Metro football club most dominant team in MFL history
Moncton Mustangs head coach Rob Weir is tongue and cheek when it comes to the selections for the Maritime Football League’s all-decade teams.
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The Mustangs have been the most dominant club in the league’s 10-year history, but they don’t have much representation on the all-decade teams. They account for just six of 42 roster spots on the first and second all-star teams.
“I wouldn’t say it exactly raised our eyebrows,” said Weir. “There was a criteria for the selections, but it’s definitely a rallying point for us. We get a little smile when we see things like that happen.
“We’ve had good strong dominant teams over the years. Evidently, we’ve done it with less all-stars than the other teams have managed to put out on the field.”
To be eligible for the all-decade teams, players had to be selected as all-stars a minimum of four times. The Mustangs are now in their sixth season and although they’ve had lots of elite talent most of their players didn’t meet this criteria.
The Riverview Mustangs were founded in 2005, but transferred and took on the name Moncton this season. The Mustangs and Saint John Wanderers lead the way with three Maritime Bowls each.
But the Mustangs are the most successful team in league history with a lifetime record of 43-5 in the regular season and playoffs combined. That’s an .895 winning percentage.
The Wanderers, who have been in the league since it was founded in 2001, are 63-26 lifetime in the regular season and playoffs combined. That’s a .707 winning percentage.
“We’ve had our stars over the years,” said Weir. “We’ve had a lot of great players who have only been with us for one, two or three seasons so they weren’t eligible for the voting.”
Five Mustangs were named to the MFL’s first all-decade team: offensive linemen Bob Giffard and Nick Sleeper, receiver A.J. Gallant, running back Steve Cormier and defensive lineman Dwayne Els.
The Mustangs also placed defensive lineman Jason Terris on the second all-decade team.
The Wanderers have 11 players on the first and second all-decade teams.
“We always have top quality players and I believe we should’ve had more players selected,” said Weir. “But having said that, we’ve had success because our guys work harder as a group than other teams. Our guys play as a team.
“If you had an all-decade team, it would be the Mustangs. If you start putting together individuals, other teams have always had lots of talent. It’s just that we seem to put our talent together as a group much better than others. The Wanderers have had a lot of team success also.”
Moncton and Saint John, both 2-0, are currently tied for first place. The Dartmouth Knights and Prince Edward Island Privateers are next at 1-1 while the Capital Area Gladiators of Fredericton and Halifax Shockers are in the basement at 0-2.
League action will continue when Moncton visits Capital Area on Friday at 8 p.m. at Chapman Field. The Mustangs are 31-1 in regular season and playoffs combined since 2007 and they’ve captured the past three Maritime Bowls.
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by Neil Hodge
Times & Transcript staff
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
