Playing by Australian Rules

Australian Rules Football, or AFL, is a sport beloved by Australians, and it’s growing in popularity in North America, Europe and around Australasia.

The AFL holds a biennial international cup where teams from around the globe compete in Melbourne against other international teams. Canada has represented twice, this year fielding a men’s and two women’s squads. Overall 20 countries were represented in this year’s cup.

The Northern Lights is the women’s team, made up of Canadians and a few Australians living in Canada, as well as two Canadians who have moved to Australia to pursue the sport. This year, the ‘Lights swept the competition, routing the Irish.

Mike Pyke is a professional AFL player with the Sydney Swans, and a former Rugby player from Victoria, British Columbia. Pyke became the first Canadian to play in an AFL premiership in 2012.

Mike Pyke explains the sport to Canadians in this video.

We think this is just one more way Canadians fit in in Australia…  by playing by the rules!