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Australian rules football competition

AFL Darling Downs is an Australian rules football competition based in the Darling Downs region of Queensland including its major city of Toowoomba. The competition was formed as the Darling Downs Australian Football League in 1971. The senior representative team is known as the Demons and wear guernseys modelled on the Melbourne Demons guernseys. The competition has one senior grade.

The Warwick Football Club was formed in 1873 in Warwick to play under Australian rules, however lacking any nearby competitors for 3 years it played mostly intra club scratch matches until Brisbane club Civil Service travelled to Toowoomba to play against a newly formed Toowoomba Football Club in 1876. AFL Queensland cites the Toowoomba Football Club as forming in 1873, however few sources back this up. As the game spread further west of the Great Divide clubs were split on whether to adopt rugby or Australian rules. Nevertheless, it is noted that clubs from the region in this era were able to hold their own against those from Brisbane. A Toowoomba Football Association formed in 1876 teams were 16 a side however the rules used were not fully documented and some suggest it could have been an early rugby association which would be contemporary with the code being introduced to Brisbane. The Light Infantry Corps formed to play against the Light Infantry Football Club. The Association disappeared a couple of years later. As Downs clubs lacked nearby opponents rugby was more suited to facilitating matches against New South Wales clubs, as a result local competition went into recess. An exception was an 1878 match between Old Victorians and All Comers played in front of a large crowd. The Queensland Football Association formed in 1880 and affiliated with the Victorian Football Association, however clubs outside of Brisbane were becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of representation for the whole colony. In 1881 matches were once again played in Toowoomba when the Toowoomba Grammar took up the sport. By 1882, a Toowoomba Association (affiliated with the QFA) had re formed including both clubs and schools in the region. In 1883, a team of 12 travelled from Excelsior FC (Brisbane), noting a revival of the code in the region. The inclusion of the Allora Football Club at Allora in 1883 provided more regular interaction between the clubs. However the code suffered a major blow when, after the Brisbane private school association in 1887 voted to switch to rugby including Toowoomba Grammar. A senior Toowoomba Rugby Football Club formed in 1887and this was the last mention of the Toowoomba Football Club or any other Downs clubs playing Australian rules. After the collapse of the QFA in 1890 the Toowoomba Rugby Association and Toowoomba British Football Association were able to grow unopposed.

The Darling Downs Australian Football League was first played as an official organised competition in 1971. Signals, Coolaroo and Aviation were the three foundation clubs and were joined by a fourth club, South Toowoomba in 1972. The League has had many changes to the number of clubs participating since then, with eight A Grade Senior Clubs currently competing, and now known as AFL Darling Downs. It is a regional league in Queensland. There are four Senior clubs based in Toowoomba, and the other senior clubs come from Dalby, Goondiwindi, and Warwick. New teams from Kingaroy, and Chinchilla participated in the 2013 revamped competition. Chinchilla folded in 2018. University Cougars AFC is the most successful club with 13 premierships, 4 under the banner of "Institute Eagles" and 5 under the moniker of "University Eagles". Coolaroo Roos has 9 premierships and Goondiwindi Hawks has 8. South Toowoomba Bombers (formerly Longhorns) and Toowoomba Tigers (formerly Pinkies) have 6 premiership flags each.

There have been many different towns in the Darling Downs of Queensland fielding Australian Rules Football teams over the forty plus years of Senior Competition. Coolaroo Roos have played every season from the inaugural year, and Toowoomba Tigers have played the second most seasons. Below is a full list of Current and Former Clubs in the region.

