Portfolio Alternate timeline where NRL didn't exist and AFL is popular in NSW, QLD, and NZ, and TAS, ACT, and NT are represented.

[Coolangatta]

mount gambier team? doubt it

Nah, probably just a merger of two SANFL clubs.

 

[BigChippa52]

yeh glenelg would be good the bay location would be great

 

[terrybull]

Here is my alternate timeline laid out, haven't got around to designs yet but the list is finalised.

It’s 1980. The New South Wales Football League and the Victorian Football League are the biggest footy leagues in Australia. They both have 12 teams.

The East Perth Royals apply to join the NSWFL in 1980. Their bid is rejected.

In 1981, the South Melbourne Swans are ****ed. The NSWFL offers to bail them out; they accept. The South Melbourne Swans relocate to NSW and become the Illawarra Swans in 1982. That year, the NSWFL also adds the Canberra Raiders, expanding their competition to 14 teams.

The VFL don’t want an odd number of teams. They approach the East Perth Royals in 1982. East Perth join the VFL in 1983, taking the VFL back to 12 teams.

1983 would be the last year for the Newtown Jets, taking the NSWFL back to 13 teams.

In 1984, the NSWFL have talks with the popular Brisbane Football League which is struggling due to the exodus of players to the NSWFL. They offer the BFL a license to join the NSWFL. They accept, creating a super club called the Brisbane Broncos. NSWFL back to 14 teams.

The VFL expands to 14 teams in 1987, adding the West Perth Falcons and the Port Adelaide Pirates who get to wear the prison bars every game.

In 1988, the NSWFL expands to 16 teams, adding the Newcastle Knights and the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. Gold Coast eventually rebrand themselves as the Gold Coast Titans.

In 1991, the VFL adds the Norwood Redlegs to the league, rejecting the bid from Tasmania. The NSWFL swoops on this opportunity, adding the Tasmania Devils and a second Brisbane team, the Redcliffe Dolphins, to the NSWFL, expanding to 18 teams.

In 1995, the VFL adds the Fremantle Bullsharks to the competition, a merger between the South Fremantle Bulldogs and East Fremantle Sharks. VFL is now at 16 teams.

The NSWFL responds by adding the North Queensland Cowboys and the New Zealand Warriors to the league, taking the total number of teams to 20.

As of 2024, the VFL has 16 teams: Carlton Blues, Collingwood Magpies, East Perth Royals, Essendon Bombers, Fitzroy Lions, Fremantle Bullsharks, Geelong Cats, Hawthorn Hawks, Melbourne Demons, North Melbourne Kangaroos, Norwood Redlegs, Port Adelaide Pirates, Richmond Tigers, St Kilda Saints, Western Bulldogs, West Perth Falcons.

As of 2024, the NSWFL has 20 teams: Balmain Tigers, Brisbane Broncos, Campbelltown Magpies, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Gold Coast Titans, Illawarra Swans, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Newcastle Knights, New Zealand Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, North Sydney Bears, Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers, Redcliffe Dolphins, South Sydney Rabbitohs, St. George Dragons, Sydney Roosters, Tasmania Devils.

There are rumours of contraction in the future in the NSWFL through mergers to make way for future teams. Some say there will be a third Brisbane team, a Central Coast team, and perhaps one based out of Papua New Guinea/Cairns.

As for the VFL, there is speculation that they will eventually expand to a maximum of 20 teams, adding a regional Victorian team, a 4th Western Australia team, a 3rd South Australian team, and a Northern Territory team to the league.

Exiting times!!!!

Would have been cool though if the VFL had rescued the Newtown Jets as revenge for South Melbourne Swans being stolen…

 

[Coolangatta]

Exiting times!!!!

Would have been cool though if the VFL had rescued the Newtown Jets as revenge for South Melbourne Swans being stolen…

Ha! That's an awesome idea, thanks for the feedback. I may have to rewrite my timeline again when I have a better opportunity. But what you said makes perfect sense. I wonder whereabouts the VFL would relocate them?

 

[BigChippa52]

bendigo?

 

[Coolangatta]

bendigo?

Ballarat more likely, wouldn’t they? Or a combination of both? Goldfield Jets?

 

[seaforthswan]

Here is my alternate timeline laid out, haven't got around to designs yet but the list is finalised.

It’s 1980. The New South Wales Football League and the Victorian Football League are the biggest footy leagues in Australia. They both have 12 teams.

The East Perth Royals apply to join the NSWFL in 1980. Their bid is rejected.

