2017 Ainslie First Grade Premiership Team

Ainslie again had teams in all possible Grades, being the only Club to do so, supporting six teams. The AFL Canberra First Grade, Second Grade and Rising Stars competitions consisted of six Clubs, Ainslie, Belconnen, Eastlake, Gungahlin, Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong.

 

At the end of the home and away games Ainslie First Grade finished in second position on the ladder with 11 wins and 4 losses. Belconnen finished in top place with 13 wins.

 

Ainslie played Belconnen in the Semi Final at Kippax Oval. It was a tough, physical game and Ainslie led at quarter time by 2 points but Belconnen turned up the heat in the second quarter kicking 5 goals to 1. Ainslie fought back in the third quarter to reduce the margin back to 8 points. Belconnen finished the game the strongest kicking 4 goals to 1 in the final quarter to win by 24 points.

Final score: Ainslie 13.10-88 def by Belconnen 16.16-112

Goal Kickers: H. Delves 3, N. Paine 3, L. O'Neil 2, S. Curtis, B. Renet, B. Perry, C. Barrie, M. Ward
Best Players: B. Perry, S. Curtis, J. Hirst, D. Bowles, J. Cuzner, M. Teasdale

 

Ainslie then had to play Eastlake in the Preliminary Final after they defeated Queanbeyan in the Semi Final. The game was played in atrocious conditions at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval with very cold wind, rain and snow. It was a comfortable win for Ainslie as they increased their lead in each quarter before winning by 76 points.

Final score: Ainslie 16.10-106 def Eastlake 3.12-30

Goal Kickers: H. Armstrong 3, T. Powell 2, H. Delves 2, L. O'Neil 2, B. Perry 2, J. Powell 2, N. Paine, S. Sienkiewicz, C. Barrie
Best Players: L. O'Neil, B. Perry, H. Armstrong, D. Bowles, C. Bernasconi, T. Powell

 

Ainslie met Belconnen again in the Grand Final at Manuka Oval. Belconnen had won 3 of the 4 games between the two teams during the season so began as favourites. Led by Nick Paine Ainslie set up an early lead of 3 goals at quarter time. The margin was similar at 3 quarter time before Ainslie came home strongly in the final quarter kicking 5 goals to 2 to win the Grand Final and their 26th Premiership by 42 points. This was coach Chris Rourke’s 4th Premiership in his 11th year at the Club.

Final score: Ainslie 13.16-94 def Belconnen 7.10-52

Goal Kickers: C. Barrie 4, H. Delves 3, N. Paine 3, B. Perry, J. Powell, B. Renet
Best Players: C. Bernasconi, C. Barrie, J. Cuzner, D. Bowles, J. Taylor, S. Curtis

Coach Chris Rourke and Captain Simon Curtis hold up the Premiership Trophy

Captain Simon Curtis was awarded the Alex Jesaulenko Medal for Best Player on the Ground.

 

Simon Curtis, Jack Cuzner, Henry Delves, Jeremy Hirst, Dan Ledda and Ben Perry were selected in the AFL Canberra Team of the Year.

 

Selected in the AFL Canberra Representative Team were Damien Bowles, Jack Cuzner, Henry Delves, Dan Ledda, Liam O’Neil, Blake Renet and Matthew Teasdale

 

Simon Curtis polled 15 votes to be runner-up in the Mulrooney Medal.

 

Henry Delves was Ainslie’s leading goalkicker with 47 goals followed by Nick Paine with 45.

 

Coach: Chris Rourke

Captain: Simon Curtis

Manager: Glenn Brown

2017 Ainslie Second Grade Premiership Team

At the end of the home and away season Ainslie Second Grade were undefeated on top of the ladder with 15 wins.

 

Ainslie played second placed team Queanbeyan at Kippax Oval in the Second Semi Final. Ainslie won comfortably by 66 points to go through to the Grand Final.

