• USA & Canada 2007
• South Africa 2007
• South Africa 2005
• Europe 2003

The Convicts second tour in 2007 saw us go to the USA & Canada in October. It was an historic tour that delivered magnificent footy and great off-field memories. A huge thanks to Canadian and US footy for their support and encouragement of the Convicts concept.

Day 1 Australia to Toronto.  Right from the start it was clear that this group had some synergies and were going to get along very well. After an initial connection to Sydney which delayed us by 90 minutes over a mishap with an old lady and a passport, we were off on our flight to L.A. The plane was a relic of the 1970’s but didn’t stop our enthusiasm for a beer and a chat. There was a massive Nintendo Ds multi player challenge and that helped pass the time. Some members became very loud when the grog was cut off. Upon arrival we went to Mickey Finns an Irish pub across the road from our hotel. We fielded questions from the locals as to who we were and exactly what game we played. We then proceeded to our hotel for some more drinks and a Borat mankini run from Jakieee.

Day 2 Toronto. Very jet lagged and hung over but determined to have a good time; some of the Convicts had breakfast and a quick shop. It was the job of Ant and Dhillo to open the Toronto Stock Exchange for Friday’s trading day. We were invited by AFL Canada and the players of the Northwind team. It was a great morning and a very unique thing to do. Meeting Sheeds for the first time was great and he was thrilled with the Convicts concept. The rest of the day was spent sightseeing and getting ready for our big game the next day. Early night for all.

Day 3 Toronto. We had an early call on Saturday getting the bus at 9am to meet the Northwind at Humber North College for a 10am start. The Canadian grand final day was very well organised and they had us on the ground and lining up for the national anthem at 10.15am. Both teams sang their country’s anthem with the Convicts really bellowing our anthem for all to hear. It was a truly memorable moment to be in Canada singing the Australian national anthem, this was the moment we had all waited for and it didn’t disappoint. The game went along well with the Convicts jumping to an early lead. We had clearly come to play despite never having a training run together. We were in front all day despite a late charge from the Northwind. The Convicts home by 23 points. Best players were Damien Bowles, Anthony Dhillon and Justin Doutch. We then stayed for the Canadian grand final between the Toronto Eagles and the Etobicoke Kangaroos. It was a torrid affair and the Eagles came away with the chocolates. A special presentation was made to the Convicts from the Northwind players. That night we partied with the guys and found our own way home in what was a very big night on the town in Toronto! A big thank you to AFL Canada for their hospitality, encouragement and support of the Convicts tour.

Day 4 Washington.The next destination was Washington D.C, the nation's capital and home of many national monuments. We sought out the local nightlife on out first night out and weren’t disappointed at all. Washington can rock that’s for sure. On our second day we hopped on our trolley bus tour for a hop on-hop off experience around the great city of Washington. The rest of the day was spent seeing all the sights which have made the city famous. Night-time festivities ranged from nightclubs to pubs as we again tore up Washington’s finest nightspots.

Day 5 New York.Our bus to New York was a chance to sleep and watch the game that had been recorded for our benefit. It Was great to watch our prowess on the big screen! Great to see the city skyline as we came in - quite a unique experience. Our hotel was centrally located about 6 blocks from Times Square on 34 Ave. We had Madison Square Gardens as a backdrop to all the thrills the city had to offer! The night was spent in a bar in Lower Manhattan with the lovely Tiffany Cherry from Fox footy and ESPN. We finished at a nightclub in the meatpacking district.

Day 6 New York. More sightseeing saw most of the guys walk most of the most popular touring attractions on the island. Starting at Times square, Broadway, 5th Avenue stores we found ourselves at a suit store that had a cheap deal for good quality suits - we were now decked out for Vegas! In the afternoon we ended up securing tickets to the David Letterman show. Dave was pretty unfunny as usual but it was a unique experience and we found ourselves having a great time. At 6pm we left Ed Sullivan Theatre to visit the biggest Apple electronics store in the world. We were told there are almost 400 employees working there. Most of the guys finished at bars and clubs all over Manhattan, some never came home!

Day 7 New York. The city that never sleeps doesn’t let up on the attractions to see. Today it was the memorial to the World trade Centre attacks during 9/11. It was very sobering and moving and something not to forget. We then made our way to Wall Street, the heart of world financial commerce. We then scattered to do our own things in bars and clubs. Some of us went to a Nick’s game at 7pm. It was a highlight to see the Nicks play and just to be in Madison Square Garden watching a live sporting event was truly memorable. They won just to top off the night for us!

