2010 AMNRL season
Encyclopedia
The 2010 American National Rugby League
season was the 13th season of the AMNRL. The Pittsburgh Vipers
are the newest team to enter the competition and the Bucks County Sharks have withdrawn from the competition.
Robert Preston Memorial Rugby League Challenge Cup
The new look War at the Shore event has been won by the DC Internationals, a select side from Washington.
The Internationals beat the New York Knights 10-0 in the championship final Saturday evening in Sea Isle City, NJ.
The American National Rugby League’s showpiece event had a vastly different look about it this year with teams playing abbreviated games as part of a festival-like set up.
The New York Knights, Aston Bulls, Philadelphia Fight, Boston 13s and Connecticut Wildcats of the AMNRL were joined by select sides from Washington DC and New England, as well as a Canadian representative team.
The DC Internationals were a combination of the Washington DC Slayers and Fairfax Eagles, while the New England Immortals were composed of players from the 13s, Wildcats and New Haven Warriors. The Canadian Mounties represented teams north of the border.
Matches in the championship bracket consisted of two 15-minutes halves and games in the elimination bracket were 10-minute halves.
In excess of 2000 people were attracted to the event. There were fan activities all day long, plus music, prizes and giveaways to keep spectators entertained.
In the championship final, the Internationals scored two tries and kept their own line intact in a decider that was very much a back and forth contest.
The Knights opened the match in solid fashion by controlling the ball, but they couldn’t crack the opposition’s line. After absorbing the early pressure, the Internationals got the opening score when Tom O’Connor (DC Slayers) kicked ahead on the last tackle, regathered the ball and went in for the try.
The teams went to the interval with the Internationals leading 4-0. The second frame was much the same with both sides threatening to score, both putting up goal line stands and both being held up over the line.
As time was about to expire, Michael Chapman (DC Slayers) sealed the deal with a try for the Internationals. It was converted by Reece Blayney (Fairfax Eagles) and the 'Robert Preston Memorial Rugby League Challenge Cup' was won for the very first time.
John Young (Fairfax Eagles) was named War at the Shore MVP. Young scored several tries and had a stellar day.
“It was the Australians who helped us win. They played their brand of rugby from back home,” Internationals manager Rich Nolte told ARN.
“For the most part, the Americans on the team were in the forwards and they put in some excellent work, especially on defense.”
From New York’s standpoint mistakes at inopportune times proved costly.
“All in all it was an exciting game,” said Knights CEO Rob Ballachandran.
“It was really good for us because we were able to get a lot of our young reserve guys into the mix and with the playoffs starting in a couple of weeks, the team bonding was important.”
In the Rugby League Sevens Exhibition game, the Northern Raiders beat the Chicago Stockyarders select side 18-10.
June
.jpg)
A preseason match between the Philadelphia Fight
and the Fairfax Eagles
was played at the Wachovia Center
(the first time a rugby league game was played there) in front of 10,100 fans in a bid to increase awareness of rugby league in the United States and to help raise spectator numbers for the Philadelphia Wings
lacrosse
team. The score was a nil all draw.
are currently showing National Rugby League
matches from Australia
and New Zealand
as well as Super League
matches from Europe
. There are plans to show the AMNRL Grand Final on the America One
channel as well as US Tomahawks (the United States national rugby league team
) matches.
JAXAXE TV streams Jacksonville Axemen home games live on JAXAXE TV thru their website.
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
season was the 13th season of the AMNRL. The Pittsburgh Vipers
Pittsburgh Vipers
-External links:*...
are the newest team to enter the competition and the Bucks County Sharks have withdrawn from the competition.
Teams
- Some teams will also field a 2nd team which will be played after the main game in order to give players more experience.
- The Canada national rugby league teamCanada national rugby league teamThe Canada national rugby league team represents Canada in international rugby league football tournaments.-1987-2000:Rugby league was re-introduced to Canada at an amateur level in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a short-lived 4-team domestic competition, known as the Tri-Counties Rugby...
has been invited to play in the War at the Shore only and will not feature in the regular season competition with the game set to be re-launched in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
after years of inactivity - A Chicago based team (The Chicago StockyardersChicago StockyardersThe Chicago Stockyarders are a semi-professional rugby league football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are currently planned to join the American National Rugby League in the future...