Final score: Ainslie 14.12-96 def Queanbeyan 4.6-30

Goal Kickers: H. Armstrong 6, F. Hawkins 2, T. Hincksman 2, M. Thompson, F. Dwyer, J. Chapman, S. Allan
Best Players: H. Richardson, W. Hamill, W. Beaumont, F. Hawkins, T. Hincksman, H. Armstrong

 

Ainslie met Queanbeyan again in the Grand Final at Manuka. After a strong start by Queanbeyan, Ainslie were able to get on top and ran out winners by 41 points to win the Grand Final and the Club’s 24th Second Grade Premiership Flag.

Final score: Ainslie 13.10-88 def Queanbeyan 7.5-47

Goal Kickers: A. Thompson 4, M. Ward 3, J. Fleming 2, C. Boyton, H. Richardson, J. Rice, M. Renet
Best Players: W. Hamill, M. Ackland, J. Chapman, T. Hincksman, J. Rice

 

James Rice was awarded the Best on Ground Award.

 

Charlie Boyton and Andrew Thompson tied for the League’s Best and Fairest Award in the Second Grade with 8 votes each.

 

Coach: James Rice

Ass. Coach: Brett Hannam.

Captain: David Thorne

Managers: Alan Adams

Ainslie Second Grade Captain David Thorne and Coach James Rice hold up the Premiership Cup

2017 Ainslie Rising Stars Team

2017 Ainslie Third and Fourth Grade Teams

2017 Ainslie Women's Team

The Ainslie Women’s team finished the Home and Away games in fifth position with 9 wins and 5 losses in an eleven team competition.

 

Ainslie played Queanbeyan in an elimination final at ANU South. In a close game that went into extra time Queanbeyan were able to hang on and win by 4 points.

Final score: Ainslie 3.8-26 def by Queanbeyan 4.6-30

Goal Kickers: R. Friend 2, H. Solly
Best Players: T. Weatherburn, H. Solly, R. Friend, M. Simmons, Z. Skyrianos, A. Flynn

 

Club Awards

 

First Grade

Best and Fairest                        Simon Curtis

(Hibberson Cup)

Runner-up Best and Fairest       Ben Perry

3rd Best and Fairest                  Dan Ledda

Coach’s Award                        Scott Sienkiewicz

Rising Star                                Mathew Ackland

Richard Fleming Memorial        Josh Taylor

Award

 

Second Grade

Best and Fairest                        Will Hamill

Runner-up Best and Fairest       Matthew Thompson

Best Clubman (2nd Grade)

(Brett Muir Trophy)                  Haydn Richardson

Coach’s Award                        Shaun Pawcynski

Best New Player                       Tom Hincksman

 

Rising Stars

Best and Fairest                        Jakob Wiley

Runner-up Best and Fairest       Harry Muir

Best Club Person                      Sam Groenewegen

(Ian Kirkpatrick Award)

Most Promising Player              Will Spencer

(Ted Dhu Award)

Coach’s Award                        Luke Morfoot

Bev Trebilcock Award              Robbie Stewart

 

Third Grade

Best and Fairest                        Will Oldfield

(Tom Moore Perpetual Trophy)

Runner-up Best and Fairest       Darcy Paine

Best Clubman                          Zach Madden

Coach’s Award                        Angus Nolan

Best New Player                       Jack Birtwhistle

 

Fourth Grade

Best and Fairest                        Cameron Hargraves

Runner-up Best and Fairest       Ryan Mannie

Coach’s Award                        James Murray

Best Clubman                          Rene Chaustowski

Best New Player                                   Benjamin Quiggin

 

Women

Best and Fairest                        Zoe Skyrianos

Runner-up Best and Fairest       Kate Russell

Most Improved                         Angela Curcio

Coach’s Award                        Meredith Wells, Danielle Peel

Women Player’s Player             Zoe Lewis

Best Club Person                      Ryan Mannie

 

Club Award

Most Prominent Clubman         Joe Hatch

(Moore Trophy)                       

Club Officials

 

President: Lee Phillips

Senior Vice President: James Barrett

Vice President: Brett Hannam

Treasurer: John O’Loughlin

Directors: Lee Phillips, James Barrett, Ian Muir, John O’Loughlin, Brett Hannam, Troy Klep, Carrie Graf, Sue Anne McKeough, Matthew Jamieson, Len Hatch

Manager Football Operations: Craig Wallace / Simon Holt

 

Patron: Barbara Marshall