The other clubs to crack the $1 million profit barrier were AFL grand final winner Hawthorn, defending NRL premier South Sydney and NRL grand final loser the Brisbane Broncos, as well as A-League winner Melbourne Victory and the AFL's Adelaide Crows.

Of the 17 profitable clubs, 11 were from the AFL, 4 from the NRL and 2 from the A-League. However, the AFL provided additional central funding to the Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and Melbourne that allowed them to record small profits.

In the NRL, the Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters received grants of $4 million and $3.155 million respectively, enabling them to balance their books.

AFL clubs North Melbourne, Adelaide and West Coast all achieved their profits without additional revenue or profits from poker machine income derived from the licensed venues operating under their ownership.

Losses in Super Rugby

None of the five Australian clubs in the Super Rugby competition made profits last year. The previously profitable Queensland Reds are reportedly set to soon announce a loss of up to $1 million. Despite hosting a final, the NSW Waratahs were also unable to break even for the year.

They were joined by the majority of NRL and A-League clubs in particular, though AFL teams such as Essendon, Carlton and Geelong recorded losses of between $1.3 million and $3.3 million. Even the NRL grand final winner, the North Queensland Cowboys, recorded a deficit in 2015, making a loss of $360,000 in a year when it won its first premiership.

Each of the four football codes are hopeful that better financial results are on the way, even though the AFL is currently guaranteeing about $50 million worth of debt across its 10 Victorian-based clubs, and the NRL has $30 million loaned to four teams.

The four governing bodies point to new broadcast deals that will deliver the AFL $2.5 billion over six years from 2017 onwards, the NRL five-year $1.8 million from 2018 and the Australian Rugby Union's $285 million contract that runs for five years from 2016. Football Federation Australia, meanwhile, is hopeful of doubling its annual TV rights to $80 million after its current contract with Fox Sports and SBS expires at the end of the 2016-17 A-League season.