Aberdeen Dingoes taste victory after Scottish cup final

Success for city’s Aussie Rules football team

By Ross McTavish

Published: 08/08/2009

ABERDEEN’S first ever Aussie Rules Football team have been crowned best in Scotland – in their debut season.

The Aberdeen Dingoes won the Haggis Cup in Glasgow to capture their first piece of silverware.

They overcame the might of the Glasgow Sharks, Edinburgh Bloods and Paris Cockerels to lift the title.

Dingoes team member Wayne Harnden said: “We were formed on Australia Day – January 26 – this year.

“I was celebrating with some other Aussies when we decided it would be a great idea to form a team. The guys here have adapted amazingly well to it.

“The Haggis Cup was our first tournament and the boys managed to win it, which was a little bit of a surprise.”

There are four Australians in the 24-man Dingoes squad.

Wayne, Matty Wells and Chris Bettridge all studied petroleum engineering together at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

The fourth Aussie, Campbell Paterson, also went to the same university.

Wayne, 26, insists the game is far more widespread in Europe than people imagine.

He said: “The sport is amazingly popular.

“There are teams in places like Norway and Catalunya, while there are two leagues in Germany. In Denmark, there are no Australians who play the game, but the Danes have taken to it really well.”

Wayne, who was born in Zimbabwe but grew up in Mandurah, Western Australia, admits the Dingoes have taken great strides despite their lack of experience.

He said: “Campbell and I were the only ones who had much previous footie experience.

“About six or seven of the guys from Aberdeen have travelled to Australia and having seen the game, decided to give it a go.

“Others have just come along from word of mouth.

“Everyone has picked it up well and after a couple of weeks they are kicking a ball as well as an Aussie.”

Wayne has volunteered to organise the Scotland team that will compete at the EU Cup in Zagreb, Croatia from October 3.

He is set to be joined by some of his team-mates at the tournament for European nations.

Wayne said: “There are 16 nations playing and it looks like there will be six or seven of us in the Scottish team.”

The Aberdeen Dingoes train at Duthie Park at 5.30pm on Wednesdays, and 2pm on Saturdays.