AFL Capricornia is an amateur Australian rules football competition played across Central Queensland between the months of March to September, which are typically the cooler months of the Queensland climate. Spanning across three main regions of Central Queensland including: Rockhampton, Gladstone and Livingstone. The league is moderately popular despite rugby league being the more favoured football code in Central Queensland.
Traditionally the Grand Final is held in Rockhampton at the Rockhampton Cricket Ground or occasionally at Stenlake Park (last in 2011), however Gladstone has twice held the Grand Final at Clinton Park (2004 & 2015).
Brief history Rockhampton's first football club, the Rockhampton Football Club was formed by Dr. Roberston under Australian Rules in 1873, making it the third city in the colony after Brisbane and Ipswich to take up the sport. Matches were played on the Rockhampton Cricket Reserve. By the 1880s, there was a full league running in Capricornia.Morning Bulletin 17 May 1886 Page 4Morning Bulletin 14 May 1887 Page 6 FOOTBALL North Rockhampton Football Club and Gladstone Football Club were both founded in 1885. However at the turn of the century, rugby football took hold across most of the state and the Australian rules competitions went into recess.
The existing competition commenced as an informal, social competition, and in 1972 the competition expanded with clubs playing in Rockhampton and Gladstone, and later variously Blackwater, Biloela, Boyne Island and Yeppoon. During the mid to late 1980s, there were eight clubs in the competition.
Since 1994, there have been six clubs in the competition, with all clubs having their own grounds to train and play on. Every club currently is fielding teams in all nine competitions (A-Grade, Reserves, Women's, Under 17, Under 15, Under 13, Under 11, Under 9, & Under 7). It is the only competition in Queensland outside of Cairns and Brisbane to run a full league that includes seniors to juniors at all six clubs.
Following the 1997 season, the neighbouring Central Highlands AFL collapsed leaving the then Capricornia AFL as the sole league for Australian Rules Football in Central Queensland. Since 1998 some fans have talked about the possibility of some former Central Highlands AFL clubs joining AFL Capricornia, however neither the leagues (AFL Capricornia or Central Highlands AFL) or any of their associated clubs have officially commented on the possibility that AFL Capricornia might expand West. Today many of the former Central Highlands AFL clubs still continue to operate, even though they are without a league to play-in, and even run Auskick programs.AFL Central Highlands - Twitter
The region's representative team originally had colours of yellow, black and white, and were known as the "Taipans". During the reconfiguration of AFL Queensland another representative team closer to Brisbane was given the nickname "Taipans", this forced the AFL Capricornia to choose a different identity. The new colours are dark blue, sky blue and white, and are now known as the "Cyclones"
The Capricornia region has had a few success stories of ex-AFL Capricornia players now playing or have played in the AFL, some players include Zac Smith (Suns, Cats), Paul O'Shea (Bulldogs), Gavin Urquart (Kangaroos).
It was one of the first regional leagues in Queensland to introduce a Women's League. Today in Queensland Women's Leagues are also run by AFL Queensland, AFL Cairns, AFL Mackay, AFL Townsville, AFL Queensland Youth Girls Competition.
The first all women's Australian Football game in this region was played in 1983, with Sisters Roos AFC (Brothers) versus Boyne Island Tannum Sands Saints. The game was played before the seniors game, and the eventual winner was the Sisters Roos. Sisters Roos were also holders of the Champions Cup which was given to the winners of the then pre season challenge. There had been talk of a Women's League starting since 1992, though it took much longer to eventuate, but there were a couple of exhibition games played before the men's senior games in the nineties. AFL Capricornia encourages women and girls to participate in AFL and would like to see a women's or girls League start in the near future. Brothers Roos AFC do have a women's team, named 'The Sisters' but do not yet have an opposing club in the area to play against. In late 2010 the AFL Capricornia Women's League was formed. The format for the season is 5 home & away rounds, plus finals, beginning on 11 July. Matches take part on either Saturday or Sunday Afternoons. AFL Capricornia development officer Stuart Seager said "The games were of a high quality". The competition came about after Boyne Island Tannum Sands Saints AFC player Megan Hunt approached AFLQ and AFL Capricornia on behalf of women who could no longer play in age competitions against males.
The league is covered primarily by the local print media of Rockhampton's Morning Bulletin and Gladston's The Observer. TV highlights are also broadcast weekly on the local news sport segments of WIN News Rockhampton and Seven News Rockhampton. Weekly radio wrap segments are broadcast on the Saturday morning Local Grandstand segment of ABC Capricornia. Many of these may also include occasional interviews with players, coachers, and even league officials.
