Tel Aviv Cheetahs Football Club

The Tel Aviv Cheetahs is an Australian rules football club based in Tel Aviv, Israel.1

Tel Aviv Cheetahs Football Club logo

Club history

The team originally formed in May 2018, when a few players from Jerusalem Peace Lions club moved to Tel Aviv and began to practice in HaYarkon Park.[1]

In August 2018 months the club received its name, and began its preparation for the AFL Euro Cup 2018.

The Tel Aviv Cheetahs represent a continuation of a decade long history of Australian rules football in Israel.[2] However, it is the first club to focus more on the sport itself rather than utilising its spirit and values in activist work previously done by the Peace Team project curated by Peres Center for Peace, later continued by the Jerusalem Peace Lions football club.

While many AFL clubs outside Australia typically consist of Australian expats players, the Tel Aviv Cheetahs club chose a grassroots way of developing, and is predominantly Israeli, with a few Australian-born players that help maintain the authentic Australian cultural component as the team management works to adapt the game to a wider Israeli market and attract more local players and partners.

As of March 2019 it is the first officially registered and the only active Australian rules football club in Israel.

Club symbols

The current Tel Aviv Cheetahs guernsey is yellow and red with the team's emblem of a yellow cheetah across a red shield with white claw marks in the lower right featured on the left chest.

AFL Euro Cup 2018

After carrying out a successful crowdfunding campaign[3] that allowed the team to participate in the AFL Euro Cup 2018, the Tel Aviv Cheetahs travelled to Cork, Ireland, to represent Israel on the international stage.[4]

It was the first time the Cheetahs participated in the AFL Europe official tournament.

The team played total of 4 games, of which they lost 3 and won 1 final match, placing 11th overall.

In the first game the Tel Aviv Cheetahs faced the Croatian Knights with the final score of 59-2. The second game was played against the Netherlands. The Flying Dutchmen won that match with the 23-8. The third game was against Wales. The Red Dragons won the match 30-12. In the fourth and final game The Tel Aviv Cheetahs played against Czech Republic. A victory against the Czech Dragons 10-16 has become the first victory of the team at any official tournament.[5]

Club affiliations and partnerships

In August 2018 the Tel Aviv Cheetahs became a part of the OddBalls platform in joined effort to develop the game of Australian rules football in Israel. Among some of the goals are educating Israeli public about the game, development of the national league, and introducing women's teams.

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References
  1. OddBalls, "The newest Australian rules football team of Israel"
  2. Wesley Hull, "Tel Aviv Cheetahs Rise In Israel"
  3. OddBalls, "Get Tel Aviv Cheetahs to the AFL Euro Cup"
  4. AFL Europe, "Tel Aviv Cheetahs ready to debut"
  5. OddBalls, "Tel Aviv Cheetahs and the AFL 2018 Euro Cup"
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