Alligator Creek Junior Football Club
At the beginning of 1996 Chris Rudd and other interested persons got together and with the help of Wes Knights who was Auskick coordinator a team was formed at Alligator Creek, south of Townsville.
Early meetings were very informal usually around somebody’s house over a cup of tea or coffee.
Alligator Creek’s jumpers in the first season were borrowed from the Townsville Representative side.
Eventually our first set was donated by the A.F.L. as their policy was to donate a set to any new club.
The committee chose the Fremantle Dockers’ colours as the majority liked them and most members were new to footy and had no allegiance to any A.F.L. clubs.
The new club fielded under 13-s in their first season.
Their home ground was Hermit Park Oval for the first couple of seasons transferring over later to Curra Swans Oval.
There were discussions as to putting a playing field next to the Alligator Creek Bowls Club but nothing eventuated.
The team trained on Rob Hokin’s spare paddock twice weekly and in their first season they made the Grand Final going down to a side entered by Curra Swans.
Their coach was Chris Green and this was a great effort in their inaugural year.
Thomas McDonald was a very young player in the first team going on to win two Junior League Best and Fairest and playing over a hundred games for the Club.
Jacob McDonald was the youngest player (aged seven) playing under 13-s.
Peter Gravener kicked the first ever goal for Alligator Creek.
The first ever game was against Hermit Park.
The first Presentation Night was held at the Alligator Creek Bowls Club on 14th of September, 1996.
Nick Knight was selected in the Townsville Under 13-s who travelled down to Moranbah.
The first Alligator Creek Junior committee consisted of
President: Chris Rudd
Treasurer: Di McDonald
Secretary: Kay McDonald. (Delegate to the Junior League.)
Gary Sleigh
Donna Rudd
Chris Green. Under 13’s Coach.
In 2002 the club reached crisis point when no help was forth coming during off season in 2001 it was asked whether the club should be disbanded at the beginning of 2002.
With no committee, no coaches and twelve players the future did indeed look grim.
Enter Bob Hillier, Doug Willis, Ron Hobbs, Vince Brancatisano and midway through the year Peter Lymbery Snr.
A new committee was formed with Diana McDonald and Beth McDonald staying on as the three coaches Willis, Hillier and Hobbs built up three competitive sides U-10-s, U-12-s and U-14-s.
Both the U-12-s and U-14-s played off in their respective Grand Finals and Doug’s
U-10-s played well all year.
This season became the spring board from which the club has developed to today.
Alligator Creek Juniors and Curra Swans Seniors merged in 2004 after many discussions and sometimes heated meetings to become Curra Swans Football Club.