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Welcome to the Queensland Australian Football Forensics
The
Queensland Footy Forensics is a new group for anyone interested in the
history of Australian Rules football - both in Queensland and nationally -
whether it happened last season or a hundred seasons ago.
Launched in March 2012, the group grew out of the former Queensland
Australian Football Historical Society, which was formed in 2008.
Learn more about us and our goals here.
Launch of the Forensics
On
the evening of 30th March 2012 a group of enthusiastic footy fans attended
the launch of the Queensland Australian Football Forensics at the Pineapple
Hotel at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane. The new Chief Executive Officer of AFL Queensland, Michael
Conlan, kindly gave of his time to be in attendance to meet guests.
Forensics’ members Greg Parker and Robert Allen told the guests that the
first footy club in Queensland was formed in 1866, and despite the game
having a long, rich history in the state, very little of it had been
formally recorded. The primary goal of the Forensics - to document the
history of the game, be it last season or a hundred seasons ago - was
explained. By sharing information, resources and ideas amongst fellow
researchers, by promoting both the game and an appreciation of the game’s
history, and by providing forums for the gathering of like-minded footy fans
- whether lovers of the social side of things or the game’s history itself
- guests were enlightened as to how the Forensics intend to reach their
goals, and in so doing help others reach theirs. Guest speakers at future
functions would add colour and interest.
For helping to make the evening a success, thanks were given to Michael
Conlan, Katy of the Pineapple Hotel, Spencer Howson of 612 ABC radio, Lisa
McKoy and Craig Millar of AFL Queensland, Mark ‘The Ear’ Oberhardt of
The Courier-Mail and John Harms of the Almanackers website.
Football author Greg de Moore’s talk
Greg de Moore
was our special guest speaker at Brisbane’s Pineapple Hotel on the evening of 23rd April 2012. Greg, a Sydney psychiatrist by profession, is the acclaimed author of the biography of the first hero of
Australian rules football, Tom Wills. The book was short-listed for numerous awards including the National Biography Award. Greg also
co-authored A National Game and spoke at the Sydney Writers’ Festival.
Greg spoke extremely well and his passion about the influence Tom Wills had on the sporting landscape in Australia shone through. He’s also clearly
passionate about Australian history generally, and is bemused by the apparent lack of pride that we as a nation have about that
history.
This Website
The
website aims to keep you up-to-date with all Forensics goings-on including
details of any upcoming functions or book launches, as well as some of the
current history projects being undertaken by members. If you’d like
to get involved with the Forensics or simply like more information, please contact
us.
The objectives of the Forensics can be found on this
page. When the formal charter has been finalised it will be
included on the site.
A little of the history of the game in Queensland can be found here,
and different ways to get involved in the game can be found here.
Thank You
Thank
you to AFL Queensland for their great assistance during the Forensics’
formative period. Keep an eye out for the Forensics’ monthly article
in the NEAFL Northern Conference Football Record in 2012.
The AFL Queensland website is: AFL
Queensland The
NEAFL website is: NEAFL
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