In 1981, the South Melbourne Swans are ****ed. The NSWFL offers to bail them out; they accept. The South Melbourne Swans relocate to NSW and become the Illawarra Swans in 1982. That year, the NSWFL also adds the Canberra Raiders, expanding their competition to 14 teams.

The VFL don’t want an odd number of teams. They approach the East Perth Royals in 1982. East Perth join the VFL in 1983, taking the VFL back to 12 teams.

1983 would be the last year for the Newtown Jets, taking the NSWFL back to 13 teams.

In 1984, the NSWFL have talks with the popular Brisbane Football League which is struggling due to the exodus of players to the NSWFL. They offer the BFL a license to join the NSWFL. They accept, creating a super club called the Brisbane Broncos. NSWFL back to 14 teams.

The VFL expands to 14 teams in 1987, adding the West Perth Falcons and the Port Adelaide Pirates who get to wear the prison bars every game.

In 1988, the NSWFL expands to 16 teams, adding the Newcastle Knights and the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. Gold Coast eventually rebrand themselves as the Gold Coast Titans.

In 1991, the VFL adds the Norwood Redlegs to the league, rejecting the bid from Tasmania. The NSWFL swoops on this opportunity, adding the Tasmania Devils and a second Brisbane team, the Redcliffe Dolphins, to the NSWFL, expanding to 18 teams.

In 1995, the VFL adds the Fremantle Bullsharks to the competition, a merger between the South Fremantle Bulldogs and East Fremantle Sharks. VFL is now at 16 teams.

The NSWFL responds by adding the North Queensland Cowboys and the New Zealand Warriors to the league, taking the total number of teams to 20.

As of 2024, the VFL has 16 teams: Carlton Blues, Collingwood Magpies, East Perth Royals, Essendon Bombers, Fitzroy Lions, Fremantle Bullsharks, Geelong Cats, Hawthorn Hawks, Melbourne Demons, North Melbourne Kangaroos, Norwood Redlegs, Port Adelaide Pirates, Richmond Tigers, St Kilda Saints, Western Bulldogs, West Perth Falcons.

As of 2024, the NSWFL has 20 teams: Balmain Tigers, Brisbane Broncos, Campbelltown Magpies, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Gold Coast Titans, Illawarra Swans, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Newcastle Knights, New Zealand Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, North Sydney Bears, Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers, Redcliffe Dolphins, South Sydney Rabbitohs, St. George Dragons, Sydney Roosters, Tasmania Devils.

There are rumours of contraction in the future in the NSWFL through mergers to make way for future teams. Some say there will be a third Brisbane team, a Central Coast team, and perhaps one based out of Papua New Guinea/Cairns.

As for the VFL, there is speculation that they will eventually expand to a maximum of 20 teams, adding a regional Victorian team, a 4th Western Australia team, a 3rd South Australian team, and a Northern Territory team to the league.

Love all these theories. But why not use the existing clubs in the Sydney AFL? If Aussie rules is the only code in the country the clubs would still exist right

 

[Coolangatta]

Love all these theories. But why not use the existing clubs in the Sydney AFL? If Aussie rules is the only code in the country the clubs would still exist right

You’ve got a good point, makes it easier to customise history. I thought it’d be a good idea to visually represent what the NRL teams would look like in AFL jumpers.

These rugby clubs are as old as the Sydney footy clubs so if they didn’t exist, it’s probable that whatever the Sydney Football League would’ve been without rugby league would have looked different from what it was.

It’s also possible that everyone would’ve just tried to join their league instead of the VFL although I think the VFL also would’ve tried to expand to save half its clubs from dying off.

 

[terrybull]

Ha! That's an awesome idea, thanks for the feedback. I may have to rewrite my timeline again when I have a better opportunity. But what you said makes perfect sense. I wonder whereabouts the VFL would relocate them?

Ballarat?

 

[terrybull]

Love all these theories. But why not use the existing clubs in the Sydney AFL? If Aussie rules is the only code in the country the clubs would still exist right

These clubs would not have existed or be in a much lower level if there was no rugby.

So makes more sense to use existing rugby clubs. Which could have been a reality, shame it didn’t happen

 

[seaforthswan]

These clubs would not have existed or be in a much lower level if there was no rugby.

