AFL Townsville is an amateur competition formed as the Townsville Australian Football League in 1955, the first contemporary AFL competition to be formed outside of the South East Queensland. It is based in 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 guernseys. AFL Townsville runs a men's competition with seniors and reserves divisions, as well as a women's and junior competitions.
History
Early matches in Townsville A Townsville representative team travelled to Cairns in 1884 to play one of the earliest recorded matches in Far North Queensland. It is not known how long the Townsville team began playing prior to this.
Australian Football is recorded to have been played regularly in Townsville in 1886.Queensland Figaro and Punch 19 Jun 1886 Page 23 Football.
The game was short-lived in Far North Queensland as shortly following the folding of the governing body, the Queensland Football Association Rugby Union grew rapidly in popularity across the north of the state with new clubs being formed in areas where the QFA clubs has been and players switching codes.
During World War I in 1942 and 1943, several matches were played among service teams. A league briefly existed including teams RAAF, Cavalry, Army and Essential Services. However support soon petered out.
Townsville Australian Football League The current league was launched with three teams, RAAF, Hermit Park and South Townsville in 1954, after a series of exhibition matches were played at RAAF Oval and Gill Park and an exhibition game at the Townsville Showgrounds. All clubs were founded with juniors.
The Garbutt club was formed in 1956. In 1961, Currajong replaced the RAAF who withdrew due to a struggle for numbers. Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War led to the Army entering the scene in 1968 when 6 RAR and a revived RAAF side expanded the league to 6 teams.
The Wulguru club was established in 1968 and entered senior sides, bringing the league up to seven teams. As Australia's involvement in Vietnam wound down, the Army withdrew. The competition remained with six sides from 1976 to 1982 until a team from Burdekin increased the numbers to seven in 1983. Burdekin, made up of converted rugby players, had almost no support apart from the management of the Delta Hotel. The demise of Wulguru followed in early 1984 when the league made a decision with significant consequences. Four seasons of summer football followed, and while the “Darwin” seasons attracted some top players, junior development was stifled.
Currajong in 1990 swallowed up a penniless Townsville Swans, who had switched from South Townsville in June 1982 to become the Curra Swans. The nomination of the Hawks club in 1989 caused a stir due to the number of current players recruited from Hermit Park, Currajong and South Townsville using suspect overtures , although be that as it may the club were premiers by a point in their first season.
The league lost three teams in 1989 and the following year only Hermit Park, West Townsville, Curra Swans, and the University Hawks remained.
In 1999, the Northern Beaches Lions entered the TAFL in an attempt to expand the shattered league. Unfortunately, they endured season after season of enormous defeats. In one match that year, Steve Mazey of West Townsville kicked 27 goals against them. The Northern Beaches Lions were renamed to the Twin City Lions in 2002 and continued to struggle until the end of 2008 when they went into recess with only one win to their credit in August 2004 over Curra Swans. The Lions regrouped and returned with much more solid foundations in 2012 under the banner of "Townsville City Lions". Despite losing every match that year, often at record margins, the determined Lions upgraded their Garbutt facility and won their second Senior match in June 2013 by a goal against University.
Despite the lack of growth in the Seniors, AFL Townsville enjoyed a massive surge in the Junior ranks in more recent years, numbers had increased, and now hundreds of children and teenagers turn out to give their all for their respective clubs.
In 2010, the Thuringowa Bulldogs (former West Townsville) won their first Senior premiership since 2001 in their 40th year and went on to go back to back in 2011.
