Revolution Revs Up - TransAtlantic Cup Preview

Twenty-five years ago, a Revolution began.

It wasn’t a revolt, rebellion, or a mutiny, much like the one that led to the foundation of our country.  But it was, in a sense, a coup.  A new national team in a sport that no one representing it had played growing up.

This was the USA Revolution Aussie Rules football club.  In 1999, they played their first game, a 20-point win over Canada in Chicago.  Back then, there was around a dozen or so clubs, and the local American players were easily distinguishable by their lack of skills.  

Three years later, they would head to Australia to take part in the first International Cup, the pinnacle of representative Aussie Rules.  The best showing was a third place finish in 2005, and they’ve remained at or near the top of the ratings amongst their counterparts.

At the last International Cup in 2017, the Revos fell percentage points short of a date with New Zealand in the Grand Final at the MCG.  They eyed redemption in the next carnival, but COVID upended that.  

Now, with two victories in two years over Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup to whet their appetite, coach Kyle Strenski leads the Revos into their biggest test in seven years; the AFL TransAtlantic Cup.

“It has been very exciting,” Strenski told USAFL.com “This is the biggest event since IC17.  All the players, coaches, and management have put in a ton of work both on and off the field.”

Indeed, this is Strenski’s first outing since being named head coach last December. But he’s no stranger to the USAFL, or the International Program. More than 300 games for the Cincinnati Dockers, and was a participant of those first two ICs in 2002 and 2005.

What: 2024 AFL TransAtlantic Cup
Where: Colonel Sam Smith Field, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
When: August 2-11
How to watch: Via aflcanada.com

And much like their coach, the Americans have lots of experience playing for the National team.  Only two players – Portland’s Jevon Mason and Max Gendler of the New York Magpies – will make their Revolution debut in Toronto.

Both Captain Daniel Livy (Golden Gate) and Vice Captain Michael “Shark” Linehan (Austin) remember the disappointment of 2017.  But, both come in with optimism and are relishing the chance to play intercontinental footy again.

“Looking forward to competing with European nations as well as Canada in an International Tournament,” said Livy. “It's been a long seven years and I am happy to finally get another chance to lead the boys into battle with Mike Linehan. It will be extremely exciting to wear the red,white and blue and represent our country with the best players from the USAFL.

“From a personal point of view, a lot of skill preparation and hard-running have been working in the lead up to this momentous event. [I’m] looking forward to seeing how the lads respond.”

“[T]his will be many players' first experience in an international carnival,” Linehan added.  “The Revos are excited to represent their country as I am sure all players in the tournament will be. I am excited to see where the quality of international footy is currently. 

“I am also excited for the opportunity to get a lot of game action; Five four-quarter games in nine days is more footy at this level than most will get in a season, [and] it's a great opportunity to lift your game as a player and as a team.”

Both captains expressed their eagerness to play with Max DePina again.  Max played in IC17 after impressing with the Seattle Grizzlies, and for the last six seasons has been playing down in Australia, most recently with Yarra Glen FC.  They also are looking forward to playing with each other as teammates after usually going head-to-head deep in USAFL Nationals play.

The player who has racked up the most proverbial miles for this Revos roster is Ryan McGettigan. Now in his 19th USAFL season the Philadelphia Hawk forward, who can play defensively as well, has been a fixture on the roster since the 2009 Parallel Cup.  Mark “Stork” McClure, the angular ruck for the Columbus Cats, will make his major tournament debut after suffering an ACL injury just weeks before IC17, and he’ll bring his “high footy IQ,” as Livy put it, to the team.

Designed in a way to highlight the cross-continental aspect of the TransAtlantic Cup, the format has the six teams divided into two geographical groups.  

“France!” answered Strenski, when asked which game he was looking forward to the most. “We are going against the best of France in game 1. This is a big test right from the start of the tournament and against a team we have not faced in a long time.”

The captains, however, are both looking forward to a rematch with Ireland, after the Warriors brought the US down in the a closely fought IC17 third place match.

 “I do not forget the many opportunities we had to win the game,” Livy said.”

