She McNamara, the first American to sign an AFL international rookie contract will make his debut for Collingwood this weekend in their VFL match at Gosch’s Paddock. He is out to prove that Americans can make it in the AFL just as former AFL stars Ben Graham and Sav Rocca have proved they belong in the American NFL. While Melbourne’s Andrew Bogut was the Milwaukee Bucks first Australian selection, McNamara a Milwaukee native, is Collingwood’s first American choice. Like Bogut, McNamara has a basketball background and was playing professionally in Germany when he was first approached about playing in the AFL. At 6’8”, he has a rare combination of size and athleticism to make plays around the ground. His journey to the AFL is a story of determination, self belief and a ground breaker spirit. I had a chance to sit down with the Magpies newest international recruit and met a young man determined to shape his own destiny.
How did you first learn about AFL?
“I was contacted by Digger Phelps (former Notre Dame Coach and ESPN college basketball analyst) about the possibility of recruiting an American college basketball player. Digger enquired amongst his contacts and 3 coaches recommended myself as a strong candidate. At the time, (August, 2008) I was playing professional basketball in Munich, Germany. We agreed to discuss the possibilities further at the end of the basketball season, in April 2009. Meanwhile, I began searching the Internet for all the AFL highlights I could find. I liked what I saw and became intrigued by the opportunity of becoming the first American to sign an AFL international rookie contract.”
Highlights from the 2010 preseason AFL competition, the NAB Cup, the 2009 AFL Premiership Runner's Up St Kilda against Sydney at the Docklands in Melbourne.
Highlights and explanation of the 1972 VFL Grand Final between Carlton and Richmond. Check out the mostly obsolete description of the various kicks used in footy and contributions by Kevin Sheedy (#10 for Richmond), Rex Hunt and Robert Walls.
After being signed to a two-year deal with Collingwood after last season, former Marist basketballer, Shae McNamara, has been adjusting to Melbourne's trams (trolly cars), it's footy culture, it's favored pastime and it's most storied club.
"Once I got here in Melboune in November, I had to not only soak up the footy culture and know what I'm doing on the field, but learn and know how these Aussie's tick! They are very similar to us, but with the "tall poppy syndrome" you have to watch what you say and do, so you don't come off as a you-know-what. It's very different from the American culture where they hype you up and over feed your ego as opposed to here where you have to earn your stripes before you can have a swagger and even after all that they will still put you in your place if you think you're bigger or better then the rest, and rightly so. To be quite honest, no one likes a jerk."
McNamara feels very lucky that his transition to Melbourne and to footy has gone well so far. "My girlfriend came out here with me and so it's been a great transition. I've always been the type of guy that finds it easy to adapt to a new culture and make friends and more importantly not get too home sick. It's easier said than done, but I always knew it was chapters in my life and it wasn't going to be forever. So I enjoy it and take it all in, because I know I am living a dream!"
The 2009 Coopers USFootyNews.com Mark of the Year was awarded to Dane Rolfe of the Calgary Kangaroos. Rolfe's screamer was taken in the Divvy II Grand Final against Milwaukee at the 2009 USFooty Nationals. Rolfe's mark has become something of a symbol for the 2009 Nationals and Damien Moore's photo of the mark has been used around the world including on AFL.com.au. Thanks to all the USFootyNews.com readers for voting.
Rolfe was very excited to hear that he had one the Mark of the Year competition. "I honestly had no idea that you guys even ran a MOY competition. I pretty much
play aussie rules so that I can go for big marks! Marking would be the most
enjoyable part of the game for me, so it is rewarding for me to win this
competition."
Rolfe was particularly satisfied to take the mark in the Grand Final and during an important moment in the game. "The Grand Final was obviously a great setting for the mark. I have to thank
the person who took the photo also. I remember the commentator yelling out
"oooohhhh Sheardy has come down with snow in his hair" he obviously got me
confused with my team mate Matt Sheard.
Calgary's Dane Rolfe chillin' in his Coopers gear while doing a bit of ice fishing.
Highlights produced by the Australian Football Council (the precursor of the AFL) of the 1947 Victorian Football League championship game between Carlton and Essendon. The game was a thriller. Check out the drop kicks.
