1977-Ainslie First Grade Team

There were 7 teams in the 1977 ACTAFL Competition, Ainslie, ANU, Belconnen, Eastlake, Manuka, Queanbeyan and West Canberra.

Ainslie First Grade finished in fifth position on percentage from Belconnen after the home and away games so missed out on the finals. This was the first time since 1957 that Ainslie First Grade failed to make the Finals.

Charles Smith, Alan Smith and David Bellchambers played ACT Representative Football in 1977.

• Coach: Brian Read
• Captains: Charles Smith, Garry Cox
• Manager: Les Smith

Ainslie Second Grade finished the home and away games in third place with 12 wins and 9 losses.

Ainslie played in the First Semi-Final against Eastlake and had a good win by 77 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 22.13-145 def Eastlake 10.8-68
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: A Tutt 4, R Tutt 3, G Read 3, O’Loughlin 2, MacDonald 2, Smith 2, Matheson 1, Outhwaite 1, Downes 1, Lancaster 1
• Best: Ryan, S Smith, Wark, Hardy, A Tutt

Ainslie defeated Belconnen in the Preliminary Final to go through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 20.17-137 def Belconnen 16.14-110
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: MacDonald 4, Downes 3, A Tutt 3, Matheson 2, Batchelor 2, O’Loughlin 2, Lancaster 2, S Smith 1, Outhwaite 1
• Best: Wark, Outhwaite, Matheson, MacDonald, G Read

The Ainslie Second Grade won the Grand Final by defeating Manuka by 40 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 20.9-129 def Manuka 12.17-89
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: A Tutt 4, P O’Loughlin 4, G Read 2, R Tutt 2, J Outhwaite 1, I MacDonald 1, I Downes 1, S Smith 1, W Batchelor 1, S Triffett 1, R Sherd 1, J O’Neill 1

The Second Grade Premiership was Ainslie’s third in a row and eighth in the last 11 years winning in 1967 to 1969, 1971, 1973 and 1975. They were Runners-up in 1970 and 1976.

• Coach: Laurie Laffan
• Captain: Wayne Batchelor
• Managers: G Carey, J Brown

The U19 team finished on top of the table after the home and away games with 9 wins and 6 losses.

The Under 19 team played Eastlake in the Second Semi-Final and won by 27 points to go through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 9.7-61 def Eastlake 3.16-34
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Witenhuysen 3, James 2, Hannam 2, Gerrans 2
• Best: Witenhuysen, Thorneycroft, Neeson, Ielasi, M Smith, P Neeson

Ainslie Under 19s defeated Manuka in the Grand Final to win the Premiership.

• Final score: Ainslie 16.19-115 def Manuka 8.6-54
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: M Smith 4, P Gerrans 3, R Rawson 2, B James 2, Brett Hannam 2, F Witenhuysen 1, R Sherd 1, M Thorneycroft 1
• Best: Team effort

Brett Hannam was joint winner of the T A Wharton Medal, Best & Fairest for the League’s Under 19 Grade

• Coach: Bob McCorry
• Captain: Tony Ielasi
• Manager: Larry Rawson

A difficult year due to lack of players and finished in fifth place.

• Captain/Coach: Ray Green
• Manager: Graham Bonnett

Garry Lawless won the League’s Under 17 Best & Fairest and John Harper won the League’s Under 15 Best & Fairest.

• Best & Fairest: David Bellchambers
• Runner Up B&F: Brendan Shanley
• Most Consistent: Garry Cox
• Most Improved: Brett Hannam
• Special Award for Outstanding Service: Wayne Batchelor

• Best & Fairest: Stewart Smith
• Runner Up B&F: Ross Sherd
• Most Consistent: S Triffett
• Most Improved: Alan Tutt
• Best in Final Series: Ken Wark

• Best & Fairest: Mark Smith
• Runner Up B&F: Michael Thorneycroft
• Most Consistent: Tony Ielasi
• Most Improved: B Tannahill

• Best & Fairest: G Weir
• Runner Up B&F: R O’Rourke
• Most Consistent: E Stachou
• Most Determined: J O’Dea
• Best Clubman: Bob Bloomfield

• President: Keith Heales
• Senior Vice President: Bruce Glossop
• Vice Presidents: Jack McGrath, Alan Ray, Peter Tormey
• Secretary: Don Andrews
• Ass.Secretary: T Stewart
• Treasurer: J Shanley
• Committee: G Adcock, Wayne Batchelor, John Bravo, J Brown, G Carey, R Hancock, Larry Rawson, K Redmond, B Ryan, G Ryan, D Scullin, Les Smith, M Smith
• Patrons: Ralph Lewis, Harry Gaylard