1981-Ainslie First Grade Team

The ACTAFL Competition had 7 teams in 1981, Ainslie, Belconnen, Eastlake, Manuka, Queanbeyan, Sutherland and Weston Creek.

Ainslie finished the Home and Away games on top of the table with 15 wins and 3 losses. All the losses were to second placed team Manuka.

Ainslie played Manuka in the Second Semi-Final at Football Park, Phillip. Ainslie ran out winners by 83 points to go through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 24.13-157 def Manuka 11.8-74
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Neale 4, Senjov 4, Brock 3, Holford 3, Nolan 3, McCormick 2, Miller 2, M Smith 2, Davey 1
• Best: Heystraten, Stone, Nolan, M Smith, McCormick, Bellchamers, Marshall

Ainslie met Manuka again in the Grand Final and Manuka were able to reverse the Semi-Final result to win by 22 points leaving Ainslie as Runner-ups.

• Final score: Ainslie 15.14-104 def by Manuka 18.18-126
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Neale 3, McCormick 3, Brock 2, Bellchambers 2, Mooney 2, Nolan 2, Senjov 1
• Best: Croser, McCormick, Bellchambers, Holford, C Smith, Marshall

The Ainslie Grand Final team was:

• Backs: Gordon Marshall, Greg Croser, Tony Ielasi
• Half Backs: David Moon, Alan Smith, Brian Holford
• Centres: Ron Davey, Ken Stone, Craig Smith
• Half Forwards: Martin Smith, John Miller, Terry Mooney
• Forwards: David Bellchambers, Kevin Neale, John Brock
• Rucks: Hans Heystraten, Stephen Nolan, Jack McCormick
• Interchange: Mick Senjov, David Monaghan

Ainslie won the Club Championship.

Keith Heales received the AFL merit certificate for outstanding service to football.

Ainslie Second Grade finished the Home and Away on top with 16 wins and 2 losses.

Ainslie played Eastlake in the Second Semi-Final and won by 59 points to proceed through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 18.15-123 def Eastlake 9.10-64
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Taylor 3, Lawless 3, Hogan 3, Read 2, Alico 2, Foley 1, Michel 1, Birzenieks 1, Ryan 1, Hincksman 1
• Best: Hogan, Triffett, Rendell

Ainslie were competing in their seventh straight Grand Final having won 5 and they had played in 13 Grand Finals since 1967.

After leading by 11 points at half time Ainslie were defeated by Eastlake in the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 18.17-125 def by Eastlake 16.11-107
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Birzenieks 4, Foley 3, Ellis 3, Ryan 2, Michel 2, Read 1, Hogan 1
• Best: Read, Ryan, Baxter, Triffett, Birzenieks, Lawless

Anthony Ryan was runner-up in the League’s Best & Fairest for the Second Grade.

The Ainslie U19 team finished in second place after the Home and Away games.

The Ainslie Under 19 team played Manuka in the Preliminary Final but were defeated by 21 points to finish in third place.

• Final score: Ainslie 12.10-82 def by Manuka 16.7-103
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: Nelson 2, Schmizz1 2, Kelty 2, Lond 2, Wright 1, Wilson 1, Vickers 1, Scoles 1
• Best: Wright, Schmizzi, Michel, Wilson, Southwell

Malcolm Scholes finished in third place in the League’s U19 Best & Fairest Award.

The Ainslie Monaro team finished outside the top four.

• Coach: John Truesdale
• Captain: Nelson Blencowe
• Manager: Gil Allen

• Best & Fairest: Stephen Nolan
• Runner-up B&F: Hans Heystraten
• Most Consistent: Greg Croser
• Most Improved: Gordon Marshall
• Best First Year Player: David Moon
• Best Player in the Finals: Hans Heystraten

• Best & Fairest: Tony Ryan
• Runner-up B&F: Robbie Baxter
• Most Consistent: Steve Ellis
• Most Improved: Andy Birzenieks

• Best & Fairest: Malcolm Scholes
• Runner-up B&F: Andrew Michel
• Most Consistent: Phil Wilson
• Most Improved: Anthony Maher

• Best & Fairest: Graham Vickers
• Runner-up B&F: Peter Lennox
• Most Consistent: Nelson Blencowe
• Most Improved: Michael Haberkorn
• Clubman Award: Peter McNair

• President: Keith Heales
• Senior Vice President: Jack McGrath
• Vice Presidents: John Bravo, Peter McNair, Peter Searle, Tom Talsma
• Hon Secretary: Arthur Bennett
• Ass Secretary: Greg Ryan
• Treasurer: Alan Ray
• Committee: Don Andrews, J Brown, Errol Delaney, R Garrett, Bruce Glossop, Roy Hancock, G Harwood, Ian Mulholland, Larry Rawson, K Slattery, Les Smith, M Smith
• Patrons: Ralph Lewis, Harry Gaylard