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 2023, the club will field 11 teams in the AFL Sydney Competition:
Men’s Premier Division
Men’s Premier Division Reserves
Men’s Platinum Division
Men’s Platinum Division Reserves
Men’s Division 3
Under 19’s Division 1
Under 19’s Division 2
Masters
Women’s Premier Division
Women’s Division 1
Women’s Division 3
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.
2020 marked a historic year for SUANFC with the merging of the Sydney Uni Womens AFL club and SUANFC. For the first time in its history, the club fielded both Mens and Womens teams in the 2020 Sydney AFL Season. The merging of the two clubs is an exciting step forward for SUANFC, and the club is excited to continue to promote female participation in sport, particularly AFL. Both men’s and women’s sides of the club have storied histories prior to the merger.
Established in 1887, SUANFC has enjoyed a great deal of success on and off the field. The club is proud to have fielded a team in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) from 2012 up until 2019. Until it’s cancellation in 2020, the NEAFL was a multi-state competition involving reserve grade sides from professional AFL clubs, providing players exposure to reserve sides from: Sydney Swans, Greater Western Sydney Giants, Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns and teams from the AFL Canberra, AFL Queensland and the Northern Territory. As AFL NSW’s only NEAFL team (outside of professional clubs- the Swans and Giants) since 2015, SUANFC was NSW’s key vehicle for mature age draftees into the AFL, and SUANFC intends to explore every option to continue to provide this pathway. SUANFC consolidated its position as one of the premier teams in the NEAFL competition, reaching the finals series for five consecutive years.
Sydney University was one of the founding clubs of the Sydney Women Australian Football League in 2000. Since the inaugural year Sydney University has experienced great success on the field, winning the premiership in 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2014 and making to the grand final on several other occasions.
The full results of the board election held at the 2022 Annual General Meeting are as follows:
President: Jim Beard
Chairperson: Sam Power
Secretary: Singha Lane
Treasurer: James Mason
Vice President Women’s Football: Megan Asquith
Vice President Men’s Football: Ben Fitzpatrick
Vice President University: Jason McLennan
Integrity Officer: Peter Hastings
General Board Member- Female Pathways: Xavier Maling
General Board Member- Events: William Stratford
General Board Member- Events: Evie Douglas
General Board Member- Merchandise: Michael Murray
General Board Member- Umpires: Matthew Powys
General Board Member- Article writer: Daany Saeed
General Board Member- Integrity: Ali Thompsan
General Board Member- Integrity and Student Rep: Dom Goddard
General Board Member- Student Rep: Keiley Mead
General Board Member- Cultural Advisor: Holly Kovac
General Board Member: Roger Down
General Board Member: Sophie Clarke
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 133 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.
