Central Australian Football League
Australian rules football competition in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Central Australian Football League (CAFL) is an Australian rules football competition operating out of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia.[1] Established in 1947, the Central Australian Football League is the oldest, most popular football league in Central Australia.[2]. It is notable for producing Victorian Football League/Australian Football League players such as Darryl White, Joel Bowden and Liam Jurrah.[3]
| |
| Sport | Australian Rules Football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1988 |
| Administrator | AFL Northern Territory |
| No. of teams | 5 (Senior), 10 (Community League) |
| Headquarters | Traeger Park, Alice Springs |
| Venues | Traeger Park, Jim McConville Oval, Albrect Oval, various community ovals |
Most recent champions | Men: Rovers (15) Women: Wests (1) Community Men: Western Aranda (2) (2026) (2026) |
| Most titles | Pioneer (33) (Men's) Rovers, Pioneer (4) (Women's) Laramba (6) (Community League) |
| Website | |
The home of the Central Australian Football League is Traeger Park in Alice Springs.[4] All Senior games are played at Traeger Park, Albrecht Oval, or Jim McConville Oval. The Central Australian Football League consists currently of Senior Men's and Women's divisions, a Reserves Men's, Men's Community League, Under 18 Boys, Under 17 Girls, and Under 15 Boys.
Current clubs
Senior men
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | Years in CAFL | CAFL Senior Premierships | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | |||||
| Federal |  |
Demons | 1947 | 1947- | 15 | 1950, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1974, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2025 |
| Pioneer | Eagles | 1947 | 1947- | 33 | 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2022, 2024 | |
| Rovers | .svg) |
Double Blues | 1947 | 1947- | 15 | 1952, 1954, 1964, 1973, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1996, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2026 |
| South Alice Springs (Amoonguna 1962-70) |  |
Kangaroos | 1962 | 1962- | 7 | 1984, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2014 |
| West Alice Springs (Melanka 1970-72) |  |
Bloods | 1970 | 1970- | 8 | 1979, 1980, 1982, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 |
Senior Women
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Est. | Years in CAFL | CAFL Senior Premierships | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | |||||
| Federal | |
Demons | 1947 | 2022- | 0 | - |
| Pioneer | Eagles | 1947 | ?-present | 4 | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, | |
| Rovers | |
Double Blues | 1947 | ?-present | 4 | 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025 |
| South Alice Springs | |
Kangaroos | 1962 | ?-2015, 2020- | 0 | - |
| West Alice Springs | |
Bloods | 1970 | 2017- | 1 | 2026 |
Community League
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Location | Est. | Years in CAFL | Known CAFL Senior Premierships | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | ||||||
| Arlparra | .svg) |
Dockers | Utopia | 2023-2024 | 0 | - | |
| Eastern Plenty (Plenty Highway 2016-22) |  |
Swans | Hart Range | 2016-2022, 2024- | 0 | - | |
| Ltyentye Apurte |  |
Eagles | Ltyente Apurte Community | 2008- | 3 | 2017 (CL), 2019 (CL), 2020 (CDSC) | |
| Laramba (Anmatjere 2008-13) |  |
Roos | Laramba | 2008-2021, 2024- | 6 | 2014, 2015*, 2016*, 2017 (CC), 2018 (CC), 2025 (CL) | |
| Mt Allan |  |
Eagles | Yuelamu | 2019- | 1 | 2022 (CL) | |
| Papunya | Eagles | Papunya | 1960s | 2008, 2020- | 3 | 2021 (CL), 2023 (CL), 2024 (CL) | |
| Ti Tree |  |
Roosters | Ti-Tree | 2015-2021, 2023- | 0 | - | |
| Utju (Areyonga 2011-22) |  |
Tigers | Areyonga | 1960s | 2011-2023, 2025- | 1 | 2014* |
| Western Aranda (Hermannsburg 2009-10) |  |
Bulldogs | Hermannsburg | 2013- | 2 | 2016 (CL), 2026 (CL) | |
| Yuendumu |  |
Magpies | Yuendumu | 1959 | 2008-2010, 2015- | 2 | 2008, 2015 (CL) |
Former clubs
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Location | Est. | Years in CAFL | CAFL Senior Premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | |||||||
| Alkamilya |  |
Panthers | Alice Springs | 2011 | 2011-2025 | 3 | 2017, 2018, 2023 | Only fielded women's team. In recess since end of 2025 season |
| Engawala |  |
Crows | Engawala | 2022 | 0 | - | Left league | |
| Mutitjulu |  |
Cats | Mutitjulu | 2022-2023 | 0 | - | Left league | |
| MacDonnell Districts |  |
Crows | Papunya, Haasts Bluff | 2009 | 2009-2015, 2017–2019 | 2 | 2013, 2018 (CL) | Split into Papunya and Haasts Bluff following 2019 season |
| Mulga Bore |  |
Magpies | Engawala | 2013-2018 | 0 | - | Left league | |
| Nyirripi |  |
Demons | Nyirripi | 2012-2021 | 0 | - | Left league | |
| Titjikala |  |
Hawks | Titjikala | 2012-2025 | 0 | - | Left league | |
| Willowra |  |
Double Blues | Willowra | 2019-2020 | 1 | 2019 (CC) | Moved to Tanami FL following 2020 season, now in Barkly Australian Football League | |
Senior Men's Premiers
List of premiers for the CAFL Premier division.
