Jump to content

Australian rules football leagues in regional Queensland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are several Australian rules football leagues in regional Queensland.

The sport of Australian rules football has a rich history in Queensland which dates back to the 1860s, however the game outside of South East Queensland was slower to take off than in Brisbane.

In 1913, a team of servicemen briefly existed on Thursday Island, but was short-lived. In 1944, a league of servicemen was formed around the Atherton Tableland. Teams represented included Wongabel, Wondelca, Kairi, Mareeba and Ravenshoe. The league was a precursor to the nearby Cairns, Queensland league.

In 1955, the Townsville Australian Football League began. Two years later the Cairns Australian Football League was formed. AFL was also introduced to Mount Isa. In the early 1970s, organised leagues started appearing in Mackay, the Darling Downs and Central Queensland.

The Australian Football League has occasionally played pre-season matches in Cairns and there have been semi-regular premiership matches on the Gold Coast.

Current competitions

[edit]

AFL Cairns is a semi-professional league that includes clubs from the Cairns region in Queensland, Australia. It is widely regarded as the strongest regional Australian rules football league in Queensland and has a large base at Cazaly's Stadium which has staged pre-season Australian Football League matches.

The league has significant coverage in local media such as The Cairns Post. Each year the Grand Final attracts between 2,000–3,000 spectators.

AFL Capricornia is an amateur competition played in the areas of Rockhampton, Gladstone and Yeppoon between the months of March and September in the cooler seasons of the Central Queensland climate.

The league is covered primarily by the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin in the local print media.

AFL Darling Downs is an amateur competition formed as the Darling Downs Australian Football League in 1971. It is based around the city of Toowoomba west of Brisbane. The senior representative team is known as the Demons and wear guernseys modelled on the Melbourne Demons guernseys. The Under 18 representative team who participate in the AFLQ Under 18 competition are known as the "Crows" and wear guernseys modelled on the Adelaide Crows guernseys.

AFL Mackay is an amateur competition formed as the Mackay Australian Football League in 1970. It is based around the city of Mackay with further clubs in Airlie Beach, Sarina, Alligator Creek, Pioneer Valley and Moranbah. The representative team is known as the Crows.

AFL Mount Isa is an amateur competition formed as the North West Australian Football League in 1967, changing its name to the Mount Isa AFL in 1969. Prior to this the game was played but was not organised. It is based around the city of Mount Isa.

The first matches in Mount Isa were played in 1932.[1] The city had 3 clubs by 1933.[2] Another league was formed in 1955.[3] However the current league wasn't established until much later.

Current clubs

[edit]
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
70km
43miles
Dajarra
Lake Nash
Mount Isa Tigers
Mount Isa Buffaloes
Locations of the teams home grounds
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in MIAFL MIAFL Senior Premierships
Total Years
Mount Isa Buffaloes
Buffaloes Legend Oval, Mount Isa 1983 1983- 9 1992, 1994, 1995, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024
Mount Isa Tigers
Tigers Legend Oval, Mount Isa 1967 1967- 13 1971, 1973, 1983, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022
Lake Nash
Bulldogs Alpurrurulam Oval, Alpurrurulam (NT) 1993 *1993- 2 2002, 2003
Dajarra Rhinos
Rhinos Monument Sports Oval, Dajarra 2018 2018- 0 -

Former clubs

[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in MIAFL MIAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Mary Kathleen
Magpies Mary Kathleen Oval, Mary Kathleen c.1957-1980 3 1977, 1978, 1979 Folded after 1980 season
Mount Isa Rovers
Rovers Legend Oval, Mount Isa 1967 1967-2020 24 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 Folded after 2020 season

Premiers

[edit]

North West Australian Football League (1967-1968) / Mount Isa AFL (1969-1999) / AFL Mount Isa (2000-present)

