Recently, deep in the Middle East, former Dragon Presidents Byrne and Bowski, and current President Burns were spotted boarding flights to Beirut for former President Byrne's Bucks. For purposes of security all boarded different flights. Sporting his new Baracus hairstyle, rather unsubtle spray tan, hollywood perfect teeth and bling yellow shell suit, former President Byrne was welcomed with open arms by the Lebanese Locals.

Attached is the draw, prospectucs and below a note from the Thailand Tiggers (Host) President:

Guys,

 Please find attached the draw for this Saturday.

 After considerable discussion, I would like to highlight a key change from the original prospectus:

 Players per Team per Game

• 16 players on the field
• Maximum of 8 interchange players
• Should any team feel they will experience any difficulties in fielding 16 per side, they are asked to contact the Thailand Tigers through this email address.  Likewise, any team that may have players who may not get a run with their team, and are happy to assist with teams that may need top-up players are also asked to contact us.

There is no change to the qualification to play finals:

Qualification for Finals

• Players must have played in at least 2 preliminary games to qualify for the Semi Finals
• Players must have played in at least 3 games (preliminary and/or Semi Final) to qualify for the Grand Final

A final brief will also be sent to clubs later today as a reminder of key times and responsibilities over the weekend.

Good luck to all teams, and we look forward to catching up for a beer. 

2011 Asian Champs Draw.doc

Asian Champs 2011 Prospectus.pdf

Jarrad and Alicia Crighton welcomed Mary Grace Crighton into the world Friday 22nd July 2011.

Mother and baby are doing well and proud father was able to preent a picture within minutes of request. 

Head wetting to follow!

Hello Chaps,

The first inaugural KÍLA golf society event is just around the corner!! Some customers & Mgt at Kila bar are setting up a golf society which is open for anyone to join. The aim is to sink a few pints/putts and have a laugh with some like-minded people. There will of course be a competition to play in on each day out but we welcome players of all standards.

To become a member - one off payment required!

We will charge an annual golf society fee of HK$400 for those who already have a HKGA membership or HK$750 for those without.

The HKGA membership is very useful and will mean that we won't have to go to China as often to play individually or as a group and you get an official handicap.

The cost of the above covers our golf society registration, your very own golf handicap card (if you don’t already have one), trophies (1st place, longest drive, closest to pin, etc,...), a Kila discount card of 20% off drinks outside of happy hour (bargain!) and a couple of beers and nibbles after the round in Kila bar later that evening.

We will also try to provide light refreshments on course during our events out of this fee.

Golf

We are aiming to organise a round of golf on the first weekend of each month over the coming months, depending of course on numbers. We would need a minimum of 8 which shouldn't be a problem.

First round at Kau Sai Chau golf course!

We will be organising a round on Saturday 6th August at Kau Sai Chau golf course in Sai Kung. It's a beauty of a course for those that haven't played.

Price will be HK$1200 for 18 x holes (not incl your golf society fees) and will include transfers to/from the course.

Dates to keep in mind for the remainder of this year…

Saturday 6^th August – Kau Sai Chau Golf Course, Sai Kung

Saturday 10^th September – Nansha golf course, near Zhuhai, China

Saturday 8^th October – TBC (China)

Saturday 12^th November – TBC (China)

What do I need to do to join I hear you say? 

 Well send your reply email to KILAGOLF@GMAIL.COM with a simple 'YES' and commit to pay by the 8th July and you're in. We have 40 places available for this course so sign up today! Once you’ve expressed an interest we will send a separate email outlining signing up and payment details.

*IMPORTANT – we need money up front to book the course. No paying on the day, plus this stops those of you that say they will play from pulling out after a particularly large session the night before!

PLEASE FORWARD ONTO ANYONE YOU THINK WOULD BE INTERESTED AND WILL BE AN ASSET TO OUR FINE SOCIETY

We look forward to seeing you on the course.

All the best,

Your Committee

Will Dunn - Handicap Secretary

Matt Burke - Captain

Jim Aldworth - President

Daithi O’Connell - Secretary

The final round of the home and away portion of SCAFL 2011 took place on June 4th 2011.

The Guagzhou Scorpions hosted the undefeated Hong Kong Reds in Guangzhou while the Macau Lightening took onthe Hong Kong Blues in Macau.

Returning to the place they were born, the picturesque ground at Utalhoy International School Zheng Chen, The Scorpions entered the game confident that the return of their front line ruck and a couple of key rovers would give them an edge over the visitors from Hong Kong.   This confidence seemed to be well placed in a tight 1^st quarter that saw both teams exchange goals with The Scorpions training by only 1 point at the first break. (GZ 3-2-20 vs. HKR 3-3-21)

The second quarter however was a different story.  The Hong Kong reds on ballers dominated the center and provided pin point accuracy to their front line who kicked 6 goals before The Scorpions big Man Richy “Tiny” Weisbach pulled one back late into the quarter.  MJ, Stutch and Gags all kicking multiple goals in the 2^nd quarter to go into the major break with a significant lead 9-7-61 to The Scorpions 4-3-27

The second half saw The Reds continue to dominate through the center where their rovers had all the running and dealt out a football lesson to their less experienced opponents.  Despite some strong individual efforts from Nick Anson and Remco Bohre The Scorpions were unable to hold The Reds who out scored them 4 goals to 1 in the third quarter to go into the final break leading 13-8-86 to 4-3-36.

Trailing by 50 points The Scorpions again lifted in the 4^th quarter, with the introduction of their super sub A. Nonymous (his wife does not know he played!) who kicked 3-2 for the quarter.  However The Reds matched them goal for goal and towards at the final siren had kicked another 5 goals for the quarter to take the game 18-11-119  to The Scorpions 9-9-63.

This final victory secured an unblemished record for The Hong Kong Reds in the home and away season with 6 victories.

The Reds veteran PK, in the final game of his career, stole the ball on The Scorpions goal line and rifled it through from 6 inches for what was undoubtedly the goal of the day.

