2014 – Ainslie Senior Squad

The NEAFL competition consisted of fourteen teams, Ainslie, Aspley, Belconnen, Brisbane Lions, Eastlake, Gold Coast Suns, NT Thunder, Queanbeyan, Redland, Southport, Sydney Hills Eagles, Sydney Swans, Sydney University and UWS Giants. The Eastern and Northern Conferences were combined into the one competition. Queensland teams Morningside, Labrador, Broadbeach and Mt Gravatt pulled out of the NEAFL along with ACT team Tuggeranong.

Ainslie finished in sixth place after the home and away games with 12 wins and 6 losses.

Ainslie played third placed team NT Thunder in the Elimination Final held at night at TIO Stadium in Darwin. In what was a low scoring defensive game NT Thunder defeated Ainslie by 17 points. The third term proved to be the difference as NT Thunder added 3 goals to nil to open up a 26 point lead at three quarter time. Ainslie fought back in the last term kicking 3 goals to 1 but couldn’t close the gap.

• Final score: Ainslie 5.6-36 def by NT Thunder 7.11-53
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: J Hirst 1, S Ellis 1, C Barrie 1, N Paine 1, M Lawless 1
• Best: N Salter, D Walker, S Ellis, I Lawless, J Costigan, D Bowles

The NEAFL Grand Final was won by Aspley as they defeated Sydney Swans by 2 points, 15.12-102 to 15.10-100.

• Nick Salter and Aaron Vandenberg were selected in the NEAFL Team of the Year.
• Sean Ellis and Aaron Vandenberg played in the NEAFL Representative team.
• Aaron Vandenberg was runner-up in the NEAFL MVP Award.
• Eric Stone played his 100th First Grade game for the Club.
• Nick Salter led the Club’s goal kicking with 52 goals.
• Ainslie won the Club Championship as the Best Performed Club in 2014.
• Brett Hannam was inducted into the AFL Canberra Hall of Fame.
• The Club’s 2013 and 2014 Best & Fairest, Aaron Vandenberg, was selected in the Rookie Draft by Melbourne with selection 2.

Ainslie Second Grade played in the AFL Canberra Division 1 Competition. There were seven teams in this competition, ADFA, Ainslie, ANU, Belconnen, Eastlake, Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong.

Ainslie finished in second place after the home and away games with 15 wins and 3 losses.

Ainslie played top side Queanbeyan in the Second Semi-Final and were defeated by 12 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 10.3-63 def by Queanbeyan 10.15-75
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: Mitch Ward 3, B. Hackett 2, T. Nunn 2, T. Powell 2, A. Birch
• Best : D. Love, M. Renet, J. Whatman, R. Haupt, T. Powell, Mark Ward

In the Preliminary Final Ainslie defeated Eastlake by 12 points to set up a rematch with Queanbeyan in the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 8.20-68 def Eastlake 8.8-56
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: B. Hackett 2, M. Lawless 2, A. Grozinger 2, M. Sheldon , T. Powell
• Best: D. Love, M. Sheldon, C. Haining, D. Bloomfield, T. Powell, B. Hackett

The Grand Final was played at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval with Ainslie playing Queanbeyan. Queanbeyan ran out winners by 3 goals leaving Ainslie as Runners up.

• Final score: Ainslie 7.7-49 def by Queanbeyan 10.7-67
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: A Birch 1, A Grozinger 1, B Hackett 1, R Haupt 1, L O’Neill 1, M Renet 1, J Whatman 1
• Best: D Love, B Hackett, C Haining, T Powell, J Whatman, D Tow

The Ainslie Second Grade team that played in the Grand Final was:

Alex Birch, Djali Bloomfield, Tim Donnellan, Alex Grozinger, Ben Hackett, Colin Haining, Reuben Haupt, Michael Lawless, David Love, Angus Nolan, Tyson Nunn, Lucas O’Neill, Hugh Phillips, Tom Powell, Blake Renet, Matt Renet, Brady Scholes, Matthew Sheldon, David Tow, Mark Ward, Mitch Ward, Jake Whatman.

Seven Ainslie Second Grade players were selected to Represent the ACT in the game against Sydney AFL.

They were Chris Barrie, Djali Bllomfield, Steve Boden, James Eastoe, Angus Nolan, Lucas O’Neill and Blake Renet.

• Coach: Paul Neiberding
• Manager: Bill Matthews

The Ainslie Rising Stars team finished the home and away games on top of the ladder with 15 wins and 2 losses.

