// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did UTS Australian Football Club go to the doctor? It was feeling a little kicked.
| UTS Australian Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Names | |||
| Full name | University of Technology, Australian Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) | Bats, Batters | ||
| 2025 season | |||
| After finals | NA | ||
| Home-and-away season | 7th (men's), 6th (women's) | ||
| Club details | |||
| Founded | 2000 | ||
| Colours | Black and Green | ||
| Competition | Sydney AFL | ||
| President | Adrian Sibbick | ||
| Coach | Dean Cleary[1] | ||
| Ground | Trumper Park Oval Waverely Oval, Bondi | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| Other information | |||
| Official website | utsafc.com.au | ||
The University of Technology Australian Football Club (mostly known as the UTS Australian Football Club), nicknamed as the Bats (and the women's team formerly known as the Shamrocks), is an Australian rules football club based in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It competes in the AFL Sydney. The club is affiliated with the University of Technology, Sydney.[2]
The Bats play their home games at Trumper Park Oval in Paddington, New South Wales, and at Waverley Oval in Bondi, New South Wales. They train at Trumper Park Oval in Paddington and Bat and Ball Oval in Moore Park, New South Wales.[citation needed]
History
[edit source]Men's football
[edit source]
The UTS Bars were founded in 2000 by Marty Lynch, a University of Technology, Sydney student at the time, adopting the "Bats" nickname as a result of an initial sponsorship from Bacardi Rum.The Bats enjoyed success in their first year, with the Division Two side winning the premiership.[3] In 2004 the club was coached by former Balmain player Roger Moten, and was actively seeking to recruit players from the Royal Australian Navy.[2]
In 2011 the UTS Bats were elevated to the AFL Sydney Premier Division, though struggled in their initial seasons,[3] including a wooden spoon in 2014.[4]
Women's football
[edit source]In 2001 UTS established a women's team to play in the AFL Sydney, however the club folded in 2006, and subsequent attempts to re-establish it met with failure. In 2008 the Bondi Shamrocks, named so due to a large number of Irish expatriates on the team, were founded. The Shamrocks played in the AFL Sydney's Women's competition for the first time in 2009.[3]
By 2016 the Bondi Shamrocks had become the UTS Shamrocks, and won their first Grand Final,[3] defeating Wollongong Saints 5.5 (35) to 3.2 (20).[5] Following this victory the Shamrocks were elevated to the Women's Premier Division. In 2019 the Shamrocks were renammed the Bats, so that all UTS AFL clubs were playing under the same name.[3] In 2023 the Women's Premier Division side were minor premiers and Grand Finalists, though were defeated by East Coast Eagles 8.8 (56) to 1.6 (12).[6] Former Kildare player Gillian Behan,[7] was UTS' sole goal scorer for the match.[6]
Intervarsity football
[edit source]The club participates in inter-varsity football at both the state and national level. The club has competed at every Australian University Games since 1998.[citation needed]
Club honours
[edit source]| Premierships | |||
| Competition | Level | Wins | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFL Sydney Men's | Division One | 5 | 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016 |
| Division One Reserves | 4 | 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 | |
| Division Two | 2 | 2000, 2002 | |
| Division Three | 1 | 2023 | |
| Division Four | 2 | 2014, 2016 | |
| Division Five | 2 | 2015, 2025 | |
| Masters | 2 | 2023, 2024 | |
| AFL Sydney Women's | Division One | 2 | 2016, 2024 |
| Finishing positions | |||
| AFL Sydney Men's Premier Division |
Wooden spoons | 3 | 2014, 2019, 2020 |
| AFL Sydney Women's Premier Division |
Minor premiership | 1 | 2023 |
| Grand Finalist | 1 | 2023 | |
| Wooden spoons | 1 | 2018 | |
Individual honours
[edit source]Mostyn Medal winners
[edit source]The Mostyn Medal is awarded to the best player in the AFL Sydney Women's Premier Division during the home-and-away season as voted by the umpires:
- Claudia Gunjaca (2020)[8]
AFLW Players
[edit source]The following UTS Bats or Bondi Shamrocks players have played in the AFL Women's:
- Claudia Gunjaca (Geelong Cats)[9]
Seasons
[edit source]| Premiers | Grand Finalist | Minor premiers | Wooden spoon |
AFL Sydney Men's Premier Division
[edit source]| UTS Bats AFL Sydney Men's Premier Division seasons[10] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | No. | P | W | D | L | % |
| 2011 | 10th | 18 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 60.38 |
| 2012 | 6th | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 112.17 |
| 2013 | 8th | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 93.67 |
| 2014 | 10th | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 65.62 |
| 2015 | 6th | 16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 82.69 |
| 2016 | 3rd | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 116.90 |
| 2017 | 7th | 16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 78.67 |
| 2018 | 9th | 18 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 59.95 |
| 2019 | 10th | 18 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 56.77 |
| 2020* | 10th* | 9* | 0* | 0* | 9* | 19.94* |
| 2021* | 7th* | 10* | 4* | 0* | 6* | 76.9* |
| 2022 | 7th | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 59.90 |
| 2023 | 8th | 16 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 54.90 |
* The 2020 and 2021 seasons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
AFL Sydney Women's Premier Division
[edit source]| UTS Shamrocks/UTS Bats AFL Sydney Women's Premier Division seasons | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | No. | P | W | D | L | % |
| 2017[11] | 7th | 17 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 40.13 |
| 2018[12] | 8th | 17 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 57.89 |
References
[edit source]- ↑ "UTS BATS APPOINT DEAN CLEARY AS MEN'S HEAD COACH | UTS AFC | The Bats | AFL Sydney". utsafc.com.au. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Bats call for sailors". Royal Australian Navy News. Vol. 47, no. 5. Australia. 8 April 2004. p. 23. Retrieved 10 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "History | UTS AFC | The Bats | AFL Sydney". utsafc.com.au. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ladder for AFL Sydney Premier Division 2014". GameDay. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Results for BLK AFL Sydney Women's Division One 2016". GameDay. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 "East Coast Eagles v UTS Bats WPD, 2023, GF - Game Centre". www.playhq.com. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Former Kildare senior footballer helps Irish AFL side to national title in Australia". Kildare Now. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Giants players star in AFL Sydney, Canberra deciders". AFLW. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Claudia Gunjaca - Player Profile - AFL". afl.com.au/aflw. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ Robinson, Andrew (28 September 2025). "NSW/Sydney Australian Football -- Results 1903 to 2025". Elite to Grassroots. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ladder for AFL Sydney Women's Premier Division 2017". GameDay. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ladder for AFL Sydney Women's Premier Division 2018". GameDay. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
External links
[edit source]- Official website
- Woollahra Municipal Council - Trumper Park Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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