AFL IC14 - Supporters Wanted

Meets Melbourne
1

Howdy Everyone,

As some of you already know, I’m about to do one of the stupidest things in my lifetime…play some AFL games for the Finland Icebreakers.

The AFL International Cup 2014 kicks off on the 9th of Aug with a small event at Fed Square.

On the 10th we play our first game. From then onwards, we get a two day break before playing the next game. Details of my first few games are at the bottom, Full (Incomplete) Official Schedule Here, with the final two rounds being on the 19th and 22nd. Times and opposition are currently unknown (will provide details when released).

The last time Finland played was back in '08. I was “lucky” enough to play two games with them (really i just showed up and got put in because injuries and illness left them with 16 fit players). During the tournament there were very few supporters not involved with the games. And to be honest, there’s no point in doing something this stupid if there’s no-one cheering, laughing and heckling your mercilessly, while you bury yourself chasing an air filled oblong around a field.

With the majority of games being played near the hipster-bubble, there’s really no excuse for NOT showing up and being rowdy, aside from the normal; weather is shit, i’m getting my beard perm’d, the canteen doesn’t serve chai latte’s…

My pick would be to get down on the 13th as there are four grudge matches. Both womens teams from CAN / USA face off, as well as the mens CAN / USA and SWE / FIN.

That’s probably enough from me. Feel free to post questions, comments and other stuff here, but most of all come down and watch a bunch of foreigners make the Renegade Pub League look like the actual AFL.

dF / Tate

Sunday, August 10
Western Oval, Royal Park
9:30am USA v Finland

Wednesday, August 13
McAlister Oval, Royal Park
1:30pm - Sweden v Finland

Saturday, August 16
Eureka Stadium, BALLARAT
11:10am - China v Finland

2

color me well keen…

3

I was reading this and thinking, yeah, I’m keen, but I’ll be away…

Sorry Tate.

4

I’m keen as.

5

Ha, this is so close to my place!

TODAY WE ARE ALL FINNISH

6

they even made a flyer

7

these are the worst times / locations ever.

8

yes. yes, they are. i agree we should be playing on the MCG on Saturday at 2:10pm, as an opener for the Hawks v Melb game…but the head honcho’s aren’t returning my calls.

my suggestion; take a Personal Dev/Mental Health/Sikkie and come along on Wednesday, as it’ll be the best games to watch, as well as one of the quieter IRT supporter numbers.

9

I might try to get across to see you take on China!

10

^^ That’d be awesome Keir, you’ll be one of the dozen or so there to witness history!!

and i’m not the only one spruiking the rivalries of the wednesday games…
Sweden v Finland headlines Round 2 - AFL.com.au

11

Sorry dude, these dates and times are sucky for me, but good luck!

12

oi, where are our updates?

13

where are my supporters??

the important info:

we kicked the first score of the tournament (i think it was anyway) to be leading the USA after 90 seconds.
after showing them what we can do, we let them use us as training drills and they kicked the next 27 goals or so.

we let Sweden use there usual violent tactics in the first half, they didn’t like when we retaliated, so had two of us and one of them sent off for 10 mins each.

our third quarters of each match are where we shine, locking down the USA for 3 behinds in 10 mins, as well as kicking a pair of goals against SWE to lose the qtr by 2 points.

only one slab has been provided for the team after the matches so far.

needing a nervous wazz doesn’t go away, no matter how old you become.

we’ve had some local Finns make banners for us to run through.
here’s the USA game banner-

and here’s the one before the Swedish game-

a picture i was in was the banner of the aflic14 webpage for two days.

and this pic is also pretty rad-

the less important info:

China is yet to score, and NZ haven’t had a score kicked against them.

the battle for the 4th finals spot will be decided by the highest percentage of the 6 teams that will finish on 2 wins/1 loss after Saturday’s round.

and this just for laffs-

anything else you people would like to know?

14

recruited any new gougers?

15

while they’re keen to play, the travel distance to play is a concern…

in other news, we might be playing China another 2 times, bringing the total to 3 of 5 games against them!

also, i was involved in a head clash with our captain on saturday. he’s broken his cheekbone and is in hospital doped up on drugs for a couple more days, while i was knocked unconscious for 10 mins and now i’ve got a sore right side of face and a massive lump between my temple and ear.
needless-to-say, we’re both out for the rest of the tournament.

16

did you end up losing sweden?

my folks checked out canada v sweden on saturday - sweden failed to score a single point yet conceded 20+ goals.

17

fkn hardman.

18

yeah, we lost to Sweden 9 goals to 2 on wed, then went down to China by 4 points on sat.

the AFL have rejigged the games, and we’re now playing India on wednesday at 3:30, western oval, park st, brunswick.

19

Finalnd has racked up it’s first win this tournament, getting over India 3-7 25 to 1-2 8.

Hopefully they can carry some of the momentum into Friday’s game against Japan @ 9am, the one where everyone takes a late in to drink coffee and (ginger)beers in a park where some footy games broke out.