Renee, just .

The Saigon Shooters are returning – bigger, better and brighter than ever.

On Monday 9 September, 2013, the Saigon Shooters will be hosting an open evening of netball from 7-8.30pm at the AIS Sports facility in An Phu, District 2.

The Shooters are encouraging adults, men and women over the age of 16, of any ability, to come along and try it out. Then, hopefully you’ll join a team and become involved in the new Monday night league.

For further information, email , Ph 012 871 999 21 or check out .

Do you want to play netball in Hanoi?

No problem! In Hanoi, the Hanoi Ois play on Tuesday evenings at the Australian Embassy from 6.30-7.30pm.

For further information, email

The AFL has requested that last night’s statement from Chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick, regarding the Essendon Football Club’s supplements program be distributed through the AFL Asia Network.

Please see below.

STATEMENT FROM AFL CHAIRMAN MIKE FITZPATRICK

ESSENDON FC HEARING – 27 AUGUST 2013

I want to start by addressing all Australian football supporters.

The AFL Commission shares your anger and frustration that the 2013 season has too often been dominated by headlines that we would rather not see – and hoped we would never see associated with our sport.

The issues involved in the Essendon Football Club’s supplements program are deeply disturbing. The investigation undertaken over the past six months and the actions we have taken today reflect this gravity.

A number of fundamental principles guide our code and collectively contribute to making the AFL competition successful.

Two of these principles are absolute non-negotiables:

The health and safety of the players, and the overall integrity of the AFL competition.

These principles underpin our Rules and also our day-to-day decision-making.

On behalf of the AFL Commission I want to send a clear and unequivocal message to everybody that nothing – and no-one – comes ahead of the duty of care owed to players and also the need to safeguard the fairness of our competition.

The pursuit of on-field success can never be allowed to obscure a commitment to the principles of player welfare and competition integrity. The very essence of sport demands it.

The AFL Commission yesterday and today dealt with the charges against the Essendon Football Club and Club officials James Hird, Danny Corcoran and Mark Thompson in relation to the Club’s supplements program in 2011 and 2012.

To their credit, all the parties involved in today’s hearing have worked hard to resolve the matter in the overall interests of the game. The AFL and those charged considered that the best interests of the game and its supporters are served by a resolution of this matter. We can now refocus on the game and on the Finals in the coming weeks without distractions or uncertainty.

The AFL acknowledges that neither the Essendon Football Club nor any of the individuals charged set out to implement a supplements program that would result in players being administered prohibited or potentially harmful substances.

However, the Essendon Football Club today acknowledged it had established a supplements program that was experimental, inappropriate and inadequately vetted and controlled, and that in relation to the program:

1. The Club failed to ensure it adequately protected the health, welfare and safety of the players;
2. There was a risk that Essendon players could have been administered substances prohibited by the AFL Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code and any such risk is an unacceptable risk;
3. The Essendon FC is unable now to determine whether players were administered some substances prohibited by the AFL Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code.

By reason of these matters, it has been determined by the Commission, and the Essendon FC has agreed, that the Essendon FC breached Rule 1.6 of the AFL Rules in that it engaged in conduct that is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the Australian Football League or to bring the game into disrepute.

In addition, the AFL Commission has found, and Hird, Thompson and Corcoran agree that in consequence of their actions Essendon FC breached AFL Player Rule 1.6.

I want to acknowledge for the record that at the outset, the Essendon FC came forward and self-reported its concerns surrounding its supplements program.

From that point, the Club and its officials and players co-operated fully with the AFL and ASADA in the Investigative process. Their assistance has helped to get a much clearer picture of the events at Essendon in 2011 and 2012.

I also want to thank the AFL Integrity Unit led by Andrew Dillon and Brett Clothier for their hard work and diligence in investigating and prosecuting this complex and challenging case. In this investigation over 130 witness interviews were conducted and 13,000 documents reviewed. Using the AFL’s investigative powers, email servers, computer hard drives, back-up tapes and mobile telephones were seized and analysed. This level of forensic inquiry shows the AFL’s commitment to finding the truth and protecting the integrity of the competition.

Finally, I want to commend ASADA and its first class investigators for their outstanding work. ASADA’s willingness to work closely with sporting bodies to protect the integrity of sport is the reason we have been able to consider this matter and take action prior to the 2013 Finals series.

I will now detail the sanctions determined by the AFL Commission today. Each of the parties dealt with today chose to make significant admissions in relation to the conduct of the supplements program, and this was taken into account in the Commission’s determination.

Those sanctions are:

Essendon Football Club

1. A fine of $2 million;
2. The Club will forfeit its place in the 2013 AFL finals series and will not play in the 2013 AFL finals series, being deemed to have finished the 2013 Premiership Season in ninth position;
3. The Club is prohibited from exercising, at the 2013 and 2014 National Drafts, its Round 1 and Round 2 selections;
4. The Essendon FC, in 2014, will be granted a selection at the end of Round 1 of the National Draft prior to any compensation selections otherwise awarded under the Rules.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Essendon FC has the ability to trade in for draft selections at any level of draft pick in the 2013 and 2014 National Drafts.