YearPremiersScoreRunners UpScoreBest On Ground 1971 Signals 5.11 (41) Coolaroo 4.14 (38) 1972 South Toowoomba 14.16 (100) Aviation 6.11 (47) 1973 Aviation South Toowoomba 1974 Aviation 18.15 (123) Toowoomba 11.11 (77) 1975 Coolaroo 9.14 (68) South Toowoomba 7.14 (56) Glen Adamson (South Toowoomba) 1976 South Toowoomba 9.13 (67) Toowoomba 5.16 (46) Steve Bensen (Toowoomba) 1977 Toowoomba 12.12 (84) Coolaroo 2.12 (24) Trevor Curtis (Toowoomba) 1978 Institute 18.9 (117) Toowoomba 14.14 (98) 1979 Toowoomba Institute 1980 Goondiwindi 26.18 (174) Toowoomba 15.15 (105) Mark Holman (Goondiwindi) 1981 South Toowoomba 26.26 (182) Goondiwindi 19.16 (130) 1982 South Toowoomba Goondiwindi 1983 Goondiwindi 19.15 (129) South Toowoomba 9.11 (65) Peter Holman (Goondiwindi) 1984 South Toowoomba 17.10 (112) Coolaroo 13.14 (92) Mick Barnes (South Toowoomba) 1985 Lockyer Valley 14.13 (97) South Toowoomba 10.11 (71) 1986 Institute 25.14 (164) Lockyer Valley 11.6 (72) Russell Mann (Institute) 1987 Institute 22.11 (143) Goondiwindi/Moonie 16.8 (104) Martin Webber (Institute) 1988 Toowoomba 15.15 (105) Dalby 12.9 (81) 1989 Institute 20.20 (140) Goondiwindi 7.7 (49) Gary Brooks (Institute) 1990 University 18.13 (121) Goondiwindi 11.13 (79) 1991 Goondiwindi 15.15 (105) University 9.9 (63) Tony Doherty (Goondiwindi) 1992 University 18.13 (121) Goondiwindi 7.3 (45) Chris Dwyer (University) 1993 Lockyer Valley Magpies 24.12 (156) University Eagles 15.14 (104) Troy McElhinney (Lockyer Valley) 1994 University Eagles 14.3 (87) Goondiwindi Hawks 11.13 (79) Sam Pellegrino (University) 1995 Goondiwindi Hawks 11.8 (74) University Eagles 10.8 (68) 1996 Goondiwindi Hawks 12.20 (92) University Eagles 12.9 (81) 1997 University Eagles 11.3 (69) Goondiwindi Hawks 8.13 (61) 1998 University Eagles 22.8 (140) Goondiwindi Hawks 9.4 (58) Manu Roberts (University) 1999 Goondiwindi Hawks 16.18 (114) Toowoomba Tigers 4.6 (30) 2000 Goondiwindi Hawks 16 10 (106) Coolaroo Roos 13.12 (90) 2001 Coolaroo Roos 14.17 (101) Warwick Redbacks 2.6 (18) 2002 Coolaroo Roos 21.7 (133) Warwick Redbacks 8.9 (57) 2003 Coolaroo Roos 23.13 (151) Goondiwindi Hawks 8.7 (55) Clinton Wright (Coolaroo) 2004 Coolaroo Roos 10.8 (68) Toowoomba Tigers 6.9 (45) Damian Cooper (Coolaroo) 2005 Coolaroo Roos 16.11 (107) Central Bombers 5.8 (38) Phil Dreise (Coolaroo) 2006 University Cougars 16.12 (108) Toowoomba Tigers 6.7 (43) Glenn Treacy (University) 2007 University Cougars 14.9 (93) Coolaroo Roos 13.6 (84) Des Anthony (University) 2008 South Toowoomba Bombers 11.14 (80) Coolaroo Roos 11.7 (73) 2009 Coolaroo Roos 10.13 (73) South Toowoomba Bombers 5.9 (39) Jeremy Wilson (Coolaroo) 2010 Toowoomba Tigers 10.17 (77) South Toowoomba Bombers 10.14 (74) Nicholas Upton (Toowoomba) 2011 Toowoomba Tigers 10.10 (70) Warwick Redbacks 7.7 (49) 2012 Toowoomba Tigers 11.15 (81) South Toowoomba Bombers 7.10 (52) Hugh Priest (Toowoomba) 2013 Coolaroo Roos 14.8 (92) University Cougars 13.11 (89) Thomas Rudolph (Coolaroo) 2014 Warwick Redbacks 10.18 (78) University Cougars 9.7 (61) Adam Stevenson (Warwick)2015 Coolaroo Roos 15.15 (105) Goondiwindi Hawks8.12 (60) Michael Langton (Coolaroo)2016 University Cougars 11.10 (76) South Toowoomba Bombers 6.11 (47) Benjamin Holmes (University)2017 University Cougars 12.11 (83) Goondiwindi Hawks 6.3 (39) Rick Mackay (University)2018 University Cougars 11.9 (75) Goondiwindi Hawks 7.9 (51) Joshua White (University)2019 Goondiwindi Hawks 7.9 (51) Coolaroo Roos 5.17 (47) Jermery Leahy (Goondiwindi)2020 South Toowoomba Bombers 11.9 (75) Goondiwindi Hawks 9.2 (56) Darby Edgeworth (Souths)2021 South Toowoomba Bombers 10.5 (65) University Cougars 7.5 (47) Johnathan Leidig (Souths)2022Coolaroo Roos10.11 (71)South Toowoomba Bombers9.7 (61)2023Coolaroo Roos13.15 (93)Goondiwindi Hawks7.5 (47)

Year Premiers Score Runners Up Score 1971 Signals 5.11 (41) Coolaroo Roos 4.14 (38)
GOALS:Signals – B. Fletcher 2, W. Sampson, T. Osborne, M. Darby. Coolaroo Roos – A. Jericho 2, I. Shaw, J. Oska. BEST:Signals – T. Osborne, D. Akesson, J. Davis, J. Walsh, K. Zeller. Coolaroo Roos – R. Smith, J. Hagerstrom, J. Smith, A. Jericho, C. Wells.