Clubs Current
ClubColoursNicknameHome Ground(s)Est.Years in TAFLTAFL Senior Premierships Total Years Curra Swans, Mud Ducks Muldoon Oval ("The Pond"), Annandale 1990 1990- 41996, 1997, 1998, 2020 Hermit Park Tigers Neil French Oval, Annandale 1955 1955- 14 1955, 1967, 1970, 1984/85, 1986/87, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 Northern Beaches Suns North Shore Oval, Burdell 2016 2016- 0 - Thuringowa Bulldogs Riverway Stadium, Thuringowa Central 1970 1970- 16 1971, 1980, 1987/88, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 University Hawks Riverway Stadium, Thuringowa Central 19891989- 9 1989, 1993, 1994. 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
Junior Only Club Colours Nickname Home Ground(s) Est.Years in TAFL Garbutt Bombers Harold Phillips Park, Garbutt 1955 Magnetic Island Magpies Gifford Street, Horseshoe Bay Magnetic Island
Previous ClubColoursNicknameHome Ground(s)Est.Years in TAFLTAFL Senior PremiershipsFate Total Years 2RAR 1969 1969 11969 Merged with 4FR to form Lavarack in 19704FR 196919690 -Merged with 2RAR to form Lavarack in 19706RAR 195819680 -Folded after 1968 season BurdekinBulls 1983 1983 0 -Folded after 1983 season Currajong Blues Centenary Park, South Townsville 1961 1961-1989 91973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985/86 Merged with Townsville Swans to form Curra after 1989 season Garbutt Magpies Harold Phillips Park, Garbutt 1956 1956-1988, 71958, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1982 Recess between 1989 and 2020, folded after 2022 seasonLavarack19701970, 197211972Recess in 1971Northern Beaches BarrasBarrasNorth Shore Oval, Burdell?-2015Juniors onlyMerged with Townsville City to form Northern Beaches Suns in 2016 RAAFAirfield Oval, Garbutt 1954 1954-1960, 1968-1969 11956 Recess between 1961-67, folded after 1969 season Townsville Swans Swans Muldoon Oval, Annandale 1954 1954-1990 61957, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1968, 1974 Merged with Currajong to form Curra after 1989 season Townsville City Lions North Shore Oval, Burdell 1999 1999-2015 0 - Merged with Northern Beaches Barras to form Northern Beaches Suns in 2016Upper RossBombers19730 -Folded after 1976 season Wulguru SaintsWulguru Oval, Wulguru 1968 1968-1984 1 1981 Folded after 1984 season
Premiers
1955 Hermit Park 1956 RAAF 1957 South Townsville 1958 Garbutt 1959 South Townsville 1960 South Townsville 1961 Garbutt 1962 Garbutt 1963 South Townsville 1964 Garbutt 1965 Garbutt 1966 Garbutt 1967 Hermit Park 1968 South Townsville 1969 2RAR 1970 Hermit Park 1971 West Townsville 1972 Lavarack 1973 Currajong 1974 South Townsville 1975 Currajong 1976 Currajong 1977 Currajong 1978 Currajong 1979 Currajong 1980 West Townsville 1981 Wulguru 1982 Garbutt 1983 Currajong 1984 Currajong 1984/85 Hermit Park 1985/86 Currajong 1986/87 Hermit Park 1987/88 West Townsville 1988 Townsville 1989 University Hawks 1990 West Townsville 1991 West Townsville 1992 West Townsville 1993 University Hawks 1994 University Hawks 1995 University Hawks 1996 Curra Swans 1997 Curra Swans 1998 Curra Swans 1999 West Townsville 2000 West Townsville 2001 West Townsville 2002 Hermit Park 2003 University Hawks 2004 University Hawks 2005 University Hawks 2006 Hermit Park 2007 University Hawks 2008 Hermit Park 2009 University Hawks 2010 Thuringowa 2011 Thuringowa 2012 Hermit Park 2013 Thuringowa 2014 Thuringowa 2015 Hermit Park 2016 Thuringowa 2017 Hermit Park 2018 Hermit Park 2019 Hermit Park 2020 Curra Swans 2021 Hermit Park 2022 Thuringowa 2023 Thuringowa 2024 Thuringowa 2025 Thuringowa
W.J.Williams Medal (League Best & Fairest)