  • 1967: Hawks
  • 1968: Rovers
  • 1969: Saints
  • 1970: Saints
  • 1971: Tigers
  • 1972: Hawks
  • 1973: Tigers
  • 1974: Saints
  • 1975: Hawks
  • 1976: Rovers
  • 1977: Mary Kathleen
  • 1978: Mary Kathleen
  • 1979: Mary Kathleen
  • 1980: Rovers
  • 1981: Rovers
  • 1982: Rovers
  • 1983: Tigers
  • 1984: Rovers
  • 1985: Rovers
  • 1986: Rovers
  • 1987: Saints
  • 1988: Rovers
  • 1989: Tigers
  • 1990: Rovers
  • 1991: Rovers
  • 1992: Buffaloes
  • 1993: Rovers
  • 1994: Buffaloes
  • 1995: Buffaloes
  • 1996: Rovers
  • 1997: Rovers
  • 1998: Tigers
  • 1999: Tigers
  • 2000: Rovers
  • 2001: Rovers
  • 2002: Lake Nash
  • 2003: Lake Nash
  • 2004: Rovers
  • 2005: Rovers[4]
  • 2006: Tigers
  • 2007: Rovers
  • 2008: Rovers
  • 2009: Rovers
  • 2010: Rovers
  • 2011: Tigers
  • 2012: Rovers
  • 2013: Rovers
  • 2014: Tigers
  • 2015: Tigers
  • 2016: Tigers
  • 2017: Buffaloes
  • 2018: Buffaloes
  • 2019: Tigers
  • 2020: Buffaloes
  • 2021: Buffaloes
  • 2022: Tigers
  • 2023: Buffaloes
  • 2024: Buffaloes

AFL Townsville is an amateur competition formed as the Townsville Australian Football League in 1955, the first AFL competition to be formed in Queensland outside of the South East. It is based around the city of Townsville. For a short period in the 1980s, the competition was played during the summer months. The representative team is known as the Eagles and they wear similar guernseys to the Zillmere Eagles old white and blue guernsey's.

The AFL Wide Bay competition was formerly known as the Bundaberg-Wide Bay Australian Football League which was formed in 1987 through the merger of the Bundaberg Australian Football League and Wide Bay Australian Football Leagues. The competition currently features teams from the cities of Bundaberg, Maryborough and Hervey Bay. The representative team is known as the Tigers wearing guernseys similar to those of the Richmond Tigers.

Defunct competitions

[edit]

Bundaberg Australian Football League

[edit]

The Bundaberg Australian Football League was an amateur competition formed in 1972 and continued until 1986, before merging with the Wide Bay Australian Football League, starting a new competition called the Bundaberg Wide Bay Australian Football League in 1987, now known as AFL Wide Bay.

The four foundation clubs were Burnett Heads, Southern Suburbs (South Bundaberg), Western Suburbs (West Bundaberg), and North Bundaberg.

Clubs

[edit]
Final
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in BAFL BAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
North Bundaberg
Kangaroos Kendall Flat, Bundaberg East 1972 1972–1986 5 1972, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 Formed Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1987
South Bundaberg
Magpies Kendall Flat, Bundaberg East 1972 1972–1986 1 1981 Formed Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1987
West Bundaberg
Bulldogs Kendall Flat, Bundaberg East 1972 1972–1986 5 1973, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1986 Formed Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1987
Former
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former league Est. Years in BAFL BAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Biggenden
MAFL 1981 1983 0 - Folded after 1983 season
Burnett Heads
Saints 1972 1972-1982 0 - Recess between 1983 and 1986, re-formed in Wide Bay AFL in 1987
Brothers
1985 1985 0 - Folded after 1985 season
Cooloola Coast    Dolphins MAFL 1982 1984 0 - Formed Wide Bay AFL in 1985
Gympie
Cats Ray Warren Oval, Glanmire SCAFL 1971 1984 0 - Formed Wide Bay AFL in 1985
Maryborough
Tigers AFL Federation Reserve, Maryborough SCAFL 197 1979, 1984 0 - Formed Maryborough AFL in 1981
South Bundaberg (2)
Kendall Flat, Bundaberg East 1979 1979 0 - Folded after 1979 season
Urangan (Hervey Bay 1977-83)
Sea Hawks N. E. Mclean Oval, Wondunna 1977 1977, 1982-1984 4 1977, 1982, 1983, 1984 Formed Wide Bay AFL in 1985

Premiers

[edit]

Bundaberg AFL (1972-1986)

