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Australian rules football in Scotland
CountryScotland
Governing bodyAFL Scotland
National team(s)Scotland
Nickname(s)SARFL
Clubs5

In Scotland, the sport of Australian rules football is a minor, relatively unknown sport, currently played at amateur level by men and women teams from five clubs spread across the regions of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife and West Lothian. The Haggis Cup, a major invitational tournament hosted in Scotland, has been run annually since 2004. Unlike the sport in England, in Scotland, the main format is nine-a-side footy played on rugby union fields.

The sport has a long history in Scotland but with extended periods of inactivity. Scottish involvement had a big influence on the sport's development in its earliest days, coordinating the first competition and trophy, the Caledonian Challenge Cup in 1861, establishing Australian rules football in Queensland in 1866 and one of the game's earliest and most successful clubs, the Essendon Football Club in 1872. The game was first established in Edinburgh in 1888 by students from Edinburgh University.

Edinburgh has hosted the EU Cup, including the 2012 tournament and most recently in 2022. The national men's team best result is 5th in 2009, the women's team's has achieved 3rd in both 2014 and 2022. In all other international tournaments including the AFL Europe Championship and Australian Football International Cup, Scotland competes as part of the combined Great Britain men's or women's side.

Scottish players have featured in the Australian Football League as early as 1897, its first year of competition.

History

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Scottish involvement in early years of Australian rules in Australia

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David Watterston (pictured in 1898) instigated Australian rules football in Queensland in 1866

Scots were playing forms of football during the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s contributing to the early mix of rules played that eventually morphed into Australian rules.[1] Scots living in Melbourne and Victoria in the mid-19th century were greatly involved in the formation of the rules of the game, as well as the formation of a number of early clubs.

The first competition and trophy in 1861 was the instigation of the Royal Caledonian Society and known as the Caledonian Challenge Cup.[2] Among the members was George Frederick Bowen who born in Sydney to Scottish immigrants who founded the Carlton Football Club.[3]

David Watterston of Balgone Barns, Haddingtonshire[4] learned the game upon migrating to Melbourne, but importantly was founder of the Brisbane Football Club which commenced Australian rules football in Queensland in 1866 the second British colony to take up the sport.

One club formed by Scots was the Essendon Football Club (participating in the elite Australian Football League) formed in 1872[5] which was founded by Robert McCracken, born in Ayrshire who emigrated at the age of 28.[6] The now-defunct Glasgow Redbacks wore black jumpers with a red diagonal stripe across the front, the same as worn by Essendon Football Club said to recognise the Scottish roots of Essendon.

First introduction in Edinburgh: 1880s

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As early as April 1888 students at Edinburgh University (mostly Australian) had formed a team. The team contested a match in England against London University on 14 April 1888.[7] Reports in July 1889 from Australia appear to indicate that the sport continued for a time in Edinburgh, but that the Edinburgh team "wiped out every competing team".[8] Records of any team beyond this appear not to have survived.

Rumoured River Clyde competition: 1900s

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There are rumours of a competition near the River Clyde during the early 20th Century,[citation needed] referred to in Geoffrey Blainey's A Game of Our Own,[citation needed] where a number of expatriate Australians were based in Scotland either as Ship Workers or Soldiers. Had this league existed, and there is no proof it ever did, then it had died out around the time of the First World War.[citation needed]

