AFL CANBERRA EDITION 02 $2.50 FORMER NORTH MELBOURNE ROOKIE MAKES AINSLIE HIS HOME DETERMINED DANIHER HELPS SINK SWANS Contents A CHAMPION TEAM... IS BETTER THEN A inside TEAM OF CHAMPIONS In the Box with the GM 4 AFL Canberra Limited Bradman Stand Manuka Oval Manuka Circle ACT 2603 PO Box 3759, Manuka ACT 2603 News 6 Ph 02 6228 0337 Fax 02 6232 7312 Local Hero 10-11 Publisher Coordinate Communication PO Box 1975 Seniors 12-17 WODEN ACT 2606 Ph 02 6162 3600 Email [email protected] Reserves 18 Neither the editor, the publisher nor AFL Canberra accepts liability of any form for loss or harm of any type however caused All design material in the magazine is copyright protected and cannot Under 18’s 19 be reproduced without the written permission of Round 02 Coordinate Communication. Editor Jamie Wilson vs Ph 02 6162 3600 Email [email protected] Ainslie Oval, Sat 12th April, 2pm Designer Kirsty McCabe Ph 02 6162 3600 vs Email [email protected] Photography ANZ Stadium, Sat 12th April, 3:15pm vs Margaret Donoghoe Oval, Sun 13th April, 2pm Design + Branding + PR + Advertising + Internet www.coordinate.com.au ACTION shots In the box of the week with the GM How things can change in 12 months. marking in a contested situation and are very handy when the ball is on the ground which is a rare quality in a Round 1 in 2007 the previous years grand finalists rolled footballer. Those three will need some checking for any over the top of Tuggeranong at Greenway. Eastlake were team to get over the Tigers in 2008. smashed by the Swans in Sydney and Queanbeyan mad a However for the first time in many season neither the mess of the Wildcats. One game that was entertaining and Swans or Maggies won a game in a round of football. We apart from the Armstrong clinic at Queanbeyan not a lot can expect an interesting match in Sydney this weekend if reason to be interested in AFL Canberra football. The with one of them being 0-2 after two games. An unfamiliar season threw up few surprises - Tuggeranong beat position for both teams. It looks like we have an Queanbeyan about 60% of the way through the year but unpredictable competition which is perfect for everyone not until the Preliminary Final was there a result that involved. There are no easy games. Just as we like our was not obvious. sport. This week we all drive to the match hoping our team performs well knowing that if they are not ‘switched on’ Fast forward twelve months and Ainslie have come from they will get beaten. I am looking forward to season where nowhere. Some significant recruiting granted but having players and coaches are challenged every week. I suspect seen every team train over the summer I can assure you you are to. Ainslie deserve every victory they have this season. They trained harder than any Canberra team and while I CUB Player of the Week accept that getting flogged all summer does not guarantee success the Tricolours are ready for battle. Their win over Ben Hughes kicked five goals in a match winning Belconnen will be dismissed by many because of some performance for Ainslie in his first game in the AFL disastrous kicking for goal particularly early in the game Canberra competition. The Magpie defence have some fine by the Magpies. However when the game was on the line players and for Hughes to be one of the dominant players it was Billy and his men who were attacking the ball the on the ground against quality opposition makes him an hardest and with a forward who looms as a real threat, Ben easy choice for this award. Hughes, there were enough opportunities to kick a winning score. Big Tony Bourke was influential and all of a sudden Kingston Physio Body on the Line Award the boys in the inner north have a swagger that hasn’t been seen for a year or two. Brett Knowles is among the higher profile players in the competition. Clearly he was less than 100% last week at Tuggeranong, on the verge of disbanding only months ago, Ainslie yet despite what looked a serious knee issue he took it up to the Demons and gave Nathan Clarke and his was prepared to risk his reputation and stay on the ground men a lesson in passion. Evergreen Jay Kickett was as a key forward. It would have been far easier for Brett glorious and Rep forward Mat Ghirardello showed just to concede to the injury (as well he probably should have) how important kicking skills are to being a successful but to his credit Brett did the team thing risking long term footballer. The Southern Cross club benefitted significantly damage. His courage is rewarded with the Kingston Physio from the Hawk victory but coach Michael Horne has Body on the Line Award. delivered a very clear message to his team that they alone have set the standard which they have to perform to now week in week out. They face a large challenge this week against the rampaging Tigers. Speaking of Queanbeyan their win was just extraordinary. Champion forward and coach Mark Armstrong set the tone early with four goals in the first half to immediately apply some scoreboard pressure to the Swans for the first time in many, many games. Gun recruit Andrew Carey seems to have what it takes and Mark Powell looks to be taking up where he left off in last years finals series. He is a fine footballer and could become the most influential player n the competition in 2008. With Armstrong. James Kavanagh and Powell the Tigers have three tall players capable of Determined Daniher helps sink Swans By Joe Sullivan Season 2008 could not have got off to a better start News for the Queanbeyan Tigers with an upset and history making 18 point win over last year’s Premiers, the Sydney Swans. Several players started for the Queanbeyan side with a limited or non-existent preseason and with half a dozen players cramping in the later stages of the game, the “The facilities that I saw and the blokes I met when I Tigers never relented in their hard-nosed approach to Former North came up to have a look around were fantastic,” he said. “I the game. thought it would be a good change for me and it was also a Melbourne rookie good chance to come in and help improve the club.” The Tigers were seemingly hungrier and more determined over the footy with a number of bone Rourke said Hughes’ work ethic since his arrival has been crunching tackles and relentless pressure on the Sydney makes Ainslie his home impressive, making him an excellent role model for the players. club’s younger players. By James Patmore It was the first time that Sydney had been beaten in a “Ben has been really good for us since he got here. He’s a home and away match in three years and there were Having upstaged AFL Canberra powerhouse Belconnen on terrific trainer and he is always working hard, whether it several players from Queanbeyan who contributed to the the weekend, the new look Ainslie have shown they will be is on the track or in the gym. He is pretty popular amongst demise of the Swans last Sunday. one of the leading contenders in 2008. the boys and he has fitted in really well at the club,” he said. Paul Williams and Mark Armstorng bagged four goals The opening round clash allowed Ainslie to showcase many each, Neil Irwin and Mark Powell rebounded off half of its new recruits, all of which played a key role in the Rourke believes Hughes has the talent to take his football back with force and new Victorian recruits Andrew Carey upset 20 point win. career further. and Kris Thompson were superb. Carey also bagged four goals in his first game for the black and gold. Of these recruits, 19 year old centre half forward Ben “He could certainly play at a higher level, but its up to Ben Hughes was the standout, kicking five goals and providing really,” he said. “There was plenty of interest in him from For the Tiger’s most prolific ball winner Mitch Daniher, a strong target for his team mates in the forward line. a lot of other clubs, he was in great demand in the VFL. I the fact so many players contributed towards the know that North Ballarat weren’t very happy to lose him.” Queanbeyan cause was the difference between the two Hughes is one of the competition’s biggest pick ups for sides. 2008, having spent 2007 on North Melbourne’s rookie list, Hughes however is content on making Ainslie his home. as well as playing with North Ballarat in the VFL. “That’s probably the reason why we won because we had “I’m happy with the coaching staff, the team, the facilities; so many contributors, meanwhile Sydney rely heavily on Hughes said he was pleased with his AFL Canberra debut, everything that I would need is up here at the moment. So individuals to win games,” he said. and was impressed with his team’s ability to perform with I wouldn’t really consider looking at going elsewhere, at so many new players. Daniher said that it was good to play the reigning least in the short term anyway,” he said.