Reading Kangaroos
Encyclopedia
The Reading Kangaroos are an Australian rules football
club who play in the English
town of Reading
. Formed by Australians living in the area, the club quickly grew with strong local interest, now attracting players from all over Berkshire
. The club is generously sponsored by Equinix
.
.
The 2004 season saw the Roos win the grand final, thumping Bristol 28.20.188 to 1.6.12. The club also travelled to Aalborg
in Denmark
and won the Sheep Stations Cup against the North Copenhagen Barracudas.
In 2005, the Roos competed in both the BARFL Premiership and the BARFL Regional competitions, though they failed to make the grand final in either league. In the BARFL Premiership despite committed performances, the guys could not match the greater experience of the London sides and finished 5th, though they did record a memorable victory against a dominant Wandsworth Demons team, the first side outside of the top 3 ever to do so. The club did repeat their victory in the Sheep Stations Cup, this time held in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, defeating the Farum Young Guns.
In 2006, the club competed in the BARFL Regional division, again winning a grand final against the Nottingham Scorpions. The club also successfully defended the Sheep Stations Cup, held in Landskrona
, Sweden
, defeating the South Dublin Swans in an epic final.
In 2007-8, the club played in the London Conference. With a struggle to match both the experience of the opposition and the available numbers, the club were unable to contest finals and only managed infrequent wins.
In 2009, the club decided to drop down to the London social league, which includes Nottingham Scorpions and Manchester Mosquitos. Reading made it to the semi-finals for the first time in a London League, but unfortunately where defeated by old rivals Nottingham. They also hosted the Brit cup this year which is the EU only tournament, getting knocked out of the group stages, after two wins against Scotland and ARUK Central.
In 2010 and 11, the club continued in the London 3rds (or social) league and with the recruitment of some promising younger locals, began to develop into more of a competitive team, winning a majority of matches and contesting with their more experienced London peers. The team reached finals in both years, but were unable to take a full team to either and did not progress beyond the semi's.
against a French national selection, winning a tight match.
In 2004, 5 and 6, the club took a squad to Denmark and Sweden to compete in the annual, 9-a-side Sheep Station Cup, winning and retaining the trophy through these 3 years.
's squad members in their ranks. 2010 saw Adam Bennett and Gareth Blackstaffe-Turner selected for the first Team Europe, for their performances at the 2010 European Championships, held in Denmark and Sweden.
The Roos have attracted players from a wide variety of backgrounds, including soccer, rugby (union and league), basketball, athletics, martial arts and, of course, native Aussie Rules.
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 who play in the English
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...
town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. Formed by Australians living in the area, the club quickly grew with strong local interest, now attracting players from all over Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. The club is generously sponsored by Equinix
Equinix
Equinix, Inc. is an American public corporation that provides carrier-neutral data centers and internet exchanges. Equinix provides network-neutral data centers and interconnection services...
.
History
The Reading Roos were formed for the 2003 British Australian Rules Football League season, playing in the newly formed BARFL Regional division. They played their first match against a selection from Oxford University at King's Meadow in Reading, and in the regular season, went on to make the grand final – although they were defeated by the Bristol DockersBristol Dockers
The Bristol Dockers are an Australian rules football club based in Bristol, England.-History:The Bristol Bears were the first Australian rules club in England's west country, formed in 1991 in the British Australian Rules Football League. Their first match was against fellow newcomers the Sussex...
.
The 2004 season saw the Roos win the grand final, thumping Bristol 28.20.188 to 1.6.12. The club also travelled to Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and won the Sheep Stations Cup against the North Copenhagen Barracudas.
In 2005, the Roos competed in both the BARFL Premiership and the BARFL Regional competitions, though they failed to make the grand final in either league. In the BARFL Premiership despite committed performances, the guys could not match the greater experience of the London sides and finished 5th, though they did record a memorable victory against a dominant Wandsworth Demons team, the first side outside of the top 3 ever to do so. The club did repeat their victory in the Sheep Stations Cup, this time held in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, defeating the Farum Young Guns.
In 2006, the club competed in the BARFL Regional division, again winning a grand final against the Nottingham Scorpions. The club also successfully defended the Sheep Stations Cup, held in Landskrona
Landskrona
Landskrona is a locality and the seat of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 28,670 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Landskrona was founded at the location of Scania's best natural harbour, as a means of King Eric of Pomerania's anti-Hanseatic policy, intended to compete...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, defeating the South Dublin Swans in an epic final.
In 2007-8, the club played in the London Conference. With a struggle to match both the experience of the opposition and the available numbers, the club were unable to contest finals and only managed infrequent wins.
In 2009, the club decided to drop down to the London social league, which includes Nottingham Scorpions and Manchester Mosquitos. Reading made it to the semi-finals for the first time in a London League, but unfortunately where defeated by old rivals Nottingham. They also hosted the Brit cup this year which is the EU only tournament, getting knocked out of the group stages, after two wins against Scotland and ARUK Central.
In 2010 and 11, the club continued in the London 3rds (or social) league and with the recruitment of some promising younger locals, began to develop into more of a competitive team, winning a majority of matches and contesting with their more experienced London peers. The team reached finals in both years, but were unable to take a full team to either and did not progress beyond the semi's.
International tour matches
In early 2005, the Roos toured to Atlanta in the USA, defeating the home town Atlanta Kookaburras. In 2006 they competed in PerpignanPerpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
against a French national selection, winning a tight match.
In 2004, 5 and 6, the club took a squad to Denmark and Sweden to compete in the annual, 9-a-side Sheep Station Cup, winning and retaining the trophy through these 3 years.
Player Development
The Roos are lucky to count among their number several Australians who have played to a good standard in the Australian leagues. These experienced Aussies help bring through British talent quickly and have contributed greatly to the Roos counting 4 current British BulldogBritish Bulldog
British Bulldog may refer to:* British Bulldog, an alternative name for the Bulldog.* The British Bulldog revolver, a type of revolver popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
's squad members in their ranks. 2010 saw Adam Bennett and Gareth Blackstaffe-Turner selected for the first Team Europe, for their performances at the 2010 European Championships, held in Denmark and Sweden.
The Roos have attracted players from a wide variety of backgrounds, including soccer, rugby (union and league), basketball, athletics, martial arts and, of course, native Aussie Rules.