Earliest clubs and Establishment of the SARFL: 1990s-Present

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During the 1990s the Caledonian Sharks were set up by John Boland, with the travelling restraints at the time club games lessened over the years until a period of inactivity until being adopted and rebranded as the Glasgow Sharks by Andrew Butler in 2003.[citation needed] The Edinburgh Puffins and modern SARFL came about through the work of Andrew Butler and Richard Prentice, former players with BARFL side, North London Lions.[citation needed] Butler and Prentice began plans for the SARFL in the winter of 2003.[citation needed] Intra city friendlies began in early 2003 and a combined rules match against Edinburgh Gaelic side Dunedin Connolleys.[citation needed] The Puffins made their debut in the 2003 Northern Cup tournament staged in St Helens.[citation needed] The side remained unbeaten against the then St Helens Miners and Wandsworth Demons.[citation needed] Later in 2003, the Puffins staged a home and away series against Oxford University winning both hard-fought games.[citation needed] The inaugural SARFL season was held in 2004 with a league consisting of two sides in Edinburgh and one in Glasgow.[citation needed] The Puffins name, originally conceived by inaugural Edinburgh Puffins coach Gavin England was subsequently conferred upon the Scottish national team. Later in 2010 the Scottish Puffins were rebranded as the Scottish Clansmen.[citation needed]

In 2006, Glasgow and Edinburgh considered competing in the BARFL Regional competition, though travel problems saw them continue an expanded SARFL local competition with the Glasgow Redbacks and Middlesbrough Hawks from northern England joining the league. The Hawks left the league in 2007 to join the northern division of Aussie Rules UK, and the Scottish league had difficulty in operating on more than a social match level in 2008.[citation needed]

The league was relaunched in 2009, with the Glasgow and Edinburgh playing bases consolidated to one club in each city. They were joined by a new club in Aberdeen, named the "Aberdingoes".[citation needed]

Clubs & Competitions

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Local Leagues

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Competition Region First season Scottish Teams Notes
Scottish Australian Rules Football League (SARFL) Glasgow, Edinburgh, Kirkaldy & Broxburn 2004 5 Scottish AFL
Haggis Cup Invitational 2004

Current Clubs

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class=notpageimage|
Location map of current clubs in the league.

The following teams are active in Scotland:

Colours Club Founded Years active Home ground Notes
Edinburgh (Old Town) Bloods 2003- 2003- Inverleith Park, Edinburgh Official website
Greater Glasgow Giants 2015 2015- Glasgow Green, Glasgow Official website
Glasgow Sharks 2003 2003- GHA Rugby Club, Giffnock, Glasgow Official website
Kingdom Kangaroos 2013 2013- Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy Facebook page
Tyne Tees Tigers 2013 2018- Broadway West Playing Fields, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne Official website (based in Newcastle but participates in Scottish leagues)
West Lothian Eagles 2016 2016- Winchburgh Sports Hub, Broxburn Facebook page

Past clubs

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Club Founded Years active Home ground Notes
Aberdeen Eagles 2009 2009–2013 (known as the Dingoes until 2011)
Falkirk Silverbacks 2015 2015–2016

[9]

Haggis Cup results

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The Haggis Cup is a major regional tournament hosted in Scotland involving teams from Scotland with invitational teams from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe that has been run annually since 2004.

Year Date Men's winners Women's winners Host venue
2004 Glasgow Sharks
2005 Glasgow Sharks
2006 Dublin Demons
2007 5 May Edinburgh Bloods Glasgow
2008 12 April Edinburgh Bloods Glasgow
2009 23 May Aberdingoes Glasgow
2010 10 April Dublin Demons Cartha Queens Park RFC, Glasgow
2011 9 April Glasgow Sharks Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
2012 21 April Edinburgh Bloods Dublin Angels Peffermill fields, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
2013 Edinburgh Bloods
2014 12 April Glasgow Sharks Tyne Tees Tigers GHA Rugby Club, Giffnock, Glasgow
2015 11 April Huddersfield Rams[10] Peffermill fields, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
2016 Wimbledon Hawks Saltires Peffermill fields, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
2017 Nottingham Scorpions University of Birmingham West of Scotland F.C., Milngavie, Glasgow
2018 14 April Wandsworth Demons West of Scotland F.C., Milngavie, Glasgow
2019 2 March Manchester Mosquitoes Edinburgh
2020 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 2 April Edinburgh Bloods Peffermill fields, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
2023 15 April South Dublin Swans Edinburgh Bloods[11] Lenzie Rugby Club, Glasgow

National Team

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Scotland
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Clansmen
Governing bodyAFL Europe
Rankings
CurrentNot ranked (as of October 2022[12])
International Cup
Appearances0

The Scottish national team, The Clansmen, compete in 1–3 events per calendar year. These events are typically the Tri-Nations Championship, the AFL Europe Euro Cup and an additional challenge match or friendly tournament across the European continent.

