The AFL Wide Bay is a regional body that coordinates Australian rules football competitions in the Wide Bay–Burnett and northern Sunshine Coast regions of Queensland, Australia. The competition currently features teams from the cities of Bundaberg, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, and Gympie. AFL Wide Bay operates men's senior, reserves and women's competitions as well as underage competitions including mixed and junior boys teams.
Beginning as the Bundaberg-Wide Bay Australian Football League in 1987 through the merger of the "Bundaberg Australian Football League" and "Wide Bay Australian Football League". The competition was temporarily managed by AFL Queensland as part of its South East Queensland structure for the 2017 season before resuming under the current banner in 2018.
The representative team was known as the "Tigers", wearing guernseys similar to those of the Richmond Tigers.
AFL Wide Bay origins: the merger In 1985, the WBAFL played a five team competition which included teams from Hervey Bay (2), Cooloola Coast and Gympie (2), with Maryborough fielding junior grades. The BAFL played a four team competition which included the three main clubs, Wests, Norths, and Souths (2) with Burnett Heads fielding Reserves and juniors only.
In 1986, the WBAFL played a four team competition, but finished the season with just two clubs, Hervey Bay and Gympie, who fielded just one senior club each that year. Maryborough and Cooloola Coast folded. The BAFL had only three senior teams, Wests, Norths and Souths (with Souths fielding just one A Grade team that year only), and so with backing of the Queensland Australian Football League, the two Leagues merged.
In 1987, the Bundaberg Wide Bay Australian Football League was formed with the five remaining senior clubs, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Norths, Wests and Souths, and the addition of Burnett Heads for a few senior games, before being relegated to the Reserves after five rounds.
In 1988, Maryborough joined the competition to resume a six team competition.
Clubs
ClubColoursNicknameHome groundFormer leagueEst.Years in WBAFLWBAFL Senior Premierships Total Years Across The Waves Eagles Frank Coulthard Oval, Norville –1997 1997- 11 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 Bay Power Power Keith Dunne Oval, Urangan –2004 2004- 1 2019 Brothers Bulldogs Bulldogs Brothers Sporting Complex, Kensington BAFL1972 1987- 3 1987, 1995, 2010 Hervey Bay Bombers Bombers N. E. Mclean Oval, Wondunna WBAFL1977 1987- 21 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Reserve Grade Only Maryborough AFL Federation Reserve, MaryboroughWBAFL1977 0–
Former Senior Teams ClubColoursMonikerHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in WBAFLWBAFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsBurnett HeadsSaintsJack Norgate Oval, Burnett HeadsBAFL197219870 -Folded after 1987 season Fraser Coast (1992-96)(1997-2000) Keith Dunne Oval, Urangan–1992 1992-2000 1 1993 Folded after 2000 season Gympie CatsRay Warren Oval, GlanmireWBAFL, SCAFL, QFA 1971 1987-1989, 1993-1999, 2004-2006, 2018 1 2018 Recess in 1990, re-formed in Sunshine Coast AFL in 1992. Moved to Queensland FA in 2000 and 2007 North Bundaberg Kangaroos Kendall Flat, Bundaberg EastBAFL1972 1987-1996 0 - Merged with South Bundaberg to form Across The Waves (ATW) in 1997PomonaDemonsPomona Oval, PomonaSCAFL, QFA1973 1993-1996, 2004-2006, 2024-2025 0 - Recess from 1997-2003. Moved to QFA in 2007 and 2026 South Bundaberg Magpies Frank Coulthard Oval, NorvilleBAFL1972 1987-1996 0 - Merged with North Bundaberg to form Across The Waves (ATW) in 1997
A Grade Senior Premiers
Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL 1987 West Bundaberg Bulldogs 1988 Hervey Bay Bombers 1989 Hervey Bay Bombers 1990 Hervey Bay Bombers 1991 Hervey Bay Bombers 1992 Hervey Bay Bombers 1993 Fraser Coast Lions 1994 Hervey Bay Bombers 1995 West Bundaberg Bulldogs 1996 Hervey Bay Bombers 1997 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 1998 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 1999 ATW Bundaberg Eagles AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay 2000 Hervey Bay Bombers 2001 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2002 Hervey Bay Bombers 2003 In recess 2004 Hervey Bay Bombers 2005 Hervey Bay Bombers 2006 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2007 Hervey Bay Bombers 2008 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
AFL Wide Bay 2009 Hervey Bay Bombers 2010 Brothers Bulldogs 2011 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2012 Hervey Bay Bombers 2013 Hervey Bay Bombers 2014 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2015 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2016 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2017 In recess 2018 Gympie Cats 2019 Bay Power 2020 ATW Bundaberg Eagles 2021 Hervey Bay Bombers 2022 Hervey Bay Bombers 2023 Hervey Bay Bombers 2024 Hervey Bay Bombers 2025 Hervey Bay Bombers
Years in recess: 2003 and 2017 summary In 2003, four out of the eight clubs that played in a Brisbane League Division Three, were from AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay. They were Hervey Bay Bombers, Maryborough Bears, Across The Waves Bundaberg, and Brothers Bulldogs from Bundaberg. Gympie Cats and Pomona Demons had also previously played in the Wide Bay League. It was a competition which lasted only one season before the above mentioned six clubs, with the addition of new club, Bay Power, resulted in a revamped seven club League reforming the AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay competition the following year.
Hervey Bay Bombers won the Division Three Flag in 2003 beating ATW Bundaberg Eagles, with Maryborough Bears finishing third. The other two clubs in the competition were Bribie Island Bulldogs and Glasshouse Lions.
