Recieved life membership in 1983.
Laurie Laffan attends most of Ainslie’s games. He is a very keen supporter, especially when his son, Luke, is in the action. Laurie played his last game for Ainslie in the Monaro competition (now the District competition) at the age of 39 years and 9 months. In that year (1983), Ainslie won all grades: First, Reserves, Monaro and Under 19s. Laurie’s first game for the Club was in the under 12s in 1956, where his coach was Terry Cross.
In between these games, Laurie played 108 First Grade games, 167 Reserve Grade games and about 60 to 70 Monaro games for Ainslie, as well as junior games every year from Under 12s to Under 19s. In fact, Laurie played for the First and Reserve Grade sides from 1962 to 1981.
He was a member of the 1970 First Grade premiership side, in which he played as a ruckman. Laurie also played in Ainslie’s runner-up First Grade sides in 1966 (as full back) and 1972 (as a ruckman). In 1966 he represented the ACT as a full back against Queensland.
Laurie’s first Premiership was in 1967 as a member of the Reserve Grade side playing under Kevin Hassett as Coach. He went on to play in Reserve Grade premiership sides in 1968, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1976 and 1977. He was playing Coach of the team in 1977. In 1975, Laurie played only 7 games, but he was BOG in the Grand Final, BOG in the last 5 games of the season and came equal first (with David McKellar) in the Reserve Grade Best and Fairest. He was captain/coach of the Monaro side in 1979 and 1980, with the side making the finals in both years. Laurie also won a Best and Fairest for the Monaro side.
Other awards Laurie has won at Ainslie are most improved in the Under 17s and “best attendance” in the Under 12s. This one was important to Laurie because it encouraged him to keep playing footy.
Laurie was founding Director of the ACT Super Rules competition. In 1982, Laurie and his Super Rules mates played against a VFL ex-players team as a curtain raiser to the ACT Grand Final. The ACT side included former great players in John Jillard, Tom Allison and Syd Jackson, but lost to the Vics by 5 points.
He was a member of the Ainslie Football Club’s Committee in 1980 and 1981 and is now in his 5th year as a member of the Ainslie Football and Social Club Committee. Laurie became a Life Member of the AFC in 1983.
Laurie was born in Coburg in Melbourne. His family lived in Moonee Ponds for a while and Laurie was an Essendon supporter. Dick Reynolds taught Laurie how to stab pass. His family later moved to Glenroy where he became a Fitzroy supporter. Kevin Murray of Fitzroy fame is the player Laurie most admired at the top level because of his toughness and longevity. This support for Fitzroy has translated into support for the Brisbane Lions. Laurie still has a fondness for Essendon.
Laurie came to Canberra in 1956 when his father was posted here. He started playing footy with Ainslie and has been associated with the Club ever since. Laurie went to St Eddies School, and played basketball and cricket as well as footy. He also likes surfing and skiing.
Laurie’s wife, Karen, is a Goulburn girl. They met at a party and Karen drove him home. They married in 1969 and have 4 children: James, Luke, Ben and Shannon. The boys all played junior footy for Ainslie. Luke, after some years away from footy, is playing good footy for the reserves as a ruckman.
The players Laurie most admires from his time as a participant in ACT footy include John Jillard (captain/coach of Ainslie in 1973, 1974 and 1975 and a member of Footscray’s team of the century), Ralph Rendell, Mick Gibbons, Alex Jesaulenko (on whom Laurie played as a CHB and broke even according to the Canberra Times writer at the time, Peter Lyons), Edney Blackaby, Billy Vaughan and Ross Bowe. Laurie laments the passing of the drop kick in footy. He could belt a drop punt about 70 metres and drop kick the ball occasionally further. Laurie regards John Davies (Coach of Ainslie in 1970, 1971 and 1972 and a former Geelong player) as the best Coach he had because John got the best out of him.
As to Ainslie’s chances this year, Laurie thinks they are very good providing we can get a full team on the park. He regards Reece Langan as the most influential player for Ainslie, with Bevan Malloy close behind.
One of the journalists who reported on a First Grade game in which Laurie played in 1971 referred to him as “the tall and dependable Laurie Laffan”. This description is still an appropriate one for the Laurie Laffan of today.