DALLAS MAGPIES COME UP SHORT AT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Oct. 11^th 2004 - by Magpie Press

The Dallas Magpies Australian Rules Football Club finished their 2004 season on a note they would rather forget.

The Magpies participated in the Pratt Industries United States Australian Football League National Tournament on~~, which will be held~~ Oct. 8-10 in Atlanta, Ga. The eighth annual National Championship featured 24 teams competing in three divisions.

About 1,000 athletes participated, and thousands of spectators attended to watch the largest single Aussie Rules events in the United States. All games were played at the North Atlanta Polo Grounds in Cumming, Ga.

The Magpies, seeded second in pool A, qualified for Division II of the USAFL National Championships based on the team’s regular season record. The Magpies finished the year 5-3, including 3-3 in the Mid-America Australian Football League, one of the strongest divisions in the USAFL.

The Magpies played three games during the National Championships, in which they lost all three games.~~The Magpies~~ are joined in pool A by the Golden Gate (Calif.) Roos’, the Seattle Grizzlies, and the Philadelphia Hawks. After round-robin play, the winner of pool A will face the winner of pool B for the Division II Championship. Pool B includes the Arizona Hawks, North Carolina Tigers and fellow MAAFL members Chicago Swans and Nashville Roos’.

Figure 1: Justin Chance breaks a tackle.

In the first game of the weekend saw Dallas went down in a very hard fought game to Philadelphia 37-16. The second game Dallas lost to Seattle 34-22 and the final game of the weekend, Dallas went down to Golden Gate 41-4.

Figure 2: Glen Paton flies high above the pack.

“There were turning points in the first two games, and if they would have gone our way, things may have turned out different. I'm proud to have been a part of such a great organization this year. It's great to see our players put everything they have into each game, play through pain, and try and win, regardless of how stacked the odds are against us”, said Magpies President Scott Cobb when asked about the weekend’s performance.

On another note, 2-year head coach Ian Russell announced prior to the loss to Golden Gate that it would be his last game as head coach of the Dallas Magpies. He is “relegating himself to full-time Grandpa, and will spend his free time spoiling his current and future Grandkids rotten”, said Captain Stuart Rackham.

With the Magpies Coach Russell’s record was 16-13 (10-7 in 2003 and 6-6 in 2004). “Coach Russell poured his heart and soul into this team, and we have fed off his passion for two very successful seasons. He has always been there for each and every player, and gave it everything he had. It takes an enormous amount of time, planning and resolve to coach a successful club like the Dallas Magpies, and he never wavered in his commitment”, said Cobb when commenting about Russell’s decision to step down as head coach.

Pictures from the weekend. 1, 2. Pictures courtesy of Jason Kindig Photography.

About the Dallas Magpies:

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).

About the USAFL

The United States Australian Football League, founded in 1997, is an amateur, grassroots sports organization dedicated to the development of Australian football in the United States. The USAFL, which comprises more than 40 member clubs, promotes participation by emphasizing awareness and a sense of community within its member clubs, by setting standards by which member clubs agree to abide and by fostering youth programs across the United States.

The Magpies enter the USAFL National Championships hoping to regain their early-season form. The team jumped out of the gate with a pair of wins over the Austin Crows as well as a key home victory over the St. Louis Blues, which won the 2004 MAAFL championship and qualified for Division I of the USAFL tournament. After a tough road loss to the Chicago Swans in the next game, the Magpies played their best football of the season in a home win over Cincinnati and a victory against Nashville on the road.

With a chance at the MAAFL crown on the line, the Magpies stumbled late in the season, falling to the Atlanta Kookaburras by two points in a heartbreaking loss on the road and ending the regular season with a home loss to the Milwaukee Bombers, which also qualified for Division I.

The eighth annual USAFL National Tournament will feature 24 teams competing in three divisions. About 1,000 athletes, as well as thousands of spectators, will be on hand to watch the largest single Aussie Rules events in the United States. All games will be played at the North Atlanta Polo Grounds in Cumming, Ga. The event will also feature Australian food and beverages as well as Australian merchandise. Admission to the event is free.

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The 2004 Magpies Schedule/Results:

Date	Opponent	Results
April 17	@ Austin	W 58-31
May 1	@ Austin	W 90-40
May 15	vs. St. Louis	W 69-60
June 5	@ Chicago	L 89-84
June 26	vs. Cincinnati	W 64-14
July 24	@ Nashville	W 86-78
Aug. 28	@ Atlanta	L 53-51
Sept. 11	vs. Milwaukee	L 89-41
Oct. 9	vs Philadelphia	L 37-16
Oct. 9	vs Seattle	L 34-22
Oct. 10	vs Golden Gate	L 41-4

~~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, and also have a player, Brandon Blankenship, competing on the U.S. National team during international competition. 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, visit~~ ~~www.dallasfooty.com~~ or ~~e-mail the recruiting department (recruiting@dallasfooty.com~~).

~~About the USAFL~~

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