For two decades it remained the premier code, however a strong desire for representative success against New South Wales saw its rapid demise as Queenslanders switched to British football variants, particularly rugby.

Existing in the shadow of three other football codes, and east of the cultural divide now described as the Barassi Line, it re-emerged mainly through its postwar re-appearance in schools and interstate migration.

However the Gold Coast based Brisbane Bears' identity crisis, poor management and lack of success, compounded by the popularity of rugby league's Broncos, were major setbacks to the code.

After the club in 1993 relocated to the Brisbane Cricket Ground (Gabba) and adopted a traditional member-based structure, membership, average attendances and television ratings tripled.

[3][4][5] The success that followed its merger with a Victorian club and entry into the national women's competition (AFLW) helped the code's participation to surge across the state in the early 21st century.

Jason Dunstall, the first inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and granted Legend status, has the most goals, his tally of 1254 is the third highest in league history.

One of three members of the founding committee was Charles Edward Wallen, who had played for Scotch College in the experimental rules matches umpired by Tom Wills in 1858.

[9] Founding chair David Watterston moved from Melbourne to Ipswich in 1860 and was a member of Brisbane's Victorian Cricket Club (formed 1863 and consisting of ex-Victorian players).

Some of the Downs clubs lacked nearby opponents and appear to have preferred rugby, as a result competition went into recess a few years later until matches were played by Toowoomba Grammar.

In 1878, the main clubs playing rugby, Rangers and Bonnet Rouge folded, and Brisbane FC, lacking opposition teams returned to Australian rules.

However, it was beginning to gain ground in smaller country towns which didn't have the numbers of funds to tour as full Australian football teams.

[47] If that game (Rugby) takes root in the Brisbane schools, let alone Ipswich or other towns, then say good bye Melbourne, prepare your own epitaph, select your burial year and place, your death is nigh at hand.

In an effort to reverse the decline, the QFA had been calling on the VFA for years to send teams to Queensland to play exhibition matches which were largely ignored.

[67] While interest remained strong in Ipswich, the rugby dominated Brisbane media appeared disinterested in the return match and the code's comeback attempt failed.

The Queensland Football League (QFL) was formed in July 1903 at a meeting with 50 present at the South Brisbane Cycling Club and a total of 150 signed on as members.

[92] Born and raised Queenslander Jason Dunstall debuted for the Hawthorn Hawks in 1985 and quickly became one of the greatest players in the game, despite remaining almost unknown in his home state.

During this era, few local players, besides Jason Dunstall, were produced with the exception of Gavin Crosisca and Marcus Ashcroft who were successful at VFL level.

Demographic trends saw Victorian and South Australians (states where the code is extremely popular) migrating interstate in large numbers to Queensland.

Although born in country Victoria, Voss spent most of his childhood in Queensland and represented the state at junior level where he shone, before going on to captaining the Brisbane Lions and becoming one of the all-time greats of the game.

In 1996, six sell-out games at the Gabba caused the State Government to consider funding re-development of the ground, something that would be done several times over the following years to transform the small stadium into a world-class venue.

That year, Nick Riewoldt became the first Queensland produced player to be taken as number 1 pick in the AFL draft, recognised as the best junior talent in the nation.

During the Lions premiership years, junior Aussie Rules numbers exploded in South East Queensland, and grew solidly right across the state.

[99] The Gold Coast, where a hole had been left once the Brisbane Bears moved away, had grown to become the 6th biggest urban area with nearly half a million people, many of which had migrated from states where Australian Rules is popular.

However demographic trends suggested a growing demand for Australian rules football and in 2005 a pre-season practice match between the Brisbane Lions and Essendon drew a healthy audience of 16,591.

The entry of several licences from other sports into the market as well as the proposed expansion of A-League put additional pressure on the league to fast-track the relocation of the Kangaroos.

[104] This was despite threats from the league to pull financial assistance from the club and cancel the Gold Coast home game agreement if they don't move.

In 1993 the after taking over as governing body the AFL Commission merged Queensland with the Northern Territory to create a composite side before disbanding it altogether.

Queensland debuted in 1884 at Queens Park following pressure from rugby members of the QFA to play annual representative matches and the result was a drawn series against New South Wales.

(1) Subject to State of Origin selection criteria (2) QLD/NT combined side [153] In inter-league matches since 1991, Queensland (QAFL) has defeated both Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, and has had some close games including a near-wins against Western Australia.

Excluding current players, this list includes such players as Jason Dunstall, Marcus Ashcroft, Michael Voss, Gavin Crosisca, Scott McIvor, Simon Black, Jason Akermanis, Nick Riewoldt, Danny Dickfos, Mitch Hahn, Dayne Beams, David Hale, Sam Gilbert, Daniel Merrett, Che Cockatoo-Collins, Steven Lawrence, Clark Keating, Jamie Charman, Brett Voss, Brad Miller, Mal Michael, Ben Hudson, Matthew Kennedy, David Armitage, Robert Copeland, Dayne Beams, Kurt Tippett, Jarrod Harbrow, Tom Hickey and Charlie Dixon.