1946- Ainslie First Grade Premiership Team

1946 was the first season for Ainslie in First Grade since 1941 due to the War.

There were 6 teams in the First Grade Competition, Acton, Ainslie, Eastlake, Queanbeyan and RMC.

With 3 rounds to go in the home and away Ainslie were outside the top four. They defeated Queanbeyan, Acton and drew with Manuka in the last round to grab fourth position.

Ainslie played Manuka in the First Semi-Final at Northbourne Oval. They had a convincing win over Mauka winning by 56 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 20.15-135 def Manuka 12.7-79
• Best for Ainslie: Stevens, Thompson, Backen, Furler, Dee, Bloomfield, Davies.

Ainslie played Queanbeyan in the Preliminary Final for the right to play Eastlake in the Grand Final.

Ainslie had another convincing win this time defeating Queanbeyan by 88 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 18.22-130 def Queanbeyan 6.6-42
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Mulligan 5, Thompson 5, McCulloch 4, Davies 2, Dee 1, Furler 1.
• Best: R Furler, S Dee, A Stevens, J Backen, Thompson, Mulligan, Connelly.

The Ainslie team for the Grand Final against Eastlake was:

• Stevens (Capt.)
• Connelly (V.Capt.)
• Mulligan
• McCulloch
• Bowen
• A Furler
• R Furler
• Martin
• Torrence
• Evans
• Bloomfield
• Dee
• Boorn
• Moore
• Fettes
• Wilkinson
• Davies
• Backhouse
• Backen
• Flynn
• Thompson.

Ainslie and Eastlake played off in the Grand Final at Manuka Oval on 28 September. Eastlake were coming off a run of 16 consecutive wins and had not been beaten by Ainslie during the season. Ainslie won the 1946 Premiership by defeating Eastlake by 37 points in the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 12.19-91 def Eastlake 8.6-54
• Best: John Wilkinson, Alan Stevens, Bob Bloomfield, Robert Furler, Gerry Bowen, Sam Dee, Jim Backen, Lorence Thompson

Alan ‘Ginty’ Stevens won the 1946 Mulrooney Medal. Stevens had returned to Ainslie in 1946 after playing with the Eastlake-Manuka combine side during the war years. He also saw active service in the war.

• President: Ralph Lewis
• Vice-President: C Gregory
• Secretary: A Taylor
• Treasurer: J Torrence
• Committee Members: T Evans, W Pierce, Sam Dee, A Bryan, B Furler, D Kruger, B Martin, T Fettes
• Coach: Lionel James
• Captain: Alan (Ginty) Stevens; Vice Captain: Jack Connelly

After defeating Queanbeyan in the Semi-Final Ainslie Intermediate team made it through to the Preliminary Final but they were defeated by Eastlake, 4.3-27 to 2.4-16.

The Ainslie Intermediate Team that played in the Preliminary Final was:

• Annand
• Bethany
• Capsticks
• J Cleary
• N Cleary
• Farra
• Grame
• M Griffiths
• W Griffiths
• Hamilto
• Horgan
• Ledwidge
• McCulloch
• Murphy
• Moore
• Murray
• Platt
• Rees
• Snowie
• Robottom
• Thomas
• Weatherstone.

• Best & Fairest: Alan (Ginty) Stevens
• Most Improved: Jim Backen
• Best Club Man: Thomas Evans
• Most Consistent: Lorence Thompson and Sam Dee
• Most Effective Man in Grand Final: Bob Furler

• Best & Fairest: E McCullock
• Most Improved: P Horgan
• Most Consistent: B Griffiths
• Moore Cup – Best Club Man: J Cleary

Ainslie also won Premierships in the Junior and Sub-Junior Grades.

• Juniors Grand Final Score: Ainslie 11.6-72 def Manuka 0.1-1
• Best for Ainslie were: Ray, Hawke, James, Moore, Corey, Miller, Platt

The Ainslie Junior team for the Grand Final was:

• Ray
• T Moore
• K Moore
• Platt
• Robertson
• Graham
• K Hawke
• A Hawke
• James
• E Miller
• R Miller
• Southwell
• Plummer
• Corey
• Radford
• Keegan
• Crisp
• Nicholas
• Smith
• Streetfield
• McGlade
• Davis.

• Sub-Juniors Final score: Ainslie 2.2-14 def Queanbeyan 0.1-1
• Best for Ainslie were: Clapson, Hawke, Smith, Loftus, James, Keogh, Horan

The Ainslie Sub Junior Team for the Grand Final was:

• James
• Hawke
• Clapson
• Horan
• Smith
• McCulloch
• Keogh
• Loftus
• C Doyle
• B Doyle
• Armstrong
• Browning
• Gates
• Williams
• Wilson
• Neilson
• Mulligan
• Hay
• Crombie
• Wise
• Luke.

Alan Ray tied for the League Best & Fairest in the Junior Grade.

Lionel James tied for the League Best & Fairest in the Sub-Junior Grade.

• Best & Fairest: Alan Ray
• Most Consistent: T Moore
• Most Improved: Don Robertson
• Best in Grand Final: K Hawke

• Best & Fairest: Lionel James
• Most Consistent: Allan Hawke
• Most Improved: B Keogh
• Best in Grand Final: H Clapson