  • 1972: North Bundaberg
  • 1973: Western Suburbs
  • 1974: Western Suburbs
  • 1975: North Bundaberg
  • 1976: North Bundaberg
  • 1977: Hervey Bay
  • 1978: North Bundaberg
  • 1979: North Bundaberg
  • 1980: West Bundaberg
  • 1981: South Bundaberg
  • 1982: Hervey Bay
  • 1983: Hervey Bay
  • 1984: Urangan[5]
  • 1985: West Bundaberg
  • 1986: West Bundaberg

Central Highlands Australian Football League

[edit]

The Central Highlands Australian Football League was an amateur competition formed in 1983 and ceased operations after the 1997 season. Most of the previous clubs still exist and operate Auskick programs, including Dysart and Emerald. The Moranbah Bulldogs moved to the Mackay Australian Football League after the league folded.

The league was a once flourishing competition with Clubs competing in Seniors, Reserves and juniors in Under 16's, 14's, and 12's. Around 1994, the mines in the area shifted from a five-day week into a seven-day 12-hour roster, which in turn limited teams' playing rosters. The league then changed onfield playing numbers from 18 to 13 with unlimited bench players. Unfortunately this still did not help and most clubs were forced to cease operations due to lack of playing numbers and not of financial matters.

Prior to the formation of the competition, Dysart, Middlemount and Moranbah had played in Mackay's competition.

Clubs

[edit]
Final
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in CHAFL CHAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Blackwater
Cats Blackwater Cricket Ground, Blackwater CAFL 1981 1983-1997 3 1991, 1992, 1993 Folded after 1997 season
Dysart
Swans MAFL 1980 1983-1997 2 1983, 1984 Folded after 1997 season
Emerald
Saints 1983-1997 7 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 Folded after 1997 season
Moranbah
Bulldogs Stevenson Sports Park, Moranbah MAFL 1975 1983-1988, 1994-1997 2 1985, 1986 Folded after 1997 season, re-formed in Mackay AFL in 2006
Former
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in CHAFL CHAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Clermont
Bombers 1985-1986 0 - Folded after 1986 season
Middlemount
Kangaroos MAFL 1982 1983-1991 1 1987 Folded after 1991 season
Tieri (United 1992-95)
Tigers 1983-1996 0 - Folded after 1996 season

Premiers

[edit]

Central Highlands AFL (1983-1997)

  • 1983: Dysart
  • 1984: Dysart
  • 1985: Moranbah
  • 1986: Moranbah
  • 1987: Middlemount
  • 1988: Emerald
  • 1989: Emerald
  • 1990: Blackwater
  • 1991: Blackwater
  • 1992: Blackwater
  • 1993: Emerald
  • 1994: Emerald
  • 1995: Emerald
  • 1996: Emerald
  • 1997: Emerald

The Gold Coast Australian Football League was a competition that operated from at least 1961 to 1996 before being absorbed by the Queensland AFL as its Gold Coast Division.

Clubs

[edit]
Final
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in GCAFL GCAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Broadbeach
Cats Subaru Oval, Mermaid Waters 1971 1971-1996 2 1987, 1996 Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Burleigh Heads
Bombers Bill Godfrey Oval, Burleigh Waters 1979 1979-1996 0 - Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Coolangatta Tweed Heads
Blues EXIMM Oval, Coolangatta 1962 1965-1996 6 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989 Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Labrador
Tigers Cooke-Murphy Oval, Labrador 1964 1964-1996 5 1970, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1994 Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Palm Beach Currumbin    Salk Oval, Palm Beach 1961 1961-1996 5 1965, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1995 Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Robina
Roos Scottsdale Reserve, Robina 1996 1996 0 - Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Surfers Paradise
Demons Sir Bruce Small Park, Benowa 1962 1962-1996 9 1963, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1984, 1990, 1992 Moved to Queensland AFL in 1997
Former
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in GCAFL GCAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Ashmore Nerang
Magpies 1985 1985-1989 0 - Folded after 1989 season
Ipswich
Cats Limestone Park, Ipswich 1959 1963 0 - Moved to Queensland AFL in 1964
Lismore
Kangaroos Gloria Mortimer Oval, Lismore 1968 1968-1970, 1978-1983 0 - Formed Summerland AFL in 1984
Southport
Magpies Fankhauser Reserve, Southport 1961 1961-1982 9 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980 Moved to Queensland AFL in 1983

