# 2002 Australian Football International Cup

The 2002 Australian Football International Cup was the inaugural international Australian rules football tournament held in Melbourne, Australia in 2002.
11 nations participated from around the world and the tournament was officiated by the International Australian Football Council.
Ireland won the tournament, finishing undefeated and victorious over Papua New Guinea in the Grand Final on 23 August at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

## Pool A

| Nation | Rep team |
| Denmark | Vikings |
| Great Britain | Bulldogs |
| Japan | Samurais |
| Nauru | Chiefs |
| Papua New Guinea | Mosquitos |

## Pool B

| Nation | Rep team |
| Canada | Northwind |
| Ireland | Warriors |
| New Zealand | Falcons |
| Samoa | Bulldogs |
| South Africa | Buffaloes |
| United States | Revolution |

## Group Stage
### Round 1

* PNG 13.11 (89) d. Great Britain 2.2 (14) – Warrawee Park, Oakleigh
* Nauru 17.17 (119) d. Japan 1.8 (14) – Warrawee Park, Oakleigh
* USA 7.10 (52) d. Samoa 4.7 (31) – TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne
* New Zealand 25.13 (163) d. South Africa 0.1 (1) – Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham
* Ireland 7.14 (56) d. Canada 4.7 (31) – Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham

### Round 2

* PNG 9.15 (69) d. Denmark 3.5 (23)
* Great Britain 9.11 (65) d. Nauru 8.11 (59) – Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick
* Canada 4.11 (38) d. South Africa 1.5 (11)
* Ireland 5.6 (36) d. Samoa 4.5 (29)
* New Zealand 11.12 (78) d. USA 4.1 (25)

### Round 3

* Great Britain 7.3 (45) d. Japan 4.6 (30) – Whitten Oval, Footscray
* Denmark 5.10 (40) d. Nauru 3.9 (27)
* Samoa 12.15 (87) d. South Africa 1.4 (10)
* New Zealand 10.8 (68) d. Canada 2.6 (18)
* Ireland 7.7 (49) d. USA 6.3 (39)

### Round 4

* Denmark 12.9 (81) d. Great Britain 4.2 (26)
* PNG 23.9 (147) d. Japan 0.0 (0)
* Ireland 15.8 (98) d. South Africa 3.3 (21)
* USA 8.4 (52) d. Canada 1.1 (7)
* New Zealand 10.10 (70) d. Samoa 5.8 (38)

### Round 5

* Denmark 10.6 (66) d. Japan 4.7 (32)
* PNG 13.13 (91) d. Nauru 6.8 (44)
* USA 20.12 (132) d. South Africa 0.4 (4)
* Samoa 9.15 (69) d. Canada 0.5 (5)
* Ireland 4.10 (34) d. New Zealand 3.2 (20)

### Standings
#### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Advancement |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 396 | 81 | 488.9 | 16 | advance to Grand Final |
| 2 | Denmark | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 210 | 154 | 136.4 | 12 | advance to placement matches |
| 3 | Great Britain | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 150 | 274 | 54.7 | 8 | advance to placement matches |
| 4 | Nauru | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 249 | 210 | 118.6 | 4 | advance to placement matches |
| 5 | Japan | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 76 | 362 | 21.0 | 0 | advance to placement matches |

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Advancement |
| 1 | Ireland | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 273 | 140 | 195.0 | 20 | advance to Grand Final |
| 2 | New Zealand | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 399 | 116 | 344.0 | 16 | advance to placement matches |
| 3 | United States | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 300 | 169 | 177.5 | 12 | advance to placement matches |
| 4 | Samoa | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 254 | 173 | 146.8 | 8 | advance to placement matches |
| 5 | Canada | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 99 | 256 | 38.7 | 4 | advance to placement matches |
| 6 | South Africa | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 518 | 9.1 | 0 | |

## Playoffs
### Minor Placing deciders

* New Zealand 3.7 (25) d. Denmark 2.4 (16)
* Samoa 5.7 (37) d. Nauru 2.8 (20)
* Canada 6.5 (41) d. Japan 5.2 (32)
* USA 13.15 (93) d. Great Britain 2.3 (15) – Junction Oval, St Kilda