Clubs
Current clubs ClubColoursMonikerYears in AFL Cap.PremiershipsSeniorsReservesWomen'sTotal Saints Boyne Island Oval, Boyne Island 1983 1984- 14 14 1 28 Kele Park, West Rockhampton 1981 6 3 2 11 Gladstone Clinton Park, Clinton 1972 1973- 6 2 2 10 Glenmore Bulls Stenlake Park, Kawana 1973 1973- 8 7 3 18 Rockhampton Panthers Rockhampton Cricket Ground, The Common 1968 1969- 4 3 0 7 Yeppoon Swans Swan Park, Yeppoon 1981 1982- 15 6 1 16 Premierships are correct to the end of the 2016 AFL Capricorina season
Former clubs ClubColoursMonikerYears in LeaguePremiershipsFateSeniorsReservesWomen'sTotalAll-Blacks197819780N/AN/A0Folded after 1978 season Allenstown Rovers Kettle Park, Allenstown 1968 1969-1972 2 N/A N/A 2Folded after 1972 season Biloela Bombers Biloela Cricket Ground, Biloela 1985 1985-1991 0 0 N/A 0Folded after 1991 season Blackwater Cats Blackwater Cricket Ground, Blackwater 1981 1981-1982 0 0 N/A 0Formed Central Highlands AFL in 1983Coast UnitedSwansUnknown oval in Yeppoon1976197600N/A0Folded after 1976 season Depot Hill Hawks Bartlem Park, Depot Hill 1968 1969–1972 0 N/A N/A 0Folded after 1972 seasonGladstone Brothers197419740N/AN/A0Folded after 1974 seasonInstitute197919790N/AN/A0Folded after 1979 season Parkana Demons Church Park/Capricorn Country Club, Park Avenue 1976 1 1 0 2Folded after 1992 season
Auskick AFL Capricornia also runs the regions two Auskick divisions, the Capricorn Coast Hub for the Rockhampton Region & the Port Curtis Hub for the Gladstone Region. Auskick focuses on teaching children aged 5 to 12 the basic skills of Australian Rules Football, in a non-contact environment.AFL AusKick2026 AFL Capricornia Auskick
Capricorn Coast Hub clubs ClubColoursMonikerYears in AFL Cap.2026 Season Age Groups Under 7's mixedUnder 9's mixedUnder 11's boysUnder 12's girls Kele Park, West Rockhampton 1981 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Glenmore Bulls Stenlake Park, Kawana 1973 1973- ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Rockhampton Panthers Rockhampton Cricket Ground, The Common 1968 1969- ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Yeppoon Swans Swan Park, Yeppoon 1981 1982- X X X ✔
Port Curtis Hub clubs ClubColoursMonikerYears in AFL Cap.2026 Season Age GroupsUnder 7's mixedUnder 9's mixedUnder 11's mixed Saints Boyne Island Oval, Boyne Island 1983 1984- ✔ ✔ ✔ Gladstone Clinton Park, Clinton 1972 1973- ✔ ✔ ✔
League honours
Premiers +1969–2016 Season Men's A-Grade Men's Reserves Women's Under 17's Under 15's Under 13's Rockhampton Football Association 1969 Unknown N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1970 Allenstown N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1971 Unknown N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1972 Allenstown N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rockhampton Australian Football Association 1973 Gladstone N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1974 Gladstone N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1975 Gladstone N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Capricornia Australian Football Association 1976 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1977 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1978 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1979 Parkana N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1980 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Capricornia Australian Football League 1981 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1982 Gladstone Brothers N/A N/A N/A N/A 1983 Gladstone Brothers N/A N/A N/A 1984 Brothers Parkana N/A N/A N/A N/A 1985 Yeppoon N/A N/A N/A 1986 Brothers Yeppoon N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1987 Brothers N/A Yeppoon N/A N/A 1988 N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1989 N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1990 N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1991 Yeppoon Yeppoon N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1992 Yeppoon N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1993 Gladstone N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1994 N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1995 Brothers Brothers N/A Unknown N/A N/A 1996 N/A Unknown N/A 1997 Yeppoon N/A Unknown N/A Australian Football League Capricornia 1998 N/A Unknown N/A 1999 Yeppoon N/A N/A N/A 2000 N/A Yeppoon N/A 2001 N/A Glenmore Glenmore 1 N/A 2002 N/A Glenmore Glenmore 1 N/A 2003 N/A Glenmore Glenmore 1 N/A 2004 Gladstone Yeppoon N/A Glenmore Yeppoon 2005 Brothers Glenmore N/A Yeppoon 2006 N/A Unknown Unknown Unknown 2007 Rockhampton Glenmore N/A Unknown Unknown Unknown 2008 N/A Gladstone Yeppoon 2009 Yeppoon Rockhampton N/A Unknown Unknown Unknown 2010 Brothers Brothers Gladstone Yeppoon Gladstone 2011 Gladstone Yeppoon Yeppoon Glenmore 2012 Gladstone Gladstone Yeppoon Gladstone Glenmore 2013 Glenmore Yeppoon Glenmore 2014 Glenmore Glenmore Yeppoon Yeppoon 2015 Yeppoon Rockhampton Glenmore Gladstone Gladstone 2016 Yeppoon Panthers Glenmore Yeppoon Yeppoon Notes: 1 Ran as an Under 14's competition.
Best & Fairest +1969–2016 Season Men's A-GradeBernie Gottke Medal Men's ReservesGraham Orr Medal Women'sMaree Lambert Medal Under 17's Under 15's Under 13's Rockhampton Football Association 1969 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1970 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1971 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1972 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rockhampton Australian Football Association 1973 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1974 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1975 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Capricornia Australian Football Association 1976 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1977 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1978 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1979 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1980 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Capricornia Australian Football League 1981 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1982 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1983 N/A N/A N/A 1984 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1985 N/A N/A N/A 1986 N/A N/A N/A 1987 N/A N/A N/A 1988 N/A N/A N/A 1989 N/A N/A N/A 1990 N/A N/A N/A 1991 1 1 N/A N/A N/A 1992 N/A N/A N/A 1993 1 1 N/A N/A N/A 1994 1 1 1 N/A N/A N/A 1995 N/A N/A N/A 1996 N/A N/A N/A 1997 N/A N/A N/A Australian Football League Capricornia 1998 N/A N/A N/A 1999 N/A N/A N/A 2000 N/A N/A N/A 2001 N/A 2 N/A 2002 1 1 1 N/A 2 N/A 2003 N/A 2 N/A 2004 N/A N/A 2005 N/A 2006 N/A 2007 N/A 2008 N/A 2009 1 1 N/A 2010 2011 1 1 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Notes: 1 Medal tied and awarded to both players as joint winners. Joint winners listed in order of surname. 2 Ran as an Under 14's competition.
Leading goal kickers + 1969–2015