Bristol Dockers
Encyclopedia
The Bristol Dockers are an Australian rules football
club based in Bristol
, England
.
, formed in 1991 in the British Australian Rules Football League. Their first match was against fellow newcomers the Sussex Swans at Shoreham-by-Sea
, the Bears running out 119-point winners. The Bears often struggled against the London clubs, although in some seasons difficulties in travel for the Londoners (forfeiting the long road trip west) meant the Bears performed well on paper without actually taking the paddock.
The Bears changed their name for the 1997 season to the Dockers, continuing on in the BARFL premiership, then becoming part of the BARFL Regional series upon inception of this competition in 2003. They won the inaugural Regional premiership in this year, the first flag in their 13-year history.
With the creation of the Aussie Rules UK regional leagues in 2007, the Dockers elected to play in the BARFL's London Social League (now the Social Division of the AFL London). In 2010 the Dockers again made it to the Semi Finals in AFL London Social league, unfortunately coming undone in the last half of the game and conceding defeat.
In 2011 The Dockers will move to the 9-a-side format in the Welsh Australian Rules Football League
, which will mean a change in home ground from Aretians Rugby club to a new home ground, yet to be decided.
The Bristol Dockers have an allegiance with the Western Gaels Gaelic Football Club, with many of their players from both clubs crossing over sports and playing for the Bristol Dockers or the Western Gaels.
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 based in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, 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 Bristol Bears were the first Australian rules club in England's west countryWest Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
, formed in 1991 in the British Australian Rules Football League. Their first match was against fellow newcomers the Sussex Swans at Shoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort in West Sussex, England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is away...
, the Bears running out 119-point winners. The Bears often struggled against the London clubs, although in some seasons difficulties in travel for the Londoners (forfeiting the long road trip west) meant the Bears performed well on paper without actually taking the paddock.
The Bears changed their name for the 1997 season to the Dockers, continuing on in the BARFL premiership, then becoming part of the BARFL Regional series upon inception of this competition in 2003. They won the inaugural Regional premiership in this year, the first flag in their 13-year history.
With the creation of the Aussie Rules UK regional leagues in 2007, the Dockers elected to play in the BARFL's London Social League (now the Social Division of the AFL London). In 2010 the Dockers again made it to the Semi Finals in AFL London Social league, unfortunately coming undone in the last half of the game and conceding defeat.
In 2011 The Dockers will move to the 9-a-side format in the Welsh Australian Rules Football League
Welsh Australian Rules Football League
Australian Rules Football has been played on an organised basis in Wales since 2007, with the league and representative teams run and managed by the Welsh Australian Rules Football League who is the controlling body of the sport in the country...
, which will mean a change in home ground from Aretians Rugby club to a new home ground, yet to be decided.
The Bristol Dockers have an allegiance with the Western Gaels Gaelic Football Club, with many of their players from both clubs crossing over sports and playing for the Bristol Dockers or the Western Gaels.