Great Britain men's national Australian rules football team

The Great Britain men's national Australian rules football team is known as the Great Britain Bulldogs.[2] The team is made up of the best British born players selected from clubs of in England, Wales and Scotland, and occasional appearances from British players playing for clubs in Australia. In AFL Europe, separate national teams represent England, Wales and Scotland.

Great Britain
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Bulldogs
Head coachDean Thomas
CaptainRoss Denton
Top scorerAndy Walkden (30)
Home colours
Alternate colours
Rankings
CurrentDecrease 8th (as of October 2022[1])
International Cup
Appearances6 (first in 2002)
Best result6th (2002, 2005, 2017)
Websiteaflengland.org

As well as regular international friendlies, the team has played in every Australian Football International Cup since its inception in 2002.

They also compete at the triennial AFL Europe Championship, winning back to back titles in 2016 and 2019.

The Great Britain women's national Australian rules football team are called the Great Britain Swans.

History

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1888 British Lions tour

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The British Isles Australian rules team in 1888 at Scotch Oval, close to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, on both of which the team played Australian Rules Football against local clubs

The first team to represent Great Britain in Australian rules was the British Lions during the 1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia. The team played 19 matches of Australian rules winning six and drawing one.[3] Of the matches that went ahead Great Britain defeated Bendigo by 4 goals, drew with Castlemaine, defeated the powerhouse Port Adelaide on the Adelaide Oval by a goal, Horsham by 6 goals as well as Ballarat, Sandhurst and Kyneton by a goal. A standout for the team was Andrew Stoddart.[3] However following the tour the codes had diverged to a point that it was felt that such exchanges could not continue and Australia's policy was not to compete internationally in the sport.

1993 Great Britain Bulldogs team

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The Great Britain Bulldogs played their first international on 2 October 1993 against Canada in Toronto.

They competed at the 2001 Atlantic Alliance Cup, recording wins over Canada and eventual runners-up Denmark. Great Britain's Best and Fairest player was Tyrone Hallam.

In 2002, the Great Britain Bulldogs competed at the first ever Australian Football International Cup in Australia, finishing sixth. Three years later they also finished sixth at the 2005 tournament.

In October 2005, the Bulldogs played against Ireland in a curtain raiser at the West Coast Eagles vs Fremantle exhibition match at the Oval in London. After this match head coach Matt Connell handed over the coaching role to Charlie Kielty.

In October 2006, the Great Britain vs Ireland fixture was repeated before the Geelong Football Club vs Port Adelaide Power match.

 
British Bulldog manages to get a kick away despite being tackled by a Nauruan opponent during the 2008 Australian Football International Cup

After coach Charlie Kielty resigned in late 2009, Mark Pitura became head coach, with Rob Fielder as assistant. The first test was against a travelling Denmark Vikings squad, which resulted in an 11.10 (76) to 9.9 (63) win for the Bulldogs on Putney Heath, London.

In 2010, the squad competed in the inaugural European Championships in Denmark and Sweden. The squad achieved a credible 4th place, losing out to losing finalists Denmark in the group and co-hosts Sweden in the qualification final. Three Bulldogs were named in the Team of the Tournament. These players were Adam Bennett (Reading Kangaroos), Martyn Hinchey (Southampton Titans) and Gareth Blackstaffe-Turner (Wimbledon Hawks).

At the 2011 International Cup, Paul Harris from the Putney Magpies captained the squad to a seventh-place finish. Brendan McGeever (North London Lions), Ian Mitchell (Wolverhampton Wolves) and Paul Francis (Wimbledon Hawks) served as vice-captains.

A marked improvement in performance culminated in a fantastic performance at the 2013 AFL Europe Championships, where the squad finished as runners-up to hosts Ireland.[4]

In 2014 the Bulldogs once again travelled to the AFL International Cup and were placed in Pool A alongside Ireland, Nauru, Fiji, France and Indonesia. Victories over France and Fiji were achieved and Great Britain finished 9th overall, defeating Fiji 5.7 (37) to 2.7 (19) in the Qualification Final.[5][6]

2016 was a successful year for the Bulldogs as they became champions of Europe for the first time. The bulldogs defeated Ireland 7.9 (51) to 4.5 (29). Six players made the team of the tournament. These were Luke Booth (Huddersfield Rams), Marc Cashman (Wimbledon Hawks), Jack Coughlan (North London Lions), Myles Hudson (Wimbledon Hawks), Michael Sharp (North London Lions) and Andrew Walkden (Manchester Mosquitoes).[7]

At the 2017 version of the AFL International Cup, Will Worthington captained the squad and was assisted by Luke Booth and Sean Walton as Vice-Captains. The Bulldogs finished in a joint-highest position of six.

As of February 2018, Ross Denton, formerly of Birmingham University and currently playing for the North London Lions, was appointed captain of the Great Britain Bulldogs.

International competition

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International Cup

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Great Britain International Cup results
Year Finish P W-L-D PF PA %
2002 6/11 5 4-2-0 165 352 46.87
2005 6/10 6 2-4-0 147 266 55.26
2008 9/16 5 3-2-0 264 208 126.92
2011 7/18 6 3-3-0 197 241 81.74
2014 9/18 5 2-3-0 222 174 127.58
2017 6/18 5 3-2-0 226 211 126.06

AFL Europe Championship

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Great Britain AFL Europe Championship results
Year Host Finish P W-L-D PF PA %
2010 Copenhagen, Denmark & Scania, Sweden 4/8 4 2-2-0 232 154 150.64
2013 Dublin, Ireland 2/6 4 2-2-0 231 154 150.00
2016 London, United Kingdom 1/4 4 3-1-0 337 82 410.97

Results (2010-present)

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Scores and results list Great Britain's points tally first.