Day 8 Louisville. Unfortunately it was the day when our New York leg of the tour had to end! We very reluctantly boarded the bus for our transfer to La Guardia Airport. We boarded our flight knowing we had given our all to this mighty city but alas had to move on to Louisville in Kentucky, the home of the USAFL championships. After checking into our hotel we attended the opening night of the champs in the company of AFL legends Kevin Sheedy and Steven Silvagni.

Day 9 Louisville. The first day of the USAFL championships. With 28 teams competing including 4 women’s teams it was a feast of football. The Convicts helped out with umpiring duties on the first day. It was great fun and our hats go off to the US guys for organising such a huge schedule with basically no hitches at all. Tonight we went to Fourth Street, an entertainment district where all the nightclubs are. It was a typically big night as we let our hair hang out and got to know the locals at Howl at the Moon bar. Two piano players made the night complete into the wee small hours!

Day 10 Louisville. Today was the final day of the champs and also the Convicts day to shine in front of a crowd of around 800 people! It was USAFL finals day and there was a carnival atmosphere. Our game wasn’t until 3 o clock and we got to the ground and prepared nervously to play the USA Revolution. We were not sure how we would go and if the late nights were going to catch up with us finally. We needn’t have worried because when the Convicts hit the field it was for keeps and we seamlessly swept the opposition aside in a great 22 point win. The Revolution were good but didn’t capitalise in front of goals. Like all good Aussie outfits, the Convicts really rose to the occasion when it counted. The victory song was sung with gusto and passion. Our last night in Louisville was spent saying goodbye to the bars and clubs that had become our home over the previous 2 nights!

Day 11 Las Vegas. Very excitedly we boarded our transfer to the airport bound for Las Vegas. After a transfer to our hotel hot spot Circus Circus, we threw our bags in the room and went exploring. Shopping, food and large footballs full of Margaritas were the order of the day! At $6.95 for almost a litre of drink it was a no-brainer. Tired and very happy we ended the evening on the Strip to sample the first taste of Vegas nightlife. Even for a Monday night it delivered. There is something for everyone here and we were loving it!

Day 12 Las Vegas. The day was spent sightseeing the Las Vegas strip and Downtown or the old part of Vegas. The sheer volume of hotels and shopping malls was just mind blowing. After a couple of margaritas and a day spent shopping we got into our New York suits and went to see Elton John live at Caesars Palace Colosseum. It was a magnificent concert and very Vegas with nudity and lots of adult themes. Afterwards we headed to the pure nightclub where we partied with AFL players in Vegas for their end of season trips - they certainly made the night memorable.

Day 13 Las Vegas. It was our last day in Vegas and we had to make it count so after a lazy morning we decided to hire this funny looking car - sort of a cross between a dune buggy and a golf cart! We cruised around the strip at a top speed of 15mph! This newfound freedom enabled us to go round to Hooters and the other far away casinos that were just too far to walk to. We also got downtown where we had a look at the old part of Vegas. The have made a mall of the old strip, Freemont Street and a light show is a regular occurrence each evening. It was a chance to reminisce about a great time in Vegas.

Day 14 Los Angeles. Today we made our way to Las Vegas Airport to connect to our flight to Los Angeles. Upon arrival we were promptly collected for our bus tour of L.A. Beer and the sights were flowing as we were taken to Venice Beach, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. We were dropped at our hotel at around 5pm, where we had our final presentation night. Certificates for participation were awarded. The Sean Millane Medal for best player on the tour went to Justin Doutch, Damien Bowles came in second and Jake Lalich came third. The night was spent bar hopping at a couple of places around Hollywood.

Day 15 Los Angeles. We excitedly got on the Subway to spend the day at Universal Studios. It was another beautiful day and the theme park didn’t disappoint. We had purchased a front of the line pass, which got us the VIP treatment! We went on numerous roller coasters and rides and all had a great time. Being our last night in L.A we made a decision to all go out to celebrate what was a great tour. Howl at the Moon was the venue and lots of fun was had as we partied the night away.

