New comp aims to revive Northern Rivers footy

PLANS to revive an Aussie Rules men’s competition on the Northern Rivers are taking shape, with AFL Queensland introducing a new six-week social competition for nine teams across the region.

Aussie Rules took a major hit on the Northern Rivers this season, with only the Tweed Tigers still playing in the senior men’s competition on the Gold Coast.

Called the Northern Rivers Cup, it will be the first local-based competition since the Summerland League folded in 2011.

Organisers hope the short competition will be the catalyst for a return to a full-time men’s league within the next two to three years.

Games start on Saturday July 19, with teams from Ballina, Byron Bay, Nimbin, Brunswick Heads, Lennox Head, Kingscliff, Casino, Lismore and Tweed Heads expected to play.

The Ballina Bombers and Byron Bay Magpies withdrew from the QFA Division 2 South competition on the Gold Coast this year, leaving only the Tweed Coast Tigers.

Clubs cited travel and not being able to field the required two senior teams as reasons for pulling out.

‘The general consensus was the players didn’t want to keep travelling up to the Gold Coast,’ Ballina Bombers player-coach Jai Stafford said.

‘Everyone is on board for the new competition and hopefully it leads to bigger things down the track.’

Matches will be modified to remove barriers to participating, with 14-a-side games and shortened quarters.

The competition has also opened the door for Lennox Head to form a new club under the guidance of Brad O’Connell, who played for more than 20 years locally.

‘We’ve got a coach and a team ready to go, we’re also negotiating with council to get our own facility,’ he said.

‘We hope it will be a long-term and sustainable club we’re building.

‘If we’re successful it will just bolster the rest of the competition and help get Northern Rivers football back on its feet again.’

Elsewhere, the Lismore Swans are back training and aiming to play for the first time since the 2022 floods.

They are sharing their ground at Mortimer Oval with the Nimbin side, which has also committed to a return.

AFL Queensland competitions manager Mitchell Simpson said the governing body has been working with the clubs since March.

‘We recognise senior men’s football in the region has seen some challenges over the past five years,’ he said.

‘Our aim is for this competition to provide some localised social football content to build interest and engagement in AFL across the Northern Rivers region, which should contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of football in the area.

‘With only a six-week commitment, we’re anticipating this format will see a number of players return to our game, whilst others looking to give AFL a go can do so in a social setting,’ he said.