Sport in Queensland

Sport is an important part of the culture of the Australian state of Queensland. Golf is the most played organised sport and touch football is the most played team sport. Netball is the most popular female sport,[1] while rugby league is the most watched sport.[2] Queensland also has two AFL teams, the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby, and two National Basketball League teams, the Brisbane Bullets, Cairns Taipans and Premier Gymnastics. The largest sporting event held in Queensland annually is the Gold Coast 600 motor race.

An Ashes Test at the Gabba
Brisbane Roar playing at Suncorp
Brisbane Lions players in training

Australian rules football

Australian Football has a long history in Queensland. The first foray made by the then VFL came in the form of the Brisbane Bears, who began playing Premiership matches in 1987. Despite some rocky times in the northern state, the game now appears to be entrenched within the Queensland, thanks to a hat-trick of AFL Premiership wins from 2001-2003. The introduction of the Gold Coast Suns in 2011 highlights the game's growth in Queensland.

Basketball

Basketball is a popular sport in Queensland, and offers an alternative to outdoor sport during rainy weather. Since the National Basketball League's inception in 1979, at least one team has been based in Queensland. Queensland has two current NBL teams:

Cricket

Cricket is popular in Queensland. Many domestic and international matches are held at the Gabba. The Queensland Bulls and the Brisbane Heat are based in Brisbane and represent Queensland in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:

Rugby league

Rugby league is the most spectated sport in Queensland.[3][4] Queensland Rugby League has been in operation since 1908, creating strong roots in both city and regional communities. There are currently four teams in the National Rugby League competition, two of which have been part of the NRL since its inauguration in 1998:

The other major rugby league team is the Queensland Maroons who play New South Wales Blues in the fiercely contested three game State of Origin competition. The Maroons have recently won their third straight Origin series, as well as their eleventh from the past twelve.

The other major state based competition is the Queensland Cup.

Rugby Union

Rugby Union is a major sport in Queensland with more than 55,000 registered players in 210 clubs and 235 schools across the state.[5] The first games were played in 1876, and Queensland has been represented by the Queensland Reds since 1882, who currently compete in the Super Rugby competition.

In 2011, the Reds won the Super Rugby Championship in front of more than 52,000 fans.[6] They repeated this feat in the 2021 Super Rugby AU Final.

Swimming

Swimming is also a popular sport in Queensland, with a majority of Australian team members and international medalists hailing from the state. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Queensland swimmers won all six of Australia's gold medals, all swimmers on Australia's three female (finals) relays teams were from Queensland, two of which won gold.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2005 and 2007 World Long Course Swimming Championships, Australia won both the 4 × 100 m freestyle and medley relays. In five of these teams, three out of the four swimmers were from Queensland, and in the medley relay in 2007, all were from Queensland.

Triathlon

Triathlon has been a popular sport in Queensland since the early 1980s with the state three times hosting the ITU World Championships [7] in addition to: the Noosa Triathlon - the world's largest triathlon (also the country's longest-lasting event at the same venue), Mooloolaba Triathlon, Hervey Bay Triathlon and the Gold Coast Triathlon to name but a few.

Major events

1982 Commonwealth Games

  • Motto: The Friendly Games
  • Nations participating: 46
  • Athletes participating: 1,583
  • Events: 141 events in 12 sports
  • Dates: 30 September to 9 October
  • Mascot: Matilda (Kangaroo)

1994 World Masters Games

  • Motto: The Challenge Never Ends
  • Nations participating 71
  • Athletes participating: 23,659
  • Events: 30 sports
  • Dates: 26 September to 8 October

2001 Goodwill Games

  • Nations participating: 70
  • Athletes participating: 1,300
  • Events: 155 in 14 sports
  • Dates: 29 August to 9 September

2018 Commonwealth Games

  • Motto: Share the Dream
  • Nations participating: 71
  • Athletes participating: 4,426
  • Events: 275 in 18 sports
  • Dates: 4 April to 15 April
  • Mascot: Borobi (Koala)

2019 INAS Global Games

  • Nations participating: 50
  • Athletes participating: 814
  • Events: 11 sports
  • Dates: 12 October to 19 October
  • Mascot: Lori (Lorikeet)

Other events

Queensland Sports Awards

Each year the Queensland Sport Awards are held. The major award is the Sport Star of the Year:[8]

Teams in national competitions

Brisbane-based

Club/Team Sport League Venue Established Premierships
Brisbane Bandits Baseball Australian Baseball League Holloway Field 1989 4
Brisbane Broncos Rugby league National Rugby League Lang Park 1988 6
Brisbane Bullets Basketball National Basketball League Nissan Arena 1979 3
Brisbane City Rugby union National Rugby Championship Ballymore 2014 2
Brisbane Heat Cricket Big Bash League The Gabba 2011 1
Brisbane Goannas Ice hockey Australian Women's Ice Hockey League Ice World Boondall 2006 Nill
Brisbane Lions Australian rules football Australian Football League/AFL Women's The Gabba 1997 3
Brisbane Roar Football (soccer) A-League/W-League Lang Park 2004 1/2
Brisbane Wolves Handball Australian Handball Club Championship Lang Park 2016 Nil
Brisbane Blaze Field hockey Hockey One Queensland State Hockey Centre 2019 1
Queensland Broncos Touch football NRL Touch Premiership Lang Park 2018 1
Queensland Bulls Cricket Pura Cup/Ford Ranger Cup The Gabba 1892 13
Queensland Firebirds Netball Suncorp Super Netball Nissan Arena 1997 3
Queensland Pirates Volleyball Australian Volleyball League Clayfield College Sports Centre 1998 8
Queensland Reds Rugby union Super Rugby Lang Park 1882 4
Queensland Thunder Water polo Australian Water Polo League The Valley Pool 2019 1
Triple Eight Race Engineering Motor racing Supercars Championship Queensland Raceway 2003 9

