Bodz kicks 300th career goal in OAFL

Toronto Rebels veteran Daimin Bodnar achieved a major milestone this past weekend against the Swans kicking his 300^th and 301^st career goals. The most amazing thing about this achievement is that he has only played 70 games - that’s over 4 goals per game!

Bodz joined the Rebels in 2001 and was a huge part of the premiership team that season kicking 71 goals; he also tied for the league best and fairest award this same year. He came oh so close to the ton in 2003 when he slotted 95 for the season and if not for a pesky hamstring injury he would have easily made it.

Bodz has not played a full season in the OAFL since 2004 as he now lives in Montreal but he always manages to sneak a few games in when he can.

A fantastic achievement from one of the league's premier players, congratulations mate!

Next Game - Round Seven

The next game will be against Central Blues at Humber North on Saturday July 5  at 12 pm.

Rebels train at Toronto FC

BMO Field is a fantastic new stadium in the heart of Toronto at the Exhibition Centre, a new landmark of professional sport in Toronto.

Rebels Golf Day - Sunday Aug 10th

Parkview Golf Club (Markham)
Steels Ave. E, 1 km east of Markham Road
$55 per person ( includes carts)
Please RSVP as soon as possible to your email invitation - please state if you have preferred foursomes or playing partners.

Quiz Night - Saturday July 5th

Brass Taps at 7pm
493 Danforth Avenue, nearest subway station: Chester on Bloor Danforth line.
Our regular host, Nik Paps, will question, challenge, confuse and confound us. 
All players, past players, alumni, wives, girlfriends, children and anyone who is smarter than a 5th grader are welcome to this semi-annual event. 

Rebels Streetcar Party - Saturday July 19th

Best party evah! A bash that will have you repeating stories for the rest of the year - not to be missed! 
Stick will guide us around the pubs of Toronto and keep us entertained en route. We'll be feasting at Sneaky's and drinking everywhere!

Round Six - Rebels v Hawks

The day dawned full of promise as the boys headed up the 427 to Humber North to face the in-form and always dangerous Broadview Hawks.  After an impressive showing at training at BMO Field on Thursday the boys were raring to go by the time the whistle sounded.

The first quarter was a hotly contested affair, setting the tone for the arm-wrestle that would follow. Starting strongly, the Rebels got the first major with big Paps charging out of full-forward like a 3-year old colt let loose from the knackery. With both Paps and Kev Duffy providing strong targets up forward, the Rebels midfield set about winning the hard ball. Only a goal after the first quarter ‘siren’ meant the Rebels went into the first change down by 2 points, 3.3. 21 to 3.1. 19.

Fired up by their best quarter of footy for the year the boys came out strongly again at the start of the second quarter. However, despite some desperate defence, led by the inspirational Sean Duffy, the jack-in-a-box bustling Ty, and the ever-reliable Az, the Hawks slowly gained the ascendency. In previous games things might have got ugly for the Rebels at this point, but instead, with renewed vigour the boys dug in and restricted the Hawks to only a few majors for the quarter.  Mention must be made of the great sportsmanship demonstrated by the Hawks concerning a contentious, and difficult to determine goal-umpiring decision.

The start of the 3^rd saw the skies open. It wasn’t just the rain coming down hard however, as the Rebels threw their bodies in willingly, startling the Hawks with their ferocious attack on the ball. As the game tightened up tempers flared occasionally, but the attack on the man with the ball remained fair, fierce and frequent. A great individual effort by joint man-of-the-match Cam in setting up a Rebel goal in the middle of the quarter brought the margin back to under 5 goals. With more composed delivery in to the forward line the margin could have been closer going into the final quarter.

With the skies clearing, the final quarter proved a fitting finale to what was a fantastic hard game of footy. While the conditions were now slippery, and bodies starting to tire, the intensity never waned. Bodies continued to pile in around the ground. Improved skills were evident and paid dividend late in the quarter when a chain of handballs under intense pressure, after some magnificent strong work in the middle by Behie, lead to a lovely goal late in the quarter. Unfortunately, the final siren sounded too early to end what had been an evenly contested game.

Walking proudly off the ground with nothing left, the boys held their heads high, knowing that real progress is being made this season. While special mention needs to go to the joint men-of-the-match (who were spotted later that evening celebrating together with Jaeger bombs in a spa) Cam (“I wanna look like Jersey with his ripped Guernsey but I don’t have the rug”), and Ty (“never leave a man behind passed out in a chick’s bathroom”), this was truly a game where the team performance was even, with everyone contributing their bodies fearlessly to the cause.

Going into the break the team now need to reflect on what they have learnt from a tough start to the season. While improvement is obvious and team spirit contagious, the focus must be on the basics: training, personal fitness, and getting numbers to each game. Thanks must go out to all the Rebel women and dogs who continue to support their men.

Goals: Kevin Duffy 2, Nik Paps 1, Pete 1, Jersey 1.

Best on Ground: Cam, Tyler, Behie, Sean Duffy, Fabs, Jersey.

Hawks 80 Rebels 34

Rebels - first non-Soccer team to play at Toronto FC

Rebels had a superb turn out at BMO Field and took advantage of brilliant weather conditions and a first class facility. The new players were introduced to the ball and skills and the established players took to the stadium surface with gusto and had a marvelous first session! The coaching staff worked wonders with 30 guys on the field. Great work boys keep it up!

Personal Fitness - What are you doing for yourself?

Your own personal fitness routines should be stepped up between now and the start of the season in May. As a basic guide – Game time = 4 x 20 minute quarters = 80 min. on average you will run for 66% of this time = 53 minutes. Therefore (allowing for stopping and starting reduce by 33%) to be able to play four quarters the player must be able to run for 35 minutes continuous or the equivalent.