### Grand final

Friday 23 August 2002
| Ireland | 51 – 19 | Papua New Guinea | Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 32,393 Match Report |
| 7 9 A.Coomey 3, J.O'Sullivan,D.Burns, L. O'Connor, D.Stynes Alan Coomey, Denis Reidy, Joe Cunnane, Declan O Sullivan | Goals Behinds Scorers Best | 2 7 Peter Melli, John Bosko Rex Leika, Peter Melli, | Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 32,393 Match Report |
$^A$ Grand Final was played as a curtain raiser to the round 21 AFL match between Hawthorn vs North Melbourne, so this figure is the total crowd for the match, although not all spectators were inside the stadium at the start or conclusion of the curtain raiser event.
| Ireland Squad | Coach | Manager |
| Michael Johnson (C), Neil McFlynn, Donal Boylan, Dualtach Johnson, Barry Denham (VC), Ryan McFlynn, Michael Currane, Fergal Bradshaw, Joe Cunnane, Aaron Flood, Derek Mulligan, Alan Kelly, Denis Reidy, Fergal Killoury, Diarmuid Griffin, Gary Lane, Liam O'Connor, Brian Currane, Declan O'Sullivan, Paul Kiely, John Lack O'Sullivan, Alan Coomey, Emmet Humphries, Declan Cotter, Brian Shortall, Sean McPhillips, Brian Boyle, David Stynes, Damien Burns. | Darren Fitzpatrick | Damien Cassidy |
| Papua New Guinea Squad | Coach | Manager |
| Navu Maha (C), Jackson Gavuri (VC), Walter Yangomina, John Ropa, Douglas Lai, Vagi Lai, John Bosko, Stephen Keu, Nelson Saroa, Andrew Boko, Abraham Henao, Rex Leka, Overa Gibson, Matthew Mondo, David Gavara, Bruce Sovara, Pepe Kila, Nathan Lowa, Peter Meli, Raymond Rae, Bruce Tandawai, Alphonse Gela, Joe Dau, Peter Maisu, Hendrey Pare, Matthew Bae, Fidelis Kelteri, Patrick Vuluka, Richard Aupae, Joachim Loggha | Andrew Cadozow | Stanley Tavul |

## Final standings

* Ireland
* Papua New Guinea
* New Zealand
* Denmark
* USA
* Great Britain
* Samoa
* Nauru
* Canada
* Japan
* South Africa

## All-International Team

A 22 player All-International squad was named, however names were unplaced and not allocated to any specific field position.
| Player | Nation | Club |
| Stefan Leyhane | Canada | Broadview Hawks |
| Erik Krolmark | Denmark | North Copenhagen Barracudas |
| Mogens Hansen | Denmark | North Copenhagen Barracudas |
| John Boyle | Great Britain | West London Wildcats |
| Ben Rees | Great Britain | Sussex Swans |
| Michael Johnson | Ireland | Belfast Redbacks |
| Aaron Flood | Ireland | Midland Tigers |
| Liam O'Connor | Ireland | Leeside Lions |
| David Stynes | Ireland | Dublin Demons |
| Yuta Kobayasi | Japan | Tokyo Goannas |
| Alfred Spanner | Nauru | Menaida |
| Quinson Cook | Nauru | Menaida |
| Vince Serci | New Zealand | Eastern Suburbs |
| Steve Frogatt | New Zealand | University |
| Mike Seversinsen | New Zealand | Eastern Suburbs |
| Walter Yandomina | Papua New Guinea | Enga |
| John Bosko | Papua New Guinea | Morobe |
| Navu Maha | Papua New Guinea | Central |
| Overa Gibson | Papua New Guinea | Gulf |
| Fia Tootoo | Samoa | Clayton |
| Mikaele Pesamino | Samoa | Fasitoo-Uta Tigers |
| Mtutuzeli Hlomela | South Africa | Johannesburg |
| Charley Ellis | United States | Denver Bulldogs |
| Chad Martin | United States | Phoenix Scorpions |