The Reserve Grade competition ran from 1975 to 1999, and 2001, before player numbers for some clubs became a problem and therefore the "Adrian Jericho Trophy" had not been contested for a full decade. In 2012, the Reserves competition returned with a three team competition involving University, Coolaroo, and Souths. It was the first time the competition has been staged since Kingaroy defeated Coolaroo in the 2001 Grand Final. South Toowoomba Longhorns are the most successful team in Reserve Grade with 10 Premierships from 14 Grand Finals. University (Institute) are the next best with 8 flags from 11 Grand Finals.

YearPremiersScoreRunners UpScore 1975 Coolaroo Roos 8.6 (54) Q. A. C. Gatton 7.4 (46) 1976 Coolaroo Roos 4.17 (41) South Toowoomba Longhorns 4.7 (31) 1977 Toowoomba Pinkies 4.6 (30) Coolaroo Roos 3.4 (22) 1978 South Toowoomba Longhorns 7.9 (51) Institute Eagles 3.2 (20) 1979 South Toowoomba Longhorns 6.11 (47) Toowoomba Pinkies 2.8 (20) 1980 South Toowoomba Longhorns 7.8 (50) Institute Eagles 6.8 (44) 1981 South Burnett 12.13 (85) Toowoomba Tigers 10.5 (65) 1982 South Toowoomba Longhorns 14.15 (99) Coolaroo Roos 3.7 (25) 1983 South Toowoomba Longhorns 16.16 (112) Warwick 8.6 (54) 1984 South Toowoomba Longhorns 16.10 (106) Moonie 9.9 (63) 1985 South Burnett 12.13 (85) Toowoomba Tigers 5.8 (38) 1986 Toowoomba Tigers 16.17 (113) South Toowoomba Longhorns 4.10 (34) 1987 South Toowoomba Longhorns 14.16 (100) Dalby Swans 12.10 (82) 1988 South Toowoomba Longhorns 12.12 (84) Goondiwindi Moonie 5.13 (43) 1989 South Toowoomba Longhorns 8.7 (55) Coolaroo Roos 6.9 (45) 1990 South Toowoomba Longhorns 8.10 (58) Lockyer Valley Magpies 6.15 (51) 1991 University Eagles 7.11 (53) South Toowoomba Longhorns 5.14 (44) 1992 University Eagles 11.19 (85) Lockyer Valley Magpies 8.6 (54) 1993 University Eagles 8.6 (54) South Toowoomba Longhorns 6.15 (51) 1994 University Eagles 13.16 (94) Toowoomba Tigers 6.5 (41) 1995 Dalby Swans 12.11 (83) Goondiwindi Hawks 8.8 (56) 1996 University Eagles 8.15 (63) Dalby Swans 6.5 (41) 1997 University Eagles 6.4 (40) Kingaroy Bulldogs 5.4 (34) 1998 Warwick Redbacks 13.9 (87) Kingaroy Bulldogs 12.4 (76) 1999 Lockyer Valley Magpies 10.11 (71) Dalby Swans 9.12 (66) 2000 COMPETITION SUSPENDED 2001 Kingaroy Bulldogs 5.8 (38) Coolaroo Roos 5.1 (31) 2002 2011 COMPETITION SUSPENDED 2012 University Cougars 11.10 (76) Coolaroo Roos 5.4 (34) 2013 Coolaroo Roos 7.9 (51) University Cougars 6.8 (44) 2014 University Cougars 11.14 (80) South Burnett Saints 4.7 (31) 2015 South Burnett Saints 10.9 (69) Dalby Swans 6.11 (47) 2016 COMPETITION SUSPENDED 2017 Dalby Swans 8.12 (60) Warwick Redbacks 6.6 (42) 2018 2021 COMPETITION SUSPENDED

The Reserve Grade or a Division 2 Competition will resume as soon as the competition can gain enough interest once again. The League has the potential to expand to 12 Senior Clubs if these areas can field enough players, and with Junior competitions also expanding. In recent seasons, the League has fielded up to 11 sides in Division One already.

League president Andrew Foley said splitting the 11 team competition into two divisions for 2014, including the three current reserve grade sides, would help the newer clubs to be more competitive. The senior competition grew last season with the formation of Chinchilla and South Burnett but those clubs struggled on field First division has Coolaroo, Goondiwidi, Highfields, Lockyer Valley, South Toowoomba, Toowoomba, University and Warwick. Second division has Chinchilla, Dalby, South Burnett as well as clubs seconds from Coolaroo, Highfields, South Toowoomba, University and Warwick.