Toronto Eagles (Australian rules football)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Toronto Eagles
Toronto Eagles 2019.jpg
Names
Full nameToronto Eagles Australian Football Club
Nickname(s)Eagles
Club details
Founded1989
Colours  Blue   Gold   White
CompetitionAFL Ontario
PresidentS.Capoferri
CoachA. Falcioni
Premierships1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2017
Ground(s)Humber College North
Other information
Official websitewww.eagleafc.ca
Guernsey:
Toronto Eagles 2010.gif

The Toronto Eagles Australian Football Club (commonly known as the Toronto Eagles) is an amateur Australian rules football club competing in the AFL Ontario Australian football league.

The club was formed in 1989 when the then Canadian Australia Football Association (now known as AFL Ontario) began. They are based at Humber College (North Campus) in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada which has been their home for 10 years. Since entering the competition, the Eagles have become the most successful club in AFL Ontario history, winning 13 premierships, being runners up in 2018, and competing in finals constantly over the years.

History[]

In 1989, members of the local Australian community in Toronto, Canada congregated to play a number of Australian Rules football matches. Sighting some growing enthusiasm, AFL Ontario, which was then known as the Canadian Australian Football League and more recently as the Ontario Australian Football League (OAFL), was established later that year.

Soon after forming the AFLO, the pioneers of the league formed an affiliation with teams from the Australian Football League (AFL). This affiliation brought forward the formation of two teams – the Toronto Panthers and the Mississauga Mustangs.

1989 was a trying year for the Toronto Panthers as they lost every game that season until the inaugural Grand Final which saw the Toronto Panthers begin a legacy of winning football. The Panthers would defeat the Mississauga Mustangs 65 to 48 in the grand final, winning the inaugural Conacher Cup. The Panthers would then go on to win the next two Premierships, capturing three in a row amidst increasingly difficult competition.

At the end of 1991, amongst pressures of league expansion, many core Panthers left the club to form other teams. During these years, the team was pressured to recruit Canadian born players and introduce them to the game. In the next three years Toronto would fare well with one undefeated season, losing only by disqualification in the play-offs and another, which saw the Panthers once again make it all the way to the Grand Final.

By 1994, the Panthers were attracting many traveling or newly resided Australian players of top quality. That, combined with an exceptional base of talented Canadians players completed the rebuilding of their Championship squad.

1995 was a turning point for the Toronto Panthers football club as their new membership brought with it a new affiliation. The West Coast Eagles football club of the Australian Football League (AFL) would become the new sister club to the Toronto Panthers. That year the Toronto Panthers were reborn as the Toronto Eagles, trading their white with blue stripes for the blue and gold colors of the West Coast Eagles. To assist the Club with the transformation the West Coast Eagles helped by providing team uniforms and footballs, a gesture that was greatly appreciated by the club.

Regenerated as the Toronto Eagles, they then went to be undefeated the entire 1995 season, winning their fourth premiership in six years. Toronto’s high flying Eagles would then go on to capture the next four premierships in a row, establishing themselves as the dominant team in the AFLO. The Eagles would then fare well in the following two seasons but wouldn’t get their hand on the cup until 2002 when they would win their 9th premiership.

2006 and 2007 once again saw the Toronto Eagles tasting premiership glory as they would win back to back flags in impressive style. 2009 would see the Eagles win again, before a rebuilding phase. In 2017 the Eagles secured their 13th AFLO title in 26 seasons, firmly establishing the Toronto Eagles as the only true dynasty in AFL Ontario history.

Club Symbols[]

The Toronto Eagles official colours are royal blue, gold, and white. The club's current logo features a stylised Wedge-tailed Eagle with the words "Toronto Eagles" written underneath. Previous logos have all incorporated a stylised eagle's head. The club's current guernsey design features a stylised eagle's head taken from the club's logo on navy blue.

The club's official team song is "We're the Eagles", composed by Kevin Peek, a former member of the band Sky, and initially recorded at Peek's studio in Roleystone.

Club Awards[]

AFL Ontario Premierships

1989 1990 1991 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2002 2006 2007 2009 2017[1]

Club Honour Board[]

