Australian rules football leagues in regional Queensland

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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 pre-cursor 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 has been semi-regular premiership matches on the Gold Coast.

Contents

[edit] AFL Bundaberg-Wide Bay

The Bundaberg-Wide Bay Australian Football League was formed in 1987 through the merger of the Bundaberg Australian Football League and Wide Bay Australian Football Leagues. The competition features teams from around the Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region.

In 2003, the Bundaberg-Wide Bay AFL was joined by clubs from further south, operating as the Wide Bay-Hinterland division of AFL South Queensland, but has since reverted to a stand-alone league.

[edit] Representative team

Known as the TIGERS wearing guernsey's simillar to those of the Richmond Tigers.

[edit] Clubs

Club Colours Years in competition Website
Across the Waves Bundaberg Blue, Yellow, White 1997- Official Site
Hervey Bay Bombers Black, Red 1977-1984 (Bundaberg AFL)
1985-1986 (Wide Bay AFL)
1987-
Bay Power Black, White, Teal 2004-
Brothers Bulldogs Blue, White, Red
Maryborough Bears 1990-1991, 1993- Official Site

[edit] AFL Cairns

Main article: AFL Cairns

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.

[edit] AFL Capricornia

Main article: AFL Capricornia


AFL Capricornia is an amateur competition played in the areas of Rockhampton and Gladstone between the months of March and September in the cooler seasons of the Central Queensland climate. There is currently six senior clubs in the competition, all clubs have firsts, seconds , thirds under 15's and 13's. All senior clubs in the competition have their own grounds to train and play on. Players from the AFL Capricornia picked in the AFL Draft are Paul O'Shea who is the only born and bred player to come out of the Central Queensland area was picked up by the Western Bulldogs from Brothers Roos AFC also Gavin Urquhart from Glenmore Bulls was amazingly picked by North Melbourne in the same year as Paul O'Shea in 2006 for the start of the 2007 season.

[edit] AFL Darling Downs

The Darling Downs Australian Football League began in 1971, based around the city of Toowoomba west of Brisbane.

[edit] Representitive Team

Known as the CROWS and wear similar guernsey's to the Adelaide Crows

The most recognised player to come out of the Toowoomba region was Rowan Moody.

[edit] Premiers

  • 2007 University Cougars
  • 2006 University Cougars
  • 2005 Coolaroo
  • 2004 Coolaroo
  • 2003 Coolaroo
  • 2002 Coolaroo
  • 2001 Coolaroo

[edit] Clubs

Club Colours Years in Competition
Coolaroo Roos blue and white Formed 1972
Dalby Swans
Goondiwindi Hawks Green & Gold Formed 1978
Kingaroy Bulldogs blue, white and red Junior Club
Toowoomba Tigers Black and yellow
University of Southern Queensland Cougars Red, blue and yellow Formed 1976
Warwick Redbacks red and black
South Toowoomba Bombers Black and Red Formed

[edit] AFL Mackay

Including clubs from Mackay, the league began in 1970.

[edit] Representitive Team

AFL Mackay are known as the CROWS and have used this moniker since the leaggues inception.


[edit] Clubs

Club Colours Years in competition
Bakers Creek Yellow and black
Eastern Swans
Mackay City Hawks Yellow, Brown
Moranbah Bulldogs Blue red and wite 1975-
North Mackay
Whitsunday Sea Eagles Blue with white sash red side panels

[edit] AFL Mount Isa

Providing AFL competition in the Mount Isa area, the league began in the 1950s.

[edit] Clubs

  • Buffaloes
    Navy Blue, White
  • Rovers
    Green, Yellow
  • Tigers
    Black, Yellow
  • Lake Nash Bats
    Black, Red
  • Lake Nash Bulldogs
    Blue, Red, White

[edit] Former clubs

  • Mary Kathleen AFC Club closed with the end of uranium mining at Mary Kathleen
  • Saints AFC club closed in early nineties due to downturn in mining industry
  • Hawks AFC club closed

[edit] AFL Townsville

The regional league in the Townsville region commenced in 1955, originally under the name Townsville Australian National Football League.

[edit] Representitive Team

Known as the Eagles they wear similar guernsey's to the Zillmere Eagles old white and blue guernsey's.

[edit] Clubs

Club Colours Years in competition
Curra Swans thin red, blue and white vertical stripes
Hermit Park Yellow and black
James Cook University Hawks Yellow, Brown
Thuringowa Bulldogs Blue red and white
Twin City Lions Maroon, Gold

[edit] References

www.afl.com.au
www.aflq.com.au

[edit] External links

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Australian rules football in Queensland
Governing Body
Professional Clubs
Metropolitan Leagues
Regional Leagues
Women's Leagues
AFL Queensland Women's · Cairns · Townsville · AFL Queensland Youth Girls Competition
Principal Venues