Great Britain national Australian rules football team
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| Union | AFL England |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Bulldogs, The Swans |
| First international | |
Denmark  93 – 25 Great Britain(1995) |
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The Great Britain National Australian Rules Football team is known as the British Bulldogs. The team is made up of the best British born players selected from the clubs of AFL Britain affiliated competitions in England, Wales and Scotland. Generally professional AFL players (such as in Brad Moran and Will Thursfield) are ineligible due to either learning the game in Australia or not being released by their respective clubs.
The Bulldogs were coached by Mark Pitura until 2015, former Richmond, Essendon and Collingwood player after former coach Charlie Kielty resigned in June 2009. Charlie took over from Matt Connell (Adelaide Crows) after the 2005 exhibition match at the Oval.
The Bulldogs are currently coached by Dean Thomas and in early 2016 Great Britain announced the formation of The Swans – GB's female Australian Rules Football team. The Swans are currently coached by England Men's Assistant Coach Garth Nevin
Although the team represents the island of Great Britain rather than the whole of the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland forming part of a cross-border Ireland Team), the Bulldogs wear the colours of the union flag.
The Bulldogs have participated in the Australian Football International Cup held in Melbourne finishing 6th in both 2002 and 2005 as well as the Atlantic Alliance Cup in 2001.
In October 2005, the Bulldogs played against Ireland in a curtain raiser at the West Coast Eagles vs Fremantle exhibition match at the Oval in London.
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