The Canada national Australian rules football team represents Canada in Australian rules football. The men's side is known as the Northwind while the women's side is known as the Northern Lights. The national team is selected by AFL Canada the governing body for Australian rules football in Canada. Northwind players are selected from the best Canadian-born players from the club teams across Canada. The team plays in international tournaments, including the Australian Football International Cup and the 49th Parallel Cup.

Identity

The Northwind's guernsey has the Maple leaf, the floral emblem of Canada, in the national colours of red and white.

History

The first team to represent Canada in the sport was a junior team aged 18 to 20 known as the "Canadian Cadets" to play a series of internationals against teams from the United States and Australia in 1912. While the tour itself was unsuccessful and controversial, the team won around half of their matches on their Australian tour. A senior team formed in 1993 to compete against the British Australian Rules Football League, which it defeated and remained undefeated in successive contests in 1994 and 1995. In its first 49th Parallel Cup match against the USA Revolution in 1999 it was defeated, after which the match became an annual event. In these early competitions, Australian players residing in Canada were eligible for representation. The first All-Canadian team was to compete in the 2001 Atlantic Alliance Cup in London. The team lost all of its matches against Great Britain, Denmark, the US and Ireland. Canada competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup, finishing 9th. In the 2005 Australian Football International Cup it improved its result, finishing 7th. At the 2007 49th Parallel Cup at Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver Canada posted its first win against the United States. Canada once again improved at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup finishing 6th. Its first Women's 49th Parallel Cup win against the United States came in 2009. In the 2011 Australian Football International Cup the Northwind finished 10th.

Notable players

Stefan Leyhane, Northwind's Captain (2003–2009) was also the only Canadian recipient of the 2002 International All Star Team. Northwind's best and fairest player (from the 2005 International Cup) was Paul Loughnane. Northwind's best and fairest player from the 2008 International Cup was Aaron "Azza" Falcioni. Northwind had two players named to the 2008 World Team: Emanuel Matata at Ruckman, and Scott Fleming at Forward. Northwind had one player named to the 2011 World Team: Steve Rutledge. Northwind had two players named to the 2014 World Team: Nathan Strom and Neil Casey. Northwind had one player named to the 2017 World Team: Eric Klein

Australian Football International Cup Results

The Northwind have competed at the Australian Football International Cup since their first appearance in 2002. The International Cup is a competition where players that are citizens of the countries who are competing are the only players allowed to play (no expatriate Australians are permitted to play, with teams composed solely of amateurs who must be nationals of the country they represent). In the 2002 Australian Football International Cup the Canada Northwind finished 9th of 11 teams. Round 1: Ireland 7.14 (56) def. Canada 4.7 (31) - Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sandringham, Melbourne Round 2: Canada 4.11 (38) def. South Africa 1.5 (11) Round 3: New Zealand 10.8 (68) def. Canada 2.6 (18) Round 4: USA 8.4 (52) def. Canada 1.1 (7) Round 5: Samoa 9.15 (69) def. Canada 0.5 (5) 9th/10th Place Playoff: Canada 6.5 (41) def. Japan 5.2 (32) In the 2005 Australian Football International Cup the Northwind finished 7th of 10 teams. Round 1: Ireland 4.7 (31) def. Canada 3.5 (23) Round 2: Papua New Guinea 5.11 (41) def. Canada 4.3 (27) Round 3: Samoa 7.4 (46) def. Canada 6.6 (42) Round 4: Great Britain 3.7 (25) def. 3.5 Canada (23) Qualifying Final: **Canada def. Spain ** (Spain forfeited). 7th/8th Place Playoff: Canada 4.5 (29) def. South Africa 2.6 (18) In the 2008 Australian Football International Cup the Northwind finished 6th of 16 teams: Round 1: Canada Northwind 18.22 (130) def. Finland Icebreakers 0.0 (0) - Western Oval Round 2: Canada Northwind 16.12 (108) def. Sweden Elks 1.1 (7) - Ransford Oval Round 3: Ireland Warriors 4.6 (30) def. Canada Northwind 2.2 (14) - Reid Oval Finals Round 1: Canada Northwind 7.7 (49) def. Japan Samurais 0.3 (3) - Walter Oval 5th/6th Place Playoff: Nauru Chiefs 12.8 (80) def. Canada Northwind 7.7 (49) - Ransford Oval In the 2011 Australian Football International Cup the Northwind finished 10th of 18 teams Group 6 - Match 1: Canada 2.0 (12) def. by United States 2.3 (15) - Blacktown International Sportspark 2 Group 6 - Match 2: Canada 3.6 (24) def. Peres Team for Peace 0.0 (0) - Blacktown International Sportspark 2 Division 1 - Group 1 - Match 1: Canada 2.3 (15) def. by Great Britain 6.8 (44) - Blacktown International Sportspark 2 Division 1 - Group 1 - Match 3: Canada 3.2 (20) def. by New Zealand 5.9 (39) - Blacktown International Sportspark 1 Division 1 Semi-Finals: Canada 13.8 (86) def. Japan 2.1 (13) - McAllister Oval 9th/10th Place Playoff: Canada 6.4 (40) def. by Tonga 6.10 (46) - Ransford Oval In the 2014 Australian Football International Cup the Northwind finished 5th of 18 teams. Pool C - Round 1: Canada 19.5 (119) def. China 0.1 (1) - McAlister Oval Pool C - Round 2: Canada 2.8 (20) def. by USA 8.3 (51) - Ransford Oval Pool C - Round 3: Canada 20.10 (130) def. Sweden 0.0 (0) ** - Ben Kavanagh Reserve Division 1 Semi Finals: ** Canada 9.15 (69) def. France 2.3 (15) - Ransford Oval Division 1 Championship (5th/6th Place Playoff): Canada 9.7 (61) def. Tonga 7.6 (48) - McAlister Oval

2005 International Cup squad