After 20 years of AFL...Did we make the right choice?

[Apsaalooke]

Mad Essendon member but third generation lifelong Norwood supporter and proud South Australian and I really wished the SANFL had asserted their hand with the VFL. There was a genuine chance to create a fully national comp out of the ashes of the VFL with rotating Grand Finals and much more favourable conditions but unfortunately we blinked and we are left with a comp that is still the VFL in everything but name and it will never change now.

The SANFL did try to have those negotiations but the VFL used Port as a pattsie to force our hand and join up on their terms.

 

[moogerfooger]

There used to be an organisation known as the NFL.



Before the AFL there was the National Football League of Australia (originally known as the Australian National Football Council), Aussie rules’ national governing body that was formed in 1906. The NFL was responsible for the game’s development across all states and territories. In the mid 70s it ran a national ‘night series’ competition, with teams representing the VFL, VFA, WAFL, SANFL, Tasmania, Queensland, NSW and the ACT. This tournament was eventually squeezed out by the VFL which launched the rival Australian Football Championships. As the VFL grew into the AFL responsibility for the national game became increasingly Melbourne-centric. In 1995 the NFL (then known as the National Australian Football Council) ceased to be.

The NFL was always trying to get a national competition going. They got as far as the national night series (some matches are on youtube) before the VFL stepped in and at that point Victorian control of any national league was inevitable. There's an interesting history of how the AFL came about here -

Towards a National Competition – Timeline of VFL/AFL Expansion

Towards a National Competition - Timeline of VFL/AFL Expansion (updated 24/4/2023) - Sports Industry AU

Sources used: The Australian Game of Football…since 1858, edited by Geoff Slattery 100 Years of Australian Football – the official History of the AFL The South Australian Football Story, by Bernard Whimpress Behind the Play – A history of football in Western Australia, by Anthony Barker From...

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