Premiers

[edit]

Gold Coast AFL (1961-1996) / AFLQ - Gold Coast Division (1997-1999)

  • 1961: Southport
  • 1962: Southport
  • 1963: Surfers Paradise
  • 1964: Southport
  • 1965: Palm Beach-Currumbin
  • 1966: Southport
  • 1967: Surfers Paradise
  • 1968: Surfers Paradise
  • 1969: Surfers Paradise
  • 1970: Labrador
  • 1971: Palm Beach-Currumbin
  • 1972: Surfers Paradise
  • 1973: Palm Beach-Currumbin
  • 1974: Surfers Paradise
  • 1975: Southport
  • 1976: Southport
  • 1977: Southport
  • 1978: Coolangatta
  • 1979: Southport
  • 1980: Southport
  • 1981: Coolangatta
  • 1982: Coolangatta
  • 1983: Coolangatta
  • 1984: Surfers Paradise
  • 1985: Palm Beach-Currumbin
  • 1986: Labrador
  • 1987: Broadbeach
  • 1988: Coolangatta
  • 1989: Coolangatta
  • 1990: Surfers Paradise
  • 1991: Labrador
  • 1992: Surfers Paradise
  • 1993: Labrador
  • 1994: Labrador
  • 1995: Palm Beach-Currumbin
  • 1996: Broadbeach
  • 1997: Palm Beach-Currumbin
  • 1998: Surfers Paradise
  • 1999: Palm Beach-Currumbin

The Maryborough Australian Football League was an amateur competition that lasted two full seasons in 1981 and 1982. In 1983, there was only a limited number of fixtures, and due to lack of players, the competition folded after the season was over.

In 1983, Biggenden played in both the Bundaberg AFL and the Maryborough competition. Biggenden 2 lost to Cooloola Coast in the 1983 MAFL Grand Final, as their seniors did the previous year.

Clubs

[edit]
Final
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in MAFL MAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Biggenden reserves
1981 1981-1983 1 1981 Folded after 1983 season
Cooloola Coast    Dolphins 1982 1982-1983 2 1982, 1983 Moved to Bundaberg AFL in 1984
Isis
Hawks 1981 1981-1983 0 - Folded after 1983 season
Maryborough[6]
Tigers AFL Federation Reserve, Maryborough BAFL 1977 1981-1983 0 - Seniors folded, juniors moved to Bundaberg AFL in 1984
Former
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in MAFL MAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Torbanlea[citation needed]
Demons 1981 1981 0 - Folded after 1981 season

Premiers

[edit]

Maryborough AFL (1981-1983)

  • 1981 Biggenden[7]
  • 1982 Cooloola Coast
  • 1983 Cooloola Coast[8]

The Sunshine Coast Australian Football League was an amateur competition that was formed in 1970 and continued until 1992. The three foundation clubs were Noosa, Maroochydore and Nambour.

In 1993, the clubs from the competition played in the Brisbane Australian Football League, and later split up into various AFL South Queensland Divisions.

Clubs

[edit]
Final
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in SCAFL SCAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Caloundra
(1973-89)
(1991-92)
Panthers Carter Park, Golden Beach 1973 1973-1983, 1985-1989, 1991-1992 4 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992 Moved to Brisbane AFL in 1993
Gympie
Cats Ray Warren Oval, Glanmire 1971 1971-1983, 1992 0 - Moved to Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1993
Kawana
Eagles 1983 1983-1984, 1990-1992 0 - Folded after 1992 season
Maroochydore
Roos Neil Upton Oval, Maroochydore 1969 1970-1992 11 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989 Moved to Brisbane AFL in 1993
Nambour
Blues G Rae Oval, Palmwoods 1970 1970-1975, 1977-1992 1 1990 Moved to Brisbane AFL in 1993
Noosa
Hawks Noosa Oval, Noosaville 1970 1970-1992 7 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1987 Moved to Brisbane AFL in 1993
Pomona
Demons Reserve Street Oval, Pomona 1973 1975-1990, 1992 0 - Moved to Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1993
Former
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in SCAFL SCAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Caboolture
Cats 1973 1973-1975 0 - Folded after 1975 season
Caboolture and Southern Districts
Bombers Caboolture Showgrounds, Caboolture 1986 1987-1990 0 - Moved to Brisbane AFL in 1991
Hervey Bay
Seahawks N. E. Mclean Oval, Wondunna BAFL 1977 1978-1981 0 - Returned to Bundaberg AFL in 1982
Maryborough
Tigers AFL Federation Reserve, Maryborough 1977 1977 0 - Moved to Bundaberg AFL in 1979
Mooloolah Valley
Magpies 1985 1985-1988 0 - Folded after 1988 season
Pomona/Gympie     Devil Cats Ray Warren Oval, Glanmire and Reserve Street Oval, Pomona 1991 1991 0 - De-merged into Pomona and Gympie in 1992

