It’s official. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Aussie rules is Australia’s most popular sport. Almost 2.5 million Australians watch a game of Australian rules football each year and it continues to grow in popularity. No more so than in Brisbane where the success of the Brisbane Lions in the AFL has attracted thousands of new supporters. There are now over 22,000 members of the Brisbane Lions Football Club and the Gabba is always packed with vocal supporters for Lions’ home games.
All over Brisbane, kids and grown-ups alike are kicking the footy around at their local park and either playing for and/or supporting their local and state Aussie rules clubs. So if you want to get to a Lions home game to see what all the fuss is about; or you are looking for a club to join; or you have kids who want to get into the game - you can find all the essential Brisbane footy facts right here.
The Australian Football League (AFL)
The Australian Football League (AFL) has sixteen clubs – ten in Victoria, two each in South Australia and Western Australia, and one each in Sydney and Brisbane. The AFL season is comprised of twenty-two weeks of home-and-away football from March-August each year. A four-week finals series in September culminates in the AFL Grand Final, one of the truly special days on the Australian sporting calendar and an event of world-wide focus.
Aussie Rules is now a truly national game. Eight clubs from four states have won the premiership since 1990, and no less than 13 clubs have played in the Grand Final in the past 15 years.
So you want to play? Comps for men, women, juniors and kids
AFL Queensland also organises a range of competitions and leagues for everyone who wants to play the game of Aussie Rules. Whether you want to be the next Jason Akermanis or simply want to enjoy the team spirit and fun of the game, take a look at what’s on offer and sign yourself up.
Recreational footy
Queensland’s AFL Recreational Football season is underway. This year there are 11 new competition venues across Queensland, including the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, Mackay and Townsville, as well as existing venues in Brisbane and Toowoomba.
Played in a friendly social environment, AFL Rec Footy enables people of all ages and ability levels to participate. Teams can be male, female or mixed and the rules are slightly modified for safety. There are 12 players per team, with eight on the field and four on the bench.
Find a competition near you!
- Morningside AFC, Hawthorne
- Mt Gravatt AFC, Mt Gravatt
- Redlands AFC, Victoria Point
- Zillmere and District Eagles FC, Zillmere
- Broadbeach Cats, Gold Coast
- Labrador Tigers, Gold Coast
For further information or to register your interest please email clowrie [at] aflq [dot] com [dot] au with your name, suburb, contact number and email address or phone (07) 3394 2433.
Men’s league and clubs
Brisbane has a thriving local footy scene with many local clubs across the region. Find yours and get involved, either as a player or enthusiastic supporter.
Women’s league
There are 10 Women’s Australian Football clubs across Brisbane and they are always keen to include new players and club volunteers. Why not give it a go?
For details on youth girls' competition contact the Women’s Development Officer at AFL Queensland on (07) 3394 2433.
School football
Dozens of schools participate in the Schools League and the competition between the schools is incredible. Girls can get involved too in the AFL nine-a-side for girls, held during fourth term, in all regions.
AFL Brisbane Juniors
The AFL Brisbane Juniors website is packed with lots of useful information on the leagues from Under 8’s to Under 16’s. Everything from Club contact details to rules and regulations, and there is even information for umpires too.
Kids
In Queensland, AUSkick is open to both boys and girls, from five years of age. You can search for an AUSkick centre near you to register. There are heaps of AUSkick centres across Brisbane, with various starting dates and times available. They play with modified rules for increased safety and fun. There are also plenty of opportunities for parents to get involved as coordinators, coaches and volunteers.
Youth girls club competition
Participating clubs for youth girls under 13's (minimum age 11yrs) and under 16's (minimum age 14 yrs) are:
- Brisbane North - Redcliffe, Kedron, Everton Park, Wilston Grange, Aspley, Bribie Island, Caboolture
- Brisbane South East - Alexandra Hills, Redlands, Morningside, Logan, Springwood, Beenleigh, Mt Gravatt, Jimboomba
- Brisbane West - Sherwood, Yeronga, Ipswich, Calamvale, Ferny Grove, Collingwood Park
Find out sign on dates at your local club.
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions are one of the most widely followed teams in the AFL. The Lions were the first team to win three consecutive Premierships (2001-2003) since Melbourne (1955–1957).
The Brisbane Lions were formed in mid-1996 through the merger of the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Football Clubs. It was the perfect ‘mix’ with the Bears - a young and emerging force in AFL football, and the Fitzroy Lions - a Melbourne-based foundation club boasting more than 100 years experience. With strong and ever-growing supporter bases in Brisbane and Melbourne, the Lions are the only legitimate ‘two-town team’ in the AFL and enjoy an outstanding profile in each city.
AFL Queensland
AFL Queensland has responsibility for overseeing the development of Aussie Rules in Queensland; and one of their key objectives is to ensure participation in the game at a grass roots level.
AFL Queensland organises the new Queensland State League. There are eight Division One teams - Broadbeach Cats, Labrador Tigers, Morningside Panthers, Mt Gravatt Vultures, Zillmere Eagles, Redland Bombers, Southport Sharks and Suncoast Lions. The Grand Final will be played at the Gabba in September.
A brief history of AFL in Queensland
Some people may be surprised to learn that Aussie Rules didn’t commence in Queensland with the arrival of the Brisbane Bears (as the Lions were previously known before their merger with Fitzroy) in 1987. Queensland has a long and rich history of Australian Rules football stemming way back to the 1880’s. Indeed, Australian Football was well established in Queensland prior to the arrival of the other two football codes. In 1883 there were more than 300 teams in Queensland; and in 1885, Ipswich were the first Queensland-based team responsible for inflicting defeat on a touring Essendon team.
Footy tipping comps
Half the fun of supporting a team in the AFL is getting involved in a Footy Tipping competition. Across Australia, in places of work, in pubs and clubs, even in Parliament House in Canberra, footy fans of all persuasions are submitting their tips each week. Footy Tipping Comps come in all shapes and sizes. Some are free with bragging rights the only prize for the winner, whilst others require an entry fee and have cash prizes for picking the round and for the overall competition winner.
There are heaps of footy tipping comps online:
- Official AFL Footy Tips
- footytips.com.au
- Yahoo! Footy Tips
- ABC AFL Tipping
- Foxsports AFL Tipping
- OzTips
News, results and other handy AFL links
- The official AFL website
- Official website of the Brisbane Lions
- Everything you need to know if you are Talking Football
- ourbrisbane.com’s directory of Aussie Rules Clubs
- Games, competitions and loads of fun for kids at AFL kidzone.com
- Latest AFL news at Foxsports
- Comprehensive coverage of Real Footy by the Melbourne Age
- ABC Sport - AFL Home