) will also play in the War at the Shore with future plans to enter into the AMNRL.
| AMNRL Teams | |||
| Team | Stadium | City/Area | Foundation Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston DSC Bulls Aston DSC Bulls The Aston Bulls, also known as the Aston Delco Sports Club Bulls , are a semi-professional rugby league football team based in Aston Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The team currently plays in the American National Rugby League , the United States' oldest competition... |
Aston Community Field | Delaware County, Pennsylvania Delaware County, Pennsylvania Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties.... |
2007 |
| Boston 13s RLFC | Moakley Stadium | Boston, Massachusetts | 2009 |
| Connecticut Wildcats Connecticut Wildcats The Connecticut Wildcats are an American semi-professional rugby league football team based in Norwalk, Connecticut. They currently compete in the American National Rugby League .... |
Andrews Field | Norwalk, Connecticut Norwalk, Connecticut Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County... |
2003 |
| Fairfax Eagles Fairfax Eagles The Fairfax Eagles were a rugby league team based in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. The club was active from 2007 to 2011, when it suspended operations.... |
Stratton Woods Park | Falls Church, Virginia Falls Church, Virginia The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within... |
2007 |
| Jacksonville Axemen Jacksonville Axemen -Southeastern Rugby League Championship:In 2011 the Axemen launched a reserve grade competition, the Firehouse Subs Southeastern Rugby League Championship, which acts as a feeder club system for the Axemen to further develop players... |
Hodges Stadium Hodges Stadium Hodges Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the University of North Florida , and the home field for the North Florida Ospreys soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. It is located on the university's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S... |
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968... |
2006 |
| New Haven Warriors New Haven Warriors -Stadium:The Warriors home ground is Ken Strong Stadium at West Haven High School in West Haven, Connecticut.-Statistics and records:Biggest winning marginBiggest losing marginMost points for the clubMost points in a match... |
Ken Strong Stadium | New Haven, Connecticut New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and... |
2006 |
| New York Knights New York Knights The New York Knights were an Arena Football League team based in New York City. They played in the league for one season, 1988. They played their home games at Madison Square Garden. After going 2-10 overall in their only season the team ceased operations... |
Hudson River Park Hudson River Park Hudson River Park is a waterside park on the Hudson River that extends from 59th Street south to Battery Park in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Bicycle and pedestrian paths, including the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, span the park north to south, opening up the waterfront for... |
New York City, New York New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
1997 |
| New York Raiders New York Raiders The New York Raiders were an ice hockey team and founding member of the World Hockey Association based in New York City. Intended to be the WHA's flagship franchise, its short tenure was a result of being unable to compete with the National Hockey League's established New York Rangers, and the... |
Walkill Airport Rugby Field | Essex County, New York Essex County, New York Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown... |
2002 |
| Philadelphia Fight Philadelphia Fight The Philadelphia Fight are a semi-professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They are the current champions of the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at A. A... |
A.A. Garthwaite Stadium | Conshohocken, Pennsylvania Conshohocken, Pennsylvania Conshohocken is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in recent years Conshohocken has developed into a center of riverfront commercial and... |
1998 |
| Pittsburgh Vipers Pittsburgh Vipers -External links:*... |
Founders Field | Cheswick, Pennsylvania Cheswick, Pennsylvania Cheswick is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,746 at the 2010 census.-History:Cheswick, named for a town in England, is a small town of about . The history of the lands of Cheswick seems to have belonged to the Keen family at least in part, for Archie... |
2010 |
| Washington D.C. Slayers Washington D.C. Slayers -Home and practice fields:The Slayers' home field is Duke Ellington Field near Georgetown University Hospital in Washington. Their practice field is Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park downtown.-Statistics and records:*AMNRL Championship titles: 0... |
Raoul Wallenberg Park | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
2003 |
Season
The competition starts June 5 and finishes August 28. Below indicates the Rounds and the matches.Round 1
Week of June 5| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Bulls | 44 | Philadelphia Fight | 32 |