Goal Kickers:

The Guangzhou Scorpions:

A. Nonymous 3, Matthew “Wazza” Warren 3, Tom Ryan 1, Nathan Liescheske 1, Richy “Tiny” Weisbach 1

The Hong Kong Reds:

Matthew Jackson 5, Matthew Gallagher 5, Dwight Stuchbery 4, Matthew Baron 2, Brian Jackson 1, Peter Kenny 1 (goal of the day)

Best of the day were Matthew Jackson, Matthew Gallagher and Dwight Stuchbery for The Reds while Nick Anson, Remco Bohre and Tom Ryan had good games for The Scorpions

After early concerns about numbers, The Blue Army assembled quite a strong side for the trip to Macau. Hospitality on arrival really set up the day with the Macau boys fully organized and ready to go. 

Playing on a ground the size of a severely demented postage stamp, the Macauians used their muscle power and height to full advantage. Andrew Wino (the prettier Wino) was an early casualty to some kind of rugby style smashing; he now has a bicep so not all was lost.

Gallant ruck efforts from Jaydon “Jaydos” Campbell and Christian Romano, meant Matt “Cookie” Cook and Travis Briggs were well fed in the engine room, which gave the forwards plenty of opportunities. In tight confines, it was the dwarf brigade doing the damage for the Blues, with Justin “Barbs” Barbaro and Shaun “Coops” Cooper putting on a show up forward. Barbs with his Lance Franklin hook foot on show for all to see. 

In a see-sawing game, the Blues managed to hold a slender two goals lead going into 3/4 time. This lead was quickly eaten up by the fast finishing home side, which had rotated fresh legs off the bench all day. With the clock running down, it was very fortunate for the travelers a Macau player ran into an open goal and proceeded to kick it right into the post. Blues by 3 points.

Some of the better rivalries were to be had in the post game celebrations, with Dwayne “The Drain” setting an unbelievable precedent... Blues challenged well with Coops the best performer.

Macau took the points in the boat race in a very strong team performance. The less said about the ferry ride the better.

But at the end of the day, the key message from the Macau boys was "the Blues boys are way better blokes than the Reds". The rivalry continues to develop, bring on the 18^th June.

The Hong Kong Dragons have recorded their fourth straight Manila Cup, overcoming a self inflicted hangover and some tough opposition in atrociously wet playing conditions at Nomad Sports Ground on Saturday 28th May. The Dragons certainly made hard work of qualifying for the final, losing two games (the Dragons record in Manila Cup was previously unblemished) before regaining their composure and form to win the Manila Cup for a fourth consecutive time.

The touring squad consisted of the following club staff and players: President Robert Burns, Captain Dwight Stuchbery, Coach Gary Wines, Assistant Coach Paul Mallia, Umpire David Varley, Club Physio Dave Garrick, Dominic Dunn, Justin Barbaro, Andrew Vize, Brian Jackson, Christian Romano and Dad Pat Romano, Ian ‘Salty’ Mcdonald, Jarrad Crighton, Jaydon Campbell, Matty Feeney, Paul Greening, Peter Kenny, Richard Drummond, Shaun Cooper, Stefan Aebi, Tim Hosford, Warrick Kendall, Will Dunn, Alex Sorlut, Christian Cook, David ‘Lips’ Kerr and Nigel Sharp.

In the days leading up to the tournament, some email banter brought about the theme of the weekend to be 'Harden Up.' In light of this, the Dragons were ferried from their luxurious five star hotel to the Nomad Sports Ground in local buses, some 45 minutes away. Hard seats, copious amounts of carbon monoxide and oppressive humidity seemed to gel into what could only be described as a 'memorable bus ride.' Coaches Wines and Mallia adapted the idea from Alistair Clarkson's recent move of banning mobile phones from Hawthorn players pre-game to inspire a more focused performance and establish better team harmony. Would such a move work by the ingenious Dragons coaches?

Game 1 - Philippine Eagles V Hong Kong Dragons
With the Dragons winning the previous three tournaments comfortably, it wasn't unreasonable to have them at short odds to be at least defending their title in the penultimate game. However, coaches Wines and Mallia were bewildered and stupefied in the knowledge that many players had a late night and abused alcohol the previous evening, breaking long established teams rules and hence an insipid and underwhelming performance was on display in their opening confrontation with the Eagles. The Philippine Eagles took full advantage of this and recorded a well deserved win. The Dragons leadership group seemed about as capable as Brenden Fevola's case manager.

Eagles 4 1 25 def Dragons 2 3 15

Best: Cook, Feeny PK, Jacko and Crights.
Goals: Cook 2.

Game 2 - Singapore Wombats V Hong Kong Dragons
After much soul searching, an expletive rant by Captain Stuch, Coach Wines and Bowski, many players overcame their hangovers, began to play in front and work more as a team. Order was restored against arch rivals Singapore. The Dragons lifted their work rate and belted the Wombats by six goals. Some fine marking and finishing in the forward line by Sharpy and Coops, improved clearance work by Jacko, Stuchy and Crights enabled the Dragons to at least re-establish their credentials within the tournament.

Dragons 9 2 56 def Wombats 3 3 21

Best: Cook, Crights, Stuchy, Coops and Wazza
Goals: Coops 3, Sharpy 2, Crights, Cook, Barbs, Aebi 1 each.

Game 3 - Jakarta Bintangs V Hong Kong Dragons
At the commencement of the third game for the Dragons, the Nomad Sports Ground now resembled a suburban swimming pool. A heavy thunderstorm slowly moved across the ground. Tournament officials even suspended play for some time until the lightning strikes abated and it was safe for players to resume to the playing field. When the Bintangs and the Dragons took to the field, torrential rain still pounded the playing surface and unfortunately for the Dragons some bad habits crept back into their game. They were soundly defeated by the slick Bintangs. The Bintangs looked a superior unit, moving the ball well in the slippery conditions. A well deserved win for the Bintangs and at that stage of the tournament were destined to be tournament favourites. Cooky, Stuchy, Crights and Jacko again played well in the middle. In defence, Feens, Wazza and Bowski were blitzkrieged with regular Bintang forward pressure, could hold their heads high at games end.

