Putney Magpies
Encyclopedia
The Putney Magpies are an Australian rules football
club in London
, England
.
and Brisbane Bears
player Mark Zanotti
along with BARFL Admin Officer Donald Eastwood who originally played with the Earls Court Kangaroos
, and have competed in the British Australian Rules Football League since that year. The club was originally made up of former rugby players and predominantly British. After Zanotti's return to Australia after one year where the Gryphons made the finals, the Gryphons struggled both off-field and on-field, and eventually formed a partnership with the London Collingwood Supporters group, changing their name and colours to match those of the AFL
's Collingwood Magpies.
The Putney Magpies were started in 2004 by Simon Thorp in his capacity as President of the London Collingwood Supporters Club, a phoenix rising from the ashes of the London Gryphons. Simon landed some good sponsorship, attracted some of the former Gryphons players (as well as some new blood), and with a bit of help from Eddie and the Collingwood Football Club, the Putney Magpies were born. Simon remained as President for the first two years and nurtured the club to what it is today and it is self-evident that without his persistence and conviction, the club would never have got off the ground.
The Putney Magpies Football Club is entering its fifth season in the London AFL competition and is creating its own history as it goes. Making the 2004 Conference Grand Final in its first year as a club, a top four finish in 2005, developing five International players who represented their country in the 2005 British Bulldogs tour to Melbourne for the AFL International Cup, and boasting the 2005 Conference Best and Fairest winner and both the 2004 and 2005 Grand Final half time 'Dash for Cash' winners are some of the many accolades already amassed at the club. So come down and find out what it is all about.
In season 2008, the Putney Magpies competed in their first ever London AFL Grand Final.
Putney now field three teams in the AFL London Competition with a side to suit all levels and abilities. The Premiership side must field 9 Eu's on the field while the Conference side (known as the reserves) only has to field 2. The Social team is for anyone who wants to have come down and try the game and have a kick.
The Premiership side is coached by former Richmond, Essendon and Collingwood player Mark Pitura who also played games for Sturt in the SANFL.
Pre season training starts at the end of January every Sunday at 1pm. The season runs in the Summer months from the end of April until August. Home matches are played at Putney Heath on a Saturday.
The Putney Magpies train at South Park, Fulham at 6.30pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer months.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The London Gryphons were founded in 1999 by former West Coast EaglesWest Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
and Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
player Mark Zanotti
Mark Zanotti
Mark Zanotti is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Coast, Brisbane and Fitzroy in the Australian Football League ....
along with BARFL Admin Officer Donald Eastwood who originally played with the Earls Court Kangaroos
Earls Court Kangaroos
The Earls Court Kangaroos were an Australian rules football team based in London, England.-History:The Earls Court Kangaroos were formed as a foundation club of the British Australian Rules Football League in 1990...
, and have competed in the British Australian Rules Football League since that year. The club was originally made up of former rugby players and predominantly British. After Zanotti's return to Australia after one year where the Gryphons made the finals, the Gryphons struggled both off-field and on-field, and eventually formed a partnership with the London Collingwood Supporters group, changing their name and colours to match those of the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
's Collingwood Magpies.
The Putney Magpies were started in 2004 by Simon Thorp in his capacity as President of the London Collingwood Supporters Club, a phoenix rising from the ashes of the London Gryphons. Simon landed some good sponsorship, attracted some of the former Gryphons players (as well as some new blood), and with a bit of help from Eddie and the Collingwood Football Club, the Putney Magpies were born. Simon remained as President for the first two years and nurtured the club to what it is today and it is self-evident that without his persistence and conviction, the club would never have got off the ground.
The Putney Magpies Football Club is entering its fifth season in the London AFL competition and is creating its own history as it goes. Making the 2004 Conference Grand Final in its first year as a club, a top four finish in 2005, developing five International players who represented their country in the 2005 British Bulldogs tour to Melbourne for the AFL International Cup, and boasting the 2005 Conference Best and Fairest winner and both the 2004 and 2005 Grand Final half time 'Dash for Cash' winners are some of the many accolades already amassed at the club. So come down and find out what it is all about.
In season 2008, the Putney Magpies competed in their first ever London AFL Grand Final.
Putney now field three teams in the AFL London Competition with a side to suit all levels and abilities. The Premiership side must field 9 Eu's on the field while the Conference side (known as the reserves) only has to field 2. The Social team is for anyone who wants to have come down and try the game and have a kick.
The Premiership side is coached by former Richmond, Essendon and Collingwood player Mark Pitura who also played games for Sturt in the SANFL.
Pre season training starts at the end of January every Sunday at 1pm. The season runs in the Summer months from the end of April until August. Home matches are played at Putney Heath on a Saturday.
The Putney Magpies train at South Park, Fulham at 6.30pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer months.