| Pittsburgh Vipers | 20 | Washington DC Slayers | 0 (Washington Forfeit) |
| New York Knights | 32 | Boston 13s | 14 |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 66 | Fairfax Eagles | 16 |
| New Haven Warriors | 48 | Connecticut Wildcats | 24 |
- Northern Raiders (Bye)
Round 2
Week of June 12| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Bulls | 32 | Washington DC Slayers | 22 |
| Fairfax Eagles | 80 | Pittsburgh Vipers | 4 |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 34 | Boston 13s | 16 |
| Philadelphia Fight | 76 | Northern Raiders | 0 |
| New Haven Warriors | 34 | New York Knights | 25 |
- Connecticut Wildcats (Bye)
Round 3
Week of June 19| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Fight | 40 | Washington DC Slayers | 26 |
| New York Knights | 34 | Connecticut Wildcats | 20 |
| Boston 13s | 48 | Pittsburgh Vipers | 16 |
| Aston Bulls | 96 | Fairfax Eagles | 22 |
| New Haven Warriors | 74 | Northern Raiders | 5 |
- Jacksonville Axemen (Bye)
Round 4
Week of June 26| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Axemen | 26 | Aston Bulls | 6 |
| Connecticut Wildcats | 50 | Northern Raiders | 10 |
| Washington DC Slayer | 54 | Pittsburgh Vipers | 14 |
| New Haven Warriors | 30 | Boston 13s | 18 |
- Philadelphia Fight (Bye)
- Fairfax Eagles (Bye)
- New York Knights (Bye)
Round 5
Week of July 10| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Axemen | 34 | New York Knights | 8 |
| Fairfax Eagles | 80 | Pittsburgh Vipers | 18 |
| Connecticut Wildcats | 48 | Northern Raiders | 8 |
| Aston Bulls | 28 | Philadelphia Fight | 16 |
- Washington DC Slayers (Bye)
- Boston 13s (Bye)
- New Haven Warriors (Bye)
Round 6
Week of July 17| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Axemen | 30 | Philadelphia Fight | 10 |
| Pittsburgh Vipers | - | New York Knights | (Forfeit) |
| Boston 13s | 50 | Connecticut Wildcats | 30 |
| Washington DC Slayers | 38 | Fairfax Eagles | 30 |
| New Haven Warriors | 84 | Northern Raiders | 6 |
- Aston Bulls (Bye)
Round 7
Week of July 24| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington DC Slayers | 24 | Fairfax Eagles | 16 |
| New Haven Warriors | 80 | Connecticut Wildcats | 14 |
| Philadelphia Fight | 36 | Boston 13s | 24 |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 42 | Aston Bulls | 26 |
| New York Knights | 20 | Northern Raiders | 0 (Forfeit) |
- New York faced Bucks County Sharks in the Washington Crossing Challenge replacement game New York defeated Bucks County 46-12.
- Pittsburgh Vipers (bye)
War at the Shore
Week of July 31Robert Preston Memorial Rugby League Challenge Cup
The new look War at the Shore event has been won by the DC Internationals, a select side from Washington.
The Internationals beat the New York Knights 10-0 in the championship final Saturday evening in Sea Isle City, NJ.
The American National Rugby League’s showpiece event had a vastly different look about it this year with teams playing abbreviated games as part of a festival-like set up.
The New York Knights, Aston Bulls, Philadelphia Fight, Boston 13s and Connecticut Wildcats of the AMNRL were joined by select sides from Washington DC and New England, as well as a Canadian representative team.
The DC Internationals were a combination of the Washington DC Slayers and Fairfax Eagles, while the New England Immortals were composed of players from the 13s, Wildcats and New Haven Warriors. The Canadian Mounties represented teams north of the border.
Matches in the championship bracket consisted of two 15-minutes halves and games in the elimination bracket were 10-minute halves.
In excess of 2000 people were attracted to the event. There were fan activities all day long, plus music, prizes and giveaways to keep spectators entertained.
In the championship final, the Internationals scored two tries and kept their own line intact in a decider that was very much a back and forth contest.
The Knights opened the match in solid fashion by controlling the ball, but they couldn’t crack the opposition’s line. After absorbing the early pressure, the Internationals got the opening score when Tom O’Connor (DC Slayers) kicked ahead on the last tackle, regathered the ball and went in for the try.
The teams went to the interval with the Internationals leading 4-0. The second frame was much the same with both sides threatening to score, both putting up goal line stands and both being held up over the line.
As time was about to expire, Michael Chapman (DC Slayers) sealed the deal with a try for the Internationals. It was converted by Reece Blayney (Fairfax Eagles) and the 'Robert Preston Memorial Rugby League Challenge Cup' was won for the very first time.
John Young (Fairfax Eagles) was named War at the Shore MVP. Young scored several tries and had a stellar day.
“It was the Australians who helped us win. They played their brand of rugby from back home,” Internationals manager Rich Nolte told ARN.
“For the most part, the Americans on the team were in the forwards and they put in some excellent work, especially on defense.”
From New York’s standpoint mistakes at inopportune times proved costly.
“All in all it was an exciting game,” said Knights CEO Rob Ballachandran.
