Australian Football League
Categories: Australian Football League | Sports governing bodies in Australia
This is a page about the national league in Australian Rules Football. For information about the rules and history of the game see the Australian Rules Football page.
The Australian Football League is the elite, national competition in Australian Rules Football. It was formed through the expansion of the Victorian Football League, during the 1980s and 1990s.
Contents |
General description
A 16-team, single division competition, the season is based around a 22-week "home-and-away" (regular) season starting in March through to August. The top eight teams play off in a series of finals culminating in the Grand Final, always held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and usually held on the last Saturday in September. Before the regular season commences, a knock-out Cup competition is played, over the years it has had several incarnations as the Escort Cup in the 1980's, the Fosters Cup in the early-mid 90's, the Ansett Australia Cup in the late 90's, the Wizard Cup from 2001 until 2005, and as of the 2006 season it will be known as the National Australia Bank Cup. In 2005, the premiership was won by Sydney Swans, beating West Coast Eagles 58-54.
In Victoria, where a majority of teams are still based and in the traditional Australian Rules football states of South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania, much of the citizenry takes an obsessive interest in the competition. Massive crowds attend many of the games.
All players are now full-time professionals; however, since only a few elite players can expect to earn enough to support themselves for the rest of their lives, many study during their playing careers. The clubs, whilst still owned by their large membership base, are large businesses.
Current teams
(Note: Many clubs play several "home" matches at alternate grounds.)
Current Stadiums
- Melbourne Cricket Ground - 100,000
- Telstra Stadium - 82,500
- Telstra Dome - 53,400
- AAMI Stadium - 51,300
- Sydney Cricket Ground - 44,000
- Subiaco Oval - 43,000
- Brisbane Cricket Ground - 42,000
- Skilled Stadium - 35,000
Notable VFL/AFL records
- Highest score: Geelong; 37 goals, 17 behinds (239 points), Carrara Oval, May 3, 1992.
- Highest winning margin: Fitzroy, 190 points, Waverley Park, July 28, 1979.
- Largest Crowd: Carlton v Collingwood, 121,696, MCG, September 26, 1970. (Grand Final)
- Largest Crowd for game played outside Victoria: Sydney v. Collingwood, 72,393, Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Australia. 2003.
- Largest Crowd for game played outside Australia: Melbourne v. Sydney, 32,789, B.C. Place, Vancouver, Canada. 1987. (Australian Football Exhibition Match.)
- Most premierships: 16; Carlton (the most recent being 1995) and Essendon (2000).
- Most consecutive premierships: Collingwood, four, 1927-30.
- Most games won in a season: Essendon, 2000, 24 wins (and one loss).
- Most games played in a career: Michael Tuck (Hawthorn), 426 games.
- Most goals in a career: Tony Lockett (St Kilda/Sydney), 1,360 goals.
Former teams
- University (Withdrew in 1915)
- Fitzroy (Merged with the Brisbane Bears after the 1996 season to form the Brisbane Lions)
- South Melbourne (Moved to Sydney in 1981 to become the Sydney Swans)
- Brisbane Bears (Merged with Fitzroy after the 1996 season to form the Brisbane Lions)
Team Rivalries
- Traditional Rivals:
- Local Derbies
- Newer Rivals
- Past Rivals
Future Expansion
Occasionally, there is talk in the media and amongst fans of increasing the number of AFL teams from outside Victoria. Several areas have been discussed as possibilities, most often Tasmania, western Sydney, North Queensland, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Darwin and even New Zealand; but the AFL have a stated aim to keep the competition in its current 16-side form. It is generally thought that if the AFL expands into a new area, one of the less financially well-off Victorian clubs will re-locate, rather than an entirely new club being formed. The Western Bulldogs and Kangaroos are most often considered candidates for re-location, and some theorise that their respective name changes in the 1990s were in anticipation of such a move. The Kangaroos play regular premiership season games at Manuka Oval in Canberra, and the Bulldogs have played in Cairns and Darwin, leading to more speculation that they are attempting to build a supporter base in those areas for future re-location.
Mergers have also been an option for the AFL, as was seen with the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Lions in 1996. If two Victorian teams merge then it makes room for the 16th team to come from an interstate city. Amongst the likely candidates for this are the Southport Sharks or a Tasmanian team.
Most Likely Mergers-
Kangaroos and Bulldogs</br> Kangaroos and Carlton</br> Melbourne and Bulldogs</br>
AFL/VFL Hall of Fame
For the centenary of the VFL/AFL in 1996, a Hall of Fame was formed. That year 136 Australian Rules identities were inducted, including 100 players, 10 coaches, 10 umpires, 10 administrators and 6 media representatives. "Legend of the Game" status was conferred on several players, with further players being named in the years since.
The original legends (in alphabetical order):
- Ron Barassi Junior
- Haydn Bunton Senior
- Roy Cazaly
- John Coleman
- Gordon Coventry
- Jack Dyer
- Graham Farmer
- Leigh Matthews
- John Nicholls
- Bob Pratt
- Dick Reynolds
- Bob Skilton
- Ted Whitten Senior
Later additions:
- Ian Stewart (added 1997)
- Gordon Coventry (1998)
- Peter Hudson (1999)
- Kevin Bartlett (2000)
- Barry Robran (2001)
- Bill Hutchison (2003)
- Jock McHale (2005)
Team of the Century
To celebrate the 100th season of the VFL/AFL, the "AFL Team of the Century" was named in 1996.
| AFL Team of the Century | |||
| B: | Bernie Smith (Geelong) | Stephen Silvagni (Carlton) | John Nicholls (Carlton) |
| HB: | Bruce Doull (Carlton) | Ted Whitten (Footscray) | Kevin Murray (Fitzroy) |
| C: | Keith Greig (North Melbourne) | Ian Stewart (St Kilda, Richmond) | Francis Bourke (Richmond) |
| HF: | Alex Jesaulenko (Carlton, St Kilda) | Royce Hart (Richmond) | Dick Reynolds (Essendon) |
| F: | Leigh Matthews (Hawthorn) | John Coleman (Essendon) | Haydn Bunton Senior (Fitzroy) |
| Foll: | Graham Farmer (Geelong) | Ron Barassi (Melbourne, Carlton) | Bob Skilton (South Melbourne) |
| Int: | Gary Ablett (Hawthorn, Geelong) | Jack Dyer (Richmond) | Greg Williams (Geelong, Sydney, Carlton) |
| Coach: | Norm Smith | ||
Jim Elder was also named as umpire.
Since the naming of this side, all AFL clubs have nominated their own teams of the century. An Indigenous Team of the Century was also selected in 2005, featuring the best Aboriginal players of the previous 100 years.
Merchandising
The AFL run a chain of stores that sell various merchandise from all teams. The merchandise is also avaliable from other retailers.
See also
- Australian Rules Football
- List of Australian Rules footballers
- List of Australian Football League premiers
- Brownlow Medal
- Coleman Medal
- 2005 AFL Finals Series
- Footy tipping
- AFL Premiership 2005 (Playstation 2 game)
External links
| Clubs in the Australian Football League |
| Adelaide Crows | Brisbane Lions | Carlton | Collingwood | Essendon | Fremantle | Geelong | Hawthorn Kangaroos | Melbourne | Port Adelaide | Richmond | St Kilda | Sydney Swans | West Coast Eagles | Western Bulldogs Defunct clubs: Brisbane Bears | Fitzroy | University |