Euro Cup Participation

Formally known as the EU Cup, for which Scotland participated the inaugural event in London 2005, again in Prague 2008 and also in Zagreb 2009. Since becoming the Euro Cup in 2010 Scotland has participated in a further 6 of the 8 AFL Europe Euro Cup competitions to date, these were; Milan 2010; Belfast 2011; Edinburgh 2012; London 2014; Lisbon 2016 and; Bordeaux 2017.

The Scottish Clansmens strongest Euro Cup performance was in Belfast 2011, winning their group with wins over Spain and Finland and finishing 6th over all in the tournament.

Scotland in Euro Cup

Edinburgh 2012

Pool Stage:

  • Scotland (45) d. Norway (2)
  • England (49) d. Scotland (17)
  • Denmark (40) d. Scotland (16)

Scotland progress to the Bowl Semi-Finals

  • France (36) d. Scotland (21)

Bordeaux 2017

Pool Stage:

  • Ireland (79) d. Scotland (8)
  • Netherlands (37) d. Scotland (36)

Scotland progress to the Plate Quarter-Finals

  • Scotland (63) d. Russia (5)

Scotland progress to the Plate Semi-Finals

  • Scotland (33) d. Jerusalem (19)

Scotland progress to the Plate Final

  • Czech Republic (36) d. Scotland (6)

Audience

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Television

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ESPN (UK) and British Eurosport are the current holders of the British rights to the Australian Football League (AFL). ESPN shows three live games each round of the season including the playoffs and the AFL Grand Final. Eurosport shows one game a week but the coverage is delayed.

Players

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Men's

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Currently on an AFL senior list
Player Club/s AFL Years* AFL Matches* AFL Goals* Connections to Scotland, References
Aiden Bonar Greater Western Sydney, North Melbourne 2020- 32 5 Father[13]
Sam Switkowski Fremantle 2018- 47 28 Parent[14]
Will Walker North Melbourne 2018-2021 6 4 Parent[14]
Matthew Dick Carlton 2015-2016 6 0 Parent[15]
Cameron Zurhaar North Melbourne 2017- 84 115 Parent[14]
Aidan Corr Greater Western Sydney, North Melbourne 2013- 120 2 Parent[14]
Sam Docherty Brisbane Lions, Carlton 2012- 135 16 Father[16]
Brodie Smith Adelaide 2011- 225 67 Parent[14][16]
Rhys Palmer Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, Carlton 2008-2017 123 95 Father[16]
Paul Stewart Port Adelaide 2008-2016 101 33 Father[16]
Sean Wight Melbourne 1984-1995 150 63 Born and raised in Glasgow, father[17]
Jim Edmond Footscray, Sydney, Brisbane Bears 1977-1988 188 287 Born in Glasgow[18]
Bob Edmond Carlton 1967-1968 10 0 Born[19]
Bill Morris Richmond 1942-1951 140 98 Father[20]
Thomas Leather North Melbourne 1932-1933 16 11 Born Rutherglen[21]
Roy Cazaly St Kilda, South Melbourne 1911-1927 198 167 Mother[22]
Charlie Norris North Melbourne 1910-1918 124 23 Father[23]
Ramsay Anderson Essendon, University 1910-1912 31 0 Born Edinburgh[24]
Doug Fraser Carlton 1910 11 6 Parents[25]
Alex Lang Carlton 1906-17 1 0 Father[25]
James Aitken Geelong 1903 1 0 Father[26]
Andy Dougall Carlton 1902 2 0 Parents [27]
Alex Barlow Carlton 1901-1903 14 0 Born[28]
Les MacPherson Melbourne 1898-1899 5 1 Father[29]
Henry McPetrie Carlton 1897 5 2 Born Glasgow[30]
Bill Proudfoot Collingwood 1897-1906 108 0 Parents[31]