Here is a look at the teams the Revolution will take on in Toronto:

Game 1: vs Les Coqs de la France - August 3, 11:45am EDT
Series Record: USA leads 1-0

From their first appearance at the 2011 International Cup, France has always been known as a colorful side that brings solid skill and flair to anything they attend, on or off the ground. They were the Revos’ last group stage game at IC17, and though outmatched, played well enough to prevent the US from getting the percentage boost they needed to make the final at the MCG.  They’re a vastly improved side from that meeting, and enter as the defending European runners up, having fallen to Ireland in the 2022 Final by 25 points.  Captain Nicolas Boche was a member of both of those sides and leads a Les Coqs side that has plenty of experience at the National level.  One familiar face for some of the Revos will be Austin Crows player Jean-Baptiste Bouyer, France’s oldest player at 37, who will be making his tournament debut for the Blues.

Game 2: vs Great Britain Bulldogs - August 5, 9:30am EDT
Series Record: USA leads 2-0.

Though the boys from Britain have a long history of playing Aussie Rules on the international level, this will be the first matchup between them and the Revos in 22 years.  Match one was less than a month after 9/11 in the Atlantic Alliance Cup, and the last tangle occurred in the first International Cup in 2002.  The US were winners by 47 and 78 points, respectively.  They were winners of the 2016 and 2019 European championships and came third in 2022.  Captains Michael Sharp and Ross Denton were members of all of those teams as well as from the last International cup.  Two of GB’s three vice captains include their most capped player, Owain Ryland, and their all-time leading goalkicker, Andy Walkden.

Game 3: vs Irish Warriors - August 7, 9:30am EDT
Series Record: Ireland leads 4-2.

It’s no surprise that Ireland’s teams have been perennial winners on the international Aussie Rules stage, considering the similarity to Gaelic Football  The Warriors have never finished worse than fourth in the International Cup, winning in 2002 and 2011.  They are also the defending European champions, outlasting the five-team field in Zagreb in 2022. Both of the USA’s victories came at IC05, on their way to their best ever IC finish, third place.  The most recent meeting was the Revos 2018 tour of Ireland, won by the hosts by 76 points.  Captain Paul Murphy is a veteran of these international carnivals, and he leads a team that has a big chunk of that 2022 European Championships team on it as all as six national team debutants.

Game 4: vs Canada Northwind, Colombia Jaguares, or Consolation Match - August 9
Series Record vs Canada: USA leads 17-1
Series Record vs Colombia: Tied 0-0

Should the US finish in the top two of their three-team group, they would advance to the semifinal where they would play the other Pool A semi-finalist, either Canada or Colombia at 2pm EDT.  If they finish third, they’ll play a consolation match against one of their three opening round opponents at 9:30am EDT.

Colombia marks its international debut in Aussie Rules football with this tournament.  From humble beginnings with one club, the Bogata Bulldogs, the program there has expanded to a second club, the Antioquia Lions, and a large grass roots effort to get the team to Toronto.  It’s a great story, and no matter what happens, this will be a great learning experience for los Jaguares.  They are a mix of young and old, running the gamut from 20-year old Alejandro Marin, to David Jaramillo at age 42.

While the Revos have the least experience against the Colombians, they know the Canada Northwind all too well.  Should they meet in the semifinals, it will be the 19th meeting between the neighborly rivals and though the ledger is very one sided, all of the games have been hard fought, tight affairs.  Canada’s only triumph over the Americans on the men's side came in Burnaby, BC in 2007 in the semi-regular 49th Parallel Cup.  Though the Americans have taken both post-Covid meetings of the 49PC, they had to hang on for a four point triumph last year in Racine, Wisconsin.  Thanks to Canadian teams playing USAFL sides at Nationals and during the regular season, a few Northwind players have played with and alongside the Revos; Co-Captain Trent Loosemore plays as part of the Seattle Grizzlies in BCAFL, while veteran Morgan Whyte has been a leader for the Quebec Saints for more than a decade.

Game 5: vs TransAtlantic Cup Grand Final or Consolation Match - August 11 

A 1:45pm first bounce in the tournament’s final game awaits the winners of the two semifinal matches.  Kyle Strenski’s side hopes it will be them.  If they finish in third in the group or lose their semifinal match, they’ll play the team that finished in third during the group stage to finish out their TAC campaign.