The Shanghai AFL season has started and the Shanghai Crows have got their season off to a flying start by winning both their games in the first round. In sweltering conditions (40C and humidity between 60 and 85%) and a tough wind blowing across the ground, the Shanghai Crows beat both the West Shanghai Dockers and the Shanghai Eagles. Unlike the AFL’s usual four quarters, the SHAFL games are played in 15 minute halves and even with their poor kicking for goal in the last game, the Shanghai Crows showed that they were a force to be reckoned with this season. Best player in the first round was Peter King.

 1st half
2nd half
Total
West Shanghai Dockers1-2 (8) 3-1 (19)4-3 (27)
North Shanghai Crows 2-2 (14) 3-2 (20)5-4 (34)

 1st half
2nd half
Total
Shanghai Eagles2-1 (13) 0-3 (3)2-4 (16)
North Shanghai Crows 1-1 (7) 1-9 (15) 2-10 (22)


The two wins have set the team up nicely for the rest of the season, as there are only two rounds before the finals on September 18!. The team also hopes to welcome two more Chinese players to the squad who have recently travelled to Australia on a scholarship, where they played and trained with Melbourne for a month.

In exciting new developments for football’s development in China, Shanghai will host the Asian Champs in October, with players from the Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Guangzhou hoping to be picked to play for China. AFL teams Melbourne and Brisbane will be travelling over on the same weekend as the Asian Champs to play an exhibition game.

We wish them all the best with the rest of the season and their finals campaign.