Gridiron Australia

{{short description|Governing body of American football in Australia}}

{{Infobox Sport governing body

|assocname = Gridiron Australia

|abbrev = GA

|logo = Gridiron_Australia_logo.jpg|

|sport = Gridiron

|founded = 1994(1983)

|aff = International Federation of American Football

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|region = Oceania Federation of American Football

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| jurisdiction = Australia

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|url =https://www.gridiron.org.au/

|countryflag = Australia

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}}

Gridiron Australia is the governing body of American football in Australia. It is an approved sporting association under federal government regulations and is a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The organisation was formed in 1994 and organized leagues have played since 1983.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ifaf.info/countries/index/15 |title=IFAF - OFAF - Australia |date=2009-08-03 |access-date=2016-10-25 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803062417/http://www.ifaf.info/countries/index/15 |archive-date=3 August 2009 |df=dmy }}

Gridiron Australia oversees the country's national team, which has competed in the IFAF World Cup. It is a governing body of the state-level leagues and does not manage a national-level league itself. Seven out of the eight Australian states and territories run leagues; a total of 70 teams consisting of approximately 3000 players.{{Cite web|url=http://gridironaustralia.org.au/|title=Gridiron Australia {{!}} Governing body of American Football in Australia|website=gridironaustralia.org.au|access-date=2016-10-25}} Only six of the eight state leagues are currently registered under Gridiron Australia. Leagues also provide state-level teams to the Gridiron Australia National Championships.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200502/s1297099.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20071204034723/http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200502/s1297099.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-12-04 |title=Aussie Super Bowl coming to Adelaide |access-date=2007-12-04 |last=ABC Sport Online |date=2005-02-07 |work=ABC Sport}} In 2012, the Australian Gridiron League was established by Gridiron Australia.

Organised gridiron has been played in Australia since 1983 and is always referred to as gridiron or American football rather than football to distinguish it from the other football codes such as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football or soccer. There is no uniform gridiron season in Australia, with the leagues playing at different times of the year.

Australian Outback National Team

The Australia national team, known as [http://www.outbackgridiron.com/ Australian Outback] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701034612/http://www.outbackgridiron.com/ |date=1 July 2019 }}, consists of 92 players chosen from all seven participating states, as well as international players interested in playing overseas. These players represent Australia in international competitions such as the IFAF World Cup, the Oceania Bowl,{{cite web|url=http://www.newstext.com.au/docs/GWW/2005/get.jsp?docid=GWW-20050714-1-048-4021353V7@NSW-CUMBERLAND-2006-2005|title=Give 'em a hand: Australia rules|last=Worrad|first=Sam|date=2005-07-14|access-date=2007-12-04|work=The Glebe|archive-date=8 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208152021/http://www.newstext.com.au/docs/GWW/2005/get.jsp?docid=GWW-20050714-1-048-4021353V7@NSW-CUMBERLAND-2006-2005|url-status=dead}} a recent Tahiti Football Festival and other national level events.

IFAF World Cup

The 2015 IFAF World Cup was held between 9–18 July and consisted of seven countries (Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the USA) playing twelve games at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Ohio.

Australia finished fifth after defeating South Korea 42-14.{{Cite web|url=http://www.outbackgridiron.com/news/|title=Australia Earns Fifth Place With South Korea Win|website=www.outbackgridiron.com|access-date=2016-10-25}}

The gold medal was awarded to the USA, silver to Japan and bronze to Mexico.{{Cite web|url=https://ifafworldchampionship.org/|title=IFAF Senior Mens World Championship {{!}} IFAF|website=ifafworldchampionship.org|access-date=2016-10-25}}

Tahiti Football Festival

The men's Australian Outback National Team travelled to Tahiti to participate in the very first Tahitian Football Festival hosted by Federation Tahitienne Football American (FTFA). The purpose of this trip was to assist Tahiti with developing their own national team. American Samoa were invited to participate in the festival which had the intention of encouraging the growth of gridiron in the Oceania Region.{{Cite web|url=http://gridironaustralia.org.au/news/outback-national-team/|title=Outback National Team {{!}} Gridiron Australia|website=gridironaustralia.org.au|access-date=2016-10-25}}

Australia played two games during the twelve day stay with winning results.

