Our Beginnings

The St Mary’s Football Club was formed in 1952 when Ted Egan, together with the Reverend Father Aubrey Collins, sought to provide Tiwi Islanders who were working for the Armed Services in Darwin the opportunity to play regular organised football.

At the time only one club from the Northern Territory Football League would allow “full blood” Aboriginals to play in their teams. Since its inception, St Mary’s has been at the forefront of breaking down racial and social barriers.

Within two years, St Mary’s had won its first premiership, and backed it up with a premiership the following year.

St Mary’s prides itself on its reputation of being the “family and community club” and for developing local players who form the backbone of its teams. Indigenous Australians have always been integral to the Club and have always been in the majority in all grades since formation.

Inclusion has been a core value since the club’s inception.

Through its sporting teams, St Mary’s strives to live by its motto “Recte Ad Metem” (Aim for the Middle).

The Club’s mantra “From Little Saints, Big Saints Grow”, is evidenced with many junior players having progressed to the highest levels of the competition notably the AFL, AFLW, SANFL, VFL, VFLW, NEAFL & WAFL.

The calibre of the committee, administration, coaches and players involved in the early years of St Mary’s, and the values and standards that they have set, have provided the foundation to what is now recognised to be the most successful senior football club in Australia.