AFL being the national sport of Australia is more popular than anything else there, in fact the popularity of rugby in the Pacific alone, pales in comparison.

AFL is not just a sport but a way of life for some Australians, it is the single sport that moves the most financial gains in all of Australia.

So the presence of Cameron in Samoa is no push over, he means business.

Speaking to Newsline yesterday Cameron elaborated on his presence in Samoa.

“The reason were here, is AFL has changed rules in terms of International participation, they have produced another list for Football clubs to have, which is International Development List or International Scholarship List,” the Richmond Manager told Newsline.

The List is one which can qualify international players, potentially from Samoa to pursue a future in AFL in Australia, or training from Samoa.

Samoa was recommended to the Richmond Footbal Club by a businessman connected to the team.

Cameron said: “He suggested we come here and have a look, because of the fact that there is already AFL being played on the island.”

The Richmond team had also established contact with Mr. Michael Roberts the AFL Coordinator in Samoa.

For close to ten years AFL has been developed in Samoa starting from the Aus-Kick programme for Primary School students which involves teaching the basic rules of the game.

Last year a High School AFL tournament was held where Leififi Intermediate took home the win.

Cameron was asked about his hopes for Samoan players.

“What I am hoping to find is people who are enthusiastic about AFL and therefore there will be some chance for it to be developed within Samoa and also to find some guys that have the athleticism who could go and play Australian Rules,” he said.

But Cameron is not expecting to find that immediately, “I am just seeing if there is a possibility of developing the game,” he said.

Asked as to the potential of Samoan players Cameron said he could only judge from rugby games he has seen on TV, but that his trip here is a fact finding mission in that respect.

“I think we will find a lot of power athletes here, so, strong guys. AFL and Rugby players have different body shapes, sevens and traditional rugby seem to have different body shapes as well so the guys that play sevens have the shape that is closer to what Australian Rules are, and they may be what we are looking for,” Cameron said.

The Manager expects to find players that have lots of power, are quick and have the ability to jump and have good hand and eye coordination.

So with those skill sets in mind, Cameron and Roberts headed out to see an AFL practise session at Leulumoega amongst existing AFL players in Samoa.

Cameron returns to Australia tomorrow, hopefully with a list of potential candidates for the Richmond Football Club.

[Images by The Age and Newsline]

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Comments (5)

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woo hoo!
written by Pua, June 25, 2008

hopefully samoa will sponge this sport since most hamo's are such natural fanatics are volley and could incorporate skills from that into afl .. im not a fan of afl but its a sport that kids in samoa can really take advantage of instead of the usual rugby union or rugby league :-)

Good on em
written by Daff, June 25, 2008

I was raised in Australia yet i STILL do not understand the concept of AFL...especially the scoring, it's confusing to me but I'll tell you one thing, if samoans start playing this professionally (even semi-professionally) I'll try to understand it and back our boys if they ever get into the game of AFL. I still love Rugby and League though.

I think what the AFL big wigs are looking for are polynesians who can make as big an impact they have on rugby and league, they are looking for the Sonny Bill Williams, Tana Umagas, Israel Folaus of AFL and I'd certainly like to see it. AFL is a force to be reckoned with, I was watching 60 minutes a few weeks ago about the battle between AFL & League...in summary AFL looked like it was alot more popular to the little kids and even to the average joe watching a game on the telly. I think samoans should get into playing this game, it could only take us further.

AFL
written by David, June 26, 2008

O le AFL ole taaloga lava a Ausetalia aemaise lava le matou setete o Vitoria.Manaia le avanoa lea mo tatou fanau laiti e taaalo ai aua lo latou lumanai i luma .O le taaloga lava ole taaloga,ou te lagolagoina le manatu o lea uso.Sports is good fun.

...
written by ruckrover, July 04, 2008

AFL is like Rugby 7's but with much more kicking skills and no off-side. Fast running strong athletes do best and Samoa has many of those. See this article from Melbourne's The Age newspaper: http://www.realfooty.com.au/ne...31508.html

I hate AFL
written by JM, July 05, 2008

I spent a good 10 years in Western Australia, having to put up with this bollocks of a sport. The sum of my experience has left me with an eternal hatred of Channel 7 for showing the rugby tests delayed and very late at night or cutting it out altogether during the years they had the free-to-air rugby coverage in Australia.

As for the sport itself, the only thing I like about it is when people get a cheap-shot from the side. John Worsfold (West Coast Eagles) was good at this. He could've been a good flank forward maybe.

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