Today (7 October 2014), ABC News’ website has published an article titled, ‘The Big Rooster’ taking Australian rules football to a whole new level by Tony Doman.
An excerpt of the original article (which can be viewed in its entirety here) is reproduced below.
For most of people the Australian rules football season is over for another year and everyone is taking a collective deep breath before the summer of cricket ramps up.
But in other parts of the world, in places like Finland and Myanmar, the season is alive and well.
The following is largely thanks to one man, The Big Rooster.
Julian Clark, as he is otherwise know, has played Australian rules football for 24 countries and helped establish national clubs in many of those nations.
Whether it be the Austrian Dingoes, Pakistan Markhors or even the Myanmar Fighting Cocks, Clark has pulled on the boots and had a kick for them all.
It all started in Malaysia nearly two decades ago when he snared a ticket to the AFL grand final party at the Australian embassy.
“I was living in Malaysia in 1995 and thought that I was done for football, because there was certainly not the internet presence or awareness that there is today,” he said.
“So I went along and watched Carlton win that match and bumped into some of the guys running the bar who were wearing Malaysian Tigers polo shirts.”
A couple of weeks later Clark was running out onto the field for his first international team.
He said back in the day it was a bit easier to get a run for a national team.
“It was turn up on the day, make the national team sort of philosophy … chuck a jumper on and have a kick,” he said.
Clark’s day job as an engineer eventually took him to Europe.
“Twenty-five days after landing in Germany I’d raised a team and hosted a three-team tournament in Dusseldorf,” he said.
To view the original article in full, click here.
To see more articles about AFL Asia’s clubs that have been published in the media, click here.