It is important to note that Essendon FC further agrees and acknowledges that it:

1. Regrets the impact and potential consequences this matter may have had on the Club’s players and on the AFL competition in general; and
2. Supports the AFL Rules and recognises the need for the integrity of those Rules and the integrity of the AFL competition to be preserved by the AFL Commission.

James Hird

1. The AFL will impose a 12 month suspension from the AFL, backdated to commence from 25 August 2013;
2. Mr Hird will not work with any AFL Club in any capacity during this period.

Danny Corcoran

1. A six-month suspension from the AFL, effective 1 October 2013, two months of which is suspended for a period of two years;
2. Mr Corcoran will not work with any AFL Club in any capacity during this period.

Mark Thompson

1. A fine of $30,000.

More complete details in relation to these sanctions will be released to the media separately due to the level of detail.

The AFL Commission determined that the charge against Essendon Football Club official, Dr Bruce Reid, would be adjourned until 10am on Thursday. Dr Reid is contesting the charge against him.

In conclusion, I want to note that this matter has been a wake-up call for our sport. It has already resulted in a range of governance reforms within the Essendon FC and enhancements to the AFL Anti-Doping Code that better regulate sports science and employment arrangements in football, and that reinforce the primacy of the club doctor in all medical decisions.

A number of significant lessons have been learned and changes made; I believe the AFL competition as a whole emerges stronger and far more resistant to the growing risks and threats that are challenging sports around the world.

Finally, I note that the outcome reached today, in addition to the support last week from the 17 other AFL clubs and also the AFL Players’ Association, is a powerful and enduring affirmation that no single club and no individual is above our great game.

Yesterday, Essendon’s supplements scandal came to a head with the Club being rubbed out of this year’s finals, losing draft picks for the next two years and the big one, James Hird copping a 12 month suspension.

But now it’s time to get back to basics. When Collingwood’s coach, Nathan Buckley was asked about the Pies’ supplements program, he replied, “BHW we take a lot of – bloody hard work.”

Today, this website is also going back to basics as we look forward to the AFL Finals and the Swannies’ 2013 AFL Grand Final Parties.

Above is a TV Commercial (TVC) produced by the AFL earlier this year, .

And if that doesn’t get the gastric juices flowing again, have a stroll down memory lane and check out the Swannies’ TVC for last year’s Grand Final Party!

Game back on!

Irish John (Redmond) was part of the Swannies touring crew to the Asian Champs. Being a teacher, he was keen to find 10 things that we all learned.

See if you can recognise any on his list below.

It was a an awesome weekend with lots of footy and team bonding, so, here are 10 things we learned in Thailand:

1. “You can leave the country but you can never leave the club”, as proven by four heroes this weekend: Manu, Dave O’Shea, Timmy Pickert and Dave Kainey.
2. The Swannies have some of the best girlfriends in Asian footy. Aside from supporting the Club throughout the year, attending home matches, washing uniforms and basically taking care of their Swannie husband/boyfriend, standout performances came from Josh Daly’s lovely girlfriend, Mary, who came and ran water for the team and Ben Kilsby’s missus who is currently providing for Ben at the moment while he is jobless. Awesome stuff ladies.
3. We have the longest kick in Asia – nice one, Ben – and a good footballer to boot!
4. Without Irish Brian, no one can understand a thing that Irish John says.
5. Billy lived up to his role as captain superbly. He selflessly sacrificed himself in games when he knew his opponents’ strengths would see him lose his individual battle. He gave some great speeches and led by example. And in true Dukesy style, he can’t handle his beer, as proven by his no show on Saturday night. Big thanks to Josh ‘little head’ Lee who tucked him up in bed. (Explains why no one was slapped on Saturday night also.)
6. The Swannies are a kind bunch – deciding to wake Matty while he was sleeping in a tuk tuk rather than leaving him to fend for himself. One for all, and all for one!
7. The Swannies are an inclusive bunch as we adopted Marty ‘Lurch’ Beercroft’s younger sister as an honoury Swannie for the night.
8. Malaysia are going to be a great test for the Swannies at next year’s ANZAC Friendship Match. They look like a strong squad who truly recognize the significance and honour of playing in the Anzac Friendship Match. It looks set to be a great match and a brilliant opportunity to bounce back from this year’s narrow defeat.
9. It happened to American Micheal (Dave O’Shea’s boyfriend) when he wore his bandana all day in Cambodia and now it’s happened to Matty T who had a very impressive sunburn display on his forehead. Hope you enjoyed work on Monday, mate!
10. The Swannies may have lost a few great players this year but the overall squad is looking awesome at the moment. There are arguably two players vying for each position which is a great problem for coach, Andy, to have.

