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The Big Rivers Football League (formerly the Katherine District Football League and Big Rivers Australian 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) K. Watson, for the Kirby's Agents, successfully claimed the leagues first MVP award.
It consists of 1 Senior Men's (8 teams) and 1 Senior Women's Division (5 teams), plus Under 16's Boys, Under 16's Girls and Under 12 Mixed Divisions played during school terms. 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.
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Former League
Est.
Years in BRFL
BRFL Senior Premierships
Total
Years
Arnhem
Barunga Oval, Barunga
–
2001
2001-2015, 2019-
4
2002/03, 2006, 2009, 2011[ 1]
Borroloola
Thunders
Borroloola Oval, Borroloola
BAFL
2021
2025-
0
-
Garrak
Bombers
Kalano Oval, Katherine
–
1980s
1989, 1997-2005, 2007-2010, 2012-2025
0
-
Gurindji
Eagles
Michael Jarparta Paddy Football Oval, Kalkarindji
1995
1995-1996, 1998-2003, 2006-2009, 2014-2017, 2021, 2024-
1
2017[ 2]
Katherine
Camels
Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine
–
2010-
2011-
4
2012,[ 3] 2019, 2022, 2024
Katherine River
Saints
Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine
–
2025
2025-
0
-
Ngaliwurru
Lions
Max Duncan Memorial Oval, Timber Creek
–
2025
2025-
0
-
Ngukurr
Bulldogs
Ngukurr Oval, Ngukurr
–
1994
1994-2015, 2020-
4
1999/2000, 2004, 2007,[ 4] 2023
Northern Warlpiri Swans
Swans
Lajamanu Oval, Lajamanu
–
1992
1992, 1995-1997, 2002-2017, 2019-
2
2005, 2008[ 5]
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Former League
Est.
Years in BRFL
BRFL Senior Premierships
Total
Years
Arnhem
Crows
Barunga Oval, Barunga
–
2001
2020-
4
2020, 2021, 2023, 2024
Eastside
Double Blues
Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine
–
1988[ 6]
2018-
3
2018, 2019 2022
Katherine
Camels
Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine
–
2018-
0
-
Katherine South
Crocs
Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine
–
2018-
0
-
Ngukurr
Bulldogs
Ngukurr Oval, Ngukurr
–
2022-
0
-
Men's sides in recess[ edit ]
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Est.
Years in BRFL
BRFL Senior Premierships
Fate
Total
Years
Eastside
Double Blues
Katherine Showgrounds, Katherine
1988[ 6]
1989-2004, 2011-2019, 2021-
9
1989/90, 1990/91, 1993/94, 1998/99, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019[ 7]
In recess since 2024 season
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
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home ground
Est.
Years in BRFL
BRFL Senior Premierships
Fate
Total
Years
Alawa (Minyerri 1997-2020)
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)[ edit ]
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
1999/00 Ngukurr
2001 Arnhem Bombers
2002 Arnhem Crows
2003 Arnhem Crows
2004 Arnhem Crows
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
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
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
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
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
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