Bintangs 5 1 31 def Dragons 2 5 17

Best: Cook, Stuchy, Wazza, Jacko and Crights.
Goals: Cook and Stuchy 1 each.

Game 4 - Alabang V Hong Kong Dragons
At this stage of the tournament the Hong Kong Dragons one win and two losses. The pressure was on to improve team work and at least adapt to the wet conditions. While the Alabang side put up a decent contest, the Dragons ran out winners by six goals. Percentage could prove to be important to qualify for the final and at least the Dragons played some inspired football.

Dragons 7 3 45 def Alabang 1 2 8

Best: Coops, Romano, Vize, Crights and Hosford.
Goals: Coops 2, Romano 2, Cook, Crights, PK 1 each.

With a very even competition this year, the Dragons still had a glimmer of hope of making the finals if results went their way. They needed Jakarta to defeat Singapore. In a tight contest, the Bintangs did the Dragons a favour and hence the Dragons found themselves playing in the final after losing two games.

Manila Cup Final: Jakarta Bintangs V Hong Kong Dragons
With the grounds light now switched on, the swimming pool just got deeper. Flashbacks of Glastonbury began to surface. More rain meant deeper puddles on the playing surface. Basic wet weather football skills were required again. In what turned out to be a slug fest in mud and water, the Dragons slowly wore down a tired and depleted Bintang outfit throughout the first half. They kept the momentum going in the second half and ran out winners by seven goals. Stuchy was again outstanding for the Dragons. He was well supported by Cooky and Crights in the middle. Barbs chimed in with two goals and when Stefen 'His name is Stefan' Aebi goaled in the middle stages of the second half, the Manila Cup was again Hong Kong bound. Special mention to Matt (Dipper) Feeney for continuing to play with a punctured lung, courtesy of a solid knee to his ribs in an earlier match.

Dragons 8 4 52 def Bintangs 1 goal and a bit more

Best: Stuchy, Cooky, Crights, Jacko and Wazza.
Goals: Barbs 2, Aebi, Cook, Coops, Wilba, PK and Romano 1 each.

Special thanks to Derek Ackary and Steve Arthur of the Philippine Eagles for again organising such a terrific tournament. So great to see the local Alabang side flourish in recent times. Full marks to the Eagles. Dave Garrick for providing his physio services and David Varley his umpiring. Thanks to coaches Wines and Mallia and a huge thanks to Barbs for sorting the flight and hotel for the playing group. Congratulations to Coops for winning the goal of the day and Stuchy best afield in the final. Cooky and Coops finished the tournament with six goals each, coming equal second to the tournaments leading goal kicker.

Paul Mallia.

Sure was a wet one on Saturday. We had a pretty good team and were unlucky in the last game not to grab a win. See a bit of write up below.

It was a wet affair on Saturday as the dragons took the field at Happy Valley for round 2 of the Gaelic Summer League. This week we had Cooky, PK, Baron, Stefan, Harro, MJ and Jamie Liddle stopped off on a drop in from Holland. First game and the boys came out firing. Harro had the jet engine fired up as he racked up possessions and found himself chasing in the midfield. Baron had probably chosen the worst conditions to try out his new found vision in the midfield and soon found out how testing the amber rain storm would be when his grubber stab pass went all of 3 metres before dying in a puddle. Soon followed by PK 'droppy extraordinaire' who proceeded to attempt a drop kick in conditions that had about 1% probability of working. MJ was proving once again to be a master class in any sport involving running and kicking a ball. 

MJ - "So Baron, what's the best way to kick this round ball" 

Baron - "Just try to kick it around your body off the instep"

MJ, next possession, has a crack from just inside halfway and knocks it straight through the posts. So can you give us a few tips MJ? End result, dragons lost by 2 points after missing a few golden opportunities to score with wayward kicking with the slippery round ball. 

Stefan really got the hang of the overlap and was running amok up front. In the second game Jamie's experience was an added bonus with his height and leading prowess up forward. The dragons dominated possession in the first half and went in to half time with a sizable lead. The second half started well but as the dragon's boots filled with water, so the run began to lag. Probably the biggest absence was a quality keeper which was costly for the dragons as the paddies piled on the unders (3 points each) and overan them on the score board to win comfortably. Each week the dragons seem to do something completely random which baffles the Irish fellas, and once again this week Baron discovered that you can't place the ball on the ground as a bounce, as in AFL, ball must be dropped. Well done to the lads who came out on a wet and wild night. The next couple of weeks are going to be difficult with numbers, with the Manila tour followed by an Aussie Rules fixture the week after. Let Cooky know if you can or can't make either of the next 2 Saturday evenings so that we know if we have a team. Email - mpcooky@gmail.com or SMS 62531030

Cheers fellas,

Cooky

Saturday 29^th April 2011 - Happy Valley Racecourse

Round 3 of the SCAFL kicked off in near perfect conditions for football on Saturday 29^th April, with Hong Kong Blues hosting Guangzhou Scorpions at Happy Valley. This would prove to be a pivotal match for both teams, with the result having a huge impact on the make up of the SCAFL ladder. Victory for The Scorpions would all but sow up 2^nd spot, however The Blues were hot on their heels and keen to avenge their recent close lost to the HK Reds.

Both teams were affected by a number players pulling out in the 24 hours leading up to the game, much to the displeasure of club heavy hitters Grant Dooley and Robbie Burns. A pre game lunch was organised at the HKFC, which was a good opportunity for the players to grab a bite to eat and exchange a few recent war stories. Once the players arrived at the pitch, the mood quickly turned serious and both teams stripped down ready for action. The Blues handed over a few players to help bolster The Scorpion numbers and ensure they had some enough players rotations for the encounter.