Go you Swannies!

2013 Asian Champs’ Tourers:

Adrian Seal, Alex Lewis, Andy Glendinning (Coach), Bill Sullivan, Billy Crang (Co Captain), Damien Judd, Dan Morrison, David O’Shea (Jakarta), David Skowronski (Co Captain), GUS McEwin, John Redmond, Josh Daly & Mary, Josh Lee, Kevin Hornblower, Kyle Hackenberg, Luke Philpott, Manu Devant (Frenchie from somewhere), Mark Stennett, Matthew Townsend, Michael Johnston, Nathan Milner, Nicholas Shiells (Saigon President), Nick Voight, Paul Koch, Phil Johns (National President), Phil Ghasseb, Rowan Luke, Sean Milner, Tim Clements & Asha, Timmy Pickert (Adelaide), Travy Fallon, Trent Davies, Adam McDonald (field umpire), Ben Kilsby (All Asian and Lonkest Kick) and Dave Kainey (Singapore).

Special mentions to five Swannies playing for other clubs: Stewart Davies (Thailand Tigers), Kris van der Meer (Jakarta Bintangs), Drew Franklin (Jakarta Bintangs), Michael Growder (China Reds) and Sam Conroy (Singapore Wombats).

Australia Week in Vietnam happens from 21-28 September 2013.

It’s the week that Australians and non Australians gravitate to the two biggest events on the calendar for the year:

• 21 September is Auscham’s hugely successful annual charity ball in Saigon. This year’s theme will be the Intergalactic Ball (in Hanoi, the Ball will be held on 16 November).
• 28 September is the Swannies’ (The People’s) AFL Grand Final Parties (click here for full details of our events in Saigon and Hanoi).

All proceeds from Auscham’s Intergalactic Ball shall be donated to Swim Vietnam. Also, the Vietnam Swans shall auction several items at the AFL Grand Final Party with proceeds to be donated to Swim Vietnam and the Vung Tau Orphanage.

Hopefully a few other organisations with Australian interests will schedule events in Australia Week. That would make it even more mega. Arguably, the mega-est.

Australia Week in Vietnam… Huge!

Australia Week happens in Saigon from 21 – 28 September, 2013.

The bookends marking Australia Week are ‘s and, of course, the Swannies’ AFL Grand Final Party (the People’s AFL Grand Final Party).

Auscham has just announced that proceeds from its Charity Ball will be donated to Swim Vietnam.

is a charity also supported by the Vietnam Swans (in Vietnam, more children die from drowning than road accidents).

AusCham’s Intergalactic Ball promises to take you to the moon and back and into a glamorous galaxy of UFO’s, extraterrestrials and astronauts…

The event will take place at the InterContinental Asiana Saigon for a 5-star space-tacular experience including dinner, drinks and dancing.

A live band and DJ will be on hand to keep the crowd moving until the early hours.

And of course, proceeds will be donated to Swim Vietnam.

The Essentials

• Date: Saturday, 21 September 2013
• Time: From 7pm till late
• Venue: InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan St., Dist. 1, HCMC
• Ticket cost: VND3,165,000/ ticket; VND31,650,000/ table of 10
• Includes: Cocktail reception, 4 course dinner, entertainment, late snack and free flow of drinks
• Bookings: Tel: (84-8) 3832 9912

In Hanoi, the Auscham Ball will be held on 16 November, 2013.

On Friday, World Footy News published an article by Shane Hendrickson titled, .

The article has been reproduced below.

The 14th annual Asian Championships have taken place in Thailand, with the Hong Kong Dragons taking out the coveted title for the second consecutive year. The Dragons went through undefeated and beat the Philippines Eagles in the final 4.5 (29) to 2.3 (15) at Royal Polo and Equestrian Grounds outside of Pattaya.

This is the Dragons’ fifth title since the tournament began in 2000. The team is now tied with the Singapore Wombats for the record of most Championships.

The first Asian Championships to be held under the AFL Asia banner proved to be a success with a record 13 teams from across the continent competing for the prize, up from nine teams the previous year.

Other than the Dragons, Eagles and the hosting Thailand Tigers, the competing teams were the Singapore Wombats, Macau Lightning, China Reds, Jakarta Bintangs, Bali Geckos, Cambodia Eagles, Laos Elephants, Malaysian Warriors, Vietnam Swans and Japan Goannas.

This year’s tournament shows how the game continues to grow in the region, not only with the record number of participating clubs, but with the strength from within these clubs too. The Philippines Eagles finished at the bottom of the Championship table last year with no wins, but improved to go through almost undefeated this year only to fall at the last hurdle.

The tournament has become the pinnacle of Australian Rules football in Asia. With new structural organisation, an ever increasing number of teams and the depth within those teams, it will continue to grow as the pinnacle of Asian footy.

To view the original article on World Footy News, .