SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

Affiliated: NSWANFL 1948-57 & 1962-68; SFA 1971-87; SFL 1988-94; SFA 1995-2006; SAFL from 2007

Club Address: P.O. Box 109, Wentworth Building, Sydney University 2006, New South Wales

Home Ground: No 1 Oval, Sydney University, Parramatta Road, Camperdown

Formed: 1887

Colours: Gold and blue

Emblem: Students

Premierships: SFL - 1992 (1 total); SFA - 1981, 1986-87, 1997, 2003, 2005 (6 total)

Phelan Medallists: Geoff Davidson 1953; Michael Davis 1990; Brydon Coles 2009; Alex Lee 2010 (4 total)

Snow Medallists: Peter Sadler 1971; Peter Moggach 1979; Tim Driscoll 1987; Tim Air 2010 (4 total)

The Sydney University Australian National Football Club can lay claim to being the second oldest in the Sydney AFL, having originally begun playing in 1887.  

The first record of a match played by Sydney University was in 1887 against St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, when the University team won with a score of three goals and nine behinds to two goals five behinds (see footnote 1).  

Sydney University was part of the Flanagan Cup contests which began in 1889, but records indicate that the club only competed for the cup in this inaugural season. Other clubs at that time were Sydney and East Sydney.  

The rugby club, known on campus as the ‘Sydney University Football Club’, was founded in 1865 (not 1863 as widely claimed) according to club historian Tom Hickie, in his book entitled A Sense of Union . Hickie’s research reveals that the SUFC, which began playing under the rugby rules, flirted with 'Victorian Rules' in its formative stages but finally resolved to play the English code rather than the Australian game.  

As early as 1888 Sydney University engaged in inter-varsity contests; in that year the Sydney University team travelled across the border to take on Melbourne University. This is believed to have been the first inter-varsity match in any code of football in Australia . From the reports in the official university gazette, 'Hermes', the boys had a rousing time. Sydney University teams continue to relish active and whole-hearted participation at inter-varsity level.  

The Sydney University club has had three stints in the major league, 1948-1957, 1962-8, and 1988-1994. In the ten seasons from 1948 to 1957 the ‘varsity team struggled to make an impact and the best result was seventh (out of ten teams) in 1954.The next stint between 1962 and 1968 was scarcely any better as the amateur club found it increasingly difficult to compete against the established SFL clubs, a number of which had their own licensed premises. In1969, University of NSW was promoted to 1st Grade, and the SUANFC 1st XVIII won the SFL Reserve Grade premiership. 

The Sydney University Australian National Football Club was a founding member of 2nd division (later renamed the Sydney District Football Association, and subsequently as the SFA) in 1970.  In the competition's inaugural season, the side contested an 'all student' grand final against arch-rivals, the University of New South Wales, but despite managing the same number of scoring shots as the opposition went under by 25 points.  Another grand final appearance against the same adversaries in 1977 brought a similar result.

Sydney University's first SFA premiership arrived in 1981 after a 10.14 (74) to 9.12 (68) grand final defeat of St Ives, but the following year brought disappointment with a 42 point defeat at the hands of the same opponents.

Following consecutive flags in 1986 (a 16 point defeat of Manly-Warringah) and 1987 (by 62 points over Bankstown Sports) University was ready for a another stab at the SFL, but initially at least its performances only produced a sense of déja vu.  After a wooden spoon in 1988, however, the ’varsity, initially under the coaching of former Collingwood champion Phil Manassa, and then under former South Melbourne/Sydney player Brett Scott, began to make steady progress. 

Sydney University won its first and only Sydney first grade premiership in its only ever finals appearance in that competition in 1992.The team took all before it that season under the coaching of former Sydney Swans champion defender Rod Carter to finish on top of the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season. The ‘varsity met reigning premiers North Shore in the premiership decider and bolted away with the flag to win by 65 points. Final scores were Sydney University 18.16 (124) to North Shore 8.11 (59).  Best player in the grand final was former Sydney defender Matthew Lloyd, who was awarded the Rod Podbury Medal.

Alas, success at this level would prove to be fleeting.  After dropping to 5th in 1993, the side nose-dived to 8th position (out of 10) in 1994, before returning to the somewhat less intense - and, in premiership terms, significantly more lucrative - environment of the SFA.  After taking a couple of seasons to find their feet, Sydney University went on to contest every grand final bar one between 1997 and 2006, although the side was only ultimately able to secure premiership wins on three occasions, in 1997, 2003 and 2005.  

Nevertheless, in terms of administration, finances and all round stability the Students remained premier division material, and at the end of the 2006 season it was announced that they were to be granted promotion to Sydney football's top tier from 2007.  

Not surprisingly, life at the higher level proved rather challenging, but with 5 wins from 18 matches, good enough for 8th spot on the 10 team ladder, the Students acquitted themselves well. Since then there has been marked improvement yielding finishes of sixth in both 2008 and 2009 followed by a minor premiership and losing grand final (against East Coast Eagles) in 2010.

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Footnotes

1. 'Hermes', Vol. 2, No. 2, 18 August 1887.  Return to Main Text