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Australian Football League Townsville
General information
Founded 1955
AFL Townsville Season 2020:
Premiers Thuringowa Bulldogs
Minor Premiers Thuringowa Bulldogs
Wooden Spoon Northern Beaches Suns
Leading goal kicker Ben Lynch (Hermit Park)
WJ Williams Medal Joel Newman (Thuringowa)
League Records
Highest Score West Townsville 69.26.440 (v Hermit Park 1.1.7) - 1992
Most goals in a game 27 - Steve Mazey - West Townsville vs Northern Beaches - 1999

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.

History

A Townsville representative team travelled to Cairns in 1884 to play one of the earliest recorded matches in Far North Queensland.[1] 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.[2]

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.

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, entered senior sides and this made the league up to 7 sides. As Australia's involvement in Vietnam wound down the Army withdrew. The competition was to remain with 6 sides from 1976 – 1982 until in 1983 a side from Burdekin increased the numbers once again to 7. Burdekin was made up from converted Rugby players and the team 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 which would have 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 [dubious – discuss], 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.

Premiers

[3]

Clubs

Current

Club Nickname Home Ground(s) Joined Flags Premierships
Curra
Club Website[permanent dead link‍]
(merger of South Townsville and Currajong) 		Swans

"Mud Ducks"

Muldoon Oval "The Pond" 1990 4 1996, 1997, 1998, 2020
Hermit Park
Club Website 		Tigers Neil French Oval 1955 14 1955, 1967, 1970, 1984/85, 1986/87, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Northern Beaches
Club Website
(Known as Northern Beaches 1999-2002)
(Known as Twin Cities 2003-2008)
(Known as Townsville City Lions 2012-2015) 		Suns North Shore Cyclone Shelter 2016 0
Thuringowa
Club Website
(known as West Townsville 1970–2001) 		Bulldogs Tony Ireland Stadium 1970 15 1971, 1980, 1987/88, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2022
University
Club Website 		Hawks Belgian Gardens PCYC Oval 1989 9 1989, 1993, 1994. 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009

W.J.Williams Medal (League Best & Fairest)

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

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Thuringowa 16 4 0 0 2154 932 231.12% 64 1st Semi University Hawks 15 12 102 Curra Swans 7 4 46
Hermit Park 9 4 7 0 1999 1066 187.52% 36 2nd Semi Thuringowa 17 6 108 Hermit Park 9 11 65
University Hawks 9 4 7 0 1648 1125 146.49% 36 Preliminary Hermit Park 12 9 81 University Hawks 9 9 63
Curra Swans 6 4 10 0 1320 1382 95.51% 24 Grand Hermit Park 12 10 82 Thuringowa 9 9 63
Townsville City Lions 0 4 16 0 421 3037 13.86% 0

2013 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Thuringowa 13 4 2 1 2041 794 257.05% 54 1st Semi Curra Swans 10 11 71 University Hawks 7 14 56
Hermit Park 13 4 2 1 1638 941 174.07% 54 2nd Semi Thuringowa 15 14 104 Hermit Park 2 7 19
Curra Swans 6 4 10 0 1064 1585 67.13% 24 Preliminary Hermit Park 9 11 65 Curra Swans 8 8 56
University Hawks 5 4 11 0 1069 1273 83.97% 20 Grand Thuringowa 13 14 92 Hermit Park 12 5 77
Townsville City Lions 2 4 14 0 783 2002 39.11% 8

2014 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Thuringowa 16 4 0 0 2205 654 337.16% 64 1st Semi Hermit Park 11 10 76 University Hawks 5 3 33
Curra Swans 10 4 6 0 1656 1053 157.26% 40 2nd Semi Thuringowa 18 9 117 Curra Swans 7 12 54
Hermit Park 10 4 6 0 1626 1086 149.72% 40 Preliminary Hermit Park 10 15 75 Curra Swans 9 10 64
University Hawks 4 4 12 0 1024 1410 72.62% 16 Grand Thuringowa 26 11 167 Hermit Park 9 3 57
Townsville City Lions 0 4 16 0 530 2838 18.68% 0