The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8C3MK1kilo first game] was held on 27 July 2016, against American Samoa, which the Australian Outbacks won 40-14.

The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foi-38ihPAg second game] was played on 30 July 2016, against Tahiti who the Outbacks defeated 82-6.

Member leagues and teams

There are 70 clubs that compete in full contact junior, senior and women's competitions in seven leagues nationwide. Representative teams are formed by players from across the league, not solely from the league's championship team. Gridiron Australia also includes non-contact touch football and flag football competitions and tournaments.

NOTE: (W)= Women's team registered under the same name as Seniors. (J)= Junior's team registered under the same name as Seniors.

ACT Gridiron - Championship is the Capital Bowl, representative team is the ACT Monarchs
Centurions Gridiron (J)
University of Canberra Firebirds (J)
Woden Valley Gladiators
[https://www.facebook.com/sirensgridiron/ Sirens Gridiron] (Women's Team)
[https://www.facebook.com/CentralSpearsGridiron Central Spears]
[https://www.facebook.com/Tugg.Tornadoes Tuggeranong Tornadoes] (Junior's Team)
[https://www.facebook.com/GWGCI Gungahlin Wildcats] (J)
Gridiron NSW's men's Division 1 championship game is the Waratah Bowl and its representative team is the NSW Coyotes
[https://www.facebook.com/centralcoastgridiron/?fref=ts Central Coast Sharks] (J) (W)
[https://www.facebook.com/nepeanducks/?fref=ts Nepean Ducks] (J) (W)
[https://www.sydneygridiron.com Northern Sydney Rebels] (J) (W)
[https://www.facebook.com/NorthwesternGiants/?fref=ts Central West Giants] (J) (W) only
[https://www.facebook.com/sutherlandseahawksgridiron/?fref=ts Sutherland Seahawks] (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/SydneyUniGridiron/about/ Sydney Uni Lions] (W)
Sydney Uni Cubs (Junior's Team)
[https://www.facebook.com/utsgridiron/?fref=ts UTS Gridiron] (J) (W)
UNSW Raiders (J) (W)
[https://www.facebook.com/wspirates/?fref=ts West Sydney Pirates] (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/WollongongMustangs/?fref=ts Wollongong Mustangs] (J)
Hunter Gridiron League
Gridiron Queensland - Championship is the Sun Bowl, representative team is the Queensland Sundevils
[http://www.brisbane-rhinos.com.au/ Bayside Ravens] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026075519/http://www.brisbane-rhinos.com.au/ |date=26 October 2016 }} (J) (W)
[http://www.lcgfc.org.au/ Brisbane Bears] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002011018/http://lcgfc.org.au/ |date=2 October 2016 }} (J)
[http://www.brisbane-rhinos.com.au/ Brisbane Rhinos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026075519/http://www.brisbane-rhinos.com.au/ |date=26 October 2016 }} (J)
Brisbane Saints (Women's Team)
[http://www.cairnsgridiron.com/ Cairns Rebels]
[http://www.facebook.com/GoldCoastStingraysGridironClub Gold Coast Stingrays] (J) (W)
[http://www.facebook.com/GriffithUniGridiron Griffith University Thunder] (W)
[http://www.lcgfc.org.au/ Logan City Jets] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002011018/http://lcgfc.org.au/ |date=2 October 2016 }} (Women's Team)
[http://www.raptorsgridiron.com/ Moreton Bay Raptors] (J) (W)
[https://web.archive.org/web/20161026003957/http://www.southbrisbanewildcats.com/ South Brisbane Wildcats]
[https://www.scspartans.com.au/ Sunshine Coast Spartans] (J) (W)
[http://www.toowoombavalleysvultures.com.au/ Toowoomba Valley Vultures] (J)
[http://www.facebook.com/westerncougarsgridiron Western Cougars] (J)
South Australian Gridiron Association - Championship is the Great Southern Bowl, representative team is the SA Sharks
[http://gridironsa.com.au/team/eastside-razorbacks/ Adelaide University Razorbacks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025235337/http://gridironsa.com.au/team/eastside-razorbacks/ |date=25 October 2016 }}
Port Adelaide Spartans
South City Chiefs
Southern District Oilers
[https://unisaeaglesgridironclub.teamapp.com/?_webpage=v1 UniSA Eagles]
Gridiron Victoria (not registered under Gridiron Australia)- Championship is the Vic Bowl, representative team is the Victorian Eagles
[http://www.ballaratgridiron.com/ Ballarat Falcons] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601041500/http://www.ballaratgridiron.com/ |date=1 June 2016 }}
[http://www.bendigodragons.com/ Bendigo Dragons]
[http://www.berwickminers.com/ Berwick Miners] (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/BerwickDiamonds/?fref=ts Berwick Miners Diamonds] (Women's Team)
[http://www.croydonrangers.com.au/ Croydon Rangers] (J) (W)
[https://www.geelongbuccaneers.com.au/ Geelong Buccaneers] (W)
[http://www.gippslandgladiators.com.au/ Gippsland Gladiators] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026005203/http://www.gippslandgladiators.com.au/ |date=26 October 2016 }}
[https://www.facebook.com/MelbourneUniversityGridironClub/ Melbourne Uni Chargers] (Women's Team)
[https://www.facebook.com/MelbourneUniversityGridironClub/photos/?tab=album&album_id=853432791375830 Melbourne Uni Lions] (Junior's Team)
[http://mugc.com.au/ Melbourne Uni Royals] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013205658/http://www.mugc.com.au/ |date=13 October 2016 }}
[http://www.facebook.com/MeltonWolves Melton Wolves] (W)
Monash Warriors (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/NorthernLadyRaiders/?fref=ts Northern Lady Raiders] (Women's Team)
[http://www.nraiders.com/ Northern Raiders] (J)
[http://www.silverbacks.com.au/ Pakenham Silverbacks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109160203/http://silverbacks.com.au/ |date=9 January 2016 }} (J) (W)
[https://www.facebook.com/S.E.PredsMen South Eastern Predators] (J)
[http://www.westerncrusaders.com.au/ Western Crusaders] (J)
[http://www.gridironwest.com/ Gridiron West] - Championship is the Gridiron West Bowl, representative team is the [https://www.facebook.com/WARaiders/?fref=ts WA Raiders]
[https://www.facebook.com/ClaremontJets/?fref=ts Claremont Jets] (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/CurtinSaints/?fref=ts Curtin Saints] (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/perthblitz/ Perth Blitz] (J)
[https://www.perthbroncos.com Perth Broncos] (Men's, Women's & Under 19's)
[https://www.facebook.com/RockinghamVipersGridironclub/?fref=ts Rockingham Vipers] (J)
[https://www.facebook.com/wcwolverinesafc/?fref=ts West Coast Wolverines] (W) (J)

