Sport | Football
Aussie football springs into action
The Doha Kangas will take on the Dubai Dingoes, the Muscat Magpies will face the Abu Dhabi Falcons while Asian champions Dubai Heat will play Dubai Dragons in the opening round of the Australian Football League (AFL) Middle East on October 24.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:41 October 3, 2008
- Image Credit: Supplied picture
- The Dubai Dingoes and current Asian champions Dubai Heat will be in action against the Doha Kangas and the Dubai Dragons respectively when the AFL Middle East kicks off later this month.
Dubai: The Doha Kangas will take on the Dubai Dingoes, the Muscat Magpies will face the Abu Dhabi Falcons while Asian champions Dubai Heat will play Dubai Dragons in the opening round of the Australian Football League (AFL) Middle East on October 24.
This is the first time that the AFL authorities have come forward to put together a structured league for the six teams assembled from three Gulf countries - the UAE, Qatar and Oman.
As per the tentative schedule, round one matches will be held on October 24 followed by the second round on November 14.
"We are so excited about the dedication and the commitment of the teams taking part in the league," Stephen Nugent, the commercial director of AFL Middle East told Gulf News.
"We are very fortunate that the teams have worked hard to prepared themselves and get organised for this opening season," he added.
The six-team league is scheduled for a conclusion at the end of February next year.
Hot favourites
Dubai Heat will be the hot favourites for the inaugural edition of the AFL Middle East title, given their form after being crowned the new Asian champions after defeating the Singapore Wombats in the final last week.
"Definitely the pressure is going to be on us to win the league," admitted Dubai Heat President James Grljusich.
"But we will take the league title and then go out and defend our Asian crown next year," Grljusich promised.
"With the Dubai Heat winning the Asian title last month the standard of the game has risen. But we are more excited because the teams have been evenly spread across the region with teams from the UAE, Oman and Qatar to start with," Nugent said.
Australian Rules in the UAE has been played since 2006, with the formation of the Dubai Dingoes. Dubai Heat, also created last year, was the second club in the UAE.
The Middle East version of the league is affiliated and fully supported by the AFL.
In February this year, the first AFL match in the country was held at the Ghantoot Polo and Racing Club between the Adelaide Crows and the Collingwood Magpies.
It was one of few official NAB Cup matches played outside of Australia and the game attracted a sell-out crowd of more than 6,000.
The curtain-raiser for the AFL match was played between the Dubai Dingoes and Dubai Heat.
Middle East AFL (Round One on October 24) Doha Kangas vs Dubai Dingoes; Muscat Magpies vs Abu Dhabi Falcons; Dubai Heat vs Dubai Dragons.
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