Essendon Football Club is sponsoring the United States team, who will train at Windy Hill and get additional help from the Bombers coaching staff. United States team member David Thurmond is looking forward to the tournament and spending time with the Bombers. “The sponsorship from Essendon Football Club will definitely help improve our game. We will train at Windy Hill and also have access to the weights room and other training facilities - as well as the medical staff for injuries,” Thurmond said.
Essendon also sponsors a US scholarship player each year to come to Windy Hill for a few weeks during the pre-season to train with the team. Jeremy Kraus from the Cincinnati Dockers spent one month training with the Bombers in March this season. “Kevin Sheedy regards the US as a future recruiting ground and has shown a great deal of enthusiasm for the development of Aussie Rules in the States. Kevin will be a guest speaker at the US team Guernsey Presentation, being held at the Essendon Football Club Social Club on Monday, August 12th,” Thurmond said.
The International Tournament runs from August 14th to August 26th and games will be played throughout Melbourne and at select VFL grounds including TEAC Oval in Port Melbourne, Victoria Park, and Skilled Stadium. The Grand Final will be played as a curtain raiser to Hawthorn v Kangaroos match at the MCG on Friday, August 23rd. According to Thurmond the favorites of the tournament are Ireland, New Zealand, Nauru, and PNG. “The United States has been ranked fifth going into the tournament. Australia is not playing in the tournament because they would be too dominate,” Thurmond said.
Competing teams:
Papua New Guinea,United States, South Africa,Ireland,UK, Japan, New Zealand, Nauru,Denmark, Canada, Samoa
Tickets are on sale now for the US Guernsey Presentation at the EFC Social Club. Call (03) 0230 0335 for more information.
