AFL Wide Bay

The AFL Wide Bay is a regional body that coordinates Australian rules football competitions in the Wide Bay–Burnett and northern Sunshine Coast regions of Queensland, Australia. The competition currently features teams from the cities of Bundaberg, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, and Gympie. AFL Wide Bay operates men's senior, reserves and women's competitions as well as underage competitions including mixed and junior boys teams.
Beginning as the Bundaberg-Wide Bay Australian Football League in 1987 through the merger of the "Bundaberg Australian Football League" and "Wide Bay Australian Football League". The competition was temporarily managed by AFL Queensland as part of its South East Queensland structure for the 2017 season before resuming under the current banner in 2018.
The representative team was known as the "Tigers", wearing guernseys similar to those of the Richmond Tigers.

AFL Wide Bay origins: the merger

In 1985, the WBAFL played a five team competition which included teams from Hervey Bay, Cooloola Coast and Gympie, with Maryborough fielding junior grades. The BAFL played a four team competition which included the three main clubs, Wests, Norths, and Souths with Burnett Heads fielding Reserves and juniors only.
In 1986, the WBAFL played a four team competition, but finished the season with just two clubs, Hervey Bay and Gympie, who fielded just one senior club each that year. Maryborough and Cooloola Coast folded. The BAFL had only three senior teams, Wests, Norths and Souths, and so with backing of the Queensland Australian Football League, the two Leagues merged.
In 1987, the Bundaberg Wide Bay Australian Football League was formed with the five remaining senior clubs, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Norths, Wests and Souths, and the addition of Burnett Heads for a few senior games, before being relegated to the Reserves after five rounds.
In 1988, Maryborough joined the competition to resume a six team competition.

Clubs

Former Senior Teams

A Grade Senior Premiers

Bundaberg Wide Bay AFL

1987 West Bundaberg Bulldogs
1988 Hervey Bay Bombers
1989 Hervey Bay Bombers
1990 Hervey Bay Bombers
1991 Hervey Bay Bombers
1992 Hervey Bay Bombers
1993 Fraser Coast Lions
1994 Hervey Bay Bombers
1995 West Bundaberg Bulldogs
1996 Hervey Bay Bombers
1997 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
1998 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
1999 ATW Bundaberg Eagles

AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay

2000 Hervey Bay Bombers
2001 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2002 Hervey Bay Bombers
2003 In recess
2004 Hervey Bay Bombers
2005 Hervey Bay Bombers
2006 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2007 Hervey Bay Bombers
2008 ATW Bundaberg Eagles

AFL Wide Bay

2009 Hervey Bay Bombers
2010 Brothers Bulldogs
2011 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2012 Hervey Bay Bombers
2013 Hervey Bay Bombers
2014 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2015 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2016 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2017 In recess
2018 Gympie Cats
2019 Bay Power
2020 ATW Bundaberg Eagles
2021 Hervey Bay Bombers
2022 Hervey Bay Bombers
2023 Hervey Bay Bombers
2024 Hervey Bay Bombers
2025 Hervey Bay Bombers
Years in recess: 2003 and 2017 summary

In 2003, four out of the eight clubs that played in a Brisbane League Division Three, were from AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay. They were Hervey Bay Bombers, Maryborough Bears, Across The Waves Bundaberg, and Brothers Bulldogs from Bundaberg. Gympie Cats and Pomona Demons had also previously played in the Wide Bay League. It was a competition which lasted only one season before the above mentioned six clubs, with the addition of new club, Bay Power, resulted in a revamped seven club League reforming the AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay competition the following year.
Hervey Bay Bombers won the Division Three Flag in 2003 beating ATW Bundaberg Eagles, with Maryborough Bears finishing third. The other two clubs in the competition were Bribie Island Bulldogs and Glasshouse Lions.
In 2017, a very similar set up to the 2003 Season took place. Hervey Bay Bombers, Across The Waves Bundaberg, Brothers Bulldogs and Bay Power, joined Sunshine Coast clubs, Maroochydore Roos, Gympie Cats and Pomona Demons, to form QFA Wide Bay-Sunshine Coast for just one season. Maroochydore Roos defeated Brothers Bulldogs in the Grand Final, played at Gympie. The AFL Wide Bay Reserves and Youth/Junior Grades continued under the banner of AFL Wide Bay. Gympie returned to play in the AFL Wide Bay competition in 2018, before leaving the competition once again.

2009 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results

2010 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results

2011 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results

2012 AFL Wide Bay Ladder and Finals Results

AFL Wide Bay	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts	Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
Hervey Bay Bombers	15	4	0	1	2000	383	522.19	62	1st Semi	Across The Waves	23	12	150	Maryborough	6	10	46
Brothers Bulldogs	11	4	5	0	1263	1178	107.22	44	2nd Semi	Hervey Bay Bombers	16	18	114	Brothers Bulldogs	6	8	44
Across The Waves	8	4	7	1	1394	1080	129.07	34	Preliminary	Across The Waves	13	8	86	Brothers Bulldogs	6	7	43
Maryborough	3	4	12	1	768	1937	39.65	14	Grand	Hervey Bay Bombers	11	14	80	Across The Waves	10	10	70
Bay Power	1	4	14	1	773	1620	47.72	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

2013 Ladder

2014 Ladder

2015 Ladder

2016 Ladder

AFL Wide Bay A Grade Senior Mens Grand Finals

NOTE: In both seasons of 2003 and 2017 all of the AFL Bundaberg Wide Bay Clubs participated in a Brisbane Competition before resuming the Regional League the following year.

AFL Wide Bay A Grade Senior Mens Grand Final Summary List 1987-2025

AFL Wide Bay Best and Fairest Award (Stedman Medal)

NOTE: The Stedman Medal was awarded in both seasons of 2003 and 2017, as all AFL Wide Bay clubs were playing each other, plus other teams from South East Queensland, but not under the banner of the AFL Wide Bay for those two seasons.

AFL Wide Bay Reserve Grade Mens Grand Finals

AFL Wide Bay Reserves Mens Grand Final Summary List 1987-2025

Note: The Reserve Grade Seniors Season was suspended after Round 8 in 2002, and was not contested from 2003-2004.