Sydney University Australian National Football Club (SUANFC) is one of New South Wales’s oldest and largest Australian Rules Football clubs. Based on Sydney University’s Camperdown campus, the club proudly offers players of all abilities the opportunity to play AFL in Sydney’s Inner West. SUANFC fields teams across all levels (from amateur to semi-professional) and is highly active in the development and mentoring of local area youth groups and wider community engagement. In 2024, the club will field 12 teams in the AFL Sydney Competition:
Men’s Premier Division
Men’s Division One
Men’s Division Two
Men’s Division Three
Men’s Division Five
Under 19.5’s Division 1
Under 19.5’s Division 2
Masters
Women’s Premier Division
Women’s Division 1
Women’s Division 3
Womens U20s
SUANFC is committed to fostering an inclusive community highly values. We are proud of our members, past and present, who contribute to this strong sense community and are committed to providing an environment that makes people from all walks of life feel welcome. The club often becomes a ‘home away from home’ for many interstate players coming to Sydney to study or for work. The club welcomes enquiries from all potential players, supporters, volunteers or sponsors.
Our partnership with Sydney University Sport & Fitness (SUSF) allows our club to provide young people the opportunity to develop as sportsmen and women within a world class high performance sporting environment and at the same time study with the support of elite athlete scholarships. SUSF has over 400 student athletes on sports scholarships, many made possible with the support of corporate and philanthropic partners. Although based at Sydney University, our club welcomes community members to play at all levels through the club, as we understand that we have a responsibility to grow and develop the game of AFL in our own backyard.
Sydney University Australian National Football Club has a proud history spanning more than 139 years. Following its first stint in Sydney’s top competition between 1948 and 1957, the club competed across both the Sydney Football League and Sydney Football Association, winning SFA premierships in 1981, 1986 and 1987 before returning to the top flight in 1988. The club claimed its first Premier Division premiership in 1992 under Rod Carter and enjoyed further success in the SFA during the late 1990s.
The Sydney University Women’s AFL Club was established in 2000 as an inaugural member of the Sydney Women’s Australian Football League. The Bombers quickly became one of the competition’s strongest clubs, winning premierships in 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2014, while producing AFLW pioneers including Nicola Barr, Stephanie Walker, Erin McKinnon and Isabella Rudolph.
Re-admitted to the AFL Sydney Premier Division in 2007, the club quickly re-established itself as a leading program. The Students reached their first Grand Final since returning in 2010, before competing in the NEAFL from 2012 to 2020, making five consecutive finals appearances. Following the conclusion of the NEAFL, Sydney University returned to AFL Sydney and claimed the 2020 Premier Division premiership, with the men’s and women’s clubs also unifying under a single constitution.
In recent years, SUANFC has experienced sustained growth both on and off the field. The Premier Division programs have become consistent finalists, the u19.5 Division One side won consecutive premierships in 2022 and 2023, and the club has expanded to 12 teams and more than 350 players, making it one of Sydney’s largest and most successful community Australian football clubs.
Staff Members:
- Operations Manager: Vasili Malempre
- S&C Lead: Will Gibbs
The full results of the board election held at the 2026 Annual General Meeting are as follows:
- Chairperson: Roger Down
- President: Lindsay Scown
- Secretary: Saskia Johnson
- Treasurer: James Mason
- VP Community: Dani Paszkiewicz
- VP Football Operations: Matt Powys
- VP University: Jason Mclennan
- VP Commercial: Michael Gazeas
- VP Integrity: Erin Doyle
- Student Rep & Pathways Manager: Emma Walsh
Glebe Greyhounds
Founded in 1980 the Glebe Greyhounds Junior Football Club gives children from 5 to 16 the chance to play Australian Rules Football. Our philosophy is that every player who wants a game gets a game.This means that the club prides itself on ensuring all players are treated equally and that our main priority is a fun, safe and family environment.
Newtown Swans
The Newtown Junior Australian Football Club was formed at the Newtown RSL on the 7th of February 1998 and we entered our first Auskick team in 1999 and our first u10 team in 2000.
Drummoyne Power
Drummoyne Power Junior Australian Football Club was founded in October 1998 and its inaugural season was 1999. Drummoyne Power Junior AFL is based at Drummoyne Oval.
Concord Giants
A GIANT community with a GIANT heart, the Concord Giants AFL Club offers a fun, family-friendly environment for boys and girls, aged 5 to 18, to play AFL. All our players have the opportunity to learn how to play, develop their skills and fitness, represent Concord against other local clubs, and make lasting friendships.
Leichardt Cygnets
Leichhardt Cygnets Junior Australian Football Club is based in Sydney’s Inner West. We’re a family friendly club who welcome all children aged 5–14 years to play in a fun and safe environment. We play on Sunday’s and our home ground is Glover Street Oval in Leichhardt.
Newington College
AFL at Newington is a recent addition to the current Newington sports program, with three Year 5/6 teams entering the Independent School’s Competition in 2016, a Year 9/10 team in 2017 and an Opens side in 2018.
St Joseph’s College
St Joseph’s College prides itself on providing students with a well-rounded, balanced education, focusing on boys’ academic, physical, social, spiritual and recreation needs. Sport is integral to that mission. At Joeys, sport prepares boys to be fit for life.
MLC School
Sport is integral to MLC School life and plays an important part in the development of the whole person. MLC School has a proud sporting tradition and we applaud those who give it a go as much as those who excel.
St Scholastica’s
St Scholastica’s participates in the Catholic Girls’ Secondary Schools Sports Association (CGSSSA) whose mission is to promote a sporting environment that fosters enthusiasm, friendly competition, skill development, personal excellence and a lifelong interest in sport.
The objects of Sydney University Australian National Football Club are:
- to encourage, foster, promote, develop, extend and govern the sport of Australian Rules Football within the University of Sydney and the community; and
- to provide members with the opportunity of playing or otherwise participating In Australian Rules Football competitions, including, but not limited to, those provided by the NSW/ACT
It is an aim of the Club to provide opportunities for players of all levels of ability and of diverse backgrounds and interests and gender to play Australian Rules Football.
SUANFC STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
AFL NSW/ACT RULES, REGULATIONS, BY-LAWS, POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
VISION
To be the club of choice in Australian Football in Sydney where education, playing excellence, community and personal development are fostered in an inclusive environment.
PURPOSE
To support members and players of all abilities, backgrounds and aspirations in the pursuit of community connection and premiership success
VALUES
Tradition:
We honour our heritage and those who built the club with their vision, conduct and judgement through 139 years of competition and administration.
Respect:
We are strong, honest, fair and straightforward as a club – we respect our opponents and each other. While we embrace our history, we also recognise the need to respect the game by advancing it in order to remain relevant to a broad and competitive market
Unity:
We work united – recognising the individual contributions, but we also promote working together to establish and deliver club objectives. Our members are hardworking, dedicated and embrace community and diversity
Excellence:
We always strive for excellence on the field, with a vision to become a benchmark for state league clubs across Australia. We are also ambaddadors for the community. Not only in football but also in our own lives – we always strive for excellence and success.
