2017 Ainslie First Grade Premiership Team

2017 Ainslie Second 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
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
2017 Ainslie Rising Stars Team

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

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