Belconnen Football Club

Belconnen Magpies
Names
Full nameBelconnen Magpies Football Club
Club song"We're a Happy Team Belconnen" (to the tune of "Yankee Doodle Boy")
Club details
Founded1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Colours     
CompetitionAFL Canberra
PresidentScott Reid
CoachJames Bennett
Captain(s)Jack Baker
Ground(s)The Adero Law Nest (Kippax Oval)
Uniforms
Home
Other information
Official websitebelconnenfc.com.au

The Belconnen Magpies Football Club is an Australian rules football club which competes in the AFL Canberra.[1][2] They previously played in the now defunct North East Australian Football League competition.[3]

History

Originally known as the Turner Football Club, the club became known as Belconnen in 1970 and was admitted to the Canberra Australian National Football League in 1971.[4] Wearing a navy blue guernsey with a white monogram, the club was known as the "Bees" from 1971 until 1979, then as the "Blues" following the ANU Blues' withdrawal from the league during 1979.[5]

Before the 1986 season, the Belconnen club merged with the West Canberra Football Club to become the "Belconnen Magpies".[6] The team began to wear the traditional magpie black and white stripes and in 1991 the club moved its headquarters to Kippax.[7] In 1998 the colour teal was added to the existing black and white jumper.[8]

The newly formed team did not taste premiership success until 2002 when they won three consecutive premierships.[7] The club also clinched the 2009 premiership, with a six-point grand final win over Ainslie.[9] The Magpies then went on to win their fifth premiership in 2023, defeating Ainslie by 39 points.[10]

AFL players

The following Belconnen players have played in the AFL:

Honours

Club

AFL Canberra (5): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2023

Premierships

Year Opponent Score Venue
2002 Queanbeyan Tigers 24.19 (163) – 14.6 (90) Manuka Oval
2003 Queanbeyan Tigers 11.14 (80) – 11.8 (74) Manuka Oval
2004 Queanbeyan Tigers 14.20 (104) – 8.9 (57) Manuka Oval
2009 Ainslie Tri-Colours 11.13 (79) – 10.13 (73) Manuka Oval
2023 Ainslie Tri-Colours 10.11 (71) – 4.8 (32) EPC Solar Park

Individual

Mulrooney Medalists

  • 2023 – Thomas Simpson
  • 2022 – Luke Wharton
  • 2019 – Beau Walker
  • 2017 – Beau Walker
  • 2016 – James Bennett
  • 2015 – Isaac Taylor
  • 2013 – James Bennett
  • 2012 – Shane Harris
  • 2005 – Jared Ilett
  • 2003 – Steve Hazelman
  • 2001 – Steve Mahar
  • 1999 – Shane Clarke
  • 1991 – Brent Smith
  • 1984 – Geoff Hocking (Belconnen)
  • 1978 – Greg Eaves (West Canberra)
  • 1976 – Mike Demaine (West Canberra)
  • 1975 – Robert White (Belconnen)

References

  1. ^ "2014 NEAFL sides finalised". Brisbane Lions website. 16 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Soaring Magpies closer to dream season". Sydney Morning Herald. NSW. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  3. ^ Main, Jim (2008). Aussie Rules for Dummies (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-7314-0595-4.
  4. ^ "Three-club monopoly in rules contest". The Canberra Times. ACT. 10 April 1971. p. 24. Retrieved 28 March 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ Barry Rollings (1 July 1979). "Grim struggle for Bees". The Canberra Times. Canberra, ACT. p. 20.
  6. ^ "Belconnen needs a captain-coach". The Canberra Times. 8 October 1986. p. 40. Retrieved 28 March 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ a b Devaney, John (2009). The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia Of Australian Football Clubs. Full Points Publications. ISBN 978-0-9556897-3-4.
  8. ^ "Club History". Fox Sports Pulse.
  9. ^ "Ainslie Falls Short in Tense Grand Final". Ainslie Football Club.
  10. ^ "Flagpies: Belconnen's 14-year wait finally over". The Canberra Times. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
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