“It was really good for us because we were able to get a lot of our young reserve guys into the mix and with the playoffs starting in a couple of weeks, the team bonding was important.”
In the Rugby League Sevens Exhibition game, the Northern Raiders beat the Chicago Stockyarders select side 18-10.
Play-Offs
Weeks of August 14, 21, 28- 8 Teams Seeded according to points earned during regular season. Lowest seed always plays highest seed.
Round 1 (Play-Offs)
August 14| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven Warriors | 80 | Fairfax Eagles | 26 |
| Jacksonville Axemen | - | Connecticut Wildcats | (Forfeit) |
| Aston Bulls | 46 | Philadelphia Fight | 30 |
| New York Knights | 28 | Washington DC Slayers | 22 |
Round 2 (Play-Offs)
| Team | Score | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven Warriors | 42 | New York Knights | 18 |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 46 | Aston Bulls | 4 |
Grand final
Pre game matches:- Red vs Blue (USA Tomahawks trial selection)
- Philadelphia FightPhiladelphia FightThe Philadelphia Fight are a semi-professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They are the current champions of the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at A. A...
vs Chicago StockyardersChicago StockyardersThe Chicago Stockyarders are a semi-professional rugby league football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are currently planned to join the American National Rugby League in the future...
(7s exhibition game) - Ladies Eagletag
Notable Moments
April- 20th
- Former Parramatta EelsParramatta EelsThe Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
and St. George Illawarra Dragons NRL player Daniel WagonDaniel WagonDaniel Wagon is an Australian professional rugby league player and coach, who currently coaches Limoux Grizzlies in the Elite One Championship and plays for the Aston DSC Bulls in the AMNRL...
arrived in the United States in May to play for the Aston Bulls.
June
- 12th
- Former NRL players Tony DugganTony DugganTony Duggan, is a professional rugby league player for the FC.Lezignan in the Elite One Championship.-Celtic Crusaders:...
and Jye MullaneJye MullaneJye Mullane is an Australian rugby league player currently playing for the New Haven Warriors in the AMNRL. His position is primarily at centre. He has previously played rugby union with the Central Coast Rays and has played in the NRL with the Cronulla Sharks and recently with Lezignan Sangliers...
signed with the New Haven WarriorsNew Haven Warriors-Stadium:The Warriors home ground is Ken Strong Stadium at West Haven High School in West Haven, Connecticut.-Statistics and records:Biggest winning marginBiggest losing marginMost points for the clubMost points in a match...
after finishing stints in France.
Preseason
Philadelphia Fight
The Philadelphia Fight are a semi-professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They are the current champions of the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at A. A...
and the Fairfax Eagles
Fairfax Eagles
The Fairfax Eagles were a rugby league team based in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. The club was active from 2007 to 2011, when it suspended operations....
was played at the Wachovia Center
Wachovia Center
The Wells Fargo Center is an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(the first time a rugby league game was played there) in front of 10,100 fans in a bid to increase awareness of rugby league in the United States and to help raise spectator numbers for the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team. The score was a nil all draw.
Television
America OneAmerica One
America One is an over-the-air television network in the United States. The network serves over 170 LPTV, Class A, Full Power, Cable and Satellite affiliate stations...
are currently showing National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
matches from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as well as Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
matches from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. There are plans to show the AMNRL Grand Final on the America One
America One
America One is an over-the-air television network in the United States. The network serves over 170 LPTV, Class A, Full Power, Cable and Satellite affiliate stations...
channel as well as US Tomahawks (the United States national rugby league team
United States national rugby league team
-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
) matches.
JAXAXE TV streams Jacksonville Axemen home games live on JAXAXE TV thru their website.
Standings
Final standings (unofficial):| Team | Wins | Loss | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven Warriors | 6 | 0 | 30 pts |
| Jacksonville Axemen | 6 | 0 | 30 pts |
| Aston Bulls | 4 | 2 | 21 pts |
| New York Knights | 4 | 2 | 21 pts |
| Washington DC Slayers | 3 | 3 | 17 pts |
| Philadelphia Fight | 3 | 3 | 16 pts |
| Connecticut Wildcats | 2 | 4 | 13 pts |
| Fairfax Eagles | 2 | 4 | 12 pts |
| Boston 13s | 2 | 4 | 11 pts |
| Pittsburgh Vipers | 1 | 5 | 5 pts |
| Northern Raiders | 0 | 6 | 0 pts |