Day 16 Los Angeles to Australia. Our home coming day. It was very hard saying goodbye and reflecting on an historic first Convicts tour of USA & Canada. There were so many highlights but what stood out was everyone meeting as strangers at Melbourne but coming away good friends in L.A just 15 days later. It makes the hundreds of phone calls, the sleepless nights and finally the meticulous planning that must be made to get a tour like this off the ground all just so worthwhile! Many doors opened for us on this tour and we plan to be back in 2008. The touring party was a great bunch - thanks to all for the grand memories and your contributions to the tour!

The Convicts once again travelled to South Africa in February to play three games and conduct the first ever footy clinic on the Cape. The Convicts tour was a great chance to catch up with old friends and to see exactly how much footy in Africa has improved.

Day 1. We assembled at the airport to depart on our flight to Perth where we all met up for the first time. It was good getting to know everyone on the plane while enjoying the in-flight entertainment of Chants and Deano. As always the coach was responsible for being cut off from the grog. Some 18 hours after our departure from Melbourne we landed at Johannesburg International airport where we met our tour guide Francois and bus driver Johann. Johann was on the last Convicts tour so we were wrapped to get him again. We were quickly transferred to our hotel via our luxury coach, which had a DVD player so we were wrapped with that. In the evening the jumpers were presented by Molly and Dhillo and we were introduced to Chopper. The rules of chopper were defined and a very extra special presentation was made to Anthony Dhillon and Sean Millane for representing the Convicts in three tours - the most capped Convicts ever.

Day 2. We boarded our coach for the 2 hour drive to the university town of Potchefstroom. After lunch we conducted a coaching clinic for the kids. We arrived to the sound of children singing and smiling faces. The clinic was quickly under way with marking, kicking, handball and tackling drills. The kids really love the game and belted out some fantastic tunes for us afterwards. It was certainly a great moment and another win for the promotion of the game in South Africa.

Day 3. We had a lazy morning and then went to Mohadin Oval to play our first game against a team of players from the Northwest Province. The Convicts accounted themselves well against the home side running out winners by 35 points. We uncovered some great talents including Clinton Rudd and Full forward Jason Chandler who kicked a lazy 8 goals. That evening we went back to Bourbon Street and examined the local nightlife.

Day 4. Off to Mafikeng today to conduct a clinic for a group of kids from Batwsanna College. Much to our surprise, we turned up to the college without an ounce of equipment! These are the challenges you face in international footy. Neels from AFL South Africa came to the rescue with 5 footys and with a few of our own we conducted a very successful clinic for the children. There were a lot of good prospects there. We really need a successful schools program to harness the raw talent in the schools system. Early night for game tomorrow

Day 5. Match at International School of Mafikeng. Played on a rugby ground with Chants kicking 9 goals. After match function with sandwiches and then off to Sun City. It is Saturday night and time to let our hair down! Partied the night away.

Day 6. Another day in the paradise of Sun City - this time spent in the pool area at the Lost City, a wonderland of water slides, wave pools and picnic grounds in an amazing setting like an old time Indiana Jones movie. The place was packed and many friends were made. Some of the locals were friendlier than others!

Day 7.This morning we played golf at the renowned Lost City course. The 13th hole was complete with a real life crocodile trap (very good incentive to hit a straight one). In the afternoon it was off to the lion park where we caught up with some lion cubs. It was a photo op to dream about as we all posed in turn with the cub and the footy. The little nipper made a mess of the new Sherrin we gave him to play with! It was then off to Pilansberg National Park for a twilight game drive. This was our first game drive of the tour in an open top vehicle and we were not disappointed. We spotted elephants, breaching hippos, warthogs, giraffe, rhino and the main attraction, lions. There were so many Lions - about 15 to 20 in all. After the drive we tucked into some exotic African fare around the fire in the middle of the Park. It was a night to remember.

Day 8.Today we made our way back to Soweto to tour around this famous black township. Soweto was synonymous with the struggle during the Apartheid era. Francois our guide took us through his take of the oppression of those times. We then visited the Apartheid Museum which was a cleverly constructed story that captured the oppression of this era. We were very moved once we had walked from its walls. Tonight we had an early night to prepare for our game in the morning.

