Big Rivers Football League

Big Rivers Football League
(BRFL)
SportAustralian Rules Football
Founded1988 (1988)
AdministratorAFL Northern Territory
No. of teams11
HeadquartersKatherine Showgrounds, Katherine South
Most recent
champions		Men: Katherine Camels (5)
Women: Arnhem Crows (5)
(2025)
Most titlesKatherine South (9), Eastside/Rowlands FC (9) (Men's)
Arnhem Crows (5) (Women's)
Official websitePlayHQ

The Big Rivers Football League (formerly the Katherine District 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, Borroloola Thunders and Katherine River Sporting Club have joined the senior men's division, replacing Eastside FC. During its inaugural season (1988/89) P Hopkins (Kirby’s Agents), T Booth (Rowlands) and G Fitzgerald (Tindal) shared the Best and Fairest Award.

It consists of 1 Senior Men's (9 teams) and 1 Senior Women's Division (5 teams) in the 2025 season. 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. Other grounds used for neutral games in 2025 included Kalano Oval, Katherine High School Oval, Tindal Oval, and Barunga Oval.

Current clubs

Men

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships
Total Years
Arnhem
Crows Phyliss Winjorrotj Oval, Barunga – 2001 2001-2015, 2019- 6 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011[1]
Borroloola
Thunders Borroloola Oval, Borroloola BAFL 2021 2025- 0 -
Garrak
Bombers (Formerly Kalano) Kalano Oval, Katherine – 1980s 1989, 1997-2005, 2007-2010, 2012-2025 0 -
Gurindji
Eagles Michael Jarparta Paddy Football Oval, Kalkarindji LFL 1995 1995-1996, 1998-2003, 2006-2009, 2014-2017, 2021, 2024- 1 2017 (Division 2 Premiership)[2]
Katherine
Camels Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine – 2010 2011- 5 2012,[3] 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025
Katherine River
Saints Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine – 2025 2025- 0 -
Ngaliwurru
Lions Max Duncan Memorial Oval, Timber Creek Carnival matches only before joining BRFL 2023 2025- 0 -
Ngukurr
Bulldogs Ngukurr Oval, Ngukurr – 1993 1994-2015, 2020- 4 2000, 2004, 2007,[4] 2023
Northern Warlpiri
Mozzies Lajamanu Oval, Lajamanu – 1991 1992, 1995-1997, 2002-2017, 2019- 2 2005, 2008[5]

Women

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships
Total Years
Arnhem
Crows Phyliss Winjorrotj Oval, Barunga – 2001 2020- 5 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Eastside
Double Blues Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine – 1988[6] 2018- 3 2018, 2019 2022
Katherine
Camels Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine – 2010 2018-2022, 2024- 0 -
Katherine South
Crocs Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine – 1990 2018- 0 -
Katherine River
Saints Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine – 2025 2026- 0 -
Ngaliwurru
Lions Max Duncan Memorial Oval, Timber Creek Carnival matches only before joining BRFL 2023 2026- 0 -
Ngukurr
Bulldogs Ngukurr Oval, Ngukurr – 1993 2022-2023, 2025- 0 -
Northern Warlpiri
Mozzies Lajamanu Oval, Lajamanu – 1991 2026- 0 -

Men's sides in recess

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Eastside
Double Blues (Formerly Rowlands FC) Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 1988[6] 1989-2004, 2011-2019, 2021- 9 1989/90, 1990/91, 1993/94, 1998/99, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017[7] In recess since 2024 season, some members split off to create Katherine River Saints
Katherine South
Crocs Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine South 1991-2004, 2017-2023 9 1991/92, 1992/93, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98, 2018,[8] 2020, 2021 In recess since 2023 season

Women's sides in recess

Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Garrak
Bombers Kalano Oval, Katherine 1980's[6] 2022 0 - In recess since 2022 season

Former clubs

Club Colours Nickname Home ground Est. Years in BRFL BRFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Alawa (Hodgson Downs 1997-1998, 2000-2001) (Minyerri 2002-)
Tigers Minyerri 1997-1998, 2001-2010, 2012, 2016-2017, 2021 0 - Folded
Barunga
Eagles Barunga Oval, Barunga 1989-1995, 2008 0 - Folded
Beswick
Bears Wugularr 2009[9] 1990-1991, 1993-1994, 1998, 2008-2019 1 2010 Folded after 2019 season
Beswick Hawks
Hawks Wugularr 2017 2017 0 - Folded
Binjari
Saints Binjari 2010, 2021 0 - Folded
Buccaneers (Burton & Balls 1999-2002) Bucs 1999-2003 0 - Folded
Daly River
Buffaloes Nauiyu Oval, Nauiyu 2022 2021-2023 0 - Folded
East Arnhem East Arnhem 1999-2000 0 - Folded
Jilkminggan
Blues Jilkminggan 2001-2003, 2007-2015, 2017, 2021; 0 - Folded
Katherine Kannons Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 2006 2006-2010 0 - Merged with Katherine Roos to form Katherine Camels after 2010 season
Katherine Roos Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine 2009 2009-2010 0 - Merged with Katherine Kannons to form Katherine Camels after 2010 season
Kirby's Agents/Katherine
Hawks Katherine 1988 1989-2002 1 1988/89 Folded
Numbulwar Lightning Numbulwar 2008-2009 0 - Folded
Tindal
Magpies Tindal Oval, RAAF Base Tindal 1989[10] 1989-2021 0 - Folded after 2021 season
Victoria River Lions Victoria River 1998-1999 0 - Folded
Waliburru
Thunder Minyerri 2016-2017 0 - Folded
Yarralin Yarralin 1995-1997, 2002-2003 0 - Folded
Yugal
Power 2000-2003 0 - Folded

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
  • 2000 Ngukurr
  • 2001 Arnhem Bombers
  • 2002 Arnhem Crows
  • 2003 Arnhem Crows
  • 2004 Ngukurr
  • 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
  • 2025 Katherine Camels

^Replayed GF due to draw

Premierships (Women's)

  • 2018 Eastside
  • 2019 Eastside
  • 2020 Arnhem Crows
  • 2021 Arnhem Crows
  • 2022 Eastside
  • 2023 Arnhem Crows
  • 2024 Arnhem Crows
  • 2025 Arnhem Crows

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

2025 Men's Ladder

Big Rivers Football League Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Forfeits
Katherine Camels 10 5 1 0 1071 442 242.31% 83 0
Arnhem Crows 10 4 2 0 1067 539 197.96% 85 0
Garrak Bombers 8 4 4 0 880 871 101.03% 81 0
Ngukurr Bulldogs 9 4 4 0 1065 595 178.99% 80 0
Katherine River Saints 5 5 7 0 678 807 84.01% 66 0
Northern Warlpiri Swans 5 4 6 0 919 811 113.32% 59 2
Borroloola Thunders 4 5 5 0 448 701 63.91% 47 3
Gurindji Eagles 3 5 5 0 436 812 53.69% 40 4
Ngaliwurru Lions 1 5 7 0 257 1243 20.68% 35 4

FINALS

Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
1st Semi Garrak Bombers 14 4 88 Ngukurr Bulldogs 14 13 97
2nd Semi Katherine Camels 12 11 83 Arnhem Crows 10 6 66
Preliminary Arnhem Crows 10 5 65 Ngukurr Bulldogs 15 12 102
Grand Katherine Camels 10 13 73 Ngukurr Bulldogs 8 6 54


See also

References

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