2006 National Gridiron Championship Season

The 2006 National Gridiron Championship season was the third season of professional gridiron within Novainsula. Regular season play was held between 8 April 2006 and 8 July 2006, with the National Final held on 15 July 2006.

The 2006 season saw a significant boost in fan attendance, marking a new milestone in the league’s continued growth. With the league’s popularity surging, average crowd sizes now regularly reached around 20,000 per game, a notable increase from previous seasons. This uptick in attendance was fueled by the league’s expanding fanbase, heightened media coverage, and the emergence of exciting new talent on the field.

The season was won by Halstow Bulldogs, who won the South Division for the first time, defeating defending champions Alnwick Tigers, who were making their third straight appearance in the Final, 20-17.

Teams

Coach Movement

• Archie Murtagh, St Leonards Warriors. After two years going 6-8 and 4-10, respectively, Murtagh was fired at the end of the 2005 NGC season, and replaced by Olly Marshall.

Player Movement

Notable Retirements

• Mark Riley (FB), age 29. Was utilized a lot at Calm Bay Giants in 2004, registering 37 rushes for 161 yards, with a touchdown and three fumbles. However, found his role severely reduced last year, being handed the ball just twice, behind Jason Lee.
• Arlo Allardyce (LB), age 25. Accrued 158 tackles over two seasons for Meopham Archers, 10 for a loss, including 3 sacks and a fumble recovery.
• Oliver Pruce (LB), age 34. Played a big role in 2004 for Meopham Archers, but was considered surplus to requirements at the end of the 2005 NGC. In two seasons, he made 142 tackles, 14 for a loss, with 3 sacks and a fumble recovery.
• Donnie Portrey (DB), age 26. A fringe player for New Lewes Thunder the last two season, the number 20 registered 21 tackles, 2 for a loss, a sack and an interception.
• Dan Langmead (PR), age 23. Spent the last two years at Soham Longfins as a Punt Returner. He made 19 returns over 29 games, with an average of 12.3 yards per return. In the opening game of the 2005 NGC, He returned a kick 51 yards for the only touchdown of his career.
• Dirk Armstrong (TE), age 28. Spent two years with St Leonards Warriors, amassing 17 catches for 165 yards, 1 touchdown and a long of 29 yards.

Notable Franchisees

• Ronnie Voight (DL), Tiptree Goldtails. Made 85 tackles (20 for a loss), as well as 6 sacks and a fumble recovery last season, to be one of the standout defensive players in the league.
• Raj Robinson (OL), St Leonards Warriors. The 24-year old Left Tackle hadn’t missed a game in the last two seasons.
• Grady Deverell (DL), Meopham Archers. Notched up 15 sacks last season, along with 65 tackles, 23 for a loss (team leader), including a safety.
• Cristian Whitehouse (TE), New Lewes Thunder. At just 24 years of age, Whitehouse has already made the TE spot his own, making 131 receptions, with 16 touchdowns for 1,415 yards over the last two seasons.

Notable Free Agent Signings

• Harrison Pritchard (OL), Soham Longfins to Alnwick Tigers. Spent two years with the Longfins, missing just three games to injury.
• Marshall Sayers (WR), Alnwick Tigers to New Lewes Thunder. Made 91 receptions for 953 yards with the Tigers over two season, including 8 touchdowns. Found his playing time reduced last season.
• George Wodehouse (DL), Calm Bay Giants to St Leonards Warriors. Made 42 tackles, and three sacks last season, up from 26 tackles and 3 sacks the season before.
• Calvin Corcoran (LB), Halstow Bulldogs to Soham Longfins. Played a bigger role last season, increasing his career totals to 109 tackles, 15 for a loss, with 2 sacks, an interception and 3 fumble recoveries.

Draft

The second National Gridirion Championship was held in Soham, on 11 February 2006, with New Lewes Thunder once again picking first overall.