Day 9. Today started with another tour of the Soweto township, this time taking in the Hector Piererson Museum. Hector was the first famous casualty of the 1976 school riots in Soweto and this museum sits on the site of those first riots. It is a very moving tribute to the struggle for equality in those times. The Convicts then fronted at the beautiful Soweto cricket oval to play our third game against the South African national side. We were run ragged by their pacy outfit. Clearly the word had got out of our injuries but we got back and in the last quarter had our noses in front, but we were to be pipped at the line by 7 points. Beaten but not disgraced we headed out to a great restaurant in Sandton to drown our sorrows.

Day 10. This morning we jumped onto our coach on our way to Kruger National Park. The DVD player in the bus was a welcome travel companion as we endured the long drive, stopping for lunch and finally getting to our destination around 3pm. Our hotel was comfortable with a great pool area. Lots of lawn room to sample our duty free that we finally got to drink! All had a fantastic night.

Day 11. This morning after a hearty breakfast we took the tour bus on our own safari to the Kruger National Park. Again we were extremely fortunate to see so much wildlife. Undoubtedly the highlight of the day was our lunch we had in the Park. Watched by 50 monkeys we had a great chicken stir fry cooked compliments of the Ruddy. Deano was on board with a slingshot to keep the pesky monkeys from jumping on our food. All had much fun. We made it back to our hotel by 3pm for a quick dip and the Downlow Medal count. Finally we sat round and had a get to know you session. It was amazing what you find out about people you already think you know!!

Day 12. We had a full day touring around the Kruger Park region. Quaint tourist towns to stop and shop dot this scenic drive. The beauty has to be seen to be believed. This tour was punctuated with a stop at the Blue Canyon, which is the third biggest canyon in the world. Truly it was a sight to behold. After this tour we arrived at Kampama Nature Reserve where we got to see the Cheetah breeding program. We then embarked on our second game drive of the tour and again we were lucky to see everything from elephants to lions. But the highlight was a leopard with her cub just walking through the bush. A magical and very rare sight!

Day 13. Very early morning in the bus! Yes the much anticipated trip to Cape Town! Once we were on the bus we took advantage of comfy seats to sleep and watch movies on the way back. At Johannesburg Airport we said goodbye to our tour guide Francois and our bus driver Johann. It was a sad goodbye but a happy memory also. We excitedly boarded our plane to Cape Town. When we got there we transferred to our hotel in Sea Port about 5km from the city. Dinner at the V and A Waterfront (read Seafood Platter) and we were ready for some action! Camps Bay was the place for the Sunday session at La Med, a bar right on the beach with a magical view of the sea.

Day 14. Today we went to the township of Nayana, which has a very violent reputation. You could smell the poverty. As we turned up we had a hundred or so smiling faces greeting us. Allison from AFL South Africa had organized the clinic and it was the first time an Aussie team had ever conducted a footy clinic in Cape Town. Much fun was had and the kids ended the clinic with a cultural dance. We had our final presentation night tonight where the Downlow medalist was named. The best player for the three games for the Convicts was announced as the Sean Millane Medalist, a new award in honor of the three-time Convicts captain-coach. Clinton Rudd won the inaugural award for his brilliant mid-field play.

Day 15. Had a free day with no definite plans. Some of the guys went on the shark dive where they swam with real wild sharks. Some hired a car and did the Chapmans Peak drive with its scenic coastline. Some went shopping at the markets on Green Market Square where they sell great African artifacts. Many did the Table Mountain tour. Some simply went to the waterfront and watched the world go by. Our last evening was spent on the revolving restaurant at the top of our hotel sampling fine cuisine and taking in the view of the Cape Town Lights. It was a time to reminisce about a tour that had quality people enjoying extraordinary experiences. It is fair to say this was the best Convicts tour to date! The group we had was so close and it was a very sad goodbye on the bus going back. The most important thing is that we started as a group of strangers sharing the one common interest of promoting Australian football internationally. By the end of the tour we were a group of friends sharing an extraordinary footy experience and traveling to amazing places. The clinics, the games and the times we had will be with us forever.

Africa! The very name conjures up images of lions, elephants, jungle, drums, Tarzan and many others. The opportunity to travel to this part of the world to not only experience these first hand but also play Aussie Rules was too good to miss.

The Convicts tour was a great chance to be a unique part of history as it marked the first time an Australian team would play a match of Australian football against an African team in Africa.

After arriving in Johannesburg we boarded our air-conditioned coach, complete with tour guide and driver, we had hired for the trip. It made life much easier in terms of getting around, and we quickly discovered that our tour guide was a fountain of knowledge regarding the Boer War.