Outside Brisbane

Club Sport League Venue Established Premierships
Cairns Taipans Basketball National Basketball League Cairns Convention Centre 1999 Nil
Dick Johnson Racing Motorsport Supercars Championship Queensland Raceway 1980 10
Gold Coast Hawks Bowls Australian Premier League Club Helensvale 2014 Nil
Gold Coast Suns Australian rules football Australian Football League Carrara Stadium 2011 Nil
Gold Coast Titans Rugby league National Rugby League Robina Stadium 2007 Nil
North Queensland Cowboys Rugby league National Rugby League North Queensland Stadium 1995 1
PremiAir Racing Motorsport Supercars Championship Queensland Raceway 2022 Nil
Queensland Country Rugby union National Rugby Championship  - 2014 Nil
Queensland Cowboys Touch football NRL Touch Premiership Willows Sports Complex 2018 0
Queensland Titans Touch football NRL Touch Premiership Robina Stadium 2018 0
Sunshine Coast Lightning Netball Suncorp Super Netball USC Stadium 2016 2
Townsville Fire Basketball Women's National Basketball League Townsville Entertainment Centre 2001 2

Sporting Venues

Brisbane

Venue Capacity Main Sports
Acacia Ridge Iceworld 300 Ice Hockey, Speed Skating, Figure Skating
Albion Park Racecourse ??? Harness racing, Greyhound racing
Allan Border Field 4,500 Cricket
Auchenflower Stadium 2,000 Basketball
Ballymore Stadium 24,000 Rugby Union
Ice World Boondall 300 Ice Hockey, Speed Skating, Figure Skating
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 4,000 Basketball, Netball
Brisbane Cricket Ground 42,000 Cricket, Aussie rules football
Brisbane Entertainment Centre 14,500 Basketball, Netball
Brisbane Exhibition Ground 25,500 Baseball
Brisbane International Speedway 10,000 Speedway motor racing
Brisbane Aquatic Centre 4,300 Swimming, Diving
Chandler Arena 2,700 Basketball, Netball
Anna Meares Velodrome 3,500 Cycling
Dolphin Oval 15,000 Rugby league
Doomben Racecourse 22,000 Horse racing
Eagle Farm Racecourse 43,000 Horse racing
Holloway Field 1,500 Baseball
John Murray Field 1,500 Baseball
Lakeside Park 30,000 Motorsport
Lang Park 52,500 Rugby league, Association Football (soccer), Rugby Union
Langlands Park 5,000 Rugby league
Mick Doohan Raceway ??? Motorcycle speedway, Motocross
North Ipswich Reserve 10,000 Rugby league
Perry Park 10,000 Association football (soccer)
Queensland State Netball Centre 5,000 Basketball, Netball
Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre 49,000 Rugby league, Athletics
Queensland State Equestrian Centre 3,200 Equestrian
Queensland State Hockey Centre 500 Field Hockey
Spencer Park 10,000 Association football (soccer)

Outside Brisbane

Venue Capacity Main Sports Location
Barlow Park 18,000 Rugby league Cairns
Browne Park 8,000 Rugby league Rockhampton
Cairns Convention Centre 5,300 Basketball Cairns
Carrara Indoor Stadium 3,000 Basketball Gold Coast
Carrara Stadium 25,000 Aussie rules football Gold Coast
Cazalys Stadium 14,000 Cricket, Rugby league, Aussie rules football Cairns
Clive Berghofer Stadium 9,000 Rugby league Toowoomba
Endeavour Park 10,000 Cricket Townsville
Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre 6,000 Basketball Gold Coast
Gold Coast Iceland 400 Ice Hockey, Speed Skating, Figure Skating Gold Coast
Harrup Park 10,000 Cricket Mackay
Heritage Oval 10,000 Cricket Toowoomba
Morgan Park ?? Equestrian events, Motorsport Warwick
Newtown Oval 10,000 Rugby league Maryborough
Queensland Raceway 30,000 Motorsport Ipswich
Reid Park Street Circuit 60,000 Motorsport Townsville
Robina Stadium 25,000 Rugby league Gold Coast
Roy Henzell Oval 10,000 Cricket Sunshine Coast
Salter Oval 10,000 Cricket Bundaberg
Sunshine Coast Stadium 12,000 Rugby league, Rugby Union, Football (soccer) Sunshine Coast
Surfers Paradise Street Circuit 120,000 Motorsport Gold Coast
Tony Ireland Stadium 10,000+ Cricket and Rugby league Townsville
Townsville Entertainment Centre 5,260 Basketball Townsville
USC Stadium 3,000 Netball Sunshine Coast
Willowbank Raceway 30,000 Drag Racing Ipswich
Willows Sports Complex (demolished) 25,000 Rugby league Townsville
North Queensland Stadium 25,000 Rugby league Townsville


See also

References

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