Regular Season

Defending Champions Alnwick Tigers emerged as a powerful team, finishing with a strong 9-5 record and reaching their third successive National Final. They faced key challenges along the way, including a major injury in Week 1 when their linebacker Mason Doherty was sidelined, and in the same week, defensive lineman Aaron Brown suffered a season-ending injury, which shook their defensive line. Despite these setbacks, Alnwick showcased dominance on both sides of the ball, racking up 383 points against their opponents’ 306, with Dusty Black leading the charge as their quarterback, who finished with 2,834 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. The Tigers standout running back, Joseph Tilly, played a critical role, leading the team with 1,339 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

Halstow, finishing with an impressive 10-4 record, found success due to their well-rounded play, including efficient passing from their quarterback Joseph Agar, who threw for 2,881 yards and 18 touchdowns. Their defense was a backbone of their success, with key contributions from players like Jacob Kingsley, who recorded 79 tackles and 3 interceptions.

On the other hand, Calm Bay struggled throughout the season, finishing 6-8 despite showing sparks of brilliance in some games. Paul Hopkins, their quarterback, was one of their bright spots, throwing for 2,976 yards and 18 touchdowns, but inconsistent defense and several injuries—including to defensive back Ashley Harrison in Week 10—prevented them from mounting a significant challenge. Their reliance on key players like Brad Gaunson, who had 889 receiving yards, wasn’t enough to compensate for their defensive shortcomings.

Meopham and New Lewes mirrored Calm Bay Giants 8-6 season, with the former heavily supported by their running game led by Pete Vian, who rushed for 995 yards and scored 9 touchdowns. The Archers faced midseason injuries to key players like Vian himself in Week 3, but Nicholas Eaton’s efficient quarterback play, which included 3,043 passing yards, kept them competitive. Meopham’s balanced offensive attack, alongside a defense that recorded 10 interceptions, kept them in playoff contention, although they fell short in critical moments. For New Lewes Thunder, a solid running game led by Timothy Allen, who rushed for 1580 yards and 13 touchdowns, kept them in the hunt. Their success was tempered by injuries like the one to defensive back Simon Stephens in Week 14, which hurt their playoff aspirations. Nonetheless, they showed consistency in close games, highlighted by their three-game winning streak to close the regular season, but they could not convert their late-season momentum into playoff success.

Soham, unfortunately, ended the season at 3-11, facing a mix of tough losses and injuries. Everett Cone, their running back, led the team with 612 rushing yards but failed to find the end zone throughout the season. Brent Beale, their second year quarterback, played well with 2,948 passing yards, but a leaky defense and a string of bad luck, including multiple key injuries like that of tight end Colby Rapson in Week 11, made it impossible for them to be competitive. At seasons end, Head Coach Lawrie Darden was relieved of his duties.

St. Leonards also had a rough season, finishing with a 4-10 record. Their quarterback Oscar Smart missed two games due to injury in Week 5, which derailed their offense.

Tiptree, with an 8-6 record, showed flashes of brilliance, including a midseason win streak where they won four of five games. They were heavily reliant on their running back Rory Fadden, who was injured in Week 6 but still managed to rush for significant yardage. Their defense, however, was hampered by injuries to key players like Darren Stack in Week 3, and their late-season three-game losing streak left them on the outside of the championship race.

Regular Season Standings

National Final

This was Alnwick’s third straight appearance in the National Final, while Halstow was making its debut. Despite the Tigers’ experience, it was the Bulldogs who triumphed in a dramatic, back-and-forth contest that came down to the final moments.

Halstow started strong with an early touchdown from their star quarterback Joseph Agar, but the Tigers quickly responded with a touchdown of their own, taking a 7-6 lead in the first quarter. After a field goal by Alnwick in the second quarter, the Tigers maintained a narrow 10-6 lead at halftime. The third quarter saw Halstow reclaim the lead, as Russ Harry punched in a 4-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Bulldogs ahead 13-10.

In the fourth quarter, Alnwick’s Dusty Black connected with Ricky Mann on a 38-yard touchdown, shifting the momentum back to the Tigers with a 17-13 advantage. However, Halstow mounted a 95-yard game-winning drive, capped off by a 6-yard touchdown pass from Agar to Harry with just 11 seconds remaining. Despite a valiant final effort from Alnwick, Halstow held on to win the game and claim their first-ever title.

The game was marked by solid performances from both teams, but Halstow’s resilience and Agar’s leadership earned him the MVP award. The Bulldogs’ ability to convert key fourth downs and execute under pressure proved decisive in this historic win.

Statistical Leaders

Team

Individual

Awards