Premiers

[edit]

Sunshine Coast AFL (1970-1992)

  • 1970: Maroochydore
  • 1971: Maroochydore
  • 1972: Maroochydore
  • 1973: Noosa
  • 1974: Maroochydore
  • 1975: Noosa
  • 1976: Noosa
  • 1977: Noosa
  • 1978: Maroochydore
  • 1979: Maroochydore
  • 1980: Noosa
  • 1981: Noosa
  • 1982: Maroochydore
  • 1983: Maroochydore
  • 1984: Maroochydore
  • 1985: Noosa
  • 1986: Maroochydore
  • 1987: Caloundra
  • 1988: Caloundra
  • 1989: Maroochydore
  • 1990: Nambour
  • 1991: Caloundra
  • 1992: Caloundra

The Wide Bay Australian Football League was a short-lived amateur competition that was formed in 1985 as a result of a breakaway from the Bundaberg Australian Football League. It only lasted two years before merging with the league it broke away from.

Clubs

[edit]
Final
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in SCAFL SCAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Cooloola Coast    Dolphins BAFL 1982 1985-1986 0 - Folded after 1986 season
Gympie Cats
Cats Ray Warren Oval, Glanmire BAFL 1971 1985-1986 0 - Formed Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1987
Hervey Bay Bombers
Bombers N. E. Mclean Oval, Wondunna BAFL 1977 1985-1986 2 1985, 1986 Formed Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1987
Maryborough
Tigers AFL Federation Reserve, Maryborough BAFL 1977 1986 0 - Entered recess in 1987, re-formed in Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL in 1988
Former
[edit]
Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in SCAFL SCAFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Gympie Blues[9]
Blues Ray Warren Oval, Glanmire 1985 1985 0 - Folded after 1985 season
Hervey Bay Hawks
Hawks N. E. Mclean Oval, Wondunna 1985 1985 0 - Folded after 1985 season

Premiers

[edit]

Wide Bay AFL (1985-1986)

  • 1985: Hervey Bay Bombers
  • 1986: Hervey Bay Bombers

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "AT MOUNT ISA "Aussie" Rules Played". Sporting Globe. No. 1042. Victoria, Australia. 3 August 1932. p. 8 (Edition1). Retrieved 26 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "AUSTRALIAN RULES". The Brisbane Courier. No. 23, 485. Queensland, Australia. 9 May 1933. p. 16. Retrieved 19 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ Bird, Murray; Parker, Greg (2018). More of the Kangaroo: 150 Years of Australian Football in Queensland - 1866 to 2016. Morningside, Qld. p. vii. ISBN 978-0-9943936-1-6. OCLC 1082363978.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ "Rovers Win". The North West Star Mount Isa. Mount Isa, Queensland. 12 September 2005. p. 20.
  5. ^ "Urangan in Rules Win". News Mail Bundaberg. Bundaberg, Queensland. 28 August 1984. p. 17.
  6. ^ "Up There Cazaly". Maryborough Chronicle Maryborough. Maryborough, Queensland. 4 August 1981. p. 14.
  7. ^ "Up There Cazaly". Maryborough Chronicle Maryborough. Maryborough, Queensland. 4 August 1981. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Dolphins win final 158-32". Maryborough Chronicle Maryborough. Maryborough, Queensland. 23 August 1983. p. 14.
  9. ^ Wide Bay AFL Year Book 1985.
[edit]

Leagues

[edit]

Clubs

[edit]