The good, the bad and the downright ugly names of Australian Rules football clubs.

[fabulousphil]

Being a Australian football fan, and also having a interest in the history of grass roots football, I thought I would combine the two.

Rather than focus on the AFL clubs, and their generic brands, such as Tiger, Magpies, Swans, Saints, Kangaroo, Lions etc of which there are hundreds of such suburban and rural footy clubs around the nation, I thought we could find some Australian football clubs that have unusual or original names.

Please feel free to add your own, OK, here goes.

Athelestone “Raggies”, who play in SAAFL, are such named due to the club being formed by market gardeners in 1904 who donned hessian sacks as footy jumpers in their initial years.

Ganmain Grong Grong Matong, who play in the Farrer FL.
Richmond Central in the VAFA are known as the “Snakes”,
Manning “Rippers” in WAAFL,
Latrobe “Diehards” NTFL (TAS),
Mathoora “Timbercutters”, Picola FL (VIC)
Mandurah “Mustangs” Peel FA (WA)
Kadina “Bloodhounds” Yorke Peninsula FL (SA)
Ironbank “Thunderers” Hills FL (SA)
Rivcoll “Bushpigs” Farrer FL (NSW)
Lindenow “Swamprats@ Omeo FL (VIC)
Lancaster “Wombats” Kyabram FL (VIC)
Culcain “Hoppers” Riverina FL (NSW)
RMC “Cordies” ACTAFL
Acton “Jackeroos” ACTAFL
Devenish “Barbers” (TAS)
Doutta “Stars” Essendon FL
Frankston YCW “Stonecats” Mornington FL (VIC)
Port Noaralunga “Cockel divers” SFL (SA)
Uni HS Old boys “Vultures” VAFA
TAS Uni “Rainbows” Old Scholars FA (TAS)
Old Scotch “Thistles” Nth Tas FA (TAS)
Eltham Old Collegians “ Turtles” VAFA
Essendon AFL club was first known as the “Same Olds”.
Ocean Grove “Grubbers” Bellarine FL (VIC)
North Melbourne FC was known as the “Shinboners”, due to local butchers dressing up legs of meat in the windows, or may have been due to the Irish population playing hurley at the football ground, using their hurley sticks.
Melbourne AFL club was initially called the “Redlegs” or “Fushias”.
Geelong AFL club was initially called “The Pivotonians”.
Swinburne Uni “Razorbacks”. VAFA.
East Brighton “Vanpires” Southern FL (VIC)
Holroyd Parramatta “Goannas” Sydney AFL (NSW)
Hounville FC (TAS) was originally called the “Picnic” club
Old Hobartians “Ships” Old Scholars FA (TAS)
Hurstbridge “ Bridgers” Northern FL (VIC)
Horsham United “Diggers” Wimmera FL (VIC)
Imperials “Imps” Sunraysia FL (VIC)
Heathcote “Tunners” merged with Mentone “Freighters” Southern FL (VIC)
Noarlunga “Shoes” Southern FL (SA)
Nar Nar Goon “Gooners” Ellinbank FL (VIC)
Hectorville “ Hounds” SAAFL
Nelson Bay “Marlins” Black Diamond FL (NSW)
Reynella “Wineflies” SFL (SA)
Denmank Walpole “Giants” Great Southern FL (WA)
Doveton “Doves” Mornington FL (VIC)
Diggers Rest “Burras”
Brunswick Football Club were known as the 'Pottery Workers' (VFA)
Dingley “Dingoes” SFL (VIC)
Dookie United “Rangers” Picola DFL
The original Fremantle football club was a rugby union club.
Apsley “Hornets” (QAFL)
Golden Grove “Kookaburras”. SAAFL
AJAX who play in the VAFA stands for Associated Judean Athletic clubs.
Bridgenorth “Parrots” NTFA (TAS)
Conpugna “Roadies” Murray FL (VIC)
Northcote “Brickfielders” VFA
Buln Buln “Lyrebirds” Ellinbank FL (VIC)
Darwin “Buffaloes” NTFL (NT)
Buchan “Cavemen” Omeo FL (VIC)
Boulder City Goldfields FL plays at Digger Daws Oval (WA)
Gladstone “Mudcrabs” Capricornia FL (QLD)
Mines Rovers in Kalgoolie, but there was also a Mines Rovers that played in Captains Flat near Canberra, Mines Rovers Football Club were chiefly comprised of miners from Captains Flat, many of whom hailed originally from Western Australia. The club spent just two seasons in the Canberra Australian National Football League 1938,39.
Kermandie FC in TAS was originally called Liverpool FC in 1887, 5 years before the world famous soccer club was founded in 1892.
Mallee Park “Woodpeckers” Port Lincoln FL (SA)
Barkly FL (NT) has teams by the names of Ali Curung, Canteen Creek and the Spitfires.
Berwick “Wickers” Mornington FL (VIC)
Black Rock “Rockers” SFL (VIC)
Bidydanga “Emus” West Kimberly FL (WA)
Benalla “All Blacks” Ovens /King FL (VIC)
Chiltern “Blood Stained Angels” (VIC)
Caranmore “Canaries” TFL (TAS)
Wilston Grange “Gorillas” QAFL (QLD)
Port Douglas “Crocodiles” Cairns AFL (QLD)
Yarraville “Villians” VFA (VIC)
West Torrens SANFL were originally known as the “Port Natives”.
Woodville SANFL were first known as the “Woodpeckers”.
Donnybrook :Brookers” South West FL (WA).
Hill End “Hillmen” Mid Gippsland FL (VIC)

