A divide between the Eastlake Demons players, coaches, and board had left Aaron Wiles with a sour taste in his mouth.
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He was on the lookout for a new club when the Ainslie Tricolours came calling, and soon after he was making the same call to his mate Hayden Armstrong.
![Ainslie Tricolours footballers Hayden Armstrong and Aaron Wiles ahead of the AFL Canberra preliminary final. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong Ainslie Tricolours footballers Hayden Armstrong and Aaron Wiles ahead of the AFL Canberra preliminary final. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1a683e69-06cd-4092-ade0-674584a3a19f/r0_0_2000_1387_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The pair left the Demons behind and now they are looking to shatter Eastlake's premiership dreams in the AFL Canberra preliminary final at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval on Sunday.
Wiles played for the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL before packing up and joining Eastlake to test out the NEAFL in its infancy.
Armstrong was a Marist College junior and looked set for a career in Demons colours when he finished school, but both have found a new home in Ainslie and they're refusing to look back.
"Myself and Hayden Armstrong are still pretty close with a few of the Eastlake boys so it's nice to knock them off that's for sure, it'd be nice to send them home this week," Wiles said.
"The Eastlake footy club wasn't in a great place at the time [when I left]. There was a bit of a separation between the coaching, playing group, and the board.
"I was looking to go out bush and then Chris Rourke, who I was pretty close with, got me across to Ainslie which has turned out to be a fairly positive move.
"Last year was quite pleasing to finally get something we wanted for a long time. There's been some pretty dark times at Eastlake still, until this year I guess."
Armstrong has been called back into Ainslie's first grade side for the must-win clash after kicking 15 goals in his past two games in second grade.
He's got some unfinished business having missed last year's premiership win with a broken hand and there's nothing he would love more than delivering Ainslie another flag.
"Wilesy played there in the NEAFL and I was down in the country after I left Eastlake," Armstrong said.
"I just wasn't enjoying my footy in the last year at Eastlake, them being in the NEAFL and everything. My form wasn't that crash hot, I was playing out of position.
"I just thought I'd get out of town for a bit and have a bit of a break. Wilesy gave me a call and said 'what are your thoughts on playing for Ainslie?'
"The rest is history really. They're a good club, they care about the players a bit more than what Eastlake did. I thought it was a great fit for me personally."
Wiles has re-committed to Ainslie for another season and expects most of his teammates to follow suit as they look to build a Tricolours dynasty.
"We're just starting to build something together with some good kids that are coming through and I want to see that out," Wiles said.
"I'm pretty confident that the majority of us will stay on for next year. I've grown to love the footy club, it's a good place."
AFL CANBERRA PRELIMINARY FINAL
Sunday: Ainslie Tricolours v Eastlake Demons at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval. Match starts at 2:30pm.