Aussie Rules action at Patana

Asia's biggest-ever Australian rules football tournament is taking place in Bangkok next weekend as the sport continues to expand in the region.

Competition for the trophy is sure to be intense with powerhouses Singapore looking to break a drought and Hong Kong striving to repeat the success of 2007.

Eleven teams from Bali, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand will compete for the coveted Avion Asian Australian Football Championships at the Patana International School on Saturday August 13.

The tournament will be opened by Australian Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Mr. James Wise, who is also the official patron of the event.

Thailand Tigers Organising Committee Chairman and former Fitzroy champion Geoff Everett, said logistics planning for the event commenced in January and the response to the annual tournament has been so overwhelming, organisers are claiming the international tournament may be the largest of its kind outside Australia.

"Not only is it probably the biggest Australian football event outside Australia, but it could also be one of the biggest social events in Asia; so apart from the logistics in setting the tournament matches, we've also put a lot of effort into making sure the crowd is well-catered for.

"Spectators, families, friends; everyone will be assured of a great time," Everett said.

The competition format runs as follows:

Four preliminary matches will be played by each team. At the completion of these matches, the top four teams will compete in the Semi Finals. The winners of the Semi Finals will then compete in the Grand Final.

The day will start at 7.45am at Soi 105 Sukhumvit - Soi LaSalle at the Bangkok/Patana International School sports fields.

"It's a great weekend of sport and many people in the Australian community around Bangkok and Thailand are very excited about it," said Everett.

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More information about the tournament and the clubs competing can be found on the Thailand Tigers website.

Source: Bangkok Post

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