Lions FAQ - Sydney Uni Gridiron

Who are the Lions?: The Sydney Uni Lions is the team entered by the Sydney University American Football Club in Division I of Gridiron NSW (GNSW). The Lions were a foundation team of GNSW, playing their first game on 29 April 1984. The Lions are the only team to have competed in every season of GNSW competition. The Lions have established an enviable winning tradition, playing in 32 championship games in 39 years and winning 22 GNSW titles – the most by any club. The Lions were runners up in 2023 and won the previous two Waratah Bowls played for the Gridiron NSW championship in 2020 & 2022.

The Sydney University American Football Club is a member club of Sydney University Sport & Fitness – the body which administers all sporting and recreational activities at Sydney University – and has been a member club since 1985. The American Football Club was awarded the John Kean Trophy as the Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness Club of the Year in 1985, 1991, 2006 and 2012.

What about all the equipment?: The Club has all of the equipment needed to play – helmets, shoulder pads, accessory pads, jerseys and pants.

Players may purchase their own equipment or hire equipment from the Club. The hire fees are $75 for a helmet and $50 for shoulder pads for the season. For first year players, the Club provides accessory pads, game and training jerseys and pants for the season on payment of the Club membership fee. All of this equipment must be returned by first year players at the end of the season.

Players must take care of the Club equipment and it must be returned in good order at the end of the season. If equipment is lost or destroyed, then the player will need to fund the purchase of a replacement.

How much does it cost to play?: Registration includes a number of components. The 2026 fees are to be confirmed, however the 2025 registration fees are noted below as a guide:
The Club membership – $225

Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness – $60

Gridiron NSW League Fee – $135

American Football Australia Fee – $80

Do I have to be a student at Sydney Uni to play for the Lions?: No – Anyone may play for the Lions on becoming a community member of Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness.

How do I register to play for the Lions?: To register your interest in playing for the Lions, fill in a contact form.

When and where will training be held?: Training starts in the offseason and is essential to grasp the concepts of the game.

Training is held on Wednesday nights at St Andrews Oval and Sunday mornings at St Johns Oval during pre-season.

Please fill in a contact form to register your interest and be added to our TeamApp mailing list.

When and where will the games be played?: The GNSW draw has not yet been released. The season generally runs from September to mid-December, with games played on Saturdays, at venues across the greater Sydney region.

Will I be covered by insurance?: Yes. On a player registering with the Club, he joins SU Sport and becomes covered by a Personal Accident Insurance Plan 24 hours per day, 365 days per year worldwide, provided the accident occurs while undertaking SU Sport activities, such as playing for or practicing with the Cubs. The current policy covers limited medical and income protection and is available on request. To make a claim, players who are not students of Sydney Uni should complete a claim form (available from the SU Sport website at www.susf.com) and lodge it through SU Sport no later than 30 days after the date of the accident. The injured player should pay all costs, make claims against their Private Health Insurance (if any) and then forward the receipts to the SU Sport office. Gridiron NSW no longer provides insurance as part of the league registration.