- 1947 Pioneer
- 1948 Pioneer
- 1949 Pioneer
- 1950 Federal
- 1951 Pioneer
- 1952 Rovers
- 1953 Pioneer
- 1954 Rovers
- 1955 Federal
- 1956 Pioneer
- 1957 Pioneer
- 1958 Federal
- 1959 Federal
- 1960 Federal
- 1961 Federal
- 1962 Federal
- 1963 Federal
- 1964 Rovers
- 1965 Pioneer
- 1966 Pioneer
- 1967 Pioneer
- 1968 Pioneer
- 1969 Pioneer
- 1970 Rovers
- 1971 Pioneer
- 1972 Pioneer
- 1973 Rovers
- 1974 Federal
- 1975 Pioneer
- 1976 Pioneer
- 1977 Pioneer
- 1978 Rovers
- 1979 West Alice Springs
- 1980 West Alice Springs
- 1981 Pioneer
- 1982 West Alice Springs
- 1983 Pioneer
- 1984 South Alice Springs
- 1985 Pioneer
- 1986 Rovers
- 1987 Pioneer
- 1988 Rovers
- 1989 Pioneer
- 1990 Pioneer
- 1991 Pioneer
- 1992 South Alice Springs
- 1993 South Alice Springs
- 1994 Pioneer
- 1995 South Alice Springs
- 1996 Rovers
- 1997 Pioneer
- 1998 Pioneer
- 1999 South Alice Springs
- 2000 Pioneer
- 2001 Pioneer
- 2002 West Alice Springs
- 2003 South Alice Springs
- 2004 West Alice Springs
- 2005 West Alice Springs
- 2006 West Alice Springs
- 2007 West Alice Springs
- 2008 Yuendumu
- 2009 Pioneer
- 2010 Pioneer
- 2011 Federal
- 2012 Rovers
- 2013 Federal
- 2014 South Alice Springs
- 2015 Federal
- 2016 Federal
- 2017 Rovers
- 2018 Rovers
- 2019 Rovers
- 2020 Rovers
- 2021 Rovers
- 2022 Pioneer
- 2023 Federal
- 2024 Pioneer
- 2025 Federal
- 2026 Rovers
Recent Reserve Grade Grand Final Results
| Year | Premiers | Score | Runners Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Rovers | 5.7 (37) | Federal | 3.5 (23) |
| 2019 | Pioneer | 8.9 (57) | South Alice | 7.8 (50) |
| 2020 | Rovers | 5.7 (37) | Federal | 3.5 (23) |
| 2021 | Rovers | 10.10 (70) | Federal | 10.8 (68) |
| 2022 | Federal | 12.5 (77) | West Alice | 6.6 (42) |
| 2023 | Federal | 9.10 (64) | West Alice | 3.4 (22) |
| 2024 | Federal | 8.13 (61) | South Alice | 7.5 (47) |
| 2025 | Federal | 13.10 (88) | West Alice | 5.4 (34) |
| 2026 | Pioneer | 12.9 (81) | Federal | 7.2 (44) |
Reserves Premierships Summary List (2018 - Current)
| Club | Premiers |
|---|---|
| Pioneer | 2 |
| Rovers | 3 |
| Federal | 4 |
| West Alice Springs | - |
| South Alice Springs | - |
AFL/AFLW Players
- Gilbert McAdam - South Alice
- Joel Bowden - West Alice
- Liam Jurrah - Yuendemu
- Darryl White - Pioneer
- Matt Campbell - Pioneer
- Fred Campbell - Pioneer
- Richie Cole - Pioneer
- Patrick Bowden - Rovers
- Jordann Hickey - Rovers