In 2017, a very similar set up to the 2003 Season took place. Hervey Bay Bombers, Across The Waves Bundaberg, Brothers Bulldogs and Bay Power, joined Sunshine Coast clubs, Maroochydore Roos, Gympie Cats and Pomona Demons, to form QFA Wide Bay-Sunshine Coast for just one season. Maroochydore Roos defeated Brothers Bulldogs in the Grand Final, played at Gympie. The AFL Wide Bay Reserves and Youth/Junior Grades continued under the banner of AFL Wide Bay. Gympie returned to play in the AFL Wide Bay competition in 2018, before leaving the competition once again.
2009 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Brothers Bulldogs 15 4 1 0 1611 803 200.62% 76 1st Semi Across The Waves 13 8 86 Bay Power 9 9 63 Hervey Bay Bombers 9 4 7 0 1538 1140 134.91% 52 2nd Semi Brothers Bulldogs 14 7 91 Hervey Bay Bombers 12 18 90 Across The Waves 8 4 7 1 1576 1038 151.83% 50 Preliminary Hervey Bay Bombers 20 16 136 Across The Waves 6 6 42 Bay Power 7 4 8 1 1420 1308 108.56% 46 Grand Hervey Bay Bombers 15 12 102 Brothers Bulldogs 10 7 67 Maryborough 0 4 16 0 390 2246 17.36% 16
2010 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Across The Waves 15 0 1 0 1809 722 250.55% 60 1st Semi Brothers Bulldogs 30 19 199 Bay Power 2 2 14 Hervey Bay Bombers 12 0 4 0 1750 754 232.10% 48 2nd Semi Across The Waves 15 7 97 Hervey Bay Bombers 11 10 76 Brothers Bulldogs 9 0 7 0 1746 1133 154.10% 36 Preliminary Brothers Bulldogs 17 11 113 Hervey Bay Bombers 12 13 85 Bay Power 2 0 14 0 840 1801 46.64% 8 Grand Brothers Bulldogs 10 8 68 Across The Waves 7 16 58 Maryborough 2 0 14 0 546 2281 23.94% 8
2011 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Across The Waves 15 4 0 1 2095 509 411.59% 78 1st Semi Hervey Bay Bombers 12 10 82 Bay Power 8 16 64 Brothers Bulldogs 8 4 7 1 1205 1168 103.17% 50 2nd Semi Across The Waves 14 9 93 Brothers Bulldogs 9 5 59 Bay Power 6 4 9 1 1109 1291 85.90% 42 Preliminary Hervey Bay Bombers 14 11 95 Brothers Bulldogs 7 9 51 Hervey Bay Bombers 6 4 9 1 969 1320 73.41% 42 Grand Across The Waves 20 8 128 Hervey Bay Bombers 9 7 61 Maryborough 3 4 13 0 875 1965 44.53% 28
2012 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results
AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Hervey Bay Bombers 15 4 0 1 2000 383 522.19 62 1st Semi Across The Waves 23 12 150 Maryborough 6 10 46 Brothers Bulldogs 11 4 5 0 1263 1178 107.22 44 2nd Semi Hervey Bay Bombers 16 18 114 Brothers Bulldogs 6 8 44 Across The Waves 8 4 7 1 1394 1080 129.07 34 Preliminary Across The Waves 13 8 86 Brothers Bulldogs 6 7 43 Maryborough 3 4 12 1 768 1937 39.65 14 Grand Hervey Bay Bombers 11 14 80 Across The Waves 10 10 70 Bay Power 1 4 14 1 773 1620 47.72 6
2013 Ladder AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Across The Waves 12 0 3 0 1454 1127 129.02% 48 Semi Hervey Bay Bombers 23 17 155 Brothers Bulldogs 6 7 43 Hervey Bay Bombers 11 0 4 0 1561 988 158.00% 44 Grand Hervey Bay Bombers 22 11 143 Across The Waves 9 10 64 Brothers Bulldogs 4 0 11 0 1019 1439 70.81% 16 Bay Power 3 0 12 0 1038 1518 68.38% 12
2014 Ladder AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % PtsFinalTeamGBPtsTeamGBPts Hervey Bay Bombers 14 0 2 0 2001 679 294.70% 56 Semi Across The Waves 15 11 101 Brothers Bulldogs 7 7 49 Across The Waves 12 0 4 0 1473 1115 132.11% 48 Grand Across The Waves 14 16 100 Hervey Bay Bombers 10 6 66 Brothers Bulldogs 5 0 11 0 853 1640 52.01% 20 Bay Power 3 0 13 0 941 1720 54.71% 12 Maroochydore Roos 1 0 1 0 192 128 150.00% 4 Gympie 0 0 1 0 71 89 79.78% 0 Pomona 0 0 2 0 68 119 57.14% 0 Glasshouse Hinterland 0 0 1 0 23 132 17.42% 0
2015 Ladder AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Across The Waves 12 0 2 0 1806 751 240.48% 48 Preliminary Brothers Bulldogs 19 20 134 Hervey Bay Bombers 9 13 67 Hervey Bay Bombers 7 0 7 0 1118 1228 91.04% 28 Grand Across The Waves 17 9 111 Brothers Bulldogs 14 13 97 Brothers Bulldogs 7 0 7 0 1173 1232 95.21% 28 Bay Power 4 0 10 0 799 1426 56.03% 16
2016 Ladder AFL Wide Bay Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Across The Waves 12 0 4 0 1794 997 179.94% 48 Preliminary Bay Power 13 14 92 Hervey Bay Bombers 9 11 65 Hervey Bay Bombers 11 0 5 0 1437 1190 120.76% 44 Grand Across The Waves 13 15 93 Bay Power 11 7 73 Bay Power 8 0 8 0 1302 1448 89.92% 32 Brothers Bulldogs 4 0 12 0 1083 1515 71.49% 16 AFL Wide Bay A Grade Senior Mens Grand Finals