So makes more sense to use existing rugby clubs. Which could have been a reality, shame it didn’t happen

Im not so sure about that, some SAFL clubs predate the league clubs.
For example the Eastern Suburbs (pre UNSW/ES merger) and Sydney Uni clubs were around in the 1800s
Some areas like Manly Warringah using the Sea Eagles (1947) would make sense over the local Wolves club (1960s).
Anyhow I'll quit being pedantic, please design and theorise away!

 

[terrybull]

Im not so sure about that, some SAFL clubs predate the league clubs.
For example the Eastern Suburbs (pre UNSW/ES merger) and Sydney Uni clubs were around in the 1800s
Some areas like Manly Warringah using the Sea Eagles (1947) would make sense over the local Wolves club (1960s).
Anyhow I'll quit being pedantic, please design and theorise away!

Fair point, didn’t know that

 

[Coolangatta]

Just to prove I am going to do this, I'll share one design so far; it's hard to get anything specific, I don't really care about sponsors and mascots and such. Playing around with Bing AI prompts.

I'm going to have AFL logos on them cause... well... it's easier, and in this alternate timeline, the NSWFL premiers and VFL premiers have been playing grand finals against each other for decades, with grand finals being rotated between Sydney and Brisbane. Eventually, Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane would be able to host them, getting them every 9 years each, while Sydney and Brisbane would host them every 3 years.

This best of the big leagues GF didn't take off until the 80s when the poaching of South Melbourne intensified the rivalry between the competitions. It eventually become a massive event, smashing TV records and getting sellout crowds.

Anyway.

NEW SOUTH WALES FOOTBALL LEAGUE

1. Balmain Tigers

Home Jumper:



Away Jumper:

 

[BigChippa52]

Ai, something differnt but fun to see

 

[Coolangatta]

Ai, something differnt but fun to see

Yeah, I have no experience with this sort of thing.

Once I go through all the teams in both leagues, I'd be happy with anyone with talent to make their own, using exactly the same teams as I'll be using (which yes, does include the relocated Newtown Jets into the Ballarat Jets). I'll post the slight history rewrite another time.

 

[BigChippa52]

Yeah, I have no experience with this sort of thing.

Once I go through all the teams in both leagues, I'd be happy with anyone with talent to make their own, using exactly the same teams as I'll be using (which yes, does include the relocated Newtown Jets into the Ballarat Jets). I'll post the slight history rewrite another time.

Yeah I may have a go once that is done, I've got a few folios in the works atm as well

 

[Coolangatta]

NSWFL

2. Brisbane Broncos

Home Jumper:


Away Jumper:

 

[Coolangatta]

Wow, my prompt for a Balmain Tigers AFL home guernsey from Google Gemini looks really good. I think I have to do the back of the shirt and the shorts separately though or it gets confused.

 

[Coolangatta]

Sticking with Bing for now. Besides, Google Gemini is going through a delay at the moment due to some dumb political controversy. How unusual.

When it's sorted I'll see if it can create photorealistic images of my Bing designs.

NSWFL.

3. Western Magpies



Home Jumper:



Away Jumper:

 

[Coolangatta]

NSWFL

4. Canberra Raiders

Home Jumper:



Away Jumper:

Canberra Pear might appreciate this one.

 

[Coolangatta]

edit: I'll do some clash jumpers eventually, I can see the Bulldogs and Titans clashing a bit.

5. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Home Jumper:



Away Jumper:



6. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Home Jumper:
Away Jumper:



7. Gold Coast Titans

Home Jumper:


Away Jumper:

 

[Coolangatta]

8. Illawarra Swans




Home Jumper:



Away Jumper:



9. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Home Jumper:



Away Jumper:

 

[rabbitoh21]

edit: I'll do some clash jumpers eventually, I can see the Bulldogs and Titans clashing a bit.

5. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Home Jumper:

View attachment 1911553

Away Jumper:

View attachment 1911554

"We are the 'Dogs, the greatest team of all..."

 

[Prison bar Pete]

8. Illawarra Swans


View attachment 1911616

Home Jumper:

View attachment 1911617

Away Jumper:

View attachment 1911618

9. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Home Jumper:

View attachment 1911621

Away Jumper:

View attachment 1911622

I quite like that Sea Eagles Away

 

[Coolangatta]

"We are the 'Dogs, the greatest team of all..."

"We are the Dogs, we're always on the ball,
we play the game as it should be played,
at home or far away,
our banners fly high,
from dawn to dark,
down at the Canter-Bank den."

Just wait till you see the New Zealand one.
Sneak preview, "Sons of New Zealand,
green, white, and blue,
we'll come out... haka-ering,
Warriors through and through..."