Canada

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC0000" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="3fa285a1dvldby.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Aussie Rules Global Invasion</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aussie Rules Global Invasion"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Canada</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Denmark"><U>Denmark</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Germany"><U>Germany</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great Britain"><U>Great Britain</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ireland"><U>Ireland</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Japan"><U>Japan</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nauru"><U>Nauru</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Zealand"><U>New Zealand</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PNG"><U>PNG</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Samoa"><U>Samoa</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="South Africa"><U>South Africa</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id119.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spain"><U>Spain</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sweden"><U>Sweden</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="USA"><U>USA</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=9.375% BGCOLOR="#CC0000" TEXT="#080000" background="3f9d4fe0dvldby.png"> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Canada</I></div> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="325" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 135 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="436a0810.png" border=0 width="160" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canada"><U><B>Home Page</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canada"><U><B>International Results</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canada"><U><B>Photo Gallery</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="713" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#CC0000 HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="707"><div> <B>Canada's Calling</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 586 WIDTH="707"><div> <I><B>It started over a few beers but Canadian football is now fairly serious business</B></I></div> <div> The Canadian Australian Football Association was first formed in 1989 as a bit of an excuse for a bunch of expats to get together for a few beers and a kick of the footy. Two teams where formes, the Toronto Panthers and the Missisauga Mustangs. On October 12, 1989, during half-time in an exhibition match between Melbourne and Geelong in Toronto, footy jumpers were presented to the teams captains.</div> <div> In 1990, the league doubled in size, with the addition of the Scarborough Rebels and the North York Hawks. The next year saw the inclusion of the first team based outside Toronto - the Hamiltion Wildcats.</div> <div> In 1992, the Calmy Beach Saints were formed. The North York Hawks became the Broadview Hawks and the Scarborough Rebels defeated the Missisauga Mustangs to win the flag.</div> <div> In 1993, the Brampton Wolverines were added to bring the league to a total of seven (the Scarborough Rebels relocated and became the Lawrence Park Rebels). This years also featured the first international series, with a representative team from Great Britain visiting, as well as Balmain from the Sydney competition.</div> <div> After the Mustangs won their first premiership in 1994, the CAFA gained added impetus and exposure in 1995, with the local media as last becoming supportive. The Hamilton Wildcats played a CAFA All-Star line-up in front of 21,000 fans at half-time during a Canadian Football League match between the Hamilton Tigercats and Edmonton Eskimos. The association also sent  team to England, defeating the British by three goals.</div> <div> The formation of the Downtown Dingos marked 1996, but the next year startes badly with the collapse of the Balmy Beach Saints. It was not all gloom, however. At the league's annual Canada-Australia All-Star match, the home side defeated the Australian for the first time in CAFA history.</div> <div> In 1998, there was strong competition from all teams, but unfortunetly all was not rosy 1999. Both the Wolverines and the Mustangs had problems with playing numbers and were forced to merge. On a more positive note, the Boston Demons visited Toronto in May for a match againts the Toronto Eagles, while the Canadian national team travelled to Chicago for a match against the USA Revolution, then hosted the Americans in a return encounter the next year.</div> <div> The game's popularity grew in Ontario and Western Canada in 2001, with the Vancouver Cougars forming and playing several matches against the Seattle Cats. The Edmonton Bushrangers started training over the summerand had several inter-squad matched. The Calgary Kangaroos were formed in late 2001 but did not get a chance to play. In Ontario, the Guelph Gargoyles were formed, bringing the Ontario Australian Football League to seven teams.</div> <div> International exposure also was gained, with the Canadian national team, the Northwind, participating in the first Atlantic Alliance Cup in October in London. The Northwind played against teams from England, Ireland, Denmark and the United States, picking up valuable experience in preparation for the International Cup.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> * Above Information is from the Official Souvenir Program of the 2002 International Cup</div> <bR> <div> At the 2002 International Cup Canada played Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, USA and Samoa in the group mathes, they defeated South Africa and lost their remaining group matches. They then played Japan for 9th and 10th spot which they won.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>