2016 – Ainslie First Grade Premiership Team

Ainslie Football Club withdrew from the NEAFL competition and returned to the Canberra Community competition. This left Eastlake as the only remaining ACT NEAFL team and they changed their named to the Canberra Demons. Ainslie had teams in all possible Grades, being the only Club to do so, supporting six teams. The AFL Canberra First Grade competition consisted of six Clubs, Ainslie, Belconnen, Eastlake, Gungahlin, Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong.

At the end of the home and away games Ainslie First Grade finished on top of the ladder with 14 wins and 1 loss.

Ainslie played Belconnen in the Semi-Final at Ainslie Oval. Ainslie jumped Belconnen to score 6 goals to nil in the first quarter and continued on to have 10 goals to 1 at half time. Ainslie increased their lead in each quarter to run out winners by 91 points and go through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 18.19-127 def Belconnen 5.6-36
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: N. Salter 7, N. Paine 3, S. Curtis, M. Lawless, J. Rice, H. Delves, A. Wiles, N. Foley, I. Lawless, H. Armstrong
• Best Players: H. Delves, N. Salter, J. Cuzner, B. Maiden, N. Foley, A. Wiles

In the Grand Final Ainslie played Queanbeyan after their 2 point win over Belconnen in the Preliminary Final. Ainslie opened up a good lead of 19 points at quarter time thanks to an explosive quarter by Nick Paine kicking 5 goals. The lead was extended to 31 at half time. Queanbeyan closed the game down in the second half making scoring difficult but Ainslie ran out winners by 29 points to win their 25th Premiership.

• Final score: Ainslie 13.14-92 def Queanbeyan 9.9-63
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: N. Paine 6, M. Lawless 3, S. Sienkiewicz, R. Haupt, N. Foley, A. Wiles
• Best Players: N. Paine, J. Hirst, S. Sienkiewicz, D. Bowles, J. Cuzner, J. Maynard

Nick Paine was awarded the Alex Jesaulenko Medal for Best Player on the Ground.

Hayden Armstrong, Damien Bowles, Simon Curtis, Ash Harris (Capt.), Jeremy Hirst, Max Richardson and Nick Salter were selected in the AFL Canberra Team of the Year. Chris Rourke was selected as the Coach of the Year. Selected in the AFL Canberra Representative Team against Sydney AFL were: Ash Harris (Capt.), Shaun Allan, Damien Bowles, Simon Curtis, Henry Delves, Ian Lawless, Ben Maiden, Max Richardson, Aaron Wiles

Simon Curtis and Aaron Wiles polled 12 votes to be equal third in the Mulrooney Medal.

Nick Salter topped the League goal kicking to win the Kevin Neale Goal Kicking Award with 85 goals.

• Coach: Chris Rourke
• Captain Ash Harris
• Manager: Glenn Brown

At the end of the home and away games the Ainslie Second Grade were undefeated on top of the ladder with 14 wins.

Ainslie defeated Belconnen in the Semi-Final with an easy win by 88 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 18.9-117 def Belconnen 4.5-29
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: C. Baxter 5, T. Powell 2, B. Renet 2, H. Kellett 2, R. Haupt 2, W. Muir, M. Renet, M. Sheldon, A. Vickers, N. Beaumont
• Best Players: J. Hedington, A. Mitchell, R. Haupt, T. Ford, J. Taylor, M. Sheldon

Ainslie met a much stronger Belconnen team in the Grand Final. Ainslie struggled to get their game going and after trailing at quarter time fought back to lead by 8 at three quarter time. In a tight struggle in the last quarter Ainslie were able to win by 19 points to win the Club’s 24th Second Grade Premiership.

• Final score: Ainslie 10.14-74 def Belconnen 8.7-55
• Goal Kickers: M. Thompson 2, H. Kellett 2, B. Renet, C. Boyton, C. Baxter, H. Phillips, A. Mitchell, N. Beaumont
  Best Players: A. Thompson, L. Carter, C. Baxter, B. Renet, S. Allan, M. Sheldon
• Best on Ground Award: Matthew Sheldon
• Coach: Miles Davis
• Ass. Coach: Brett Hannam.
• Captain: Lachlan Carter
• Managers: John O’Loughlin, Lyndon Hirst

The Ainslie Rising Stars went through the home and away season undefeated with 14 wins.

Ainslie played Queanbeyan in the Semi Final in a very tight match. Ainslie trailed for the first time during the season at three quarter time by 2 goals. They rallied in the last quarter kicking 4 goals to 1 to win by 5 points.

Ainslie 6.6.42 def Queanbeyan 5.7-37

• Goal Kickers: M. Ackland 3, H. Muir, A. White, G. Richardson
• Best Players: T. Roughton, H. Richardson, Z. Lindsay, G. Richardson, M. Ackland, F. Dwyer

Ainslie played Queanbeyan again in the Grand Final. This time Ainslie held control of the game and led by 38 points at three quarter time before a late comeback by Queanbeyan reduced the margin to 20 points at the final siren.

