139-456: AFL Sydney is an Australian rules football League, based in metropolitan Sydney , Australia which has been run since 1903. In 1980 was known as the "Sydney Football League" and renamed the "Sydney AFL" in 1998 before adopting its current name in 2009. It comprises 118 teams from 22 clubs which play across seven senior men's divisions, five women's divisions, a Master's Division and two under 19 men's competitions in season 2023. The competition
278-638: A dominion , leagues were also established in the major cities. This renewed popularity helped encourage the formation of the Australasian Football Council , which in 1908 in Melbourne staged the first national interstate competition, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival , with teams representing each state and New Zealand. The game was also established early on in the new territories. In
417-471: A 12-team competition. This resulted in six games per round in an 18-round home and away season, with not all teams playing each other twice. Manly, the newcomers to the top division, would make an immediate impact as they won their first nine games in Premier Division; shooting straight to the top of the ladder on their way to the minor premiership. Sydney Uni and Sydney Hills Eagles fielded teams in
556-613: A 3-year stint in AFL Canberra . The Blues, as they were then known, were an exceptionally strong club at the time and dominated the league in their first year back in Sydney. In the grand final, Campbelltown 18.5 (113) were far too good for Balmain 13.13 (91) to take out the premiership by 22 points. In 2000, after the AFL's reserve grade competition was abolished, the Swans fielded a team in
695-411: A 6-point win over North Shore. By the 1920s, popularity had reached a point where the league was charging spectators at the gate and players were being paid with attendance to each match was in the thousands. However at the same time rugby league was booming in popularity, dwarfing the popularity of the competition, particularly in representative matches between New South Wales and Queensland, but also at
834-517: A century. State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990. The term " Barassi Line ", named after VFL star Ron Barassi ,
973-490: A certain number of matches depending on the severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking , fast movement of both players and the ball, and high scoring. The sport's origins can be traced to football matches played in Melbourne , Victoria , in 1858, inspired by English public school football games . Seeking to develop a game more suited to adults and Australian conditions,
1112-667: A comfortable 54-point win. Gus Seebeck kicked 10 goals for the Eagles to win the Podbury Medal. Premier Division – East Coast Eagles 22.12 (144) d UNSW-ES 13.12 (90) First Division – UTS 21.10 (136) d East Coast Eagles 5.7 (37) Second Division – Macquarie Uni 11.15 (81) d UTS 8.5 (53) Third Division – UNSW-ES 9.4 (58) d UTS 6.12 (48) Fourth Division – Sydney Uni 16.6 (102) d UNSW-ES 8.8 (56) Under 18s Premier – North Shore 8.9 (57) d St George 6.9 (45) Under 18s Challenge – Sydney Uni 16.14 (110) d Southern Power 2.5 (17) Sydney Uni, on
1251-841: A decade in hiatus a new governing body was formed under the same name in 1903 as the New South Wales Football Association on 12 February 1903 at a meeting held in the YMCA Hall in George Street. The competition was known as the New South Wales Football League . John See , Premier of New South Wales was elected the NSWFL's first president, and along with Phillip Sheridan of the Sydney Cricket Ground trust who
1390-599: A few reserve grade games for the Bombers during this season but was never picked in the senior team. North Shore finished top after the home & away season, with UNSW-ES finishing 2nd. But this time the Bulldogs were to miss out on a grand final berth and instead St George finally broke through the preliminary final hurdle to qualify for the big day. Having lost the previous 2 grand finals the Bombers were nervous, and even more so when St George led by 4 points at half time. But
1529-419: A game for either medical or tactical reasons. Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area". In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing side. While there
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#17327918618171668-782: A game. The East Coast Eagles won the minor premiership, joining them in the finals were Balmain, Sydney University, North Shore and Pennant Hills. Results in the 2011 Finals Series: Qualifying Final : Balmain 14.8 (92) defeated Sydney University 10.12 (72) Elimination Final : North Shore 17.10 (112) defeated Pennant Hills 8.8 (56) Major Semi Final : East Coast 11.12 (78) defeated Balmain 7.18 (60) Minor Semi Final : Sydney University 24.11 (155) defeated North Shore 10.4 (64) Preliminary Final : Balmain 13.7 (85) defeated Sydney University 12.10 (82) Grand Final : East Coast 17.12 (114) defeated Balmain 10.11 (71) The same eleven teams competed in Premier Division in 2012, but with East Coast Eagles (now renamed Sydney Hills Eagles) and Sydney Uni joining
1807-677: A long way in front of other teams and were widely fancied to play in the grand final. Wests made it through in the major semi-final, but in a stunning upset Pennant Hills went down in the preliminary final to reigning premiers North Shore. The Bombers were to turn on an even more stunning upset in the grand final, getting on top after half-time to record a 13.9 (87) to 6.10 (46) win over Wests and take out back-to-back flags. Premier Reserves: UNSW-ES def East Coast Eagles 1st Division Seniors: Sydney Uni Students def UTS Bats 1st Division Reserves: Sydney Uni Students def UTS Bats 2nd Division: Nor-West Jets 10.10 (70) def Sydney Uni Blue 4.11 (34) Before
1946-413: A marathon day at Henson Park , in which all five Premier Division Seniors matches for round 1 were played back to back. Bad weather and construction delays meant that East Coast Eagles were unable to move into their new home ground at Bruce Purser Reserve in 2008, but the Eagles put those frustrations behind them to qualify for the finals. Also returning to finals action in 2008 after missing out in 2007
2085-399: A mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in
2224-415: A player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone. As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply. East Coast Eagles The East Coast Eagles is an Australian rules football club competing in
2363-566: A proposed hybrid code of Australian football and rugby league , the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success. In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. The WAFL lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. The Anzac Day match ,
2502-888: A pupil at Rugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant , posted an advertisement for a scratch match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club , including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley and J. B. Thompson . Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in
2641-505: A second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annual International Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players. In
