AFL Quebec
Current season, competition or edition: 2015 AFL Quebec season | |
| Sport | Australian Football |
|---|---|
| Founded |
2008 http://www.aflquebec.ca |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | West Island Wooders |
AFL Quebec is a 9-a-side Australian Football competition formerly known as the Eastern Canadian Australian Football League or ECAFL. The league has both a men's and women's division and consists of teams predominantly from Montréal and its surrounding areas including two women's teams from Ottawa. Players from the current regular season men's teams (the Old Montréal Dockers, Laval Bombers, Montréal Demons, West Island Wooders) are eligible for selection in the league's 18-a-side representative team the Québec Saints. The Saints participate in the USAFL National Championships Tournament having previously participated in the OAFL Division 2 competition from 2008-10.
History
The league began on October 4, 2008. After competing in the Toronto-based OAFL 'Rec' footy league, Luke Anderson divided the Québec Saints team into two teams in order to create a locally based 9-a-side competition. The game is played on reduced size football fields (usually Rugby or Soccer fields) and in general is around 100 metres in length. The first match between the Montréal Saints and Laval Bombers was played at Parc Cartier in Laval. The Bombers claimed victory by 8 points.
In 2009 the ECAFL regular season was contested by two teams and consisted of 7 rounds. The team that finished with the best regular season record earned the right to challenge if they lost the Grand Final. The Laval Bombers finished with a 4-3 record claiming first position. The final played at CEGEP Montmorency in Laval saw the Laval Bombers 27.12 (174) defeat the Montréal Saints 2.6 (18). The final score, and winning margin both ECAFL records. Two Bomber's players, Ben Vawser (Australia) and Renaud Carbonnel (France) were awarded the best on ground medallions.
2009 also saw the introduction of women's ECAFL games. The newly formed Montréal Angels (a branch of the Québec Saints) played against and defeated the Toronto Central Blues WAFC and the Montréal Shamrocks GAA women's team. Although there was no official ECAFL Women's Premiership trophy, the champion was determined from the results throughout the season. As such the Angels were installed as ECAFL Women's Champions for 2009.
The 2010 ECAFL season saw the launch of a third Montréal based team, the Pointe Claire Power. The Pre-season cup was contested by a record six teams. The Montréal Saints, Laval Bombers, Pointe Claire Power, Montréal Shamrocks, Ottawa Swans and Ottawa Swans 'A'. For the first time a women's Pre-season cup was also run, contested between the Montréal Angels and Toronto Central Blues WAFC.
The 2010 regular season consisted of five rounds. The Pointe Claire Power finished first in their inaugural season thereby earning direct entry into the 2010 Grand Final. The second placed Montréal Saints played the third placed Laval Bombers in the semi-final. The Bombers emerged victorious by a single goal, kicked with less than thirty seconds left in the match. The Laval Bombers 14.12 (96) defeating the Montréal Saints 13.12 (90). The Grand Final played on the same day was a tight contest with only one point separating both teams at three-quarter time. The Power's fresh legs proved the difference as they overrun the Bombers and claimed victory by 28 points. Nico Pouessel (France) of the Power was and Darrin Haverhoek (Australia) of the Bombers were awarded the best on ground medallions.
