2017

Ainslie again had teams in all possible Grades, being the only Club to do so, supporting six teams. The AFL Canberra First Grade, Second Grade and Rising Stars competitions consisted of six Clubs, Ainslie, Belconnen, Eastlake, Gungahlin, Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong.

At the end of the home and away games Ainslie First Grade finished in second position on the ladder with 11 wins and 4 losses. Belconnen finished in top place with 13 wins.

Ainslie played Belconnen in the Semi Final at Kippax Oval. It was a tough, physical game and Ainslie led at quarter time by 2 points but Belconnen turned up the heat in the second quarter kicking 5 goals to 1. Ainslie fought back in the third quarter to reduce the margin back to 8 points. Belconnen finished the game the strongest kicking 4 goals to 1 in the final quarter to win by 24 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 13.10-88 def by Belconnen 16.16-112
• Goal Kickers: H. Delves 3, N. Paine 3, L. O’Neil 2, S. Curtis, B. Renet, B. Perry, C. Barrie, M. Ward
• Best Players: B. Perry, S. Curtis, J. Hirst, D. Bowles, J. Cuzner, M. Teasdale

Ainslie then had to play Eastlake in the Preliminary Final after they defeated Queanbeyan in the Semi Final. The game was played in atrocious conditions at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval with very cold wind, rain and snow. It was a comfortable win for Ainslie as they increased their lead in each quarter before winning by 76 points.

• Final score: Ainslie 16.10-106 def Eastlake 3.12-30
• Goal Kickers: H. Armstrong 3, T. Powell 2, H. Delves 2, L. O’Neil 2, B. Perry 2, J. Powell 2, N. Paine, S. Sienkiewicz, C. Barrie
• Best Players: L. O’Neil, B. Perry, H. Armstrong, D. Bowles, C. Bernasconi, T. Powell

Ainslie met Belconnen again in the Grand Final at Manuka Oval. Belconnen had won 3 of the 4 games between the two teams during the season so began as favourites. Led by Nick Paine Ainslie set up an early lead of 3 goals at quarter time. The margin was similar at 3 quarter time before Ainslie came home strongly in the final quarter kicking 5 goals to 2 to win the Grand Final and their 26th Premiership by 42 points. This was coach Chris Rourke’s 4th Premiership in his 11th year at the Club.

• Final score: Ainslie 13.16-94 def Belconnen 7.10-52
• Goal Kickers: C. Barrie 4, H. Delves 3, N. Paine 3, B. Perry, J. Powell, B. Renet
• Best Players: C. Bernasconi, C. Barrie, J. Cuzner, D. Bowles, J. Taylor, S. Curtis

Captain Simon Curtis was awarded the Alex Jesaulenko Medal for Best Player on the Ground.

Simon Curtis, Jack Cuzner, Henry Delves, Jeremy Hirst, Dan Ledda and Ben Perry were selected in the AFL Canberra Team of the Year.

Selected in the AFL Canberra Representative Team were Damien Bowles, Jack Cuzner, Henry Delves, Dan Ledda, Liam O’Neil, Blake Renet and Matthew Teasdale

Simon Curtis polled 15 votes to be runner-up in the Mulrooney Medal.

Henry Delves was Ainslie’s leading goalkicker with 47 goals followed by Nick Paine with 45.

• Coach: Chris Rourke
• Captain: Simon Curtis
• Manager: Glenn Brown

At the end of the home and away season Ainslie Second Grade were undefeated on top of the ladder with 15 wins.

Ainslie played second placed team Queanbeyan at Kippax Oval in the Second Semi Final. Ainslie won comfortably by 66 points to go through to the Grand Final.

• Final score: Ainslie 14.12-96 def Queanbeyan 4.6-30
• Goal Kickers: H. Armstrong 6, F. Hawkins 2, T. Hincksman 2, M. Thompson, F. Dwyer, J. Chapman, S. Allan
• Best Players: H. Richardson, W. Hamill, W. Beaumont, F. Hawkins, T. Hincksman, H. Armstrong

Ainslie met Queanbeyan again in the Grand Final at Manuka. After a strong start by Queanbeyan, Ainslie were able to get on top and ran out winners by 41 points to win the Grand Final and the Club’s 24th Second Grade Premiership Flag.

• Final score: Ainslie 13.10-88 def Queanbeyan 7.5-47
• Goal Kickers: A. Thompson 4, M. Ward 3, J. Fleming 2, C. Boyton, H. Richardson, J. Rice, M. Renet
• Best Players: W. Hamill, M. Ackland, J. Chapman, T. Hincksman, J. Rice

James Rice was awarded the Best on Ground Award.

Charlie Boyton and Andrew Thompson tied for the League’s Best and Fairest Award in the Second Grade with 8 votes each.

• Coach: James Rice
• Ass. Coach: Brett Hannam.
• Captain: David Thorne
• Managers: Alan Adams

• Best and Fairest (Hibberson Cup) : Simon Curtis
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Ben Perry
• 3rd Best and Fairest : Dan Ledda
• Coach’s Award : Scott Sienkiewicz
• Rising Star : Mathew Ackland
• Richard Fleming Memorial Award : Josh Taylor

• Best and Fairest : Will Hamill
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Matthew Thompson
• Best Clubman (2nd Grade) (Brett Muir Trophy) : Haydn Richardson
• Coach’s Award : Shaun Pawcynski
• Best New Player : Tom Hincksman

• Best and Fairest : Jakob Wiley
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Harry Muir
• Best Club Person (Ian Kirkpatrick Award) : Sam Groenewegen
• Most Promising Player (Ted Dhu Award) : Will Spencer
• Coach’s Award : Luke Morfoot
• Bev Trebilcock Award : Robbie Stewart

• Best and Fairest (Tom Moore Perpetual Trophy) : Will Oldfield
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Darcy Paine
• Best Clubman : Zach Madden
• Coach’s Award : Angus Nolan
• Best New Player : Jack Birtwhistle

• Best and Fairest : Cameron Hargraves
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Ryan Mannie
• Coach’s Award : James Murray
• Best Clubman : Rene Chaustowski
• Best New Player : Benjamin Quiggin

• Best and Fairest : Zoe Skyrianos
• Runner-up Best and Fairest : Kate Russell
• Most Improved : Angela Curcio
• Coach’s Award : Meredith Wells, Danielle Peel
• Women Player’s Player : Zoe Lewis
• Best Club Person : Ryan Mannie

• Most Prominent Clubman (Moore Trophy) : Joe Hatch

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