History
The team was founded in 2003 by B.J. Chetham whom sponsored the teams early foundation after learning that Rugby League was being played in Pennsylvania. Going to visit Pennsylvania to watch the New Zealand Kiwis play the US National Team the Tomahawks,B.J. through David Niu, President of the American National Rugby League, helped find keen players to organise a club in Washington D.C. On making contact with Martin O'Donoghue, who had played on the United States National team American National Rugby League, the first club meeting was held with fellow New Zealanders, Americans, Australians,and British players living in the D.C and surrounding areas. Martin was involved in the early development of the The Slayers, along with the Connecticut Wildcats of Norwalk, Connecticut, joined the league as expansion teams for the 2003 season. At this time most players were recruited from rugby union clubs from across the greater Washington area, and many of them were personal friends of O'Donoghue, who served as the team's first coach.
The Slayers went to the league playoffs in their inaugural year, advancing to the semi-finals before being defeated by the Connecticut Wildcats. They went to the playoffs again in 2004, but in the beginning of a trend that would follow the team through the 2000s, were knocked out in the first round by the team that would go on to win the Grand Final. After the season founder O'Donoghue left the United States. The team nearly collapsed, as only eight players committed to play for 2005, less than the thirteen needed on the field. Nevertheless these eight completed every game of the season. The team was able to rebuild the following year, and advanced to the playoffs in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010, though never making it past the first round.
Read more about this topic: Washington D.C. Slayers
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