Broadbeach Australian Football Club, also known as the Broadbeach Cats, is an Australian rules football club representing the suburb of Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. The club currently competes in the North East Australian Football League and its home ground is H & A Oval - Nee Merrimac Oval.
The senior level had won it first premiership in 1987 under Coach Brian Rowe.
The highest point of the clubs' history was in 1996 where the Club had won 3 of the Grades, Colts, Seconds and Firsts. Some believe a 3 year plan/structure built from within the licenced club manager in 1994, the year the club was supposed to fold due to a heavy debt to the bank and private lenders (somewhere near $80,000 + unknown amount for new change rooms).
Despite having been in existence since 1971, the Broadbeach Football Club has only competed at the top AFLQ level since 1997. Nevertheless, it has shown steady improvement throughout its brief involvement, and in 2004, it won 14 of its 18 home and away matches and went on to reach the preliminary final before losing to Morningside.
In 2005, the Cats were one of eight inaugural members of Queensland football's new 1st Division set-up, and they once again reached the finals.
Broadbeach has an infamous rivaly with fellow Division 1 team, Southport Sharks. When the local derby is played between these two neighbouring clubs, the games are typically played in front of a larger than usual attendance due and with increased tension.
The club made headlines in late 2008 when it signed reluctant AFL star Nathan Ablett for the 2009 season. However Nathan failed to perform.
In 2011, the club was granted permission to enter the NEAFL which is an even higher position within the AFL as a whole. With this a new football board of management which has improved the off field game plan. The Game plan instigated by a clever Geoff Bower in 2010 and exercised in 2011. The off-field performances have definitely been complemented by some incredible on-field performances.
The Broadbeach Cats have not seen such an improvement in the club since 1994 where Tiger McCormick dragged the licenced club out of over $100k in debt and into the black in under one year, and was able to sponsor and foster a team lead by the Late Harry Kennan in 1996, where the U18's, Reserves and Seniors all won Premierships.
Read more about Broadbeach Australian Football Club: Competitions, Premierships (2), Grogan Medallists, AFL Drafted Players
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