Our first night was spent in the safe district of Sandton before transferring to Potchefstroom, where we stayed in the same hotel as the Australian cricket team during the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Our first match was against Gauteng Province at Mohadin Cricket Stadium, just outside Potch. It was great to see that, unlike rugby and soccer, the team was made up of both black and Afrikaans players. The rugby boys are still learning the game, but their enthusiasm and willingness to learn could not be faulted.

The University of Potchefstroom had just started its academic year and so we headed out on the town to celebrate our win and make some new friends. It was a great night and one that none of us will ever forget.

Our second game against the North West Province was played at the University of North West in Mafikeng. Most of their players had represented South Africa at the International Cup in Melbourne and it was a hard fought win. The pleasant 35 degree heat was equally appreciated by all players and officials, and there was no doubt that football and our hotel bar was the winner.

Whilst in Mafikeng we were fortunate to experience the twin delights of the Cultural Village and the fascinating Museum, with its detailed information on the Boer War.

Next stop on the itinerary was the incredible Sun City. The Valley of the Waves and the game drive and BBQ in Pilanesburg Game Reserve were the undoubted highlights.

We could easily have spent a lot more time in Sun City but there was another match to play. We headed back to Johannesburg via Pretoria, stopping off at the Voortrekker Monument to receive another lecture on the Boer War. We all slept well that night.

Our third and final match was against South Africa's national team, the Buffaloes, at Eldorado Park Athletic Stadium in the famous township of Soweto. Earlier in the day we had visited the past home of Nelson Mandela house and other memorials to the struggle against apartheid, which were both interesting and moving. Inspired by this and fuelled by a pre-match meal of Chicken Licken, the Convicts scored another hard fought win.

The matches over, it was time to relax a bit and we spent the next three nights at Hippo Hollow in Kruger National Park. We were fortunate enough to see lions, elephants, giraffes, rhino, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles, zebras, monkeys, plus one or two impala as well.

One of the highlights of the tour was the opportunity to conduct coaching clinics in Potchefstroom, Itsoseng and Ramatlabama. The enthusiasm on the faces of the South African kids was great to see and there is no doubt that our great game has an enormous future there.

A big thank you to Steve Harrison from AFL South Africa for all his assistance in making the trip such a huge success. The Convicts look forward to returning to this amazing country in the future.

The Australian Convicts, made up of amateur players from around the country, departed Melbourne in October 2003 to play matches in England, Spain and Germany.

It was a sensational tour. A lot of the players had never been overseas before and this no doubt added to the excitement they felt when we touched down in London, one of the world's greatest cities. After getting our bearings on one of London's excellent sightseeing tours (great views from our open-top double-decker bus) we visited Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, just to name a few.

Our first match was against the Sussex Swans. They were no pushover but in the end we had a good win. After being presented with the 'Convicts Cup' we enjoyed the hospitality of the Shaftesbury Avenue Walkabout, one of the many popular Australian pubs in London.

The London nightlife took its toll but we all managed to make it safely to our next destination, Madrid. The capital of Spain may lack the monuments of London or Paris, but nonetheless is a beautiful city. There is an incredible vibe to the place that just has to be experienced. Highlights included Retiro Park, Museo del Prado, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and seeing a bullfight.

Our second match was against Spain and they took us by surprise. Although we enjoyed a good victory they did not stop running and tackling all day and kicked some great goals. Apart from the game itself, the highlight for me was singing the national anthem, followed by a minute's silence for the Bali victims. It's something you don't get to experience playing footy in Australia and it was an awesome experience.

After claiming our second 'Convicts Cup' we enjoyed our train trip, which had its own bar, to Paris. We only had two days in this beautiful city, but we sure made the most of them. After our sightseeing tour we went straight to the top of the Eiffel Tower to experience some great views. Other must-sees included the Louvre, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triumph and Notre Dame Cathedral. Our second day was spent at Disneyland Paris. Being part of a large group was a great excuse to relive our childhood for a day.

After Paris we jumped on a bus to our final destination, Frankfurt. Our last match was against Germany and resulted in a resounding win to the Convicts. Like us the Germans hate a drink, and we spent many hours after the match discussing footy and why it is the best game in the world. Be warned, however, of the evils of Apple Wine!