Denver Bulldogs

Denver Bulldogs

Names
Full name	Denver Bulldogs Australian Rules Football Club
Nickname(s)	Bulldogs, Dogs, Doggie's
10 wins and 4 losses 2015 season
Club details
Founded	1998
Colours	Blue      Red      White
Competition	USAFL
President	Adam Wufsus
Coach	Tom Ellis / Geoffrey Durrell
Captain(s)	Ben Harling
Premierships	USAFL men's (8): 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 USAFL women's (6): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Ground(s)	Veterans Park
	Washington Heights Park
Other information
Official website	denverbulldogs.org

The Denver Bulldogs is a United States Australian Football League team, based in Denver, United States. It was founded in 1998. They play in the USAFL. The Denver Bulldogs are the most successful club in the history of the USAFL having won eight Division 1 flags on the men’s side along with six Division 1 flags on the women’s side.

2014

Season

Denver men lost just two games all season against the Austin Crows and Minnesota Freeze coincidentally enough, those two teams they would face at nationals in opening rounds.^[1]

National Titles

The bulldogs would lose their opening game in a close match up against Orange County 23-18.^[2] Chris Candelaria would be best on ground for the Bulldogs.^[3] In the days later game, Denver Bulldogs would fall to Minnesota Freeze 3.2.20 to 4.6.30.^[4] To finish the tournament the bulldogs would show a bit of heart and beat last years premiers, Austin Crows 5.5.35 to 1.3.9.^[5] The reserves first match of the tournament would be a combfortable 54 -18 win over the Houston Lonestars.^[6] In the last match up of day 1 the bulldogs reserves would have a very easy win 81-9 againest the Minnesota Freeze Reserves.^[7] After a terrific opening day the Denver Reserves would tangle with Tulsa Buffaloes for Pool A honors.^[8] For a chance at a spot in the grand final, Denver reserves would beat Tulsa buffalos 31-17.^[9] The show down of division four would see Denver take on North Carolina. The balanced side of Denver reserves would eventually lose by 14 points to the fast paced North Carolina Tigers. The Denver lady bulldogs would allow a total of eight points in their first two games with wins over the Boston/Columbus/Minnesota combo and a squeaky win over the new-look Calgary Kookaburas have them at 2-0 after Saturday. Giving the ladies their 19th straight win at nationals. The lady bulldogs would take on the San Francisco Iron Maidens and go into the half time break with an 8-point lead. With a close game luckily the lady bulldogs having some of the best players in the country at their disposal would finish the game winning 15-4. Twannia Clark, who would be named Best and Fairest, would be her normal speedy self, knifing through the West Coast defense. The lady bulldogs would win their 21st straight game and add another ring to their collective thumbs, taking their 5th consecutive title home.^[10]

2015

Season

The Denver Bulldogs would start the season with victory in the Midwest Regional 10s and remain in a solid 4th place on the poll.^[11] In June Denver seniors and reserve squad each beat Tulsa in Crested Butte, Colorado and held onto 4th position on the poll.^[12] In July Denver would travel to Wisconsin to compete in the central tournament. Chicago again were overmatched by the bulldogs 39-13. To decide Pool B, it would be Austin and Denver. This would be the best game of the day. The pace was frantic, and the footy was of high quality. .Only a single Denver goal interrupted a champagne opening term for the Crows. Denver coach Tom Ellis tried to rally his team with a fiery speech at halftime, and after five minutes of work they earned a goal and it looked like the comeback was on. The Crows would answer with two goals, quashing any hope of a return. Austin cruised 53-21 to clinch a spot in the final. Denver would play off for 3rd place winning 10.2.62 to 1.1.7.^[13] Denver played magnificently at the Central Regional Tournament despite being beaten by Austin leaving them in 4th position on the poll.^[14] In August Denver would beat Sacramento Suns and loss once again to the Austin crows in a home matchup. Denver moved down to 5 position on the poll after going 1-2 during the period ^[15] Outside of a couple of losses to the Crows, Denver weren’t troubled much when at full strength this year. The ‘Doggies are always full of talent, from high flyers Casey Robertson and Phillip Camping, to ruckman Adam Wufsus, to defenders Peter Taylor and Andy Vanica, this is a good team from top to bottom.^[16]

