NORMAN HERMANT, REPORTER:  For many Canadians, this is practically a second national anthem – the theme for Hockey Night in Canada. The game on the ice rules Canadian sport.

But look closely and there are the green shoots of a sport from Down Under. 

FOOTBALL COMMENTATOR:  Team Canada gets the win…

NORMAN HERMANT:  It’s Aussie Rules but with an international twist at the AFL’s Transatlantic Cup for men’s and women’s teams in Toronto.

FOOTBALL COMMENTATOR:  That’ll be the first goal for Colombia, they’re very happy about that. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  The game and the rules are the same even if sometimes they need to be explained.

FOOTBALL COMMENTATOR:  And if you’re not familiar with Aussie football, I like to mention this every so often that it’s the ball that has to stay in bounds.

FOOTBALL COMMENTATOR:  From Colonel Sam Smith Park on the campus of Humber College in Toronto, Ontario Canada, this is the 2024 AFL Transatlantic Cup.

NORMAN HERMANT:  Teams from international footy powerhouses Ireland and the US were joined by hosts Canada, Britain, Colombia and France.

EMILIE CHASSE, FRENCH WOMEN’S TEAM:  This is the first participation of France in the tournament, Transatlantic Cup. So it was a really good experience for us, because we are really, like beginners in the sport. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  This is all about developing the game. AFL Canada was the tournament host and there were some big footy names helping out.

Nick Riewoldt played 17 seasons with St. Kilda.

Is it every now and then an odd experience here to hear the commentary in a North American accent? 

NICK RIEWOLDT, ST KILDA, 2001-2017:  Yeah, it is. It is jarring, absolutely jarring to hear not just the North American accent, but some of the North American terminology. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  Riewoldt now lives in the US and has been helping develop the game there. At this tournament, he liked what he saw. 

NICK RIEWOLDT:  This is like a proper game of football. And so, I think, you know, there’s two things that the coaching and the education that’s had to occur for it to look like this, and then the buy in from the players. It’s a really good product.

NORMAN HERMANT:  Former AFL star Josh Kennedy was another big name at the Transatlantic Cup coaching Colombia. His wife is from the South American country.

JOSH KENNEDY, 16 AFL SEASONS:  Soccer is obviously the number one sport in Latin America, and then probably rugby. So it’s a bit of a combination of both. I think, like anyone, the more you play, and you learn it, you can’t help but love the game.

NORMAN HERMANT:  Learning about Aussie Rules is the biggest challenge for the game in Canada. Those who see it, like it – even if they’re not sure what’s happening.   

JACKIE KIESER:  We don’t know much about the rules. It looks like it’s a combination of rugby and football, and it’s just, I’d love to know more.

QUINN KIESER:  It’s interesting that there’s really big teams, because I’ve always played football with pretty small teams. There hasn’t been that many people. So it’s really intriguing, yeah. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  Capitalising on that intrigue is the goal for AFL Canada.   

FOOTBALL COMMENTATOR:  Bridges, high kick down the line… 

NORMAN HERMANT:  Greg Bridges doesn’t only play for the national team, he’s also on the board of AFL Canada.   

GREG BRIDGES, AFL CANADA:  We have clubs from coast to coast, all the way from Vancouver out to St John New Brunswick. It really is coast to coast. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  Bridges grew up curling and he concedes Canada’s climate isn’t exactly ideal for year-round footy. 

And then, there’s the behemoth in the sporting landscape – ice hockey.   

You’re in a country that, of course, is hockey obsessed. Is that a challenge or an opportunity for AFL? 

GREG BRIDGES:  I think it’s a big opportunity, like I said. I think the biggest challenge for us is just maybe a lack of awareness about what the sport is. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  The pull of players is already underway in the USA. 

Dani Marshall played soccer and rugby in America before making her way to the AFLW in 2020. She believes more athletes like her will follow.   

DANI MARSHALL, AFLW 2020-2023:  I love the fact that Australia has adult sport for everyone. You know, when you’re kind of done with college sport in America, you kind of really don’t have anywhere else to go. 

NORMAN HERMANT:  On this day, Ireland were the champions winning both the women’s and the men’s finals.

That country has long been a source of Aussie Rules players.     

And now, the other countries at this year’s Transatlantic Cup hope soon their players can go from here to the biggest stage in footy.