What are the first few things that pop into your head when you think of Finland?
Midnight sun, maybe? Then there’s that rally driver bloke, the really good one. Back in the 90’s. Tomi Makinen. That’s him. There’s a couple of Finnish Formula One drivers who’ve done alright, isn’t there? And then, of course, there’s Nokia.
Bet you didn’t think of AFL footy, though.
Well here’s something to help spice up your next sports trivia night.
Yep. Footy is alive and well in Finland.
Three AFL teams. Two more mooted.
It turns out Finland AFL has been around since 2007 when a group of committed expats thought it might be fun to have a kick with a their newfound Finnish friends.
A year later and a three team, nine-a-side competition was up and running and the likes of Helsinki Heatseekers, Espoo Roos, and Salo Juggernauts (a side made up entirely of Finnish travelers who’d taken a liking to our national code when they’d visited our shores) were slugging it out for Finland National Championship points.
(Heatseekers in a canter in the inaugural year, for those who like the details).
In 2009 Turku Dockers joined the league and Espoo Roos merged with
the Heatseekers. For the first time the competition was decided by a grand final. The decider was a tight tussle but eventually competition’s newest club won a flag in it’s debut year. In 2010 the Dockers went back-to-back, this time knocking off the all-Finnish Salo Juggernauts line up.
And looking ahead to 2011, the possible reintroduction of the Espoo Roos and the planned addition of the Waasa Wombats may see the competition expand once more.
Finland also has a national team, The ‘Icebreakers’. It competed in the International Cup for the first time in 2008.
One of the driving forces behind the Finnish footy boom is Fredrik Romar.
Romar lives in Finland but caught the AFL bug while studying at Bond University here on the Gold Coast. When he returned for a holiday recently, he asked if he could come in and talk the club about physical preparation. Turns out a lot of Finnish players were getting hurt, a fact well illustrated by Finland’s injury-plagued run at last year’s International Cup.
“The odds piled up against us,” Romar said. “Our numbers fell to less than 18 the day before our first game and during the tournament, injuries and illness took their toll on us and we had to field players who were ill or even recovering from surgery. We had no interchanges due to financial demands on all players as the Icebreakers only received some backing towards accommodation from the AFL and no other sponsorships. We ended up in 14th place out of 16 teams.”
The GC SUNS was only too happy to lend a hand.
During his visit to the club, Romar met with GC SUNS Community Officer Corey Bell (who in addition to managing GC SUNS community programs is a veteran of the 1990 Premiership-winning Brisbane Bears Reserves team) and Gold Coast AFL Talent Academy Manager - and ex-Fitzroy Lion - Andrew Johnston.
Both spent some time sharing insights into training, recovery and diet and showed a grateful Romar around the club’s Carrara headquarters.
Romar said the fledgling Finnish competition is very much a labour of love for all involved.
“The Icebreakers remain one hundred per cent self-funded by the players. With no major sponsors, it's only every player's passion for AFL and national pride that has made it possible for us to play in the EU Cup in 2007, 2008 and 2009, the European Champions in 2010 and the International Cup in 2008. And it’s that same commitment from everyone that will see us participate in the International Cup again in 2011.”
If you’re interested in finding out more, go to www.finlandafl.com. FAFL also has a Facebook group.
