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]

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

History

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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

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The following Belconnen players have played in the AFL:

Honours

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Club

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

Premierships

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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

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Mulrooney Medalists

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  • 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

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  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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