AFL Sweden West Premiers 2011!

A comprehensive victory over the Karlstad Eagles and a walkover against Goteborg has delivered the Oslo Crows its first Premiership – the 2011 AFL Sweden West league. The third ‘three-way’ fixture between the teams became a game between two, as Goteborg didn’t make the trip, thus forfeiting their two games. It was a shame on several levels – firstly it would have been great for Oslo and Karlstad to get an extra game each, and secondly the Oslo v Goteborg fixture would have been a ‘winner takes the premiership’ encounter. Irrespective, Karlstad turned on a great day of football, starting with perfect sunny weather and a typically excellent Karlstad rugby pitch to play on. The facilities …

Alt for Norge! Norway defeat Iceland in first Australian football game between the two nations

(All photos of the game are courtesy of Haukur Þór Lúðvíksson)I’m hunched in a tiny Iceland Air economy seat at 39000 feet. My legs are like creaky wooden planks, my elbows and knees are bruised and I am tired to the point of dribbling on myself. There are dried white clumps of mud from the blue lagoon pasted all over my sunglasses.Where do you start when describing a weekend like that? Australian football is a game that until recently was confined to a very localised area of the world. Growing up with they game, you learn as a kid, play at the oval down the street and as you get older, maybe drive across town to take on teams from the other suburbs. It felt exotic to play on the other side …