National Titles

The Bulldogs would lose their opening Division 1 matchup against Orange County in a squeaker 23-20. New York would then fall to Denver with Casey Robertson kicking two amazing goals in the end to spark a 34-20 victory over the past National Champs. Lastly the Bulldogs finished with an easy 43-8 win over Dallas. The bulldogs would finish in 3rd with 2wins and 1 loss. The bulldog reserves would make Sunday’s semifinals but fell against San Diego/Orange County. After winning their opener, the Denver Lady Bulldogs almost saw their 22 game-winning streak come to an end as they survived a scare from the Sacramento Lady Suns. The Suns had the Doggies within a point before Denver came down and put the game away on a goal by Anna Thexton.^[17] The Denver Lady Bulldogs came into their morning matchup against the Minnesota Freeze with 23 consecutive wins at Nationals. At halftime, the ladies from the North were up 8-1. The second half will go down in USAFL women’s football lore as some of the best played in eleven years at Nationals. To end the match the siren sounded and From ten meters out, all the Freeze had to do was kick it over the pack on the goal line. She did. The Denver Nationals winning streak was halted at 23 games. Luckily For the third year in a row, it would come down to Denver and San Francisco to decide the premiership. Though they would only convert two of their eight scoring shots for majors, they were too much for the Iron Madiens. Denver Lady Bulldogs would overcome the toughest fields in their competitions to hoist high the trophies as the best women's Australian Rules football teams in the land.^[18]

Players

Seniors	Reserves	Women
1 Casey Roberson	1 Steven Noble	1 Twannia Clark
2 Peter Taylor	4 Luke Durkin	2 Ti Streff
3 Paul Meyer	5 Kelly Klein	3 Kassi Wilkerson
4 Andy Vanica	7 Steven McVicker	4 Sara Rohner
5 Bayden Goodall	8 Rich Mann (c)	5 Tara Cilke
6 Ben Harling (c)	9 Geoffrey Durrell	6 Susan Bruce
7 Tom Harkness	10 Troy Kirk	7 Anna Thexton (c)
9 Michio McGrath	11 Jared Jones	8 Julie Meyer
10 Aaron Summers	12 Anthony Lotrich-Herrera	9 Colleen MacNab
11 Chris Candelaria	14 Dan Umbdenstock	10 Kimberly Tibbetts
12 Adam Wufsus	15 Brian Posey	11 Lindsey Kastanek
13 Scott Casarez	17 Jared Thomson	12 Hallie Lee (c)
14 Jason Newquist	20 Tyler Arnes	13 Sarah Plummer
15 Leigh McMahon	21 Scott Tuttle	14 Amy Featherston
16 Max Eckstein	22 Bob Gorham	15 Jessica Gray
17 Marcus Lehmann	23 Phil Camping	16 Carrie Eckstein
18 Tim Wilson-Humphries	24 Nick Garcia (c)	17 Jessie Hazen
19 Jeff Posey	25 Shawn Clark	18 Allison Brenmenr
20 Tait Carmody		19 Janell Myers
23 Brian Rippeto		20 Susie Ohle
24 Justin Mesman		21 Kaitlyn Mascher
26 Dominic Kennedy		22 Jenn Calaway
27 Ryan Garthright
33 Anthony Grippa

^[19][20][21]

References

1. "USAFL Nationals Preview".
2. "Day 2 USAFL Nationals".
3. "Orange County vs Denver".
4. "Minnesota vs Denver".
5. "Austin vs Denver".
6. "Denver B vs Houston B".
7. "Denver B vs Minnesota B".
8. "Day 2 USAFL Nationals".
9. "Tulsa vs Denver B".
10. "Day 2 USAFL Nationals".
11. "USAFL top 20 poll III".
12. "USAFL top 20 poll IV".
13. "Austin, Dallas, New York Ladies take centrals honors".
14. "USAFL top 20 poll VI".
15. "USAFL top 20 poll VIII".
16. "USAFL nationals preview mens division 1".
17. "Holy cow day one usafl nationals".
18. "Crows, Lady Bulldogs rule again".
19. "Denver vs Dallas".
20. "San Diego/Orange County vs Denver".
21. "Denver vs San Francisco".

External links

• Official website