1967-Ainslie First Grade Team

There were six teams in the Canberra League in 1967, Acton, Ainslie, ANU, Eastlake, Manuka and Turner-Queanbeyan.

Ainslie played Manuka in the Second Semi-Final at Ainslie Oval. Manuka were too good winning by 60 points.

• Final score: Ainslie: 8.10-58 def by Manuka 16.22-118
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Neeson 3, Hassett 2, O’Toole 1, Ryan 1, Rendell 1
• Best: Bloomfield, Tucker, O’Toole, Ryan, Neeson, Edwards, Black

In the Preliminary Final at Ainslie Oval Eastlake defeated Ainslie by 20 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 10.13-73 def by Eastlake 14.9-93
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Hassett 4, Cox 2, Neeson 2, Drake 1, Moore 1
• Best: O’Toole, Cox, Tucker, Hassett, Drake, Kershaw

The Ainslie First Grade Preliminary Final team was:

• Backs: Michael Noonan, Charlie Smith, Bob Dunkeld
• Half Backs: Murdoch, Tucker, Edwards
• Centres: Ralph Rendell, Ricky Moore, Barry Kershaw
• Half Forwards: Bill Drake, Alan Bloomfield, Kevin Hassett
• Forwards: Cox, Norm Neeson, Mick Warren
• Rucks: O’Toole, Peter Searle, Bernie Ryan
• Reserves: John McMillan, Tony Irvine

Manuka defeated Eastlake in the Grand Final 11.15-81 to 6.13-49 to win its first Premiership in 12 years.

Ainslie won the L J Hooker Shield as the pest Performed Club.

Norm Neeson was the leading goal kicker in the League with 60 goals for the season.

Bill Drake was appointed Captain/Coach of the Canberra Representative team. Other Ainslie players who played Representative football in 1967 were Alan Bloomfield, Ric Moore, Laurie O’Toole, Brian Read, Charles Smith and Tony White.

The Ainslie Second Grade played Eastlake in the Second Semi-Final and had a win by 5 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 6.5-41 def Eastlake 5.6-36
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Gowing 2, Read 2, Sanderson 1, Rowe 1
• Best: Dunkeld, Noonan, Read, Heales, Metha, Ryder

Ainslie won its First Second Grade Premiership for 21 years when they defeated Eastlake in the Grand Final at Manuka Oval. Ainslie Captain Keith Heales kicked 7.7 in a best on ground performance.

• Final score: Ainslie 16.11-107 def Eastlake 4.11-35
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Heales 7, W Blomfield 3, Dunkeld 2, Sanderson 1, Rowe 1, Gowing 1, Irvine 1
• Best: Heales, Layzell, Irvine, Blomfield, Metha, Dunkeld, Price, Sanderson, Stankevicious

The Ainslie Second Grade Grand Final team was:

Dunkeld, Murphy, Noonan, Lalor, Metha, Cross, Price, Layzell, Read, McCulloch, Gowing, Sanderson, Laffin, Rowe, Heales, Irvine, Stankevicious, Blomfield, Ryder, Harris

• Captain: Keith Heales, Vice-Captain: R Gowing

Ainslie defeated Eastlake by a point in the Third Grade Second Semi-Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 6.9-45 def Eastlake 6.8-44
• Goals for Ainslie: Slattery 2, Muir 1, Harris 1, McCulloch 1, Delaney 1
• Best: Bravo, Ryder, Harris, Muir, Slattery

Ainslie met Eastlake again in the Grand Final but Eastlake reversed the result winning by 16 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 5.12-42 def by Eastlake 8.10-58
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: McCulloch 2, Harris 1, Brokken 1, Quinn 1
• Best: McDonald, Ryder, McCullouch, Muir, Brokken
• Coach: Tom Moore, Captain: Peter McDonald, Vice Captain: John Bravo

The Ainslie Colts team were defeated in the Second Semi-Final by Manuka.

• Final score: Ainslie 2.7-19 def by Manuka 3.11-29
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Lancaster, Organ
• Best: C Smith, P Tormey, Mathews, Martin

The Colts lost the Preliminary Final against Eastlake to finish in third place.

• Final score: Ainslie 9.6-60 def by Eastlake 9.12-66
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Lancaster 5, Tormey 1, Short 1, Bloomfield 1, O’Rourke 1
• Coach: Les Durkin
• Captain: Charles Smith, Vice-Captain: Graham Read

The Ainslie U17 Intermediate grade team defeated Manuka 2 team in the First Semi-Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 20.36-156 def Manuka 2 0.1-1
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Parker 5, Wark 4, Cliff 4, Jones 3, Laird 2, Burmeister 1, Carter 1
• Best: Wark, Cliff, Burmeister, Laird

In the Preliminary Final Ainslie were defeated by Eastlake to finish third.

• Final score: Ainslie 3.8-26 def by Eastlake 6.5-41
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Jones 1, Cliff 1, Laird 1
• Best: Wark, Harris, Laird, West
• Coach: Bob Hincksman

• Best & Fairest: P Tucker
• Runner Up B&F: G Cox
• Most Consistent: B Ryan
• Most Improved: P Murdoch

• Best & Fairest: Owen Layzell
• Runner Up B&F: K Price
• Most Consistent: Keith Heales
• Most Improved: Bob Dunkeld

• Best & Fairest: Peter McDonald
• Runner Up B&F: D Ryder
• Most Consistent: B Coombe
• Most Improved: J Regent

• Best & Fairest: J Smith
• Runner Up B&F: M Martin
• Most Consistent: P Tormey
• Most Improved: Graham Read
• Coach’s Trophy: C Smith

• Best & Fairest: D Laird
• Runner Up B&F: K Wark
• Most Consistent: P Harris
• Most Improved: M Smith

• President: Harry Gaylard
• Senior Vice President: J Rowe
• Vice Presidents: C Burmester, P Clynes, M Denley, A Hawke, J Humphreys-Reid, H E Kruger, J B McCabe, H McCulloch, B Martin, Norm Neeson, Stan Ray, R Read, A Rendell, M Taafe
• Treasurer: Barry Browning
• Secretary: Alan Ray
• Ass. Secretary: J Spencer