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. [1] Matches were played on the Rockhampton Cricket Reserve. By the 1880s, there was a full league running in Capricornia. [2] [3] North Rockhampton Football Club [4] 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. [5]
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.
