Big Rivers Football League

Big Rivers Football League
SportAustralian Rules Football
Founded1988 (1988)
AdministratorAFL Northern Territory
No. of teams11
HeadquartersKatherine Showgrounds
Current premiersKatherine Camels (Men's, 4th premiership), Arnhem Crows (Women's)
Most premiersKatherine South Crocs (9 Men's premierships)
Official websitePlayHQ

The Big Rivers Football League (formerly the Katherine District Football League and Big Rivers Australian Football League) is an Australian rules football competition in the Northern Territory, Australia based in the Katherine region. Its governing body is AFL Northern Territory. It consists of 11 clubs, of which 2 are currently women's only, being Eastside FC and Katherine South (both having men's teams in previous seasons). In 2025, new teams Ngaliwurru Lions, Gulf Storm and Katherine River Sporting Club have joined the senior men's division, replacing Eastside FC. During its inaugural season (1988/89) K. Watson, for the Kirby's Agents, successfully claimed the leagues first MVP award.

It consists of 1 Senior Men's (8 teams) and 1 Senior Women's Division (5 teams), plus Under 16's Boys, Under 16's Girls and Under 12 Mixed Divisions played during school terms. Most games are played at the Katherine Showgrounds, with the exception of a few games where teams get home community games or when the Showgrounds aren't available for use.

Current clubs

Men

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships
Total Years
Arnhem Crows
(formerly Bombers)
Barunga Oval, Barunga 2001 4 2002/03, 2006, 2009, 2011[1]
Garrak Bombers Kalano Oval, Katherine 2012 (as Kalano)[2] 0 -
Gulf Storm Storm
(formerly Thunders)
Borroloola Oval, Borroloola BAFL 2021 0 -
Gurindji Eagles Michael Jarparta Paddy Football Oval, Kalkarindji 1 2017[3]
Katherine Camels Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 4 2012,[4] 2019, 2022, 2024
Katherine River Saints Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 2025 0 -
Ngaliwurru Lions Max Duncan Memorial Oval, Timber Creek 2025 0 -
Ngukurr Bulldogs Ngukurr Oval, Ngukurr 4 1999/2000, 2004, 2007,[5] 2023
Northern Walpiri Swans Swans Lajamanu Oval, Lajamanu 2 2005, 2008[6]

Women

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships
Total Years
Arnhem Crows
(formerly Bombers)
Barunga Oval, Barunga 2001 2 2023, 2024
Eastside Double Blues Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 1988[7] 1 2022
Katherine Camels Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 0 -
Katherine South Crocs Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine South 0 -
Ngukurr Bulldogs Ngukurr Oval, Ngukurr 0 -

Men's sides in recess

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Eastside Double Blues Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 1988[7] 9 1989/90, 1990/91, 1993/94, 1998/99, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019[8]
Katherine South Crocs Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine South 9 1991/92, 1992/93, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98, 2018,[9] 2020, 2021

Former clubs

Colours Club Nickname Home Founded Senior Men's Premierships
Beswick Football Club Bears Wugularr 2009[10] 2010
Daly River Football Club Buffaloes Nauiyu Oval, Nauiyu 2022
Jilkminggan Football Club Blues Jilkminggan
Kirby's Agents Football Club Hawks Katherine 1988 1988/89
Minyerri Football Club Tigers Minyerri
Tindal Football Club Magpies Tindal Oval, RAAF Base Tindal (Katherine) 1989[11]
Waliburru Football Club Thunder Minyerri

Premierships (Mens)

  • 1988/89 Kirby's Agents
  • 1989/90 Rowlands
  • 1990/91 Eastside (* Formerly known as Rowlands FC)
  • 1991/92 Katherine South
  • 1992/93 Katherine South
  • 1993/94 Eastside
  • 1994/95 Katherine South
  • 1995/96 Katherine South
  • 1996/97 Katherine South
  • 1997/98 Katherine South
  • 1998/99 Eastside
  • 1999/00 Ngukurr
  • 2001 Arnhem Bombers
  • 2002 Arnhem Crows
  • 2003 Arnhem Crows
  • 2004 Arnhem Crows
  • 2005 Lajamanu
  • 2006 Arnhem Crows
  • 2007 Ngukurr
  • 2008 Lajamanu
  • 2009 Arnhem Crows
  • 2010 Beswick
  • 2011 Arnhem Crows
  • 2012 Katherine Camels
  • 2013 Eastside FC
  • 2014 Eastside FC
  • 2015 Eastside FC
  • 2016 Eastside FC
  • 2017 Eastside FC
  • 2018 Katherine South
  • 2019 Katherine Camels
  • 2020 Katherine South
  • 2021 Katherine South
  • 2022 Katherine Camels
  • 2023 Ngukurr
  • 2024 Katherine Camels

