Mid-season report: AFL Canberra
It’s halfway through AFL Canberra’s season and the race to the finals is alive.
We take a look at first grade men’s and women’s competitions to give you a snapshot of who’s hot and who needs to warm-up this winter.
First Grade Women
Ladder
- Ainslie 7-0
- Belconnen 5-2
- Queanbeyan 4-3
- Eastlake 4-3
- Tuggeranong Valley 1-6
- Gungahlin 0-7
Full ladder available here.
Summary
Ainslie has been red hot, only conceding 69 points in the season’s first seven rounds. The side is well drilled under Britt Tully and will be tough to beat.
In contrast, Gungahlin will be looking to improve on its winless start.
A highlight of the season has been Eastlake’s women initiating the inaugural Pride Round for first grade competitions. The side was valiant against Ainslie at Manuka, losing to the powerhouse by just four goals.
The final make-up of the top four is tight, with a blanket covering second to fourth on the ladder.
We’ll be watching the rest of the season closely, along with the 1,200 fans who watch first grade women’s matches on Cluch TV each week.
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Renee Friend (Ainslie) sends her undefeated side forward.
First Grade Men
Ladder
- Queanbeyan 7-0
- Ainslie 5-2
- Belconnen 5-2
- Eastlake 2-5
- Tuggeranong Valley 1-6
- Gungahlin 1-6
Full ladder available here.
Summary
Queanbeyan sits atop the ladder undefeated. However few would have expected this from the Tigers, which has suffered a plethora of injuries and dealt with a number of player retirements for this season.
Belconnen edged out more fancied Ainslie away by four points last week, but it was Tuggeranong’s nine-point win against Eastlake in Round 7 which has provided the season’s biggest upset.
A four-goal to none final quarter saw Tuggeranong defeat the Demons for the first time since 2016 and has left the race to the finals open.
All teams in AFL Canberra’s first grade men’s can win on their day.
A string of close finishes and quality matches have been viewed by an average of 1,500 people per round on streaming service Cluch TV.
Queanbeyan’s Dean Lord enjoying his side’s start to the year.