Ainslie played Queanbeyan in the Second Semi-Final at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval with Queanbeyan defeating Ainslie by 31 points. Queanbeyan dominated the second and third quarters keeping Ainslie goalless.

• Final score:  Ainslie 6.3-39 def by Queanbeyan 10.10-70
• Goal Kickers: M. Richardson 3, W. Muir 1, M. Ackland 1, J. Hedington 1
• Best Players: M. Richardson, A. Vickers, H. Palmer, C. Boyton, H. Skacel, H. Richardson

Ainslie played Marist in the Preliminary Final and had a good win by 61 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 13.10-88 def Marist 3.9-27
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: W. Muir 3, M. Richardson 3, H. Richardson 2, N. Foley 2, J. Hogan 1, A. Vickers 1, H. Palmer 1
• Best Players: H. Palmer, M. Richardson, M. Ganley, W. Muir, B. Tomkins, M. Ackland

The Grand Final against Queanbeyan played at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval was a tight, hard game for three quarters with Ainslie leading by 1 point at three quarter time. However Queanbeyan kicked 3 goals to nil in the last quarter to defeat Ainslie by 3 goals.

• Final score: Ainslie 5.8-38 def by Queanbeyan 8.8-56
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: N Beaumont 1, C Boyton 1, J Hogan 1, W Muir 1, N Rowe 1
• Best: W Folkard, C Boyton, H Palmer, A Vickers, N Rowe, J Hogan
• Coach: Justin Foley
• Manager: Glenn Brown
• Captain: Alex Vickers

The Ainslie Fourth team played in the AFL Canberra Third Grade. There were 12 teams in the competition.

Ainslie finished the home and away games in fifth position with 10 wins and 6 losses.

Ainslie played Cooma in the Elimination Final at Jamieson Oval. Cooma were too strong for Ainslie defeating them by 29 points.

• Finals score: Ainslie 7.6-48 def by Cooma 11.11-77
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: J. Tong 2, T. Jehu 2, L. Skinner , A. Ferrell , R. Mannie
• Best: H. Murdoch, J. Baum, M. Howe, L. Skinner, J. Tong, J. York
• Coach: Andrew Ferrell
• Captain: Angus Thornton

The Ainslie Women’s Team finished the home and away games in sixth place in the Pool 2 group with 4 wins and 12 losses to finish outside the finals.

Zoe Skyrianos and Nicole Somi were selected in the AFL Canberra Women’s Team of the Year. Rachel Friend, Eloise O’Brien and Zoe Skyrianos were selected to play in the ACT Representative team.

Dani Curcio played her 150th game for Ainslie.

• Coach: Brian James
• Manager: Sarah Dent

• Best & Fairest: Aaron Vandenberg
• Runner Up B&F: Ash Harris
• Third B&F: Nick Salter
• Coach’s Award: Mitch Mulroney
• Rising Star: Jordan Iudica
• Richard Fleming Memorial Award: Cameron Bernasconi

• Best & Fairest: David Love
• Runner Up B&F: Thomas Powell
• Best Clubman: Giles Tranter
• Coach’s Award: Mitch Ward

• Best & Fairest: Charlie Boyton
• Runner Up B&F: Haydn Richardson
• Best Clubman: Alex Vickers
• Most Promising Player: Matthew Boak
• Coach’s Award: Will Folkard
• Bev Trebilcock Award: Nick Beaumont

• Best & Fairest: Dave Stewart
• Runner Up B&F: Heath Wells, Tom Zouch
• Best Clubman: Rene Chaustowski
• Coach’s Award: Jake Bunday
• Most Improved: Blair Rivers

• Best & Fairest: Josh Baum
• Runner Up B&F: David Hulm
• Best Clubman: Ryan Mannie
• Best Team Man: Angus Thornton
• Best First Year Player: Zach Madden

• Best & Fairest: Zoe Skyrianos
• Runner Up B&F: Danni Bromley, Dani Curcio
• Coach’s Award: Lyndle Williams
• Most Improved: Claire Haughey
• Player’s Player: Bianca Richmond
• Most Prominent Clubman: Glenn Brown
• Jaws Award: Jed Costigan

• President: Ian Muir
• Senior Vice President/ Secretary: Lee Phillips
• Vice President: Mark Sinclair
• Treasurer: John O’Loughlin
• Committee: Ian Muir, Lee Phillips, Mark Sinclair, John O’Loughlin. Brett Hannam, Troy Klep, Michael Johnston, Matthew Jamieson, Simon Holt, Gary Paine
• Manager Football Operations: John Smith
• Patron: Vacant