For the Cincinnati Dockers Australian Rules Football Club, the hard work has just begun as they prepare to officially defend their United States Australian Football League (USAFL) Division 4 National Championship at the annual USAFL championship tournament in their backyard of Mason, OH on October 10th and 11th at Heritage Oak Park on Route 42. The Dockers will play their Saturday games at 2 PM and 5 PM on Field 5, with the Sunday game times TBA.

The Dockers will officially conclude their 13th season of Australian Rules Football on that weekend as they enter the tournament for the 11th time. Since the tournament’s official inception in 1998, Cincinnati have participated in all USAFL tournaments except one (2006 in Las Vegas). For reference, only 5 other clubs in the country have appeared in every tournament (Baltimore/Washington DC, Boston, Milwaukee, New York, and St. Louis: source usfooty.com).

Preparations continued last week on Saturday September 26th with a scrimmage match against their friendly rivals, the Louisville Kings, to mark the 13th anniversary of Australian Rules Football in the United States. On that day, 13 years ago, the same two clubs played the first ever game of Australian Rules Football between two American-based clubs. No official score was recorded, but the Dockers left the field with very high hopes of repeating as Division 4 National Champions.

The USAFL have released their tournament seeds and schedule, and the Cincinnati Dockers were named the #1 seed in Group” A” in Division 4. The remaining teams in Group “A” are: #2 Golden Gate/Las Vegas and #3 Orange County/Des Moines. The Dockers will face Golden Gate/Las Vegas at 2 PM, and then Orange County/Des Moines at 5 PM. Both games will be played on Field 5. Sunday games times will be announced following the conclusion of group play on Saturday.

Cincinnati have won 3 other national championships in their history. First in 1997 on their home field in Fairfield (the USAFL would officially form following that tournament), then the Division 3 championship at the 2004 tournament in Atlanta, GA, and most recently, the Division 4 championship at last year's tournament in Colorado Springs, CO. With their division and schedule set and their opponents named and ready, the Dockers are now focusing all efforts on winning their fourth USAFL championship, and the first back-to-back championships in team history.

The Cincinnati Dockers are an Australian Rules Football club based out of Fairfield, Ohio. Established in 1996, they are the oldest club of its kind in the United States. Last year, the Dockers were co-winners of the USAFL division 4 national championship. For more information about the Dockers please visit their website at www.cincinnatidockers.com. To contact the Dockers, please send an e-mail to dockers@cincinnatidockers.com.