History of the Rainbows

The Beginning - pre 1936 - 1948

Tasmania University Football Club – The Rainbows, were formally created when they joined the Queenborough Football Association in 1936. However, there are records of the “club” playing earlier than this.

From 1936 to 1947 the club played on an ad-hoc basis against teams in the Sandy Bay area and occasionally travelled to play in Intervarsity carnivals against other Universities

  • Louis Pedder (NO 16 - Tas), Tom Simpson (Tas) and Cox (Melb)

    played at the T.C.A ground
    Melbourne 26.16.172 d Tasmania 5.4.34

An old Sepia photo of a football team the words on the photo say Intervarsity Carnival Adelaid 1948

  • Back Row: J Boniwell, JS Barnett, AFC Matson, EG Terry, JW Hudson, JO Bushby

    Centre: W Lester, RM Boden, GH Harding, JH Driscoll, KJ Walker, I Bayles, TG Bell

    Front Row:  D Paton (Vice Captain), E Seabrook, FC McGrath (Coach), DK Butterworth (Captain), GW Colman,  RB Jones

The Amateurs - 1948 - 1986

Sepia team photo of football players lined up behind each other

In 1948, the Rainbows joined the Southern Division of the Tasmanian Amateur Football League. A much more formalised league, the Rainbows were fortunate to win their first Premiership in 1949 defeating Hutchins and setting up a bitter rivalry that continues to this day

The Amateurs gave good fortune to the Rainbows, with the club fielding up to five teams in the league throughout the 70’s coinciding with an explosion in people going to University for the first time

The club won a number of Premierships during the Amateurs competion, notably winning their first A grade Southern and State premiership in 1970 and going back to back in 1971.

Other premierships during the Amateurs included, (ss Denotes won both south and state premierships)

Seniors: 1949, 1970ss, 1971(ss), 1973(ss), 1977(ss), 1985 (old scholars section)

Reserves: 1963, 1968 (ss), 1970 - thirds (ss) , 1971 - thirds (ss), 1983 reserves and thirds,

  • pictured left to right

    DK Butterworth (Captain), JS Barnett (Vice Captain), EG Terry, JW Hudson, AFC Matson, G Foster, K Spaulding, D Paton,

     JH Driscoll, B Smith, GH Harding, GC Hudson, E Lyall, RC Wilson, RW Baker, GW Colman, TG Bell, SJ Lyall, RM Boden,

     RB Jones, FC McGrath (Coach)

Black and white photo of a football team players are sitting and standing

  • Back: K Brown, R Howell, P Valentine, F Dixon, S Jacobs, C Kleinig, T Rundle, G Rundle, T Owens,

    Centre: B Kelp (Tr), B Snare, M Ramsdale, S Morton, P Salmon, R Simpson, N Mackinnon, S Smith, L Davey

    Front: B Hoggett, R Southee, K Henderson (captain), B Eade (Coach), C Banks (vice captain), J Mcquestion, J Rataj

The Old Scholars - 1987 - present

In 1987, the Rainbows broke away with several other school affiliated clubs to create the Old Scholars Football Association. The league has seen some change over the years but is till operational with 6 teams playing a seniors and reserves competition - The Rainbows, Dominic Old Scholars, OHA, Hutchins Old Boys and St Virgils Old Scholars.

In the OSFA we have won premierships in 1990 (reserves) 1992 (seniors and reserves), 1993 (seniors and reserves), 1995 (reserves), 2005 (reserves), 2015 (reserves) and 2016(seniors and reserves) whilst making the grand final in both divisions regularly.

A picture of football team infront of an od scoreboard - nobody is smiling

  • Back : Bill Trethewie (Runner), Rob Pascoe, Dion Clark, Trent Stevens, Michael Palmer, Grant King

    Middle : Mark Corbett, Gav Livingston, Zac Mastrocola, Cameron Burgess, Nic Huizing, Hamish Anderson, Nick Fenton, Jarrod Collis, Ash Woodhead, Josh Fogarty, Beau Adams, Rhys Douglas, Field Reeves, Jake Stride, Glenn Glass(Trainer)  

    Front : Rob Gilligan, Ryan Davis, Tom Arnold (Captain), Troy Stewart (Ass Coach), Ben Beams (Coach), Jamie Kaye(Ass Coach), Curtis Bielski, Allen Bielski

     Absent: (played in GF): Brad Green, Jack McDonald, Brad Conway

2018 - The introduction of the TUFC Rainbows Womens Team

In 2018, Tasmania University expanded, with the AFL finally opening up pathways for women to play footy, TUFC under the inaugural womens coach Gerry O’dea fielded a team in the Southern Football League Womens division 2. The team, with 40 registered players in its first year exceeded expectations. The Rainbows won their inaugural premiership in 2021.

A womens AFL team crammed in together for a team photo. All are smiling. In the background is team memorabilia
a Womens football team celebrating with their trophy in the middle

  • Back : J. Hutchins, M Archer, T. Kelly, N. Gulliver, M. Refaei, T. Brinsmead, C. Marquis, I. Memed

    Middle :  M. Martin (Club President) M. Jacobs (Asst Coach) A. Wing, R. Campbell, A. Terry, I. Curran,
    S. Ikin, A. Kenneally, P. Salmon, C. Schulze, K. Chivers (Trainer) K. Hay (Team Manager) G. O’Dea (Coach)

    Front : G. Patrikopolous, M. Targett, E. Fornells Vernet, E. Chivers (Co-Captain) A. Thompson (Co-Captain)
    A. Madsen, O. Richardson, E. Keirath

    Absent: S. Rose, H. Steele, E. Taylor, I. Ermacora, E. van Beek, L. McKeough, I. Duffie, G. Watson, E. Storey M. Garrett, S. Chivers (Runner)

  •                                                    TUFC Womens 2021 - Premiers

    Back : Sarah Ikin, Erin Chivers (Ass Coach), Bec Boxall, Leah Bartlett, Jas Allnutt, Emily Philpott, Eli Cropp, Madi Mulder, Remie Bampton.

    Middle :  Tarny Kelly, Bella Johnson, Charli O'Neill, Maisey Fraser-Easton, Mimi Refaei, Bonnie Grynglas, Charli Wyllie. 

    Front : Gerry O'Dea (Coach), Eleanor Dykstra, Mikayla Lack, Olly Dove, Sam Rose (Capt), Annie Lord

    Lying : The Boys (Zac & Connah).

TUFC and Association Life Members

Section coming soon