AFL Quebec Premiers
| Year | Premier | Runner-Up | Women's Premier | Pre-Season Champions | Women's Pre-Season Champion | AFLQ Leading Goal Kicker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Laval Bombers | Montréal Saints | N/A | N/A | N/A | Jeff Lavoie - Montréal Saints (5) |
| 2009 | Laval Bombers | Montréal Saints | Montréal Angels | Ottawa Swans | N/A | Cam Stark - Laval Bombers (28) |
| 2010 | Pointe Claire Power | Laval Bombers | Montréal Angels | Ottawa Swans | Montréal Angels | Cam Beaman - Pointe Claire Power (19) |
| 2011 | Laval Bombers | Montréal Saints | N/A | Ottawa Swans | N/A | Christopher Micheletti - Montréal Saints (22) |
| 2012 | Laval Bombers | Old Montréal Dockers | N/A | West Island Eagles | Montréal Angels | Paul Fairbrother - Laval Bombers (22) |
| 2013 | Laval Bombers | West Island Eagles | N/A | Ottawa Swans | Ottawa Lady Swans | Toby Campain - Old Montréal Dockers (27) |
| 2014 | West Island Wooders | Laval Bombers | N.D.G. Devils | TBD | Montréal Angels | Fabio Petosa - West Island Wooders (36) |
| 2015 | West Island Wooders | Montréal Demons | Carelton Warriors | Québec Saints | New York Lady Magpies | Todd Rogers - Laval Bombers (37) |
AFL Quebec Individual Awards
| Year | League MVP | Leading Goalkicker | Grand Final B.O.G (AUS) | Grand Final B.O.G (World) | Pre-season MVP | Women's Pre-season MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | N/A | Jeff Lavoie - SNT (5) | Jaye Macumber - SNT | Jeff Lavoie - SNT | N/A | N/A |
| 2009 | Cam Stark - BOM | Cam Stark - BOM (28) | Ben Vawser - BOM | Renaud Carbonnel - BOM | Luke Walsh - SWN | N/A |
| 2010 | D.Haverhoek - BOM/S.Heath - SNT | Cam Beaman - POW (19) | Darrin Haverhoek - BOM | Nico Poussel - POW | Cam Beaman - POW | Aimee Leagault - ANG |
| 2011 | Paul Fairbrother - BOM | Christopher Micheletti - SNT (22) | Ryan Oxley - BOM | Kyle Graham - SNT | Darren Roffey - SWN | N/A |
| 2012 | R.Shaughnessy - DOC | Paul Fairbrother - BOM (22) | Paul Fairbrother - BOM | Bogdan Rotaru - BOM | Chris McLean - SWN | Emily Reihl - BOS |
| 2013 | Bogdan Rotaru - BOM | Toby Campain - DOC (27) | Zac Strevens - BOM | Chris Wienand - BOM | Michael Kozlowski - SWN | TBD |
| 2014 | Phillip Manassa - WOO | Fabio Petosa - WOO (36) | Phillip Manassa - WOO | Wilfred Houvion - WOO | TBD | Valerie Moreau - GIA |
Current and Former AFL Quebec Teams
Men's Teams
| Team | City | Website | Active | Premierships | Pre-season Premierships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laval Bombers | Laval | 2008- | 5 | ||
| Old Montréal Dockers | Montréal | 2012 | |||
| West Island Wooders (formerly Eagles) | Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec | 2012- | 1 | 1 | |
| Montréal Demons | Montréal | 2012 | |||
| Montréal Saints | Montréal | 2008-2011 | |||
| Point Claire Power | Pointe Claire | 2009-2010 | 1 | ||
| Ottawa Swans | Ottawa | ottawaswans.com | 2009- | 3 | |
| Toronto Rebels | Toronto | torontorebels.com | 2011 | ||
| Montréal Shamrocks GAA | Montréal | montrealgaa.net | 2009- | ||
Women's Teams
| Team | City | Website | Active | Premierships | Pre-season Premierships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montréal Angels | Montréal | montrealangels.ca | 2009- | 2 | 2 |
| Boston Lady Demons | Boston | ||||
| New York Magpies | New York City | newyorkmagpies.com | 2012- | 1 | |
| Toronto Central Blues | Toronto | bluesafc.ca | 2009-10 | ||
| Montréal Shamrocks GAA | Montréal | montrealgaa.net | 2009-10 | ||
| N.D.G. Giants (formerly Devils) | Montréal | montrealangels.ca | 2014- | 1 | |
| Plateau Eagles | Montréal | montrealangels.ca | 2014- | ||
References
Anderson, Luke.A. L'Histoire des bleus et blancs: An Aussie Rules Journey Through Canada. Blurb Publishing, 2011.