Vincent City Ducks

[https://www.westsidesteelers.com/?fref=ts Westside Steelers] (J)
[https://www.gridirontasmania.com/ Gridiron Tasmania] - Championship is the Tiger Bowl, representative team is the Tasmanian Tigers
[https://www.facebook.com/GridironLaunceston/?fref=ts Launceston Gorillas]
[https://www.facebook.com/sohodevils/?hc_ref=SEARCH Utas Devils]
[https://www.facebook.com/KnightsGC/ TasKeno Knights]
[http://www.nwraiders.com.au Northwest Raiders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026000049/http://nwraiders.com.au/ |date=26 October 2019 }}

References

External links

[http://gridironaustralia.org.au/ Gridiron Australia website]
[http://www.gridironqld.asn.au/ Gridiron Queensland website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080129003748/http://www.gridironqld.asn.au/ |date=29 January 2008 }}
[http://gridironnsw.org.au/ Gridiron NSW website]
[https://www.gridironvictoria.com.au/ Gridiron Victoria website]
[http://www.gridironwest.com/ Gridiron West website]
[http://www.gridironsa.com.au/ SA Gridiron Association website]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929160750/http://www.actgridiron.asn.au/ ACT Gridiron website]
[https://www.gridirontasmania.com/ Gridiron Tasmania website]

Category:American football in Australia

Category:1996 establishments in Australia

Category:Sports organizations established in 1996