2015 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Thuringowa 14 4 2 0 2069 656 315.40% 56 1st Semi University Hawks 17 18 120 Curra Swans 8 8 56
Hermit Park 14 4 2 0 1728 809 213.60% 56 2nd Semi Thuringowa 17 13 115 Hermit Park 6 14 50
University Hawks 5 4 11 0 1020 1349 75.61% 20 Preliminary Hermit Park 17 11 113 Curra Swans 4 7 31
Curra Swans 5 4 11 0 1056 1428 73.95% 20 Grand Hermit Park 13 8 86 Thuringowa 8 17 65
Townsville City Lions 2 4 14 0 638 2269 28.12% 8

2016 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Thuringowa 16 4 0 0 1780 586 303.75% 64 1st Semi University Hawks 15 7 97 Northern Beaches Suns 4 4 28
Hermit Park 9 4 7 0 1342 841 159.57% 36 2nd Semi Thuringowa 17 10 112 Hermit Park 6 10 46
University Hawks 9 4 7 0 1277 1027 124.34% 36 Preliminary Hermit Park 9 9 63 University Hawks 2 8 20
Northern Beaches Suns 6 4 10 0 1039 1192 87.16% 24 Grand Thuringowa 12 14 86 Hermit Park 5 4 34
Curra Swans 0 4 16 0 563 2355 23.91% 0

2017 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Hermit Park 14 4 2 0 2040 562 362.99% 56 1st Semi Thuringowa 10 16 76 Northern Beaches 9 6 60
University Hawks 14 4 2 0 1600 759 210.80% 56 2nd Semi Hermit Park 17 11 113 University Hawks 4 4 28
Thuringowa 7 4 9 0 1417 1004 141.14% 28 Preliminary University Hawks 9 15 69 Thuringowa 4 4 28
Northern Beaches Suns 4 4 12 0 813 1608 50.56% 16 Grand Hermit Park 17 14 116 University Hawks 8 9 57
Curra Swans 1 4 15 0 347 2284 15.19% 4

2018 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Hermit Park 15 4 1 0 2035 693 293.65% 60 1st Semi University Hawks 12 17 89 Northern Beaches Suns 7 6 48
Thuringowa 10 4 6 0 1523 1032 147.58% 40 2nd Semi Hermit Park 13 9 87 Thuringowa 8 10 58
University Hawks 10 4 6 0 1326 1211 109.50% 40 Preliminary University Hawks 18 18 126 Thuringowa 12 7 79
Northern Beaches Suns 4 4 12 0 990 1469 67.39% 16 Grand Hermit Park 12 11 83 University Hawks 10 12 72
Curra Swans 1 4 15 0 676 2145 31.52% 4

2019 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Hermit Park 12 4 2 0 1317 714 184.45% 48 1st Semi Curra Swans 8 13 61 University Hawks 7 10 52
Thuringowa 10 4 4 0 1276 684 186.55% 40 2nd Semi Hermit Park 8 13 61 Thuringowa 7 10 52
Curra Swans 7 4 7 0 1044 1145 91.18% 28 Preliminary Thuringowa 18 9 117 Curra Swans 14 9 93
University Hawks 5 4 9 0 890 1062 83.80% 20 Grand Hermit Park 13 10 88 Thuringowa 11 7 73
Northern Beaches Suns 1 4 13 0 639 1561 40.94% 4

2020 Ladder

AFL Townsville Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Curra Swans 8 2 0 0 1060 197 538.07% 32 1st Semi Hermit Park Tigers 11 5 71 University Hawks 8 6 54
Thuringowa Bulldogs 6 2 2 0 844 295 286.10% 24 2nd Semi Curra Swans 12 12 84 Thuringowa Bulldogs 2 3 15
Hermit Park Tigers 4 2 4 0 493 486 101.44% 16 Preliminary Thuringowa Bulldogs 9 15 69 Hermit Park Tigers 8 5 53
University Hawks 2 2 6 0 331 683 48.46% 8 Grand Curra Swans 8 8 56 Thuringowa Bulldogs 7 7 49
Northern Beaches Suns 0 2 8 0 203 1270 15.98% 0

See also

References

  1. ^ "FOOTBALL MATCH". Cairns Post. Vol. III, no. 121. Queensland, Australia. 3 September 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 18 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ Queensland Figaro and Punch 19 Jun 1886 Page 23 Football.
  3. ^ "none". Townsville Bulletin. Townsville, Queensland.
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