Women's

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Currently on an AFLW senior list
Player Club/s AFLW Years* AFLW Matches* AFLW Goals* Connections to Scotland, References
Janelle Cuthbertson Fremantle, Port Adelaide 2020- 24 0 Parent[14]
Kirsten McLeod Western Bulldogs 2017- 31 21 Parent[14]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Giants, Sharks

References

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  1. ^ "FOOTBALL BORN IN GOLD RUSH ERA". Barrier Miner. Vol. XLVIII, no. 14, 255. New South Wales, Australia. 6 April 1935. p. 8 (SPORTS EDITION). Retrieved 18 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Saturday, December 28, 1861". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 28 December 1861. p. 4.
  3. ^ Blueseum George F. Bowen
  4. ^ Hurst, John. "Watterston, David (1845–1931)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  5. ^ Williamson, J. (2003). Football's forgotten tour : the story of the British Australian Rules venture of 1888. Applecross, W.A.: J. Williamson. ISBN 0-9581018-0-9.
  6. ^ The Clubs – The Complete History of Every Club in the VFL/AFL, editors G. Hutchinson and J. Ross, ISBN 1-86458-189-1
  7. ^ Williamson 2003, pp. 138–140.
  8. ^ "Athletic Jottings". Queensland Figaro And Punch. Vol. XIV, no. 335. Queensland, Australia. 20 July 1889. p. 3 (SUPPLEMENT TO QUEENSLAND FIGARO.). Retrieved 18 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Scottish ARFL bounces back in 2009
  10. ^ Huddersfield Rams win Australian Rules Haggis Cup at the sixth time of asking By Mel Booth for Yorkshire Live 23 APR 2015
  11. ^ Greater Glasgow Giants. "What a massive success! The 2023 Haggis Cup is now over and what a day it was!". Instagram. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  12. ^ "World Footy News World Rankings post 2022 European Championships - World Footy News".
  13. ^ "The GWS rookie helping grow AFL in Papua New Guinea".
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "2021 AFL Players Association Multicultural Map". AFLPA. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Matt wants to take on Tigers". carltonfc.com.au. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "118 players with multicultural background on AFL lists". World Footy News. 25 June 2012.
  17. ^ A giant, a gent and a friend from The Independent 6 July 2011
  18. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2003). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (5th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 202. ISBN 1-74095-032-1.
  19. ^ "Interview With Jim Edmond". Woof.net.au. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  20. ^ Morris, Bill (22 May 2009). "Dees' mistake a gift for Tigers". Herald Sun. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  21. ^ Tom Leather Australian Sports Museum
  22. ^ Cazaly, Roy (1979). "Roy Cazaly (1893–1963)". Cazaly, Roy (1893-1963). Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol 7.
  23. ^ "Giant mystery behind Hoskin-Elliott's family history". AFL.com.au. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  24. ^ "Past Player Profiles - A". essendonfc.com.au. 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  25. ^ a b "Doug Fraser and the Bribery Scandal of 1910 : Blueseum - Online Carlton Football Club Museum". Blueseum. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  26. ^ Deaths: Aitken, The Age, (Monday, 12 August 1907), p.1.
  27. ^ de Bolfo, Tony (20 May 2011). "Carlton War Hero Emerges: Andrew Dougall".
  28. ^ "blueseum". Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  29. ^ "Les MacPherson - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  30. ^ McPetrie, Henry. "Henry McPetrie". Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  31. ^ "Bourne Identity: Constable Proudfoot - Sports - Time Out Melbourne". Au.timeout.com. 17 August 2014. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  32. ^ Donald, Chris (2002). Fitzroy: For the Love of the Jumper : 100 Players who Made the "Lions" Roar. Pennon Pub. ISBN 9781877029189.
  33. ^ Fraser, Alexander John (1996). "Fraser, Alexander John (1892–1965)". Fraser, Alexander John (1892-1965) by LHS Thompson. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol. 14, (MUP).
  34. ^ "Bob Cameron". Retrieved 20 March 2014.
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