DALLAS — The Dallas Magpies Australian
Rules Football Club, the defending champions of the Mid American Australian
Football League, opens defense of its title against the Milwaukee Bombers on
Saturday.
The game will begin at 2 p.m. at
Lookout Park in Richardson.
The Magpies, also looking to
extend an eight-match regular season unbeaten streak, face a team that promises
to challenge for the 2006 league title. The Bombers, who finished third in the MAAFL in 2005, caught fire
in the playoffs, advancing to the grand final of the USAFL Division I National
Championship. The Bombers, however, are off to a rocky start to the year,
dropping non-conference matches to Louisville and Kansas City and will seek to
turn things around in its league opener.
The Magpies, on the other hand,
opened the season with a convincing 101-point win over the Baton Rouge Tigers
in a non-conference match. Despite some early season miscues, Dallas was able
to control possession of the football in the center and attacking zones as well
as play lock-down defense, which will also be key to earning a win against the
Bombers.
Dallas, in its second year under
player/coach Stu Rackham, will count on performances from standouts Grant
Campbell, Seth Haesecke and Glen Paton as well as contributions from a stellar
crop of rookies, including Brenn Miller, Jared Ray and Jason Ellis.
Rackham said Milwaukee presents a tough
challenge to start the league schedule.
“I expect it will be a battle for
four quarters,” Rackham said. “We saw at the USAFL championships how well they
can play when they are on their game. We had some areas of sloppy play in our
first game, and we won’t be able to afford that against a team like Milwaukee.”
The Bombers lead the all-time
series, 2-1.
Admission to the game is free.
The 2006 Magpies MAAFL
Schedule/Results:
|
Date |
Opponent |
Results |
|
April 1 |
vs. Baton Rouge |
W 105-4 |
|
May 6 |
vs. Milwaukee |
|
|
May 13 |
vs. San Diego |
|
|
May 20 |
@ Atlanta |
|
|
June 3 |
@ Baton Rouge |
|
|
June 10 |
vs. Cincinnati |
|
|
June 24 |
vs. St. Louis |
|
|
Aug. 12 |
@ Nashvillle |
|
|
Sept. 9 |
@ San Diego |
|
About the Dallas Magpies:
The Dallas Magpies are a 501(c)3
non-profit organization, dedicated to fostering national and international
amateur sports competition as well as promoting a cultural exchange between
Americans and Australians. The Magpies participate in the Mid American
Australian Football League, a division of the United States Australian Football
League. The team is active in promoting the Australian national sport and
Australian culture through clinics at area schools and by sponsoring events
such as the annual Australia Day and ANZAC Day celebrations in the Metroplex.
For more details on organizing a
school clinic, playing footy with the team or supporting the Dallas Magpies
Australian Football Club, e-mail the recruiting department (recruiting@dallasfooty.com).