2015 – Ainslie NEAFL and First Grade Squad

The NEAFL competition consisted of eleven teams, Ainslie, Aspley, Brisbane Lions, Eastlake, Gold Coast Suns, NT Thunder, Redland, Southport, Sydney Swans, Sydney University and UWS Giants. Canberra teams Belconnen and Queanbeyan withdrew from the NEAFL at the end of 2014 along with the Sydney Hills Eagles.

Ainslie finished the home and away games in ninth place with 5 wins, 12 losses and a draw missing out on the finals for the first time since joining the NEAFL in 2011.

Nick Salter was selected in the NEAFL Team of the Year.

Josh Bennett and Jordan Harper were selected to play in the NEAFL Representative team.

Josh Bennett was the Club’s leading goal kicker with 51 goals.

Former player and President Keith Heales was inducted into the AFL Canberra Hall of Fame.

Chris Rourke was Club Coach for the ninth season.

• Manager: John O’Loughlin
• Captain: Robert Tuohey

The Seconds played in the AFL Canberra First Grade competition which consisted of six teams, Ainslie, Belconnen, Eastlake, Gungahlin, Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong.

Ainslie First Grade finished the home and away games in fourth place with 5 wins and 10 losses.

In the First Semi-Final Ainslie played Queanbeyan at Queanbeyan. Queanbeyan dominated the first quarter kicking 7 goals to 1 and Ainslie never recovered losing by 61 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 5.8-38 def by Queanbeyan 14.15-99
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: T Powell, F Hawkins, C Haining, C Boyton, B Tomkins
• Best: D Ledda, M Richardson, F Hawkins, T Powell, P Schroder, J Costigan

Queanbeyan defeated a previously undefeated Belconnen to win the First Grade Premiership 15.5-95 to 10.11-71.

• Coach: James Rice
• Manager: Bill Matthews

The Rising Stars were in second place after the home and away games with 10 wins and 5 losses.

Ainslie defeated the top side Eastlake in the Second Semi-Final to go straight through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 7.13-55 def Eastlake 6.3-39
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: A Smith 2, J O’Connor 1, J Hedington 1, Z Lindsay 1, T Powell 1, N Foley 1
• Best: W Beaumont, J Powell, H Richardson, M Ackland, T Ford, J O’Connor

In the Grand Final Ainslie played Marist with Marist winning the Premiership by 27 points. Marist kicked 5 goals to 1 in the second quarter and Ainslie couldn’t close the gap in the second half.

• Final score: Ainslie 6.7-43 def by Marist 11.4-70
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: N Foley 2, T Ford 1, M Pilbrow 1, N Beaumont 1, J Powell 1
• Best: M Ackland, T Roughton, W Folkard, H Richardson, P Foley
• Coach: Justin Foley
• Ass.Coach: Richard Fisher
• Manager: Andrew Powell

The Ainslie Second Grade team finished the home and away games in third place with 10 wins and 5 losses.

Ainslie played Queanbeyan at Queanbeyan in the First Semi-Final. Ainslie were able to defeat Queanbeyan by 65 points to move through to the Preliminary Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 19.17-131 def Queanbeyan 10.6-66
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: M Davis 5, D Mues 4, D Stewart 2, W Oldfield 2, D Paine 2, R Perry 2, T Moore 1, T Zouch 1
• Best: D Paine, D Alsford, T Moore, A Thompson, M Jillard, T Zouch

Ainslie second Grade were defeated in the Preliminary Final by Belconnen to finish third.

• Final score: Ainslie 3.7-35 def by Belconnen 9.9-63
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: R Perry 3
• Best: D Alsford, R Perry, B Rivers, T Zouch, G Tranter, A Mitchell

The Ainslie Regional team finished the home and away games in fifth place with 5 wins and 10 losses missing out on the finals.

The Ainslie Womens Team finished in second place in the Division 2 grade after the home and away with 5 wins and 8 losses.

Ainslie played Queanbeyan in the Second Semi-Final of Division 2 but were defeated.

• Final score: Ainslie 1.2-8 def by Queanbeyan 10.9-69
• Goal kicker for Ainslie: E Goodwin
• Best: D Curcio, M Wells, E Anderson, J George, B Sandley, M Simmons

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

• Final score: Ainslie 2.1-13 def by Molonglo 6.9-45
• Goal kickers for Ainslie: A Jenkns 1, S Nelson 1
• Best: R Friend, E Anderson, B Sandley, M Wells, J George, M Simmons

Meredith Wells played her 150th game for Ainslie.

Dani Curcio and Marley Simmons were selected in the AFL Canberra Women’s Team of the Year.

Marley Simmons, Rachel Friend, Teigan Hawke, Amber Allen, Zoe Allen and Emylee Hawke were selected for the ACT Women’s Representative team.

• Coach: Brian James
• Manager: Claire Galliford

• Best & Fairest: Nick Salter
• Runner Up B&F: Nick Heyne
• Third B&F: Sean Ellis
• Coach’s Award: Jordan Harper
• Rising Star: Liam Griffiths
• Richard Fleming Memorial Award: Damien Bowles

• Best & Fairest: Lachlan Harper
• Runner Up B&F: Hugh Phillips
• Best Clubman: Josh Maynard
• Coach’s Award: Max Richardson

• Best & Fairest: Mathew Ackland
• Runner Up B&F: Nick Beaumont
• Best Clubman: Harry Palmer
• Most Promising Player: Jack Powell
• Coach’s Award: Hamish Smith
• Bev Trebilcock Award: Todd Ford

• Best & Fairest: Darcy Paine
• Runner Up B&F: Heath Wells, Mark Jillard
• Best Clubman: Giles Tranter
• Coach’s Award: Zach Madden
• Most Improved: Ryan Johnson

• Best & Fairest: Rene Chawstowski
• Runner Up B&F: Leigh Merrington
• Best Clubman: George Craig
• Best Team Man: Mitch Ahrens
• Best First Year Player: Matthew Brown

• Best & Fairest: Dani Curcio
• Runner Up B&F: Marley Simmons
• Coach’s Award: Breeana Sandley
• Most Improved: Jessica George
• Player’s Player: Emma Anderson
• Most Prominent Clubman: Brian James

• President: Ian Muir
• Senior Vice President/ Secretary: Lee Phillips
• Treasurer: John O’Loughlin
• Committee: Ian Muir, Lee Phillips, John O’Loughlin. Brett Hannam, Troy Klep, Matthew Jamieson, Simon Holt, Gary Paine, James Barrett
• Manager Football Operations: Craig Wallace
• Patron: Barbara Marshall