The match was of special importance to Grant Dooley, who was playing for the first time with his 15 year old son, Callum Dooley. With a frame more akin to a 22 year old than a 15 year old, Callum thrown straight into the middle and the ploy worked unsettle the Blues midfield. The 9-a-side format allowed for a great deal of open space and both sides got off to strong starts. Jarrad “Crights” Crighton’s rich vein of form continued and he was instrumental in 2 of The Blues early goals. The Scorpions rotated Skipper Matt Warren and Callum Dooley through the middle and down forward, this ploy proved fruitful with Callum booting 2 1^st quarter goals. The only down side to first quarter being the injury to XXXX, who appeared to injury his knee. We wish him all the best for a speedy recovery. At quarter time the game was in the balance: HK Blue 3.4.22 Scorpions 2.1.13.

The 2^nd term started at a frantic pace, with both sides playing with passion and keenness for the footy. Tim Lovell was starting to have a big impact on the game and when he goaled early the Scorpions knew they were in with a real chance. Shaun Cooper was providing a handful up forward and his 2 goals in 5 minutes gave the Blues a bit of breathing space. The battle of the team captains, Matt Warren and Dom “Bowski” Dunn, was an enthralling one, with both players having an impact for their respective sides. The form of Nathan Leischke in the back half was telling as he managed to repel numerous scoring opportunities before half time. At the break the score was HK Blue 7.8.50 to Scorpions 4.5.29. It was a tight contest and although The Blues looked to have the advantage Blues Coach, Darren Flannigan, let the boys know that unless they lifted their work rate their lead would soon be reeled in. On the other side of the fence Coach Dooley encouraged his troops to maintain the pressure on the Blues and try to catch them on the counter attack where possible.  

With a smaller touring squad that expected and with a couple of injuries before half time, the second half was always going to be tough for the Scorpions. It was agreed to shorten the quarters to 10 minutes in the second half and both teams seemed happy, given the hot and humid conditions. The Blues got out of the blocks quickly and slammed on 3 quick goals to break away to a 40 point lead half way through the quarter. Ben Howell was a welcome addition to the Blues side and was racking up possessions all over the ground. Crights continued to dominate and young Tom Murphy was relishing a run in the midfield. Jaydon Campbell was having his best game in a Dragons jumper, controlling the centre bounces, kicking a goal himself and having a hand in 2 others. Paul “Greeno” Greening came on after half time and his fresh legs were telling, helping himself to one goal and assisting in another. The Scorpions weren’t to be denied and they battled on gamely. Time Lovell, Callum Dooley and Matt Warren continued to drive the ball forward and Matt “Mojo” Feeney contributed one goal and it could have been 3 had he kicked straight. By three quarter time the Blues were in control 12.9.81 to the Scorpions 5.6.36.

At the final break Coach Dooley asked his troops for one final effort, in what he promised was to be his 2^nd last career game. With the Addition of Matty Wu and Tim Hosford, the Scorpions were confident they could take it up to the Blues for the final 10 minute stanza. The first few minutes were in close tight footy, with both sides struggling to get clear possession. The class of Ben Howell and Crights eventually prevailed and the heavens opened mid way through the quarter. Two goals to Ryan Lawson, followed by singles to Christian Romano, Simon Dodd and Darren Whitfield put the result beyond doubt. True fighting spirit was show by the Scorpions, as they managed to kick the final two goals of the game. The final scores HK Blue 17.13.115 to Guangzhou Scorpions 7.7.49.

Best Players

Hong Kong Blue: Jarrad Crighton, Ben Howell, Dominic Dunn, Shaun Cooper, Thomas Murphy

Guangzhou Scorpions   Callum Cooley, Tim Lovell, Nathan Leischke, Matt Warren

Goal Kickers

Hong Kong Blue Sean Cooper 5, Ryan Lawson 3, Jarrad Crighton 2, Christian Romano, Ben Howell, Simon Dodd, Darren Whitfield, Jaydon Campbell, Thomas Murphy, Paul Greening

Guangzhou Scorpions   Callum Dooley 3, Matt Warren, Tim Lovell, Nathan Leischke, Matt Feeney

After the game both sides headed to Kila Bar for a feed and a few refreshing drinks. The day was celebrated in style and it was great to see the two Dooley boys arm in arm. The second half of Round 3 will be completed next Saturday when Macau Lightning host Hong Kong Reds in Macau.

Check the gallery for pics

Umpire Natalotto’s ANZAC Match Report

Field Umpire for yesterday’s ANZAC Friendship Match has prepared the following match report,

The spirit, heart and soul of the Vietnam Swans aussie rules football club was on display for all to see yesterday with the club hosting the special ANZAC Friendship Match against the Hong Kong Dragons. A strong and vocal crowd witnessed a fantastic day of remembrance, ceremony and excitement with the main match being preceded by speeches from the Consuls General from bothAustralia and New Zealand.

A minutes silence to pay respects for victims, families and loved ones affected by war, and many recent natural disasters was then followed by the Australian, New Zealand and Vietnamese national anthems.

Another great concept introduced by the Swans was the Legends’ Match designed to give past and present players from Hanoi and Saigon [who were not playing in the main game] a chance to get their hands on some leather and to show the crowd what football in Australia is all about. Having a go! The 14 a side friendly match finished with the narrowest of wins to the Saigon side but all players were just happy to have participated in such an innovative and significant event.

Even though it was not required, this match wet the appetite of the crowd for the main event which promised to be a tough and demanding match, with both teams having declared that they were there “to win”.

…And from the outset, the Dragons did not disappoint. They kicked the first goal and three of the first four to take an early lead and send a strong message to the home team! The Swans needed an early lift to avoid getting blasted off the park – enter Dave ‘Angry’ Hadley.

Hadley’s first half 5 goals were nothing short of inspirational and he almost single handedly lifted his team to a 27 point half time lead. His high work rate and strong presence around the half forward line was rewarded with several goals being kicked from slick “gather and snaps” after strong contests creating chances by bringing the ball to ground and applying intense forward line pressure.