2011 Ladder

Big Rivers AFL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts
Beswick Bears 12 0 2 0 1486 554 268.23% 48
Arnhem Crows 11 0 3 0 1213 765 158.56% 44
Ngukurr Bulldogs 11 0 3 0 1216 780 155.90% 44
Katherine Camels 8 0 6 0 949 802 118.33% 32
Eastside 6 0 8 0 876 1076 81.41% 24
Lajamanu Swans 5 0 9 0 899 900 99.89% 20
Tindal Magpies 2 0 12 0 611 1418 43.09% 8
Jikminggan Blues 1 0 13 0 459 1414 32.46% 4

FINALS

Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
1st Semi Ngukurr Bulldogs 14 9 93 Katherine Camels 11 4 70
2nd Semi Arnhem Crows 17 7 109 Beswick Bears 9 10 64
Preliminary Ngukurr Bulldogs 11 7 73 Beswick Bears 10 11 71
Grand Arnhem Crows 14 8 92 Ngukurr Bulldogs 12 6 78

2012 Ladder

Big Rivers AFL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts
Katherine Camels 13 0 1 0 1280 656 195.12% 52
Ngukurr Bulldogs 11 0 3 0 1264 694 182.13% 44
Beswick Bears 11 0 3 0 1357 760 178.55% 44
Eastside 7 0 7 0 896 996 89.96% 28
Jikminggan Blues 6 0 8 0 908 1125 80.71% 24
Kalano Bombers 5 0 9 0 928 1229 75.51% 20
Tindal Magpies 4 0 5 0 576 630 91.43% 16
Lajamanu Swans 2 0 7 0 271 466 58.15% 8

FINALS

Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
1st Semi Katherine Camels 10 19 79 Ngukurr Bulldogs 9 11 65
2nd Semi Beswick Bears 15 2 92 Eastside 14 7 91
Preliminary Ngukurr Bulldogs 14 18 102 Beswick Bears 7 6 48
Grand Katherine Camels 14 6 90 Ngukurr Bulldogs 4 6 30

2023 Men's Ladder

Big Rivers Football League Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts
Ngukurr Bulldogs 12 1 2 0 1105 586 188.57% 86
Eastside FC 12 1 2 0 1251 829 150.90% 81
Katherine South 8 1 6 0 1070 1044 102.49% 69
Katherine Camels 7 1 6 0 927 880 105.34% 62
Arnhem Crows 7 1 7 0 1012 920 110.00% 57
Daly River Buffaloes 6 1 7 0 1069 979 109.19% 52
Northern Warlpiri Swans 3 1 6 0 702 1036 67.76% 42
Garrak Bombers 0 1 11 0 434 1296 33.49% 39

FINALS

Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
1st Semi Katherine South 8 10 58 Katherine Camels 7 5 47
2nd Semi Ngukurr Bulldogs 17 12 114 Eastside 9 9 63
Preliminary Eastside 7 8 50 Katherine South 12 11 83
Grand Ngukurr Bulldogs 14 10 94 Katherine South 9 4 58

2024 Men's Ladder

Big Rivers Football League Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts
Katherine Camels 9 1 1 0 978 328 298.17% 76
Ngukurr Bulldogs 7 2 1 0 982 411 238.93% 64
Arnhem Crows 8 1 2 0 830 606 136.96% 68
Northern Warlpiri Swans 3 2 5 0 560 575 97.39% 50
Garrak Bombers 3 2 6 0 482 940 51.28% 41
Gurindji Eagles 1 2 7 0 379 823 46.05% 34
Eastside FC 1 1 8 0 371 899 41.27% 35

FINALS

Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
1st Semi Arnhem Crows 12 13 85 Northern Warlpiri Swans 6 5 41
2nd Semi Katherine Camels 13 6 84 Ngukurr Bulldogs 6 7 43
Preliminary Ngukurr Bulldogs 10 10 70 Arnhem Crows 10 8 68
Grand Katherine Camels 13 9 87 Ngukurr Bulldogs 11 4 70

See also

References