In 1983 the first fully organised gridiron teams in Australia were formed in Melbourne, Victoria.
Further north, an ad was placed over a Sydney radio station advertising for American football enthusiasts to
assemble in early 1984. The response was remarkable and several teams comprising enthusiastic amateurs
who had been throwing the ball around on Sunday afternoons were formed.
The first season saw all games being played at a disused rubbish tip. There were no goal posts,no medical
supervision and no insurance. The early pioneers did not wear helmets but found kick boxing protective headgear
useful.
1984 saw the first interstate clash when a team from Melbourne travelled to Sydney to play. NSW won the match
30-7. American Football had arrived in Australia.
Fred and Melba Burson were the first people that imported football equipment into Australia to use. They also did
things like bring coaches out from the University of Hawaii for clinics ect at their own expense. Luckily for Gridiron
in Australia Fred had the money to actually have the equipment on stock in Australia. Their efforts helped lay the
foundation for the sport to develop in Australia so that other leagues could start up around the country.
Also in 1984 the Australian American Football Conference was founded (later renamed the Australian American
Football League). A high profile team which the media and sponsors would see as a positive entity to promote
was created by Randall Trudgen. The first Kookaburras embarked on an extensive tour to the USA, training at US
Colleges. The LA Rams assisted in hosting the Kookaburras. The Kookaburras would tour the USA and Europe
annually until 1992.
In November 1989 the Grand Prix Challenge was held in Adelaide, a four way competition involving Victoria, South
Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales. New South Wales went on to win the Challenge.
In 1990 the Down Under Bowl concept arrived in Australia and is still going strong. Each year individual American
States are invited to field High School all-star teams, travel to Australia and spread the growth of the game down
under. Games are played against local Australian teams and between US teams. These games are run by
International Sports Specialists Inc. (ISSI), a company based in Utah, USA. 1998 saw the most successful year yet
with 36 teams travelling to the Gold Coast in Queensland to compete in the Down Under Bowl.
Trans Tasman competition came to Melbourne in January 1991 when Victoria played the visiting South Auckland
Raiders from New Zealand, finishing in a thrilling 19-19 draw.
A series of interstate Bowl games were to be played between all major States in October/November 1991. The
Victorians were rewarded with a good win. The following week saw the NSW state team go down to the Victorian
Eagles at Olympic Park. This left Victoria as the National State Champions for 1991.
The National Gridiron League of Australia (NGLA) was formed in January 1991 "to govern and promote American
football on the national level and to represent Australian gridiron on the international scene."
Gridiron Australia (GA) was formed in 1994, with the aim of replacing the old National Gridiron League of Australia.
By 1995 American football was being played in every State and Territory in Australia, a total of approximately 100
teams.
In 1995 Darren Bennett became the third Australian to play in the NFL when he was selected as the punter for the
San Diego Chargers. The first Australian to play in the NFL was Colin Ridgeway, who played Aussie Rules for
Carlton in the 1960’s before being picked up by the Dallas Cowboys as a punter. After him came Colin Scotts, who
went to college in Hawaii before being drafted to play with the Phoenix Cardinals and then the Houston Oilers in
the middle to late 1980's.
Gridiron Australia's First National Championships were held in the national’s capital, Canberra, in January 1996.
Both senior and junior teams from New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and South Australia attended. South
Australia won the Senior Championship 34-0 and New South Wales won the Junior Championship 12-8.
In 1996 24 US teams toured Australia and New Zealand as part of Down Under Bowl VIII. Both Victoria and South
Australia recorded wins over US teams.
In 1997 the Australia Day Championships were held in Sydney, with Queensland taking the Championship.
In 1997 Australia resumed its international campaign, against New Zealand. On 1 August 1997 the Australian
Bushrangers played the New Zealand Haka in Auckland, New Zealand. The game, the inaugural Anzac Bowl, was
a great success.
On 7 January the Australian American Football League (AAFL) was formed.
On 31 January 1998 the Bushrangers played Team Hawaii in Honolulu during the National Football League’s Pro
Bowl week.
In May 1998 the AAFL was dissolved, with Gridiron Australia becoming the only National body involved in the
management of Gridiron matters in Australia.
Further north, an ad was placed over a Sydney radio station advertising for American football enthusiasts to
assemble in early 1984. The response was remarkable and several teams comprising enthusiastic amateurs
who had been throwing the ball around on Sunday afternoons were formed.
The first season saw all games being played at a disused rubbish tip. There were no goal posts,no medical
supervision and no insurance. The early pioneers did not wear helmets but found kick boxing protective headgear
useful.
