neafl article

NEAFL ARTICLE
CLUB NEWS
By JOHN FORRESTER
AINSLIE
With Ainslie travelling to Newcastle this weekend
there is no organised after-match function. Awards
will be presented after the game. The Division 2 team
is currently sitting on top of the ladder and this week
has a well earned bye. The Under 18’s are coming off
a loss to Belconnen and have another testing game
against Marist at Ainslie Oval.
Ainslie are pleased to support the NEAFL and the
Sydney Swans with the movement of the Ainslie v
Sydney clash to Newcastle. Ainslie 2010 Premiership
Coach Chris Rourke is also taking part in the Sydney
Swans football forum held the night before the game
to help with the development of football in
the region.
The Club would like to congratulate Danielle Curcio a
member of the Ainslie Women’s team who last week
played her 100th game for Ainslie. Dani is the first
Women’s team member to bring up the 100 Club
games. Dani has won the Club Best and Fairest and
been a member of the ACT representative team during
her 10 years in the game. In 2007 Dani was selected
in the Team of the Decade.
In Round 10 Ainslie NEAFL team have a bye. On
Saturday June 4 an Ainslie All Stars team consisting
of the Club’s past Legends, current Senior and Junior
Coaching staff and Board members will take on a
combined Under 18’s, Womens and Thirds team at
Ainslie Oval. This will follow the Division 2 game
against Gungahlin played at 11.30am. All other teams
have a bye.
The Red, White and Black Ball will be held at the
AF&SC on Saturday 9th July. Player registration
includes 1 ticket to the Ball. Extra tickets can be
booked through Reception at the Club. Table bookings
can also be organised at Reception.
SYDNEY SWANS
This Saturday’s match between the Swans Reserves
and Ainslie marks the first ever NEAFL match played
in the Hunter region.
The match will further strengthen the Swans ties with
the Newcastle region, which have been boosted by
the recent establishment of the QBE Sydney Swans
Academy in the Hunter.
In a fillip for the Academy and local Australian
football, four boys from the three northern QBE
Sydney Swans Academy centres will play for the
Swans reserves in Newcastle.
The four boys are Mitch Crawford and Jack Pratt
from Newcastle, who are in the QBE Sydney Swans
Hunter Academy, Jonathan Gourlay who is in the QBE
Sydney Swans Central Coast Academy and Brendan
Nelson from the QBE Sydney Swans Academy in Coffs
Harbour.
The head coach of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy,
Paul Roos, said it would be a great opportunity for
the four Academy players to show their wares in front
of local AFL football fans.
“All the boys have been training hard as part of their
program with the Academy and we’re excited to be
able to give them this chance to play with the Swans
reserves and put their talent on display,’’ Roos said.
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