Year Finishing position Coach Captain Troy Marsh Best & Fairest[2] Leading Goalkicker Rising Star[3]
1989 Premiers John Pearson Peter Vitols Glen Walker (9) Patrick Grant
1990 Premiers John Pearson David Letch Mick Pearson (19) David Kerr
1991 Premiers Peter Vitols David Kerr Mick Pearson (36)
1992 3rd Mick Pearson Graeme Hewitt Mick Pearson (36)
1993 2nd Mick Pearson Dave Nelson Mick Pearson (36)
1994 3rd Mick Pearson Mick Pearson Mick Pearson (36) Arnie Korpela
1995 Premiers Greg Brown Rod Cutler Mick Pearson (68)
1996 Premiers Greg Brown John Law Mick Pearson (58)
1997 Premiers Mark Block/Gary Finch Arnie Korpela Mick Pearson (92) Luke Davies
1998 Premiers Mark Block/Gary Finch Troy Marsh Mick Pearson (20)
1999 Premiers Mark Block Troy Marsh Troy Marsh (44) Marc Nord
2000 2nd Arnie Korpela Troy Marsh Mick Pearson (55)
2001 2nd Arnie Korpela Troy Marsh Mick Pearson (49) Brian McGillis
2002 Premiers Arnie Korpela Troy Marsh Mark Van Gelder (47) Taylor Hayward
2003 3rd Mark Block Troy Marsh Troy Marsh Mark Van Gelder (60) Matt Bachinski
2004 2nd Mark Block Troy Marsh Troy Marsh Mark Van Gelder (44) Kevin Minaker
2005 3rd Mark Block Troy Marsh Troy Marsh Mark Van Gelder (41) George Dimacakos
2006 Premiers Mark Block Troy Marsh Troy Marsh Mark Van Gelder (30) Frank Luisser
2007 Premiers Mark Block Troy Marsh Aaron Falcioni Troy Marsh (18) Aaron Lunadello
2008 2nd Mark Block Troy Marsh Tarquin Netherway Troy Marsh (59) Sukhjinder Bhangu
2009 Premiers Aaron Falcioni Troy Marsh Troy Marsh Troy Marsh (49) Chris Grey/Brent Jensen
2010 5th Aaron Falcioni Tasos Dimacakos Kevin Minaker Aaron Falcioni (54) Samuel Rivett
2011 4th Aaron Falcioni Tasos Dimacakos Ralph Koens Aaron Falcioni (42) Nick Nisbett
2012 9th Aaron Falcioni Tasos Dimacakos Kevin Minaker Aaron Falcioni (32) Kevin Butler
2013 3rd Aaron Falcioni Tasos Dimacakos Kevin Minaker Clinton Runnalls (36) Brad Harding
2014 8th Aaron Falcioni Tasos Dimacakos Kevin Minaker Aaron Falcioni (26) Andrew Cober
2015 1st Aaron Falcioni Tasos Dimacakos Mikael Avramov Aaron Falcioni (38) Domenic Barranca
2016 6th Aaron Falcioni Sean Kennedy Neil Casey Aaron Falcioni (40)
Year Mark Block Clubman[4] Coaches Award[5] Defender of the Year[6] Cooler Cup[7]
2006 Damien Anderson Oliver Hayward Mark Block
2007 David Heward Kevin Minaker Matt Bachinski Tom Hammond
2008 Marc Nord Matt Bachinski Tasos Dimacakos Tom Hammond
2009 Tom Hammond Kevin Minaker Matt Bachinski Tom Hammond
2010 Nick Eddy Salvatore Capoferri Sean Kennedy Tom Hammond
2011 Tom Hammond Les Husar Tasos Dimacakos Adam Farr
2012 Ralph Koens Tasos Dimacakos Sean Kennedy Patrick Larkins
2013 Patrick Larkins Ryan McNabb Nate Llewellyn Nate Llewellyn
2014 Brad Harding Sean Kennedy Brad Harding Tom Hammond
2015 Tom Hammond Paul Loughnane Ryan McNabb Sean Kennedy
2016 - - - Tom Hammond
2017 Matthew Lowden Sean Westerhuis Brad Harding -

Women's Awards

Year Women's Best & Fairest Women's Coaches Award
2011 Erin Loughnane Gillian English

Individual awards[]

AFL ONTARIO BEST AND FAIREST
The Best and Fairest award is awarded to the best player in the competition during the home-and-away season as voted by the umpires:

Winners[8]

2018 - Dean Gavin
2017 - Dean Gavin
2015 - Mikael Avramov
2009 - Ajit Alister
1997 - Arnie Korpela
1995 - Rod Cutler
1992 - Mark Block
1990 - Mark Block and David Kerr
1989 - Tim Maud

Runner up

2007 - Lockie McDonald

AFL ONTARIO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR[9]

2018 - Sean Fahey
1997 - Luke Davies
1994 - Arnie Korpela
1990 - David Kerr
1989 - Patrick Grant


AFL ONTARIO LEADING GOAL KICKER[10]

2019 - Aaron Falcioni (43)
2008 - Troy Marsh (59)
1999 - Troy Marsh (44)
1994-97 - Mick Pearson
1990-93 - Peter Vitols
1989 - Glen Walker (9)

See also[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Toronto Eagles - Premierships". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Troy Marsh Club Champions - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Rising Star Awards - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Mark Block Clubmen - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Coaches Awards - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Defenders Awards - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Cooler Cups - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  8. ^ "AFL Ontario Best & Fairest Winners - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  9. ^ "AFL Ontario Rookie of the Year". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  10. ^ "AFL Ontario Leading Goal Kickers - Toronto Eagles". Retrieved 30 June 2020.
Retrieved from ""