UPDATED: Regional Queensland Gridiron League 2024/2025 Season Draw

Two clubs have withdrawn from the Regional Queensland American Football League a week before the season begins. See the updated list of fixtures.

Townsville Cyclones players Ryan Worsley and Leon Suckling ahead of the 2024 Regional Queensland American Football season. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Officials have scrambled to reschedule the season draw for the Regional Queensland American Football League days out from kick-off after the sudden withdrawal of two clubs.

Cairns’ Mulgrave Vikings and Gladstone’s Port City Pirates advised officials this week they would not field teams in the upcoming season, which begins on November 2.

Port City was close to fielding a full-strength team but will instead join forces with Mackay Mavericks, five hours to the north, to reinforce numbers and head off the risk of forfeits.

American Football Queensland president James Cowlishaw said it had been regrettable that Cairns would not field a second team this season but expressed hope that Vikings players would make themselves available for selection for the Falcons.

“It’s been hectic, as usual, but we are trying to grow the North Queensland league,” Cowlishaw said.

“We were trying to get to the point where we had six teams and two local-based divisions to reduce the travel but that didn’t eventuate. We’ve reverted back to the four-team competition as last year but with a better format.

“Mulgrave and Port City were definitely trying. When you travel and a lot of players in the community are FIFO, particularly in central Queensland, you don’t want to have rounds forfeited because they’re on site.

“Cairns is a bit bigger so it should be able to support two teams but I think we should be focusing on building juniors as a pathway instead of trying to recruit new blokes every year.

“Some of the Vikings players have decided they will play with the Falcons, as they have done in the past. The Pirates were a bit closer to having a team so they will have more of a partnership arrangement with Mackay.”

RQAFL were forced to slash two rounds from the schedule, from 10 to eight, with the total number of games played this season falling from 32 to 18.

To cut down on the 40-50 hour travel commitment some teams experienced last season there will be four northern and four southern derbies.Cairns will host four a league-high four home games, with Townsville and Rockhampton hosting three each.

Mackay will play at home twice but has secured hosting rights for the competition’s decider, the Reef Bowl, on February 1.

Among the casualties is the league’s highly-anticipated ‘Magic Round’ style triple-header at Airlie Beach.

The league had moved to introduce a record number of triple-headers in 2024/2025 to allow for representative selectors to watch entire rounds live and host training camps afterwards.

Three double-headers will replace them, two in Townsville and one in Mackay, but Airlie Beach - selected initially for its centrality - has been cut from that schedule.

The first representative training camp has been booked for November 24 in Mackay.

Mulgrave and Port City officials have been contacted for comment.

REGIONAL QUEENSLAND AMERICAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Updated to reflect withdrawal of Mulgrave Vikings and Port City Pirates*