On Friday February 26 the Nashville Kangaroos Football Team got together and made a rather special road trip, even though the footy season has not started yet. This road trip, while not a long one (it is actually just down the street from our home ground), is arguably one of the most important they will make this year. Nashville is home to some of the finest medical facilities in the nation and as such, patients from all over the country come to receive the very best care. The youngest of the patients are at the Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Nine of the Rooboys showed up to see the kids. Being an Australian Cultural Group, they brought a number of Australian themed handouts, including coloring book pages of Australian animals, a Word Seek of Australian animals, an Australian-English dictionary, USFooty playing cards, a whole basketful of mini-footies, and plenty of signed copies of the 2009 Nashville Kangaroos team photo.
The US Revolution kicked off their 2010 season with a winter camp in Austin Texas. New head coach, Matt Bishop, was keen to get the team together with a series of camps throughout the year culminating with the big game against the Canadian Northwind in Toronto in early August. There were a number of new faces looking to impress the Revo coaching staff. One was Minnesota's big man, Andrew Werner. Werner spent much of 2009 playing footy in the Western Australian country leagues and is looking forward to contributing to the Revos.
The 2010 season TV coverage for North America is finally becoming clear. For the most part, coverage will not be different than what was the case in August and September of last season. The primary US coverage will be via internet broadband on ESPN360.com. This is free if your ISP has a deal with ESPN [about 50% of US homes including internet providers Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, RCN, Insight, Frontier, Cavalier, Charter, Mediacom, Conway, Grande Communications, etc. It is also available at no cost to U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks].
Later in the year, players from these sides will combine to form the seniors and reserves teams for the Orange County Bombers 18-a-side club. Here now is a preview of this year’s SCAFL competition:
Portland Power and Seattle Grizzly, Martin Coventry, took at the 2009 Coopers Brewery USFootyNews.com Goal of the Year. Thanks to all the USFootyNews.com readers, Portland and Seattle fans for voting! Thanks also to Coopers Brewery for providing the prizes. Coventry's huge kick in the 2009 USFooty National Championship was almost enough to win the National Championship, while it was not, it did win Goal of the Year. The kick beat out a lovely pocket snap by Revo and Baltimore Washington Eagle RJ Wheelock and a nice left footer from OC Bomber Colter Alison.
Coventry's goal came at big moment in the game, but he knew he could kick the distance. According to Coventry, "I kicked a couple of nice set shots during the warm up and I was really switched on in the final, so I didn't hesitate. It was right on the edge of my range, but it felt great when it left my boot. I couldn't tell from everyone's initial reaction if it got over the line. The ump did a great job!"
Kicking a great goal is all and good, but the name of the game is championships. "I was disappointed that we came so close and lost. But also very proud of what we achieved. I think Seattle proved we can compete with the best teams in the country. The crowd support was tremendous. All in all it was an awesome experience."
She McNamara, the first American to sign an AFL international rookie contract will make his debut for Collingwood this weekend in their VFL match at Gosch’s Paddock. He is out to prove that Americans can make it in the AFL just as former AFL stars Ben Graham and Sav Rocca have proved they belong in the American NFL. While Melbourne’s Andrew Bogut was the Milwaukee Bucks first Australian selection, McNamara a Milwaukee native, is Collingwood’s first American choice. Like Bogut, McNamara has a basketball background and was playing professionally in Germany when he was first approached about playing in the AFL. At 6’8”, he has a rare combination of size and athleticism to make plays around the ground. His journey to the AFL is a story of determination, self belief and a ground breaker spirit. I had a chance to sit down with the Magpies newest international recruit and met a young man determined to shape his own destiny.
After being signed to a two-year deal with Collingwood after last season, former Marist basketballer, Shae McNamara, has been adjusting to Melbourne's trams (trolly cars), it's footy culture, it's favored pastime and it's most storied club.
The 2009 
On Friday February 26 the 
The US Revolution kicked off their 2010 season with a winter camp in Austin Texas. New head coach, Matt Bishop, was keen to get the team together with a series of camps throughout the year culminating with the big game against the Canadian Northwind in Toronto in early August. There were a number of new faces looking to impress the Revo coaching staff. One was Minnesota's big man, Andrew Werner. Werner spent much of 2009 playing footy in the Western Australian country leagues and is looking forward to contributing to the Revos.
The 2010 season TV coverage for North America is finally becoming clear. For the most part, coverage will not be different than what was the case in August and September of last season. The primary US coverage will be via internet broadband on 
