Welsh Australian Rules Football League Mission

VISION STATEMENT

'To increase the awareness of Australian Rules Football in Wales by collaborating with our stakeholders and Wales' sporting body, maintain a strong foundation at senior level with a competitive league and international representation and to establish and develop the sport among female and junior players.’ 

STRUCTURE
The WARFL believes that for a strong successful future of Australian Rules football in Wales and for Wales to be a powerhouse in this football code will greatly depend on us practicing our core values of commitment, passion, integrity, fairness, transparency and sustainability. Therefore we have an experienced and committed committee and club management to guide Welsh Australian Rules football to the great heights that this great and proud nation deserves.

WARFL 2009 Committee

Bryce Stone

President

bryce.stone@warfl.co.uk

 07595 894011

Nick Baker

Sponsorship & Events

nick.baker@warfl.co.uk

 07887 524661

Justin Blackwood

National Team Coordinator

justin.blackwood@warfl.co.uk

 07927 410369

Tom Bryce

Marketing & Events

tom.bryce@warfl.co.uk

 07799 006259

Tom Case

Finance Manager

tom.case@warfl.co.uk

 07932 902115 

Glyn Smith

AFL Britain delegate

glyn.smith@warfl.co.uk

 07739 845476

 HISTORY 
A brief history of Australian Rules football in Wales 

  • In September 2006 the game was introduced in Wales by Aussie Rules Wales, (an affiliate of Aussie Rules UK) and the Welsh Australian Football League, which were both founded by Bryce Stone who hails from Adelaide and has recent Welsh heritage.

  • 5 Teams and 26 Welsh based players competed in a 9-a-side format with modified rules in the Welsh division of the Aussie Rules UK National league. The clubs were Cardiff Double Blues, Gwent Tigers, South Cardiff Panthers, Swansea Magpies and guest club Swindon Devils (now defunct). All the Welsh based teams have partner agreements with clubs in the South Australian National Football League. 

  • The first ever game of Australian Rules football was played in Cardiff on Saturday 12th May 2007 in the Welsh Australian Football League with Swindon Devils defeating South Cardiff Panthers by 87 points.

  • Welsh Australian Football League (WAFL) representative team known as the WAFL/Swindon Red Devils played in the Brit Cup representing the first Welsh based side in the tournaments history

  • Swindon Devils defeated South Cardiff Panthers by 71 points on 31st July 2007 in Cardiff to win the inaugural (and only) WAFL Premiership

  • WAFL Red Devils played in the Manchester Aussie Rules Tournament on Saturday 8th September 2007 coming 4th out of 5 teams from around Britain 

  • Wales Red Dragons played England Dragonslayers in Cardiff on 3rd November 2007 for the ‘Dragon Cup’ which was Wales’ first ever Australian Rules football international. England won by 30 points and Daniel Morgan-Kane was judged best on ground for Wales

  • Daniel Morgan-Kane from the South Cardiff Panthers won the WAFL Best & Fairest with 16 year old Welshman and South Cardiff Panther Edward Doe winning the WAFL Rookie of year medal. Welshman and South Cardiff Panther vice captain Gareth Jones won the leading goal kicking medal and Wales vice captain Tom Case from Swindon Devils won the inaugural Wales national player of the year award

  • In December 2007 it was decided by the League and club Presidents that Aussie Rules Wales and WAFL be disbanded and also that the ARUK affiliation with Wales cease. This was due to becoming completely self-sufficient, self-sustaining and fully independent in regards to governing the game in Wales

  • In January 2008 the Welsh Australian Rules Football League (WARFL) was created and took on the role of governing the sport in Wales and is completely independent from any other Australian Rules football leagues or bodies in Britain 

  • WARFL league representative team known as the WARFL Red Devils played in its inaugural ‘Haggis Cup’ and was the first time a Welsh team played in Scotland

  • In April 2008 the WARFL hosted its first Australian Rules football tournament in Cardiff. The WARFL Red Devils came 3rd out of 4 teams. The other teams were Bristol Dockers, Chippenham Redbacks and Manchester Mosquitoes

  • The inaugural WARFL Premiership season kicked off on 10th May 2008 with 3 clubs and 49 players competing in 9 rounds in a 9-a-side format with full AFL rules. The clubs were Cardiff Double Blues, South Cardiff Panthers and Swansea Magpies

  • WARFL Red Devils competed in the Brit Cup in London. It was the first time a completely Welsh based team played in the tournament and in England

  • Cardiff Double Blues defeated South Cardiff Panthers by 165 points (aggregate score over 3 matches) to win the inaugural Cardiff derby ‘Caerdydd Cup’

  • Cardiff Double Blues defeated South Cardiff Panthers by 94 points to win the inaugural 2008 WARFL Premiership

  • Wales’ national team Cymru Red Dragons defeated current EU Cup champions England Dragonslayers in Reading and Newport by 92 points (aggregate score over 2 tests) to win the Dragon Cup for the first time.

  • Welshman David Saunders from Cardiff Double Blues won the WARFL Best & Fairest with 17 year old and fellow Welshman Joshua Stacey from the South Cardiff Panthers winning the Rookie of the year. Kiwi and Cardiff Double Blues player Tom Judson won the leading goal kicking medal and South Cardiff Panthers and British Bulldogs representative David James won the prestigious Welsh player of the year award. 

 FUTURE

Wales and the WARFL proposed matches in 2009: 

  • WARFL Red Devils to play in the ‘Haggis Cup’ in Glasgow in April

  • Hold inaugural WARFL preseason competition known as ‘Cymru Club Challenge’ between all 4 WARFL clubs in late April. Tournament to be played on one day in Swansea by all teams playing each other once in a reduced game format

  • Start to introduce Australian Rules football to children in schools over the next 18 months and to have at least one woman’s match in 2009

  • Four teams to play in the WARFL Premiership season over 12 rounds and one finals game in a 12-a-side format with full AFL rules. We’re hoping to reach 80 registered players by the end of the season. The teams competing are Cardiff Double Blues, Gwent Tigers, South Cardiff Panthers and Swansea Magpies

  • WARFL to host invitational British club tournament in Newport in mid May

  • Host AFL Britain national championships known as the ‘Brit Cup’ in Cardiff in July which the WARFL Red Devils will compete in

  • ‘Caerdydd Cup’ Cardiff derby between Cardiff Double Blues and South Cardiff Panthers

  • Cymru Red Dragons to play in European Championships known as the ‘EU Cup’ for the first time

  • Cymru Red Dragons to play 18-a-side tests against the England Dragonslayers in the third ‘Dragon Cup’ in London and Swansea in September

  • WARFL Red Devils to play Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) and Scottish Australian Rules Football League (SARFL) league representative teams in the ‘Celtic Challenge Trophy’ in Ireland