After the break, the Swans presented a well structured and even-spread performance with the work being shared which brought many players into the game. It was the experienced players now coming to the top such as Nick Shiells who started to control play around the stoppages. Heath ‘Heater’ Ellis provided great run and delivery into the forward line and Asian football legends Nat ‘Mr Asia’ Payne and Kev Hornblower lighting up the field with fine second half performances. It was Hornblower who matched Hadley’s 5 goals and became the primary target down forward after star ex-AFL recruit Richard Osborne shared his services by playing the second half with the Dragons.

The Dragons – Although beaten, were in no way disgraced and applied intense pressure all day with many strong performances from their experienced squad lead commendably by full back and team captain Bowski who had several key forward opponents including Richard Osborne.

David Hadley was deservedly awarded the best player award and spoke proudly and passionately about his time at the Swans – this being his 3^rd and Final ANZAC match.

Congratulations Dave… And congratulations to the Swans on hosting a fine event with great respect and thoughtfulness for the Vets, Vietnamese and all involved.

Best (Dragons); Bowski, Dave Kerr, Dunn, Ian Mac.
Best (Swans); Hadley, Hornblower, Shiels, Ellis, Meres.

Umpires votes

• Davis Hadley (Swans), 5
• Kevin Horblower  (Swans), 4
• Nick Shiells (Swans), 3
• Bowski (Dragons), 2
• Trent Mears  (Swans), 1

Injuries: Damo Ballentine (Eye) Test

Reports: Nil

Photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/106434882039524708748/2011ANZACFriendshipMatchVungTau

https://picasaweb.google.com/colconn57/Apr232011AnzacFootyMatch?authkey=Gv1sRgCJbpoLSM1eqRTw&feat=email

Rd 3 of SCAFL saw Guangzhou Scorpions travel to Macau to take on the Macau Lightning at Macau Stadium field in Taipa. 

The first quarter saw the Lightning get off to a flying start with a goal within the first 15secs of the opening bounce due to a centre clearances by Jas Elton that lead to Troy Harris scoring the opening goal.  Macau Lightning had control of the opening quarter with Matt Wilson crumbing off a long kick forward to run into an opening goal to score the Lightning's second goal.  With the Scorpions starting slow and Lightning backline lead by Dane Franklin and Dane Evans stopping everything that came there way in the first quarter this lead to attacking opportunities to the Lightning and saw Troy Harris kick his second goal and Lightning's third for the quarter. 1st 3-2-20 to 0-0-0.  

Second quarter saw the Lightning start like they started the first.  Quick goals in succession to Troy Harris saw the lightning extend their lead.  Scorpions lost their ruckman early in the second quarter with a thumb injury but the Scorpions fought back in the second part of the quarter with Nick Gregoriou kicking the Scorpions first followed by another goal to the Scorpions captain Matt Warren.  Just before half time saw the Scorpions lose their fullback Grant "Tom" Dooley in a marking contest that saw his fellow teammate collide with Grant and splitting his head open ruling Grant out for the rest of the game requiring 5 stitches. Lightning finished the quarter off with a goal to Brett Tolson from the boundary which saw the Lightning take a 7-2-44 to 2-2-14 lead into half time.

Third quarter saw a tight battle with no real side taking advantage of the quarter.  Matt Wilson was taking charge of the ruck contest allowing the Lightning midfields to get there hands on the ball first.  But the Scorpions held the Lightning to one goal in the third quarter with Tony Mitchell kicking the only goal for the quarter, 3qrt 8-3-51 to 2-3-15

Final quarter saw the Scorpions kick the first goal of the quarter with and exciting run by Hong Ly to finish off his great work with a goal.  Scorpions missed some early opportunities in the final quarter with Jon Hopper, Nathan Leischeke and Matt Warren all missing goals to put some score board pressure on the Lightning.  Lightning took control of the latter stages of the quarter with Tony Mitchell kicking two goals. The Lightning had all the running, while The Scorpions performance was a far cry from that seen during the opening rounds of the season.  

The Macau Lighning secured their first ever win by a healthy 49 points, 11-5-71 to 3-4-21.  This being a fair reflection of the relative performances on the day.  

The game was played in great spirit and in front of a healthy local crowd that saw Macau Lightning secure their first ever club win and also claim the Pearl River Cup.  Many Thanks to all the volunteers that help out on the day.   

 Macau Lightning Goal Kickers - Troy Harris 5, Tony Mitchell 3, Matt Wilson 1, Brett Tolson 1, Geoff Hodgson 1.

Guangzhou Scorpions Goal Kickers - Nick Gregoriou 1, Matt Warren, Hong Ly 1. 

Macau Lightning Best Players - Troy Harris, Dane Franklin, Dane Evans, Matt Wilson, Chris Rogers

Guangzhou Scorpions Best Players -  Ruud Langeveld, Remco Bohre, Nathan Leischeke, Nimrod Abarbenal, Grant Dooley.

Macau Lightning           vs    Guangzhou Scorpions

SCAFL Round 2
Hong Kong Reds Vs Hong Kong Blues
Sunday 3rd April 2011
Happy Valley Racecourse
 
 
Round 2 of the SCAFL and the first installment of the ‘battle of Hong Kong’ took place on the 3rd April with the HK Reds taking on the HK Blues inside the Happy Valley Racecourse on a mild Sunday afternoon.
 
Both sides were boasting solid numbers for the 12 a-side format and fresh legs were aplenty after the 3 week break since the opening gala round in Guangzhou. There was 1 exception however with Reds VC Brendan Kean having crossed the finish line of a 65km HK island trail race less than 1hr prior to bouncedown! Keano (typically a wiry fast paced wingman) subsequently placed himself in the forward pocket and proceeded to dish out assists via handball to all and sundry for the entire game.
 
On the small playing field available scores were always going to be high and turnovers critical and it was the Reds that jumped out of the blocks early through the solid ruck – rover combination of Jacko & Jacko (not related) in the 1st quarter. The Reds managed 5 majors for the quarter restricting the Blues to just 2.
 
