On thursday we were looking at sunny, 5degrees and were optimistic for a great hitout – only to have the methaphoric pants pulled down by an overnight snowstorm.

The Dynamite missed a great opportunity for match practice pre-regional round 1, but surely summer is only just around the corner.

Pic: Hornstull, Södermalm, noon saturday.

Axemen coach Adrian Knee leading the training

The Stockholm Dynamite have re-emerged out of a lengthy hibernation and commenced training towards the North London Lions match this Saturday and the Swedish Regional competition during 2012.  An impressive 32 players from all SAFF clubs attended the training at Rålis last Wednesday, a clear indication of the renewed enthusiasm toward the SAFF league’s representative team.

The Dynamite have existed as long as the SAFF and played in their first match in Mälmo in Spring 2004; a win over a Skåne selection.

There have been sporadic matches over the years, mostly against touring teams such as the West London Wildcats (2 loses), Finland and the most recent a close loss to the International Cup bound Swedish Elks in 2011.

This year the Dynamite will play atleast 7 games, with 6 games scheduled in the Swedish Regional competition against South and West Sweden.

Players from the SAFF clubs are welcome to join the team and attend trainings.

The Lions are coming!

One of AFL London’s premier clubs, the North London Lions AFC, are set to play the Stockholm Dynamite (with players from all 5 Stockholm league clubs) in an 18-a-side pre-season tilt at Årsta. The squad is set to include a number of Axemen, though there is space for plenty more. Training is open to all clubs this Wednesday at 6pm at Rålambshovsparken on Kungsholmen.

The North London Lions are travelling with a squad of as many as 30 in their main pre-season hitout before the AFL London competition kicks off.

In fact, this is not the first time the North London Lions have come to Sweden and played a pre-season game. They, in fact, travelled to Malmö in Spring 2004 and played against a Swedish select side. For the record, the Swedes won 60-49 in close affair. Match details. That 2004 match also holds special significance for the Stockholm Dynamite as they played in their first ever game with a solid win over a South Sweden selection in the second game.

Doubtless, the Lions are looking to square the ledger and get a big win over the Dynamite on their home soil. The Dynamite are using the game to prepare for the Swedish Tri-region series with the first round in Malmö in early May.

Players meet 12 noon. Ball up 13:00. Map here.

BBQ and Beverages post-match. Bring cash.

All Axemen players, family and friends welcome.

Axemen 2012!

Veteran Axemen Joel Tjernlund, Sean Donnelly and German ruckman/enforcer Mats Wurmbach have been selected in the squad.

Furthermore, the Axemen’s premiership winning coach, Adrian “Patch” Knee, will be putting the team through its charges at the tournament with “runner” assistance from Axeman and Wandsworth Demons journeyman Tristan Smith.

The Elks have a good history in the tournament finishing runners-up in 2005 in London, winners in 2007 in Hamburg and 4th place in 2008 in Prague. Strangely Sweden didn’t enter a team in 2009 and 2010 which was unfortunate as more 9-a-side games are played in Sweden than any other format and the Elks would have been expected to finish strongly in both 2009 and 2010 as well.

Nevertheless, the Elks are back and hoping for a high finish, if not victory in this years tournament.  They will need to start well as they have dark-horses Italy and Germany in probably the tournaments “pool of death”.  Anyone can win this pool and it may just take a little “rub of the Irish green” to finish in first place and head into the gold medal round.

LIVE streaming of games is available here during the Tournament.

Cats fans in raptures

The 2001 AFL Grand Final breakfast in Stockholm was a tremendous success.

PRE BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL and are to be made via an email to grandfinalbreakfast@gmail.com

Once pre booked – you can pay in advance by payments to our plusgiro account, or you can bring cash on arrival. Prepayment is strongly suggested as it helps us to plan the logistics of the morning (and therefore is priced at a discount).

PRICES:
Admission, light cooked breakfast and a medium strength beer
150kr in advance
180kr on the day

Admission only
75kr in advance
90kr on the day

Admission includes a coffee or a juice – further refreshments are available on the bar.

Please direct all pre-payments to our Plusgiro account 47 16 39-5 and don’t forget to clearly list your name in the reference field of the payment, so we can track your payment.

Doors to the pub will open at 6am, with the telecast of the coverage commencing immediately. The first bounce is scheduled at 6:30am.

Following the game there will be live Rugby World Cup matches shown – England vs Scotland, and Australia vs. Russia. It’s going to be an awesome day.

PRE BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL and are to be made via an email to grandfinalbreakfast@gmail.com.

Once pre booked – you can pay in advance by payments to our plusgiro account, or you can bring cash on arrival. Prepayment is strongly suggested as it helps us to plan the logistics of the morning (and therefore is priced at a discount).

PRICES:
Admission, light cooked breakfast and a medium strength beer
150kr in advance
180kr on the day

Admission only
75kr in advance
90kr on the day

Admission includes a coffee or a juice – further refreshments are available on the bar.

Please direct all pre-payments to our Plusgiro account 47 16 39-5 and don’t forget to clearly list your name in the reference field of the payment, so we can track your payment.

The Axemen do it again

In bright sunshine and a perfect day for football for the crowd of 200, the Axemen lifted the Stockholm league premiership cup for the fourth time in five years with a commanding performance across the ground in the 2011 SAFF Grand Final.

Spurred on by final match playing captain and 40 somethings pom, Leslie Clarke, the Axemen started cautiously with 2 goals 5 in the opening quarter. The trend was reversed in the second quarter with both teams going into half time all squared.

The Premiership quarter lived up to its name and the Axemen took a slim 14 point lead into the final change, however the match was far from decided.

Södermalm came out fighting in the fourth quarter and threw everything including the kitchen sink at the Axemen.

With 10 minutes to go, the Axemen were leading by a few straight kicks however the nature of the contest changed dramatically. The Axemen lost two of their midfield generals to yellow cards and one sensed that it was game on.  Södermalm upped their efforts and desperation scoring a number of unanswered goals out of the midfield. The final moments of the match were engaging with dramatic end to end play and both clubs trading goal after goal.

The final siren finally blew and it was an exhausted yet joyous Axemen who left the field and were presented the SAFF Premiership cup, winning 114 to 102.

Coach Knee was delirious “The boys really came through today compared to the laissez-faire game we played against the Swans in the semi-final last week. We were far more physical around the packs and held onto our marks in the one on ones. I couldn’t be more happier with the way the team pulled together and hung on when a couple of the boys hit the showers early.”

Ruckman Wurmbach commented “Four flags in five years. We are ze best!”

It has often been suggested by some that the Axemen gains all their success from the quality of Australian players the club attracts.  However, I believe this statement to be a over-simplification and ignorant of many of the key facts. The core playing group has been together for four to five years with a number of our non-Australian players having been encouraged to pursue and be selected for national team honours (Sweden, Ireland & Germany). Our participation in two weekly trainings of two hours with experienced and able coaching staff in control as well as attendance in tournaments such as the Haggis Cup in Scotland clearly demonstrates the clubs commitment to playing group development. The sport of Australian Football is a complete team game and the Axemen’s recent success has been built on a cornerstone of commitment by a stable playing group and the support staff over a number of years.  This year’s victory is as much a victory for the previous players and coaching staff (who built the foundations for success) as it is for the players who played in the 2011 Grand Final.

The after match celebrations continued well into the evening at the league sponsor pub, The Liffey, also where the AFL Grand Final breakfast will be shown on Saturday 2nd October.