WHO WE ARE
The Newtown Breakaways Football Club is an independent women’s AFL club. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive club which draws its strength from the commitment and enthusiasm of its players and engagement with the local community.
In 2020 we introduced Breakaways Men and the Club adopted the mantra “Women and Men Playing with Pride”.
The inaugural Division 3 Men’s team not only represented the Breakaways community values but showed the way and are Premiers 2020!
In 2021 we will are planning to field a minimum of two Women’s teams (Women’s Division 1 & Division 3) and two Men’s teams (Men’s Division 2 & Division 3) playing in the AFL Sydney Women’s competition (dependent on recruitment).
Our home ground is Mahoney Oval in Marrickville and we occasionally utilise Henson Park for feature events.
Our core values are commitment, competitiveness and inclusivity. Our players are committed to the club, one another and the game – on and off the field. We are passionate about playing excellent football and challenging ourselves and one another to continually build our skills and football craft.
We welcome players from all levels of experience, backgrounds and walks of life into the Breakaways family.
HISTORY
The Newtown Breakaways FC was born in 2002 when a group of players broke away from the Sydney University Bombers and formed a new team in the Sydney Women’s Australian Football League (now under the umbrella of AFL NSW/ACT/Sydney). The Breakaways adopted the red and white of the Sydney Swans and quickly made their mark in the SWAFL with four consecutive premierships between 2002 and 2005. In 2009 and 2010 the Breakaways took out their fifth and sixth premierships, with the seventh to come in 2015. In 2011 Breakaways were awarded the Team of the Decade by the AFL. The Breakaways are proud of their role in establishing women’s AFL in NSW.
The Breakaways have always exuded a unique club personality and are proud of the club founders including Jamie Robertson and Rebecca Burridge. It is a testament that some members of original the 2002 team, including Steph Foster, Rosie Graham, Paula Bartlett and Chavvauhn Calver, are still playing or actively involved at the Club.
One player who exemplified the spirit of the Breakaways was Rebecca Burridge (1971-2015). Bec ‘Buns’ Burridge was a founding member of the team and a player known for both her courage and leadership on and off the field and for being a fighter against all odds. She won the SWAFL Golden Boot in 2006, 2007 and 2009, played six of the seven Breakaways Grand Final victories, was Best on Ground in the 2004 Grand Final and a member of the SWAFL “Team of the Decade”. Bec’s bravery, loyalty and determination are remembered by the Breakaways family. In 2011 Bec was diagnosed with Leukemia and started treatment. She strapped her boots on again in 2013 and 2014. She passed away in 2015. The Breakaways acknowledge the “Courage of Burridge” with an award for the player who best exemplifies the Spirit of the Breakaways.
Despite significant protest AFL Sydney chose to exclude the Breakaways from the Women’s Premier Competition in 2020 choosing to broaden the competition including two additional clubs. The Breakaways hold the view that as the only Women’s initiated Club the AFL decision was shortsighted and did not honour the contribution of Newtown to developing the women’s AFL competition. Newtown continue to show leadership and inclusivity choosing to add a Men’s team in 2020. The Breakaways have plan to return to Premier Division women’s AFL and is proud that we are Women and Men playing with Pride.