After a quarter time rev up and advice on playing more ‘corridor’ footy from Darren Flanigan the Blues came out in the 2nd quarter with a new lease on life and through superb midfield work from Crights and Cooky, plus some strong finishing from Drummo and Coops up forward, the Blues slammed on the first 7 goals of the quarter and the Reds were out on their feet. 2 late quarter goals from Man Cheung kept the Reds within striking distance though and it was the Blues by 14 points at the main break.
 
The 3rd quarter saw the Reds begin a slow fight back getting within a kick at one stage but it was the Blues youngsters in Christian Romano and Thomas Murphy who had all the legs at this stage in the game. Long time Dragon and Swiss national Stefan was also very important and a couple of late Blues goals saw them maintain a lead of 9 points going into the final term.
 
The last quarter provided the most excitement all day and it was a seesawing battle for the entire 15 minutes. This game proved to be an absolute nail biter and after the Reds hit the front early with 2 quick goals through Stuch and Jacko the lead was to change 4 more times before the final siren had rung. A late assist (and his 5th of the day) from trail runner Keano allowed Wilbur to slam one through the goals and although cries of ‘touched’ were heard from the desperate Blues defenders it was all too little too late for them and with the siren sounding shortly after it was the Reds maintaining their undefeated record in the SCAFL with a 3 point win.
 
Final Scores
 
Hong Kong Red: 15-6-96
 
Hong Kong Blue: 14-9-93
 
Best Players

Hong Kong Red: Matthew Jackson, Brian Jackson, Dwight Stuchbery, William Dunn, Peter Kenny

Hong Kong Blue: Christian Cook, Jarrad Crighton, Richard Drummond, Stefan Aebi, Warwick Kendall

 

Goal Kickers

Hong Kong Red: Brian Jackson 3, William Dunn 3, Matthew Jackson 2, Dwight Stuchbery 2, Ryan Lawson 2, Man Cheung 2, Paul Greening

Hong Kong Blue: Jarrad Crighton 4, Stefan Aebi 3, Richard Drummond 3, Christian Cook 2, Christian Romano 2
 
Of particular interest was the SCAFL debut of local star Sky ‘Saints’ Takyee. Sky, originally drafted by the Blues, was presented with a last minute opportunity to play for the Reds and grabbed it with both hands possibly proving the difference in this close, hard fought game!
 
The strong crowd of Dragons supporters, mums, dads, wives, girlfriends, children and interested locals in the outer were certainly treated to a great spectacle and well done to all players involved. Also a huge thank you to those that helped out on and off the field including Flaners, Visey, Mals, Jules, Chris and Anthony.
 
The Blues now look forward to hosting Guangzhou on Saturday April the 30th whilst the Reds will be playing their round 3 match away against Macau on May the 14th.
 

In superb conditions, in front of a 300 strong roaring crowd, Hong Kong domestic footy found its way to Happy Valley on the weekend. See results below. Write to follow soon.

3^rd April 2011                     Happy Valley

Hong Kong Red                   Hong Kong Blue

Best Players

Hong Kong Red: Matthew Jackson, Brian Jackson, Dwight Stuchbery, William Dunn, Peter Kenny

Hong Kong Blue: Christian Cook, Jarrad Crighton, Richard Drummond, Stefan Aebi, Warwick Kendall

Goal Kickers

Hong Kong Red: Brian Jackson 3, William Dunn 3, Matthew Jackson 2, Dwight Stuchbery 2, Ryan Lawson 2, Man Cheung 2, Paul Greening

Hong Kong Blue: Jarrad Crighton 4, Stefan Aebi 3, Richard Drummond 3, Christian Cook 2, Christian Romano 2

Hi mate and cheers for participating in the latest edition of the Fire breather.

Brian Jackson - no relation to the colorful former VFL footballer Mark 'Jacko' Jackson are we?  

No, though I played a game a couple of years ago with two of my younger brothers and it got a bit confusing with three Jackos running around the ground. There was about 20 feet of Jackson on the field that day!
  
Jacko, you've been blessed with height, terrific footy nous and obviously know your way around a footy ground. Where and when did you first pull on the boots?

I'm from Whorouly, a small town in north-east Victoria, and played for the local team growing up - there were a lot of very handy players around the club and a great atmosphere plus there really wasn't much else to do.  I think I started playing for the Under 10 side when I was about six, so that would be probably be around 1977. (Have attached a photo, I'm up the back, third from the right).  Have played footy every year since.

I take it the Dragons football manager was not at arrivals to greet you and your family upon landing in Hong Kong. How did you actually make your way to the Dragons lair?

Before I came to HK I spent several years in London and New York and played for teams there, so I was used to the glamour of international football and keen to continue in Asia.   Plus I played with Crights back in New York and Winesy at Melbourne Uni a long, long time ago.  I couldn't believe Winesy was still playing!

How many games have you played with the Dragons thus far Jacko?

Not sure - about 10 or so I think.  Played at the 2009 Asia Champs in Kuala Lumpur and then a few home games last year, but broke my arm just before the 2010 Asia Champs.  Looking forward to an action-packed 2010.

And you’re on ground highlight so far? Talk us through that game/s please.

I actually had a run with the ball and took a bounce in one of the games last year - haven't done that since some time in the 1990s!

The Dragons veteran list has grown in recent years. Is 40 too young to be branded a 'veteran?'

Ask my wife. Actually don't.  The good thing about aging as a ruckman is that you don't really slow down that much.

I'm tipping time is precious in Jackoland; with your family, your international football career with the Dragons, working in International Finance and TV Super stardom, how do you juggle such aspects of your life?

Coffee.

(For those that may have missed the Emerging Markets Currecies segment on CNBC last week check the Dragons No.1 Rckman in action: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1859704507&play=1 )

And finally, how's the arm coming along and when can the Dragons faithful see you again doing your best work?

