The 2016 USAFL National Championships were the 20th installment of the premier United States annual Australian rules football club tournament. The tournament as held at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, on October 15–16. The tournament saw a total of 41 teams representing 34 USAFL clubs and three from AFL Canada.
Recap The Austin Crows picked up their second consecutive Men's Division 1 premiership by sweeping the group stage and then defeating the Golden Gate Roos 39-13 in the Grand Final. The Roos' appearance in the Final was their first at the D1 level since 1999. Nolan Cox, brother of Collingwood Football Club player Mason Cox, was named most consistent for the tournament in helping the Crows to their third D1 flag in three years. Austin's 4-0 record completed a perfect 18-0 season, and extended their win streak to 23 games, the second longest in Men's USAFL history. Elsewhere, the Calgary Kangaroos won their second ever Division 2 title, the Portland Steelheads became the first D3 team to win back to back titles, and the Ohio Valley River Rats won their fifth Division 4 premiership.
In Women's Division 1, the Denver Lady Bulldogs saw their six-year streak of National Championships snapped, falling to the San Francisco Iron Maidens. The Maidens, who are the women's arm of the Golden Gate Australian Football League, beat Denver 9-6 in their first game on Sunday afternoon, then defeated the Minnesota Freeze 16-6 to finish the round robin competition at 4-0 to clinch the title. The Division 2 Women's competition, made up of three combined teams, was won by the team with players from the Portland Sockeyes, Seattle Grizzlies, Arizona Hawks, and Tampa Bay ARFC.
Special guests on the weekend were Hawthorn Football Club greats Dermott Brereton and Chris Wittman, who held a coaches clinic on the Friday before the tournament, and also provided broadcast commentary. A record 30 matches were broadcast live via the USAFL's YouTube channel, including all twelve Men's Division 1 group matches, all fifteen Women's Division matches, and the Men's Division 1, 2, and 3 Grand Finals.
Men's Division 1
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Group Stage Ladders (Men's Division 1)
Group A TEAM1 Austin Crows3 3 0 0 115 20 575 122 Denver Bulldogs3 1 2 0 75 88 85 43 Los Angeles Dragons3 1 2 0 64 111 57 44 Quebec Saints3 1 2 0 45 80 56 4
Group B TEAM1 Golden Gate Roos3 3 0 0 155 9 1722 12 2 New York Magpies 3 2 1 0 121 27 448 8 3 Orange County Bombers3 1 2 0 55 159 34 4 4 Dallas Magpies 3 0 3 0 27 163 16 0
Division 1 Men's Grand Final
2016 USAFL National Championships club rankings
Men RankTeamChangeState1Austin Crows—Texas2Golden Gate Roos 2California3New York Magpies 2New York4Denver Bulldogs 1Colorado5Los Angeles Dragons 2California6Orange County Bombers 4California7Quebec Saints 2Quebec 8Dallas Magpies—Texas9Calgary Kangaroos 3Alberta 10Columbus Jackaroos 1Ohio11Houston Lonestars 1Texas12Chicago Swans 1Illinois13Boston Demons 1Massachusetts14Baltimore-Washington EaglesN/AMaryland15Minnesota Freeze—Minnesota16Sacramento Suns 6California17Portland Steelheads—Oregon18North Carolina Tigers 2North Carolina19Seattle Grizzlies N/AWashington20San Diego Lions 4California21Philadelphia Hawks 2Pennsylvania22Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids 6Florida23Cincinnati Dockers 5Ohio24St Petersburg StarfishN/AFlorida25Nashville Kangaroos 3Tennessee26Atlanta KookaburrasN/AGeorgia27Des Moines Roosters 6Iowa28Tulsa Buffaloes 5Oklahoma
Women RankTeamChangeState1San Francisco 4California2Denver Bulldogs 1Colorado3Minnesota Freeze—Minnesota4Sacramento Suns 1California5New York Magpies 3New York6Portland SockeyesN/AOregon7Montreal AngelsN/AQuebec 8Columbus JillaroosN/AOhio
References
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