The Dallas Magpies Australian Rules Football Club won its first national championship, beating the Austin Crows 51-8 in the United States Australian Football League Division III Grand Final on Sunday.
“We’ve worked for this all year. Before the season, we set our goal to win the USAFL tournament,” coach Stu Rackham said. “I was pleased to see how we lifted our game and played our best footy when it mattered most.”
The Magpies’ Ryan Shaughnessy received the Geoff Cann Medal as the final’s most valuable player. Shaughnessy dominated from his center half forward position taking several key marks that set up multiple scoring opportunities for the Magpies.
The Magpies also received strong performances from David Wilson, who helped thwart multiple Crow advances from his defensive center half back position, and Craig Storer, who played a strong game all over the field.
The Magpies advanced to the Grand Final by winning Pool A with a 3-0 record. On Saturday, the Magpies defeated the Arizona Hawks 54-25 and the Florida Redbacks 57-8. On Sunday, Dallas beat the Columbus Jackaroos 31-21 to advance to the final against arch-rival Austin.
During the regular season, the Magpies fell twice to the Crows by a single point, but turned the tables with a dominant performance in the championship game.
The game was tied 8-8 after the first half, but the Magpies scored two quick goals to begin the second half. Winning the ball in the middle, the Magpies kept applying pressure and cashed in on its scoring opportunities while holding Austin scoreless.