Got the all-clear from the doctor so I'm right to go and will be off to Vietnam for the ANZAC Day clash - should be a great trip.

Thanks for your time Jacko and happy 40th!

This Sunday at Happy Valley the HK Reds will take on the HK Blues in Round 2 of the SCAFL.

This provides a big opportunity for the Blues to reclaim some pride after being convincingly outplayed by the Reds in Guangzhou in March. HK Reds will have lost some of their pace in the middle with key player Troy Clements unavailable, whilst the Blues look forward to having key players Warrick Kendall, Richard Drummond and Justin Barbaro back in the side. Reds will also be strengthened with returning players Brenda Keane and Dylan Bryant. This will be a very strongly contested game with cross border rivals Guangzhou and Macau noting the outcomes looking ahead to SCAFL Round 3.

With 4 quarters of footy to play there will be plenty of opportunities for game time.

If you haven’t registered to play yet and would like to come down for a kick, let me know (president@hk-dragons.com) and I’ll get Stuch/Bowski to allocate you to a team.

Game will be played at the Rugby Pitch inside the Happy Valley Race Course. Kick off at 4pm.

SCAFL Round 2 Footy Budget available for download: Footballrecordrd2hkrvshkb.pdf

Round 1 South China Australian Football League

The opening day of the SCAFL was a huge success exceeding the expectations of all concerned.  The weather was great and the slightly less than capacity, crowd were treated to an exciting day of Aussie rules.

The venue, Guangdong University of Technology Stadium or GUTS, proved to be the perfect venue for the opening round of the competition.  The first class facilities ensuring that The Guangzhou Scorpions were able to host their visitors from Hong Kong and Macau in a style not always seen on the Asian footy scene.

The opening game saw the hosts take on Macau Lightening in the first of six 12 a side games played during the day; under an NAB Cup 15 min half format.
The Scorpions got off to a flying start and quickly opened up a 4 goal lead, with Matt Warren (captain) and Matt Harper striking early blows.  The lightening pulled back a couple late in the half, with Marty Partridge scoring from the edge of the 35 meter arc as The Scorpions intensity dropped off towards the break.  The second half saw the sides trade a couple of goals early on, before The Scorpions pulled clear and finished with a flourish eventually finishing decisive winners 11-2-68 ahead of Macau Lightening 6-2-38.  Top scorer for the Scorpions was Nathan Lieschke with 4-0 while Marty Partridge finish with 3-0 to lead the way for Macau

Game two: Hong Kong Reds take on their compatriots the Hong Kong Blues. After a long bus ride and a few last minute selection changes en route the 2 Dragons sides faced off in the first of their 2 scheduled SCAFL encounters for the season. On paper the sides looked relatively even however the Reds did have the advantage of fielding 3 of their starting midfielders from the 2010 champs including player of the champs Troy ‘Woody’ Clements which was always going to be a big advantage in a 12 a-side game with ample room to move. Both sides started strongly and weren’t giving their opposite HK colour an inch. The Reds as expected were running hard through the middle and had the better of the clearances but the defensive pressure and rebound attack from the Blues kept them well and truly in the game and at the half time break it was a couple of goals a piece. In the second half the Reds compressed the defensive running game of the Blues though and managed to find more targets up forward themselves running out the game with a 8.3.51 to 4.7.31 win. Woody and Stuch both kicked 3 for the Reds along with 2 from Wilbur. Mals was at his opportunistic best kicking 2 for the Blues, helped by Stefan and Packo with 1 each.

Game three: The Guangzhou Scorpions return to the park against the Hong Kong Blues in what was to prove to be the upset of the day.  Having decisively defeated The Scorpions in their first encounter in Dec 2010 the Hong Kong side started the game as clear favorites.  However The Scorpions entered the game with the benefit of an additional rest period and inspired by their home town support they went on a rampage that left the Hong Kong Blues stunned.  Quickly jumping out to a 4 goal lead before the Blues were able to pull one back.  Led by Grant Dooley (head coach and club patron) the Scorpions back line were an almost impenetrable wall restricting the Blues to 2-1-13 while the international squad fielded by The Scorpions added a further 5 goals to finish up at 9-4-58.  Aussie rules virgin Nick Anson (pom), Frenchman Guillaume Adam "GG" and John Browne "Casper" from Ireland all among the scorers. For the Blues, Jono and Mals worked hard up front with a goal each and Winesy Mark 2 and Burnsy resolute in defence.

Game four saw an under strength and injury depleted Macau Lightening side soundly defeated by the Hong Kong Reds, tournament favorites and tipped to take out the inaugural SCAFL championship.  Hong Kong Reds superior fitness and experience enabled them to score freely quickly running up a 6 goal lead before Macau were able to record a score.  There were flashes of the potential hidden within the Macau team as Lightening rookie Tim Jeffares went for a run down the flank eventually floating a pass to team mate Tony Mitchell who kicked a "screamer" from six meters, directly in front of the sticks. However the on-ball brigade of the Reds, and of particular note the exceptionally hard running of Jacko, was too dominant and aided by great ruck work from PK and Browny the Reds went on to an eventual 11-4-70 t 2-1-13. Full Forward Wilbur the notable goal scorer in this game finishing with 4 majors from 5 attempts.

Game five had Macau backing up against Hong Kong Blues and here again the disadvantage of a double header was clear to be seen.  From the outset the Hong Kong Blues fresher legs around the ground made all the difference and they were able to deny Macau any quality possession and quickly piled on the best score of the day.  Finishing with 11-5-71 while Macau only managed to record 4 minor scores to finish 0-4-4. Multiple goal scorers for the Blues were Will, Christiano, Jono, Mals and Coops.

