The University Australian Rules Football Club (The Rats) was formed in 1989 and made its debut in the NTFA in the 1989-90 season. The Club was established following the merger of the Darwin Institute of Technology and the University College of the NT to form the NT University, now Charles Darwin University (CDU).
After struggling in their first season to be competitive, The Rats recruited former Port Adelaide FC premiership player Bob Elix as its A Grade Coach.
The following year, The Rats broke through to win their first A Grade Premiership. They went on to win 3 more in a row under Bob Elix, also winning the B-Grade Premiership in 1995.
In all, The Rats played in 12 consecutive NTFA/TEAFA Grand Finals from 1993 to 2004, losing only 3.
In 2010 the TEAFA and NTFL competitions were merged, and the Rats fielded a single team for the first time in nearly 20 years. The focus on a single team allowed the club to continue rebuilding, delivering success in the form of the NTFL Division 2 premiership in season 2012-13.
The Rats currently train at Asbuild Stadium via the CDU campus in Palmerston on Monday and Wednesday nights, we are a team that is very much focused on being competitive on field but inclusive and socially active off field.
The University Rats have merged with Palmerston