2010

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
01/08/2010 Finland   11.16 (82) 1.2 (8) Stefan Boldklub, Copenhagen Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
03/08/2010 Iceland   11.20 (86) 4.12 (36) Stenvadskolen, Farum Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
05/08/2010 Denmark   5.5 (35) 10.11 (71) Stenvadskolen, Farum Denmark AFL Europe Championship
07/08/2010 Sweden   3.11 (29) 5.9 (39) Limhamnsfältet IP, Malmö Sweden AFL Europe Championship

2011

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
03/04/2011 Ireland   8.6 (54) 8.11 (59) Ireland Ireland International Friendly
23/06/2011 Ireland   5.6 (36) 11.6 (72) London Ireland International Friendly
13/08/2011 East Timor   10.10 (70) 0.0 (0) Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney Great Britain AFL International Cup
13/08/2011 Ireland   1.0 (6) 8.6 (54) Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney Ireland AFL International Cup
15/08/2011 Canada   6.8 (44) 2.3 (15) Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney Great Britain AFL International Cup
17/08/2011 New Zealand   0.2 (2) 15.10 (100) Bruce Purser Reserve, Sydney New Zealand AFL International Cup
24/08/2011 South Africa   2.3 (15) 7.9 (51) Ransford Oval, Melbourne South Africa AFL International Cup
26/08/2011 Denmark   8.12 (60) 3.3 (21) McAllister Oval, Melbourne Great Britain AFL International Cup

2012

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status

2013

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
02/04/2013 Ireland   9.4 (58) 3.2 (20) Dublin, Ireland Ireland International Friendly
06/04/2013 Ireland   9.5 (59) 1.6 (7) Surrey Sports Park, Guildford Great Britain International Friendly
03/08/2013 Denmark   7.1 (43) 4.9 (33) Dublin, Ireland Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
05/08/2013 Germany   9.12 (66) 2.3 (15) Dublin, Ireland Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
07/08/2013 Sweden   6.4 (40) 3.2 (20) Dublin, Ireland Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
10/08/2013 Ireland   6.8 (44) 7.3 (45) Dublin, Ireland Ireland AFL Europe Championship

2014

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
10/08/2014 France   12.18 (90) 1.1 (7) McAllister Oval, Melbourne Great Britain AFL International Cup
13/08/2014 Nauru   4.5 (29) 6.14 (50) Ransford Oval, Melbourne Nauru AFL International Cup
16/08/2014 Fiji   4.9 (33) 7.7 (49) Koonung Reserve, Bulleen Fiji AFL International Cup
19/08/2014 Nauru   5.3 (33) 7.7 (49) McAllister Oval, Melbourne Nauru AFL International Cup
22/08/2014 Fiji   5.7 (37) 2.7 (19) Western Oval, Melbourne Great Britain AFL International Cup

2015

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status

2016

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
14/08/2016 Sweden   18.17 (125) 1.1 (7) Motspur Park, London Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
16/08/2016 Ireland   4.16 (40) 6.5 (41) Motspur Park, London Ireland AFL Europe Championship
18/08/2016 Germany   18.14 (121) 0.5 (5) Motspur Park, London Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
20/08/2016 Ireland   7.9 (51) 4.5 (29) Motspur Park, London Great Britain AFL Europe Championship
24/09/2016 Netherlands   15.8 (98) 3.1 (19) Battersea Park, London Great Britain International Friendly
22/10/2016 Ireland   10.11 (71) 12.6 (78) Dublin, Ireland Great Britain International Friendly

2017

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
19/05/2017 Canada   15.19 (109) 0.0 (0) Motspur Park, London Great Britain London Footy Carnival
06/08/2017 South Africa   9.11 (65) 4.4 (28) McAllister Oval, Melbourne Great Britain AFL International Cup
09/08/2017 Canada   2.6 (18) 5.3 (33) St. Francis Xavier College, Officer Canada AFL International Cup
12/08/2017 Ireland   8.7 (55) 9.16 (70) Koornang Park Ireland AFL International Cup
15/08/2017 Fiji   8.8 (56) 3.9 (27) McAllister Oval, Melbourne Great Britain AFL International Cup
18/08/2017 Nauru   5.2 (32) 8.5 (53) McAllister Oval, Melbourne Nauru AFL International Cup

2018

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Date Opposition For Against Venue Winner Status
25/08/2018 Netherlands   9.17 (73) 6.1 (37) Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Field, London Great Britain International Friendly

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "World Footy News World Rankings post 2022 European Championships - World Footy News".
  2. ^ "AFL England National Program - Great Britain Bulldogs". AFL England. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b "The forgotten story of ... the 1888 Lions tour". The Guardian. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  4. ^ "AFL Europe Championship Grand Final Review". AFL Europe. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  5. ^ "IC14 preview: GB Bulldogs | AFL Europe". www.afleurope.org. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  6. ^ "International Cup Preview: Great Britain". Footy Industry. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  7. ^ "2016 AFL Europe Championships – AFL Europe". www.afleurope.org. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
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