The final game of the day saw Guangzhou take on the Reds, both undefeated this was the game that would decide who took the ultimate honors on the first day of the SCAFL season.  The Scorpions entered the game determined to smash their underdog tag however it was clear that at the end of a hard days football they were out gunned by the younger, fitter and more experienced Reds.  The Reds on-ball brigade of Stuch, Woody and Jacko continued their dominance from the earlier games and had the Scorpions midfield out on their feet as they struggled to stay in touch with the Reds who lead at the end of the first half 5-2-32 to 3-2-20.  In the second half the Reds were able to find much more time and space and would have accumulated a big score if their accuracy had been better finishing with 10-6-66 against The Scorpions 4-5-29. Reds captain Stuch was the standout with 5 goals for the match finishing his day with 10 straight and taking an early lead on the SCAFL goal kicking table.

That saw the Hong Kong Reds finish the day undefeated and lead the SCAFL at the end of the opening gala.  With two good wins under their belt The Guangzhou Scorpions were firmly in second place followed by Hong Kong Blues and Macau Lightening, who are yet to record a win in this inaugural season of the SCAFL.

Having completed the business end of the day all the teams celebrated the launch of the SCAFL in superb style at a function hosted by Grand Dooley consul-general of Australia in Guangzhou and his wife Kristan.  Robert Burns captain of Hong Kong Blues and president of the SCAFL congratulated the Scorpions on organizing a great start to the SCAFL season, thanked all the teams for their efforts on a day that heralds a new chapter in Asian footy.  One that saw the Hong Kong Reds take out the honors but where all agreed, the real winner was the game of Australian Rules Football!

Round 2 will be split round that will see a Hong Kong derby with the Reds and Blues playing in Hong Kong on April 2nd.  While Macau will host The Guangzhou Scorpions in Macau on April 9th where they will have the benefit of a full squad, home town knowledge and are expected to be a much tougher opposition. 

Round 1 of the newly formed South China Australian Rules Football League is set to take place at the brand new Guangzhou Cricket Ground in Southern China on Saturday 12th March. The 2 Dragons teams (reds and blues) have been formed and rivalry already fierce between the 2 sides headed by respective captains Dwight ‘Stuchy’ Stuchbery and Dom ‘Bowksi’ Dunn. Both teams will head to Guangzhou on Saturday morning departing HK at 8:30am squaring off against each other in the 2^nd game of the day scheduled to begin at 12:50pm following the opener between Guangzhou and Macau.

Full schedule of games and events as follows:

1. 12:00 - 12:35 Guangzhou vs. Macau
2. 12:50 - 13:25 HK Reds vs. HK Blues
3. 13:40 - 14:15 Guangzhou vs. HK Blues
4. 14:30 - 15:05 Macau vs. HK  Reds
5. 15:20 - 15:55 Macau vs. HK Blues
6. 16:10 - 16:45 Guangzhou vs. HK Reds

 Games to consist of 2x15 min halves, 5 min break at half time, & 15 mins between each game.

The after match function will be held at the Consul-General of Guangzhou’s residence from 6:30pm.

There is still room on the bus for any players/supporters that would like to join this tour. Please contact president@hk-dragons.com for further information.

The long awaited Dragons 2011 season got underway at Kila Bar on Saturday 19th February, with the launch of the inaugural Dragons Draft. The off season has seen a reshuffle at Dragons Headquarters, forming what some have suggested as the most powerful committee in Asian football. One of the committee's key objectives for 2011 has been the formation of the South China Australian Football League (SCAFL), which will be played out between 2 Hong Kong teams (Red and Blue), Guangzhou Scorpions and the Macau Lightning.

With a few key members in absentia, the remaining player group gathered at Kila Bar (the clubs new Friday night sponsor) for what was to be a key night in the formation of the two HK teams for the SCAFL. With the HK Reds Captain, Dwight Stutchbery, out of the country on business, Vice Captain Brendan "Keano" Kean stepped into the hot seat for draft. The HK Blues Captain, Dominic "Bowski" Dunn, kicked the evening off selecting Jarrad Crighton as the 2011 Number 1 draft pick. Keano's first selection was somewhat of a surprise to the crowd, with his selection of Gary "Wino" Wines, the experienced hard nose defender. The remaining picks for the evening went pretty much as expected with Bowski drafting a number of running utilities types and Keano drafting a number of taller options and key defenders.

See attached for the full team lists: HK Red Blue.pdf

If you dont see your name on the list and wsh to play send me an email (president@hk-dragons) and i will allocate you to a team. It's more than likely an oversight.

These are the teams that will remain throughout the 2011 SCAFL competition.  

The Dragons in their 20^th year of operation played a total of 21 games throughout the season for a 20 and 1 win/loss record. 16 of these games were international encounters with the remaining being games against the Pokfulam Vikings and the Darkside Dragons. Of particular interest is the fact there were a total of 72 individual players who pulled on a Dragons jumper to play in an international game in 2010, a stat that bodes very well for the onfield progress of the club.

Of the 72 players 28 played their first game for the club, 3 players (Christian Romano, Chris Adams & Thomas Murphy) were under the age of 18 (with Thomas being just 13 years of age when he bagged 2 majors on debut against Vietnam early in the season) and 7 were not born, nor played football, in Australia. Of the tours we had 36 players attend the Asian Champs in Shanghai (along with 6 support staff) being the largest touring squad of the year followed by 28, where we fielded 2 sides and won the annual Manila 12 a-side Cup for the 3^rd year in succession. In HK we had a total of 42 Hong Kong players at Kai Tak Oval for the China Cup weekend (again fielding 2 sides), 31 players in Stanley for the season opener against Pokfulam and Macau and 30 players at Kings Park for the Singapore tour in July.

From an individual perspective the club received its 4^th ‘Player of the Championship’ award (from 10 tournaments) when Troy ‘Woody’ Clements received this honor at the Asian Champs in Shanghai. Troy also went on to claim the coveted Ray Wood medal for the fairest & best Dragon in 2010. Interestingly this award has now been received by a South Australian on 8 occasions out of the 20 years the award has been given.  It has also been won by a player of ex SANFL or WAFL level 5 out of the past 10 years.

All in all it was a very successful year for the club and we look forward to building on that success in 2011 and beyond.