1955 W.Bene-Best – RAAF 1956 Lionel Hall – Garbutt 1957 J. Kennedy, R.Dillon – South Townsville, Garbutt 1958 Max Craig – South Townsville 1959 Steve Lampton – Garbutt 1960 James MacDonald – Garbutt 1961 Ricco Butler – Garbutt 1962 Eric Johns – Hermit Park 1963 Claude Morris – Currajong 1964 Ricco Butler – Garbutt 1965 Terry Gouki – South Townsville 1966 Chris Reynolds – Hermit Park 1967 Ricco Butler – Garbutt 1968 Jack Van Damme – Currajong 1969 Dave Christie – 2RAR 1970 Peter Cox – Currajong 1971 Bob Anderson – Hermit Park 1972 Ray McGrath – South Townsville 1973 Florio Da're – West Townsville 1974 Florio Da're – West Townsville 1975 John Bangle – West Townsville 1976 Keith Sedgman – West Townsville 1977 Graham Wilson – West Townsville 1978 Dave Nogar – Garbutt 1979 Paul Smith – Wulguru Saints 1980 Mark Fedley – South Townsville 1981 Paul Smith – Wulguru Saints 1982 Steve Lovell – Hermit Park 1983 Brett Franklin – Hermit Park 1984 Ken Johnson – Currajong 1984/85 Brian Hope – Townsville Swans 1985/86 Larry Howson – West Townsville 1986/87 Robert Scott – Townsville Swans 1987/88 Larry Howson – West Townsville
1988 Alan Chirgwin – Townsville Swans 1989 Hugh Bresser – James Cook University 1990 Garry Cook – West Townsville 1991 Andrew Cadzow – Heatley Hawks 1992 Brett Howson – West Townsville 1993 Steve Talbot – Hermit Park 1994 Peter Appleford – West Townsville 1995 Peter Pyle – Curra Swans 1996 Peter Appleford – West Townsville 1997 M. Jolly – Hermit Park 1998 Nigel Aikin – Hermit Park 1999 Peter Appleford – West Townsville 2000 Peter Appleford – West Townsville 2001 Corey Hewitt – Curra Swans 2002 Corey Hewitt – Curra Swans 2003 Stephen Montano – University Hawks 2004 Glenn Robertson – Thuringowa 2005 Steve Montano, Ben Broadbent – University Hawks 2006 Andrew Grubba – Hermit Park 2007 Steve Montano – University Hawks 2008 Michael Krake – Hermit Park 2009 Brent Doyle – Curra Swans 2010 Cameron Leman – Thuringowa 2011 Adam McDonald – Curra Swans 2012 Clint Austerberry – Thuringowa 2013 Cody Richardson – Thuringowa 2014 Jason Di Betta – Hermit Park 2015 Nathan Peters – Hermit Park 2016 Daine MacDonald – Thuringowa 2017 Daine MacDonald – Thuringowa 2018 Troy Sherratt/Daniel Broderick – University Hawks 2019 Shane Lindgren – Curra Swans 2020 Tyson Williams – Thuringowa 2021 Callaway Parker – Hermit Park 2022 Joel Newman – Thuringowa
2009 Ladder AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts University Hawks 14 0 1 0 1469 815 180.25% 56 1st Semi Hermit Park 15 21 111 Curra Swans 9 9 63 Thuringowa 7 0 7 1 1417 1126 125.84% 30 2nd Semi University Hawks 11 14 80 Thuringowa 12 7 79 Hermit Park 6 0 9 0 1199 1336 89.75% 24 Preliminary Thuringowa 21 16 142 Hermit Park 11 6 72 Curra Swans 2 0 12 1 928 1736 53.46% 10 Grand University Hawks 17 12 114 Thuringowa 15 6 96
2010 Ladder AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Thuringowa 12 0 3 0 1645 942 174.63% 48 1st Semi Hermit Park 22 13 145 Curra Swans 13 7 85 University Hawks 9 0 6 0 1377 1122 122.73% 36 2nd Semi University Hawks 15 16 106 Thuringowa 10 10 70 Hermit Park 9 0 6 0 1395 1182 118.02% 36 Preliminary Thuringowa 17 11 113 Hermit Park 10 8 68 Curra Swans 0 0 15 0 807 1978 40.80% 0 Grand Thuringowa 7 11 53 University Hawks 6 12 48
2011 Ladder AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Thuringowa 13 0 2 0 1435 888 161.60% 52 1st Semi Curra Swans 16 13 109 University Hawks 10 9 69 Hermit Park 10 0 5 0 1306 968 134.92% 40 2nd Semi Thuringowa 11 7 73 Hermit Park 9 9 63 Curra Swans 6 0 9 0 1090 1193 91.37% 24 Preliminary Hermit Park 14 13 97 Curra Swans 13 13 91 University Hawks 1 0 14 0 771 1553 49.65% 4 Grand Thuringowa 13 14 92 Hermit Park 4 11 35
2012 Ladder