Aston Bulls
Encyclopedia
The Aston Bulls, also known as the Aston Delco Sports Club Bulls (Aston DSC 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
(AMNRL), the United States' oldest competition. Previously known as the Glen Mills Bulls, the team was founded in 1998.
The Bulls began play in the 1998 season as a charter member of the competition now known as the AMNRL. Originally known as the Glen Mills Bulls, the team was affiliated with the Glen Mills Schools
in the Glen Mills
area of the Delaware Valley
from 1998–2006. For the 2007 season
they relocated to nearby Aston Township and adopted their current name. Since their inception the Bulls have been the AMNRL's most successful team on the field, winning a total of six league championships, more than any other team. Additionally they have competed in the league playoffs every year of play, advancing to the Grand Final every year from 1998–2008.
. Niu had been involved in promoting rugby league in the United States since the early 1990s, and introduced the sport to the Glen Mills Schools
in the Glen Mills
area of Delaware County, Pennsylvania
, where he was employed as a teacher. In 1998 Niu's former teammate, Matthew Elliott, coach of England's Bradford Bulls
team, visited Philadelphia and saw Niu's plans for the sport. Elliott and the Bulls agreed to support the Glen Mills club in its first year, providing them jerseys and the Bulls name. For the first nine years of operation the Bulls team and staff were made up of employees of the Glen Mills Schools, and the team played its games at the school's Jack Pearson Stadium in Concordville
.
The Bulls were one of the charter franchises of Super League America, now the American National Rugby League
, and quickly became the most dominant team in the competition. They won the league championship six times: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. Additionally, they competed in the Grand Final in 2002, 2003 and 2006, when they hosted the 2006 American National Rugby League championship match, at which they lost narrowly to the Connecticut Wildcats
in front of a crowd of 2,500.
After the 2006 season the Bulls ended their affiliation with the Glen Mills Schools and relocated to nearby Aston Township
, renaming themselves the Aston Bulls. Since the relocation they have continued their uninterrupted streak of playoff appearances, advancing to the Grand Final in 2007 and 2008.
. Thereafter they adopted the colors of blue and white with the uniforms being predominantly blue, similar in style to the National Rugby League
team the Canterbury Bulldogs
, after the two clubs agreed to an affiliate partnership with each other. After the name change to the Aston Bulls, the club adopted the new colors of gold and white for their home uniform.
The club won 6 AMNRL titles when known as the Glen Mills Bulls. They have additionally advanced to the Grand Final 3 further times.
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
rugby league football team based in Aston Township in 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....
. The team currently plays in the American National Rugby League
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...
(AMNRL), the United States' oldest competition. Previously known as the Glen Mills Bulls, the team was founded in 1998.
The Bulls began play in the 1998 season as a charter member of the competition now known as the AMNRL. Originally known as the Glen Mills Bulls, the team was affiliated with the Glen Mills Schools
Glen Mills Schools
The Glen Mills Schools is a residential facility for juvenile delinquents located in Glen Mills and in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. David Barstow of the St...
in the Glen Mills
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
Glen Mills is an unincorporated community in Concord Township and Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States about 17 miles from Philadelphia. Glen Mills is known for its gardens and its golf course. Major offices including Deloitte with a headcount of about 100 people...
area of the Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...
from 1998–2006. For the 2007 season
2007 AMNRL season
The 2007 American National Rugby League season was the tenth annual American National Rugby League season of semi-professional rugby league football in North America...
they relocated to nearby Aston Township and adopted their current name. Since their inception the Bulls have been the AMNRL's most successful team on the field, winning a total of six league championships, more than any other team. Additionally they have competed in the league playoffs every year of play, advancing to the Grand Final every year from 1998–2008.
History
The team was founded in 1998 by Australian retired rugby league player David NiuDavid Niu
David Niumataiwalu, better known as David Niu , is an Australian-American rugby league and rugby union administrator, coach, and former player...
. Niu had been involved in promoting rugby league in the United States since the early 1990s, and introduced the sport to the Glen Mills Schools
Glen Mills Schools
The Glen Mills Schools is a residential facility for juvenile delinquents located in Glen Mills and in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. David Barstow of the St...
in the Glen Mills
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
Glen Mills is an unincorporated community in Concord Township and Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States about 17 miles from Philadelphia. Glen Mills is known for its gardens and its golf course. Major offices including Deloitte with a headcount of about 100 people...
area of 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....
, where he was employed as a teacher. In 1998 Niu's former teammate, Matthew Elliott, coach of England's Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
team, visited Philadelphia and saw Niu's plans for the sport. Elliott and the Bulls agreed to support the Glen Mills club in its first year, providing them jerseys and the Bulls name. For the first nine years of operation the Bulls team and staff were made up of employees of the Glen Mills Schools, and the team played its games at the school's Jack Pearson Stadium in Concordville
Concordville, Pennsylvania
Concordville is an unincorporated community in Concord Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 20 miles west-southwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of U.S. Routes 1 and 322. This intersection can be traced back to two of the earliest roads in Pennsylvania,...
.
The Bulls were one of the charter franchises of Super League America, now the American National Rugby League
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...
, and quickly became the most dominant team in the competition. They won the league championship six times: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. Additionally, they competed in the Grand Final in 2002, 2003 and 2006, when they hosted the 2006 American National Rugby League championship match, at which they lost narrowly to the 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 ....
in front of a crowd of 2,500.
After the 2006 season the Bulls ended their affiliation with the Glen Mills Schools and relocated to nearby Aston Township
Aston Township, Pennsylvania
Aston Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. As one of the first townships incorporated in Pennsylvania, the present-day boundaries of Aston were drawn in 1945 when the northwestern portion of the township, seceded from the township over a proposed tax hike, and...
, renaming themselves the Aston Bulls. Since the relocation they have continued their uninterrupted streak of playoff appearances, advancing to the Grand Final in 2007 and 2008.
Uniform and colors
In their inaugural season the Bulls wore jerseys donated by the Bradford BullsBradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
. Thereafter they adopted the colors of blue and white with the uniforms being predominantly blue, similar in style to the 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...
team the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, after the two clubs agreed to an affiliate partnership with each other. After the name change to the Aston Bulls, the club adopted the new colors of gold and white for their home uniform.
Current roster
Honors
- AMNRL Championship titlesAmerican National Rugby LeagueThe 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...
: 6
The club won 6 AMNRL titles when known as the Glen Mills Bulls. They have additionally advanced to the Grand Final 3 further times.