14387_SYDNUNSP_SUANFC Foundation Booklet_Single Pages

THE PAST, THE PRE
THE PAST
Historians currently suggest the Sydney
University Australian National Football Club
(SUANFC) is officially the fourth oldest existing
Australian Rules Football Club in the country,
citing evidence of the formation of the “Sydney
University Australian Football Club” at a meeting
at Milthorpe’s Hotel on 6 July 1887, and its first
match against St Ignatius College Riverview
on 27 July in the same year.
There is plenty of evidence that Australian Rules
was played on University campus much earlier
too, before the Australian game lost its way in the
harbour city. However you look at it, the University,
its students and the Club have been an enduring
part of the Australian Rules Football code in
Sydney since it began to be played here.
Since the early days the Club has had years
in hiatus when interrupted by world wars or
league restructures. It has been up and down,
it has struggled for recognition amongst a busy
University sporting landscape, it has sometimes
lost more than it has won and other times won
almost every game it has played.
The last few years have seen some of the most
exciting developments in SUANFC’s long history:
• Increased and maintained participation of seven
(7) teams – six open age and one Under19s side
• Sustained an Under18, now Under19s Colts side,
producing five (5) AFL listed players
• Become a benchmark Sydney AFL and now
North East Australian Football League
(NEAFL) club on and off the field
• Maintained a commitment to junior football
club players and coaching development
• Invested in the development of its own
coaching ranks
• Grown a management team to include
two (2) permanent full-time and four
(4) part-time positions
• Entered the NEAFL competition in 2012,
recently gaining a (5) year NEAFL licence
extension to 2021
• Playing members growing to over 280 with
over 100 studying at Sydney University
• Past players, life members, community members,
sponsors and sporting network connections
growing to approximately 2,500 people.
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL FOUNDATION
AT SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
An Australian Rules Football division of the
University of Sydney Sport Foundation (USSF) was
launched in 2009. This allows for tax deductible
donations to be made to help ensure the Club’s
sustained ability to provide the best possible
football environment to its current and future
members, friends, and supporters.
THE PRESENT
The Club continues to grow from strength
to strength. Our investment in our football
programs, our staff and our processes has allowed
us to ensure we continue to field teams across
all levels of competition from amateur to
semi-professional.
Since joining the North East Australian Football
League (NEAFL), our Club is both Australia’s
only University club, and NSW’s only club, to
field a side which competes in such a high
level competition across the Eastern Australian
Seaboard. Unfortunately at present, the Sydney
University NEAFL team cannot play home games
at University Oval No.1 because it does not comply
with state league standards. The redevelopment
of Oval No.1 is a key focus of the Club to ensure we
can keep AFL at our true home.
Our NEAFL and Elite Athlete Programs continue
to provide an important pathway for young players
to be drafted into the national AFL competition;
we maintain strong relationships with the Sydney
Swans and GWS Giants.