 

[Echo Bravo]

'The original Fremantle football club was a rugby union club.'

I feel a little dirty now...

 

[fabulousphil]

'The original Fremantle football club was a rugby union club.'

I feel a little dirty now...

Yep for 1 year, before they saw the light.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Athelestone “Raggies”, who play in SAAFL, are such named due to the club being formed by market gardeners in 1904 who donned hessian sacks as footy jumpers in their initial years.

How bloody itchy would that be ?!!!

 

[NYJetsfor2029]

Chiltern “Blood Stained Angels” (VIC)

Sammy Newman once mentioned on the footy show that Essendon were once known as something like this but i doubt i can write on BF, not exactly P.C.

 

[Doctor Feel]

"Rivcoll “Bushpigs” Farrer FL (NSW)"

I lold. I wonder if they have a womens side?

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Lol, Manning Rippers, I remember playing them, and thrashing them

 

[Norchy_pies4life]

Caranmore “Canaries” TFL (TAS)

Got the name wrong there. Was called Cananore

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Port Adelaide "Power" LOL

 

[mongrel_punt]

The Parkridge "Pirates" (AFLBJ)

 

[nthblood]

The orginal name of South Melbourne football Club VFA/VFL was Cecil Street Football club, it lasted for four weeks.

 

[winty]

"Rivcoll “Bushpigs” Farrer FL (NSW)"

I lold. I wonder if they have a womens side?

Dunno, but if they're like the majority of suburban/country teams, they might have a netball team associated with them.

 

[Hawkinspired]

Wilston Grange Gorillas up here in QLD

 

[Glees]

Dunno, but if they're like the majority of suburban/country teams, they might have a netball team associated with them.

I played there from 02-04, the club is based at the uni in Wagga, very social. And yes, they do have a netball team, known as the bushsows. Had a very unique club song as well.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Rochedale Ravens - AFL Brisbane Juniors

Wynnum Vikings - AFLQ

 

[Tairy Greene]

Gladstone “Mudcrabs” Capricornia FL (QLD)

My old footy club! And in that great Aussie tradition we went informally by the 'Muddies'.

 

[BuffDog]

East Ringwood in the EFL used to be known as the 'bluebirds'

not a very fearsome moniker

 

[Hollow Knight]

My old footy club! And in that great Aussie tradition we went informally by the 'Muddies'.

Yeah, OT here, but I played Rugby Union for the Redland Mudcrabs. Great Aussie team name.

 

[Go u Good Thing]

Hawthorn where once now as the mayblooms
what a bunch of pussies there colours pooh and wee
Fitzroy known as the Gorillas pre 50's I think

 

[Tairy Greene]

Yeah, OT here, but I played Rugby Union for the Redland Mudcrabs. Great Aussie team name.

Yeah, it stood out, considering we played against the Saints, Bulls, Panthers, Swans and Roos.

 

[AFLOnline]

Thread lacks Warragul Gulls.

 

[Grimmett]

Ararat Rats

 

[AFLOnline]

Warragul Industrials.. or Dusties for short lol..

 

[Selggad]

Local club in the Attadale area in Perth was the Numbats

 

[thequarry]

Some of these might have been mentioned...
I think South Melbourne were referred to as the "Blood-Stained Angels"?
Box Hill were the "Mustangs" before forming an alliance with Hawthorn, and were briefly known as the "White Horses" and "Stranglers" (I just found that out on Wikipedia...)
There's the Oakleigh "Dragons" junior club in Melbourne, as were Northcote in the VFA
There are a few odd ones in the VFL - Sandringham Zebras, Port Melbourne Borough, Northern Bullants and Casey Scorpions
University were "the Professors" and the "the Students" as well I think (and "the Shop", as Wikipedia just told me) when they were in the VFL...I certainly haven't heard of any team in any league called "the Shop".
St Kilda were briefly called the "Panthers" and the "Seagulls" earlier in the 20th century; South Adelaide and Williamstown have those names respectively now.
Richmond might have been referred to as the "Wasps" for a time as well.