From the Blues to Team Canada
The 49th Parallel Cup was played in difficult conditions after wildfire smoke threatened the event in the weeks leading up to the weekend. Rain made for a challenging start to the day in Kelowna before clearing for the Northwind’s match against the United States.
Canada stayed in front throughout the men’s game, but the USA closed the gap in the final quarter. The Northwind held on to reclaim the Cup for the first time in 19 years, with Central Blues alumnus and Northwind head coach Sean Goedheer and fellow Blues alumnus Ewan “Obi” Williams, serving as assistant coach, helping lead Canada to the victory.
It was a big weekend for the Blues, with 11 current and former Blues represented across Canada’s national teams.
From University Sport to Team Canada
While the Northwind brought home the Cup, Canada’s women’s program is going through a significant generational change. The Northern Lights and Midnight Suns both fell short in Kelowna, with 14 players making their Northern Lights debuts in 2026 and another 20 making their debuts with the Midnight Suns development program.
For Katherine Myers, the path to Team Canada started with a leap into something completely new. A York Universitystudent and Saint Mary’s University lacrosse alumna, Myers joined the Blues in the final week of preseason, initially unsure what to expect from Australian football.
Within days, she had signed up for an exhibition tournament in Ottawa and made her debut. A week later, she was at Team Canada camp. Her progression continued through the season, earning Rookie of the Tournament honours in Montreal before representing Canada with the Northern Lights and at the 49th Parallel Cup. Her fitness, work rate and ability to clear the ball quickly established her as a valuable contributor through the midfield.
The 2026 season also brought first international opportunities for several newer Blues. Jacqueline Cowling, a University of Alberta hockey graduate, earned her first Team Canada selection after developing a quiet, hardworking style shaped by her hockey background. She brings the kind of unflashy work that can make a difference over the course of a game.
Her Canada debut in Kelowna was also a family moment. Cowling’s father played for the Northwind in the 1990s and was in Kelowna to watch his daughter make her international debut with the Midnight Suns, just after watching the Northwind bring the 49th Parallel Cup home.
First-year Blue Grace Stein and emerging player Fredriz Cantilado, who played tri-campus field hockey at UTSC, also earned opportunities with Canada this year. Michelle Cowling was selected for Canada as well, although she was unable to take the field in Kelowna.
Their stories reflect the range of university sporting backgrounds that can lead to Australian football. Nicole Baker, a University of Toronto rugby alumna, earned her second Team Canada selection and provided a strong defensive presence at half-back flank. Krista Kent, a York University rugby alumna, brought her physicality and endurance.
Katrina Cohen-Palacios took a different route. She first learned Australian rules football while on a semester abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, before returning to Canada and continuing with the game. After playing rugby at the University of Toronto and Concordia University, she brought that experience, along with her speed, to the wing in her first Team Canada selection.
On the International Stage
For the Blues, the weekend was another chapter in a much longer connection to Team Canada. Thirty-eight current and former Blues have now represented Canada internationally, with others contributing as coaches and volunteers.
AFL Canada streamed the 49th Parallel Cup matches, giving fans across the country the opportunity to watch Canada’s national teams compete on home soil.
For the Blues, it was a weekend worth celebrating: current players making their international debuts, experienced players returning to the national stage, and alumni helping lead Canada to a long-awaited Cup victory.