1984 saw the first interstate clash when a team from Melbourne travelled to Sydney to play. NSW won the match
30-7. American Football had arrived in Australia.
Fred and Melba Burson were the first people that imported football equipment into Australia to use. They also did
things like bring coaches out from the University of Hawaii for clinics ect at their own expense. Luckily for Gridiron
in Australia Fred had the money to actually have the equipment on stock in Australia. Their efforts helped lay the
foundation for the sport to develop in Australia so that other leagues could start up around the country.
Also in 1984 the Australian American Football Conference was founded (later renamed the Australian American
Football League). A high profile team which the media and sponsors would see as a positive entity to promote
was created by Randall Trudgen. The first Kookaburras embarked on an extensive tour to the USA, training at US
Colleges. The LA Rams assisted in hosting the Kookaburras. The Kookaburras would tour the USA and Europe
annually until 1992.
In November 1989 the Grand Prix Challenge was held in Adelaide, a four way competition involving Victoria, South
Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales. New South Wales went on to win the Challenge.
In 1990 the Down Under Bowl concept arrived in Australia and is still going strong. Each year individual American
States are invited to field High School all-star teams, travel to Australia and spread the growth of the game down
under. Games are played against local Australian teams and between US teams. These games are run by
International Sports Specialists Inc. (ISSI), a company based in Utah, USA. 1998 saw the most successful year yet
with 36 teams travelling to the Gold Coast in Queensland to compete in the Down Under Bowl.
Trans Tasman competition came to Melbourne in January 1991 when Victoria played the visiting South Auckland
Raiders from New Zealand, finishing in a thrilling 19-19 draw.
A series of interstate Bowl games were to be played between all major States in October/November 1991. The
Victorians were rewarded with a good win. The following week saw the NSW state team go down to the Victorian
Eagles at Olympic Park. This left Victoria as the National State Champions for 1991.
The National Gridiron League of Australia (NGLA) was formed in January 1991 "to govern and promote American
football on the national level and to represent Australian gridiron on the international scene."
Gridiron Australia (GA) was formed in 1994, with the aim of replacing the old National Gridiron League of Australia.
By 1995 American football was being played in every State and Territory in Australia, a total of approximately 100
teams.
In 1995 Darren Bennett became the third Australian to play in the NFL when he was selected as the punter for the
San Diego Chargers. The first Australian to play in the NFL was Colin Ridgeway, who played Aussie Rules for
Carlton in the 1960’s before being picked up by the Dallas Cowboys as a punter. After him came Colin Scotts, who
went to college in Hawaii before being drafted to play with the Phoenix Cardinals and then the Houston Oilers in
the middle to late 1980's.
Gridiron Australia's First National Championships were held in the national’s capital, Canberra, in January 1996.
Both senior and junior teams from New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and South Australia attended. South
Australia won the Senior Championship 34-0 and New South Wales won the Junior Championship 12-8.
In 1996 24 US teams toured Australia and New Zealand as part of Down Under Bowl VIII. Both Victoria and South
Australia recorded wins over US teams.
In 1997 the Australia Day Championships were held in Sydney, with Queensland taking the Championship.
In 1997 Australia resumed its international campaign, against New Zealand. On 1 August 1997 the Australian
Bushrangers played the New Zealand Haka in Auckland, New Zealand. The game, the inaugural Anzac Bowl, was
a great success.
On 7 January the Australian American Football League (AAFL) was formed.
On 31 January 1998 the Bushrangers played Team Hawaii in Honolulu during the National Football League’s Pro
Bowl week.
In May 1998 the AAFL was dissolved, with Gridiron Australia becoming the only National body involved in the
management of Gridiron matters in Australia.
Gridiron Australia (GA) 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 (IFAF) International Federation of American Football. Gridiron Australia
is a governing body of the state-level leagues and does not manage a national-level
league itself. Six out of the eight Australian states and territories run leagues and
also provide state-level teams to the Gridiron Australia National Championships.
American football has been played in Australia since 1983 and is always referred to
as gridiron rather than football to distinguish it from the other football codes such as
league, union, or Australian rules football. There is no uniform gridiron season in
Australia, with the leagues playing at different times of the year.
approved sporting association under federal government regulations and is a
member of the (IFAF) International Federation of American Football. Gridiron Australia
is a governing body of the state-level leagues and does not manage a national-level
league itself. Six out of the eight Australian states and territories run leagues and
also provide state-level teams to the Gridiron Australia National Championships.
American football has been played in Australia since 1983 and is always referred to
as gridiron rather than football to distinguish it from the other football codes such as
league, union, or Australian rules football. There is no uniform gridiron season in
Australia, with the leagues playing at different times of the year.
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