• Final score: Ainslie 9.8-62 def Queanbeyan 6.6-42
• Goal Kickers: L. Jamieson 2, Z. Lindsay, H. Richardson, M. Ackland, J. Wiley, H. Muir, B. Ackland, F. Dwyer
  Best Players: H. Richardson
• Best on Ground Award: Haydn Richardson
• Coach: Mark Ackland
• Ass. Coach: Michael Richardson
• Manager: Jake Lindsay

Ainslie Third Grade finished in Third place after the home and away games with 10 wins and 4 losses.

Ainslie played sixth placed team Batemans Bay in an Elimination Final. After a tight first quarter Ainslie led by a point but then opened up a good lead of 31 points at half time before running out winners by 26 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 7.15-57 def Batemans Bay 4.7-31
• Goal Kickers: A. Nolan 3, A. Luchetti, M. Davis, P. Schroder, J. Paine
• Best Players: F. McFarlane, J. Paine, D. Paine, W. Oldfield, T. Zouch, A. Nolan

In the Preliminary Final Ainslie came up against a tall, skilful team in ANU. The First half was hard fought and only 3 points separated the teams at half time. ANU turned on the pressure after half time to kick 6 goals to Ainslie’s 3 leaving Ainslie in Third place..

• Final score: Ainslie 9.2-56 def by ANU 12.16-88
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: A. Nolan 3, M. Davis 2, A. Luchetti, B. Hackett, D. Alsford
• Best Players: L. Toohey, C. Haining, D. Paine, D. Alsford, B. Hackett, B. Rivers
• Coach: Tom Lemmon

Ainslie Fourth Grade finished the home and away season in second position with 14 wins and 2 losses.

Ainslie had the first week off in the Finals and met ANU in the Preliminary Final. ANU controlled the game and Ainslie couldn’t close the gap set up in the second quarter to lose by 14 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 5.11-41 def by ANU 8.7-55
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: O. Waring, A. Gore, J. Butcher, R. Broadhurst, D. Stewart
• Best Players: D. Stewart, F. Stuart, D. Hulm, J. Butcher, J. Bunday, A. Gore
• Coach: Brent Ford

The Ainslie Women’s team finished in eight place after the home and away with 4 wins and 9 losses. They played in the Division 2 Finals.

They played in the Div 2 Semi-Final against Molonglo but were defeated by 37 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 2.7-19 def by Molonglo 8.8-56
• Goal Kickers for Ainslie: J. Stramandinoli, A. Rose
• Best Players: Z. Skyrianos, A. McKeough, D. Peel, R. Piesse, J. Stramandinoli, A. Rose
• Coach: Mathew Jamieson
• Ass. Coach: Brian James

• Best and Fairest(Hibberson Cup) : Nick Salter
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Simon Curtis
• 3rd Best and Fairest : Jeremy Hirst
• Coach’s Award : Matthew Teasdale
• Rising Star : Henry Delves
• Richard Fleming Memorial Award : Aaron Wiles

• Best and Fairest : Matthew Thompson
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Corey Baxter
• Best Clubman (2nd Grade) (Brett Muir Trophy) : Alex Mitchell
• Coach’s Award : Charlie Boyton

• Best and Fairest : Haydn Richardson
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Guy Richardson
• Best Club Person (Ian Kirkpatrick Award) : Mitch Terpstra
• Most Promising Player (Ted Dhu Award) : Guy Richardson
• Coach’s Award : Lachlan Jamieson
• Bev Trebilcock Award : Tom Roughton

• Best and Fairest (Tom Moore Perpetual Trophy) : Liam Toohey
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Darcy Paine
• Best Clubman : Tom Zouch
• Coach’s Award : Joel Paine
• Best New Player : Dylan Vandenbrink

• Best and Fairest : Josh Butcher
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Dave Stewart
• Coach’s Award : George Craig
• Best Clubman : Andrew Ferrell
• Most Consistent : Alfie Gore

• Best and Fairest : Zoe Skyrianos
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Kate Russell
• Most Improved : Catherine Wells
• Coach’s Award : Danielle Peel
• Women Player’s Player : Meredith Wells, Bree Sandley

• Most Prominent Clubman (Moore Trophy) : Andrew Toy, Michael Richardson

• President: Ian Muir
• Senior Vice President: Lee Phillips
• Treasurer: John O’Loughlin
• Directors: Ian Muir, Lee Phillips, John O’Loughlin, Brett Hannam, Troy Klep, Matthew Jamieson, Simon Holt, James Barrett, Len Hatch
• Manager Football Operations: Craig Wallace
• Patron: Barbara Marshall