The 2005 Australian Football International Cup was the second time that the Australian Football International Cup tournament, an international Australian rules football competition was held.
The event was hosted by both Melbourne and Wangaratta, Australia, in 2005.
10 nations participated following the late withdrawal of both Nauru and Denmark and the introduction of Spain.
All sides were scheduled to play 4 games, after which the top 4 sides played off in semi-finals for a berth in the Grand Final decider. The Grand Final was between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Both sides went through the tournament undefeated. It was played as a curtain raiser to an official Australian Football League premiership season match and was replayed on Fox Sports (Australia) and the Fox Footy Channel.
New Zealand were crowned international champions for the first time.
Tournament results
Round 1
(Wednesday 3 August 2005) Japan88–17SpainStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria13 10Goals Behinds2 5
Ireland31–23CanadaStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria4 7Goals Behinds3 5
United States62–34South AfricaStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria9 8Goals Behinds4 10
New Zealand56–22Great BritainStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria8 8Goals Behinds3 4
Papua New Guinea59–42SamoaStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria8 11Goals Behinds6 6
Round 2 (Friday 5 August 2005)
New Zealand105–3SpainStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria15 15Goals Behinds0 3
Papua New Guinea41–27CanadaStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria5 11Goals Behinds4 3
USA17–13IrelandStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria2 5Goals Behinds1 7
South Africa30–28JapanStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria4 6Goals Behinds4 4
Samoa78–8Great BritainStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria12 6Goals Behinds1 2
Round 3 (Sunday 7 August 2005)
Ireland69–10South AfricaStadium: TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria10 9Goals Behinds1 4
USA41–12SpainStadium: TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria5 11Goals Behinds2 0
Samoa46–42CanadaStadium: Optus Oval, Carlton, Victoria7 4Goals Behinds6 6
New Zealand79–6JapanStadium: TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria11 13Goals Behinds1 0
Papua New Guinea59–14Great BritainStadium: Optus Oval, Carlton, Victoria8 11Goals Behinds2 2
Round 4 (Tuesday 9 August 2005)
Ireland53–6JapanStadium: City Oval, Wangaratta, Victoria7 11Goals Behinds1 0
Great Britain25–23CanadaStadium: The Showgrounds, Wangaratta, Wangaratta, Victoria3 7Goals Behinds3 5
Papua New Guinea47–46USAStadium: City Oval, Wangaratta, Victoria7 5Goals Behinds7 4
South Africa84–13SpainStadium: City Oval, Wangaratta, Victoria12 12Goals Behinds2 1
New Zealand98–27SamoaStadium: The Showgrounds, Wangaratta, Wangaratta, Victoria16 2Goals Behinds4 3
Ladder after four rounds
Semifinals (Thursday 11 August 2005)
New Zealand64–46USAStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria10 4Goals Behinds7 4
Papua New Guinea34–25IrelandStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria5 4Goals Behinds3 7
Qualifying finals round (Thursday 11 August 2005)
CanadaCanada won by forfeitSpainStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria
Great Britain63–23JapanStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria9 9Goals Behinds3 5
Samoa50–21South AfricaStadium: Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne, Victoria7 8Goals Behinds3 3
Minor placing finals (Saturday 13 August 2005)
Seventh placeCanada29–18South AfricaStadium: Optus Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria4 5Goals Behinds2 6
Fifth placeSamoa27–15Great BritainStadium: TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria3 9Goals Behinds2 3
Ninth placeJapan73–13SpainStadium: Optus Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria11 7Goals Behinds2 1
Third placeUSA65–30IrelandStadium: TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, Victoria10 5Goals Behinds4 6
Grand final (Saturday 13 August 2005)
New Zealand50–32Papua New GuineaStadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground Attendance: 48,287 7 8Goals Behinds5 2
The grand final was replayed on Fox Sports (Australia) and the Fox Footy Channel.
The best and fairest medal was awarded to New Zealand's James Bowden.
Note: the grand final was played as a curtain-raiser to the round 20 AFL match between Collingwood vs Carlton, 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.
Final standings New Zealand Papua New Guinea USA Ireland Samoa Great Britain Canada South Africa Japan Spain
2005 Australian Football International Cup All Stars Team Like the All-Australian Team in the Australian Football League, a team selected from the best players in the International Cup was selected. Team members were unplaced and not allocated to any specific field position.
Player Nation Club Navu Maha Papua New Guinea Centrals David Gavara-Nanu Papua New Guinea New Ireland Stanley Tapend Papua New Guinea Enga Alister Sioni Papua New Guinea West New Britain Richard Bradley New Zealand Eastern Blues Craig Ashton New Zealand Takapuna Eagles James Bowden New Zealand Eastern Blues Andrew Congalton New Zealand Takapuna Eagles Todd Danks New Zealand North Shore Tigers James Brunmeier United States Milwaukee Bombers Donnie Lucero United States Orange County Bombers Michito Sakaki Japan Waseda University Mtutuzeli Hlomela South Africa Eldorado Park Steven Malinga South Africa Itoseng Clifford Richardson Ireland Edinburgh Old Town Bloods Mike Finn Ireland Jonny Boyle Great Britain West London Wildcats Jose Francisco Lorente Spain Madrid Bears Fia Tootoo Samoa Moorabbin Kangaroos / Fasitoo-Uta Tigers Mateta Kirisome Samoa Fasitoo-Uta Tigers Rob McEwan Canada Windsor Mariners Paul Loghanne Canada Mississauga Demons
Tournament Best & Fairest winners Player Nation Club Navu Maha Papua New Guinea Centrals Fia Tootoo Samoa Moorabbin Kangaroos / Fasitoo-Uta Tigers
References
External links http://www.aussierulesinternational.com Australian Football International Cup, 2005–World Footy News review of all matches Match results from the Footy Record