Round 1 - November 2, 2024

Cairns Falcons v Townsville Cyclones @ Cairns

Rockhampton Wolverines v Mackay Mavericks @ Rockhampton

Round 2 - November 9, 2024

Mackay Mavericks v Cairns Falcons @ Townsville

Townsville Cyclones v Rockhampton Wolverines @ Townsville

Round 3- November 16, 2024

Rockhampton Wolverines v Mackay Mavericks @ Rockhampton

Cairns Falcons v Townsville Cyclones @ Cairns

Round 4 - November 23, 2024

Mackay Mavericks v Townsville Cyclones @ Mackay

Cairns Falcons v Rockhampton Wolverines @ Mackay

Regional Queensland Irukandji training block 

Round 5 - November 30, 2024

Mackay Mavericks v Rockhampton Wolverines @ Mackay

Townsville Cyclones v Cairns Falcons @ Townsville

Round 6 - December 7, 2024

Townsville Cyclones v Mackay Mavericks @ Townsville

Cairns Falcons v Rockhampton Wolverines @ Townsville

Regional Queensland Irukandji training block TBC

Round 7 - December 14, 2024

Rockhampton Wolverines v Townsville Cyclones @ Rockhampton

Cairns Falcons v Mackay Mavericks @ Cairns

Round 8 - January 18, 2024

Mackay Mavericks v Rockhampton Wolverines @ Gladstone

Cairns Falcons v Townsville Cyclones @ Cairns

Playoff - January 25, 2024

No.2 seed v No.3 seed @ No.2 seed's home ground

No.1 seed direct qualifies for Reef Bowl

Reef Bowl - February 1, 2024

No.1 seed v Playoff winner @ Mackay

2024/2025 Season to be launchpad for future Olympians

Players from Regional Queensland’s top American football team believe future Olympians will be among the league’s rookie class of 2024/25 as the sport hurtles towards an Olympic debut.

Flag football, gridiron’s non-contact cousin, will be incorporated into the 2028 Los Angeles Games, launching a four-year countdown for Australians to learn the game and press their case for Olympic selection.

Regional Queensland Irukandji representative Ryan Worsley, a defensive back with the eight-time champion Townsville Cyclones, said the first step for many of Australia’s Olympic flag football team would be taken when the local competition kicked off next month.

“It is the first stop on the journey (towards the Olympics),” Worsley said.

“We’re really happy for it because as a whole sport in Australia we’re getting more attention. It’s going to be brilliant for flag and for contact gridiron.

Townsville Cyclones player Ryan Worsley strikes the Heisman Trophy pose. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“I’m really keen to see the new faces it (the Olympic carrot) will bring to the sport, especially the fast, fit players.

“I’m keen to see how that turns out.”

Townsville Cyclones players Ryan Worsley, Kyle Reynolds and Leon Suckling ahead of the 2024 Regional Queensland American Football season. Worsley is pictured in his Regional Queensland Irukandji representative jersey. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The 2024/25 Regional Queensland American Football League (RQAFL) season begins November 2 with six teams: Townsville, Rockhampton, Gladstone (Port City), Mackay and two from Cairns; the Falcons and Mulgrave Vikings.

The league has drawn inspiration from the NRL’s Magic Round and the AFL’s Gather Round with four triple headers booked in across the state to equalise travel commitments and to allow regional representative coaches to attend and impart knowledge.

Cyclones offensive lineman Leon Suckling said there was no better place for regional athletes to learn the finer points of football and launch their Olympic flag football dreams than in the RQAFL, and particularly with Townsville.

In 10 seasons Townsville has won eight championships and assembled a roster stacked with experienced winners.

Townsville Cyclones players Ryan Worsley and Leon Suckling ahead of the 2024 Regional Queensland American Football season Picture: Shae Beplate.

Suckling said the club’s door was open to players of any experience level, athletic pedigree, fitness level or body shape.

“I tell everyone I talk to that this is the spot to be, in our league,” Suckling said.

“We’ve got guys like Kyle Reynolds (coach) who have been doing this for years. Every pre-season before we put on the pads we run routes and everything. It’s a really good foundation in the basics of the game.”

Townsville coach Kyle Reynolds said he hoped players from out-of-season winter sports would take up the challenge and see if they had natural talent on the gridiron.

There are around 40 gridiron senior men’s teams across the nation, per AustralianGridironFocus.com, and flag football participation is only in the thousands.

There are few Olympic sports more accessible to Australia’s large population of footballers across the code divide and the sport is hungry for fresh talent.

“We always need new people, especially at the Cyclones,” Reynolds said.

“Our boys are getting older and older, getting married and doing family things, but getting new blood and especially young lads who want to try it out is always the best thing.

“We teach everyone to ‘football’ as hard as they can and provide all the gear and uniforms. All they need to do is rock up with boots and a mouthguard and we can teach you the football.

“Some of the rookies we have already got this year, it’s looking really exciting.”

Curious players are invited to connect with the Cyclones on Facebook and Instagram.

Originally published as UPDATED: Regional Queensland Gridiron League 2024/2025 Season Draw