2780-464: A select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called a handball )—deemed a correct disposal. Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in a free kick to the opposing team. If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through
2919-440: A shock result, the Eagles suffered their only loss of the season on grand final day, going down by 2 points to Pennant Hills in wet conditions at Henson Park . In 2008 the club finished the season in fourth before defeating North Shore (by 50 points), St George (by 65) and UNSW/Eastern Suburbs (by 45) to reach their second Grand Final in three years against archrivals Pennant Hills . Despite trailing by just 17 points at half time,
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#17327918618173058-567: A similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs, West Coast and Brisbane , joined the league in 1987 generating more than $ 8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive. In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because
3197-498: A slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879. The South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's first governing body , formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month. Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the first intercolonial match took place in Melbourne between Victoria and South Australia . To standardise
3336-529: A spectacular opening ceremony, with fireworks and Aboriginal dance as well as a match between Western Suburbs and Pennant Hills. The venue was then the host for all the finals except for the Second Semi Final. On the field, St George returned to tradition; going back to their traditional red and white colours and the Dragons name, but it was to be a tough year on the field as they missed the finals for
3475-406: A technique known shepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball. If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within
3614-939: A tight and low-scoring first half, Pennant Hills took complete control after half-time to cruise to a comprehensive 105-point victory. Pennant Hills' Scott Reed was awarded the Podbury Medal as best on ground, and will join Collingwood's rookie list for 2009. Premier Division Seniors Pennant Hills 20.13 (133) def East Coast Eagles 3.10 (28) Premier Division Reserves East Coast Eagles 12.15 (87) def Sydney University 2.5 (17) U18s Premier Cup North Shore Bombers 15.11 (101) def East Coast Eagles 8.11 (59) 1st Division Seniors UTS Bats 13.16 (94) def. Manly-Warringah Wolves 11.12 (78) 1st Division Reserves UTS Bats 17.12 (114) def. Manly-Warringah Wolves 10.2 (62) U18s Challenge Cup UNSW/Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs 23.18 (156) def. Southern Sharks 4.5 (29) 2nd Division Pennant Hills Demons 18.10 (118) def. Sydney Uni Blue Students 13.5 (83) 2009 saw
3753-427: A uniform code known as "Victorian rules". In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", the running bounce , was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired by H. C. A. Harrison , an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin. The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match
3892-422: A walk-out after five minutes, causing the club to forfeit a Premier Division clash against Wests. The walk-out was to be the end of Balmain in Premier Division, as AFL Sydney relegated them to Division One for 2014. Also playing their last season in Premier Division this year was Illawarra, after nine years in the top division without a finals appearance and winning only one game this season. This season would also be
4031-414: Is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field , often a modified cricket ground . Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind"). During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move
4170-405: Is analogous to a basketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage. In the event
4309-481: Is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support a causal link with Australian football. In Melbourne , in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed " public schools " in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired by precedents at English public schools . The earliest match, held on 15 June,
AFL Sydney - Misplaced Pages Continue
4448-460: Is known as the Goal Line. Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play. Other field markings include: The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. With each team permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in
4587-470: Is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks and boots, with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted. Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body. Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players. Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which
4726-493: Is officiated by at least five match officials, known as an umpire . These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position: At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed. An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in
4865-565: Is technically Sydney's division of the New South Wales Australian Football League Australian Rules football has been played in Sydney since 1866 however organised competition did not commence until the formation of the first New South Wales Football Association which operated between 1880 and 1893 and included East Sydney (founded 1880) as well as Sydney's oldest Australian rules club Sydney University (founded 1887) . After
5004-563: Is the second-highest-attended club championship event in the world . The sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations . Its rules are governed by the AFL Commission with the advice of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee. Australian rules football is known by several nicknames, including Aussie rules, football and footy. In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular,
5143-783: Is used. The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch). There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced by Sherrin using cowhide leather. While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews. Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide. At either end of
5282-679: The Melbourne Football Club published the first laws of Australian football in May 1859. Australian football has the highest spectator attendance and television viewership of all sports in Australia, while the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's only fully professional competition, is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final , held annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ,
5421-568: The Penrith Rams and Macquarie University (in a come-from-behind win) respectively. The Newtown Breakways inaugural men's team won the Men's Division 3 Grand Final by defeating North Shore . Grand Finals were played at Rosedale Ovals (for lower grades) and Kanebridge Oval due to the unavailability of Blacktown International Sportspark due to the COVID-19 pandemic . This was also the reason there
5560-821: The Sydney AFL competition based out of the Sydney suburb of Rouse Hill, New South Wales . Previously known as the Baulkham Hills Falcons (1976–1999) and Sydney Hills Eagles (2012–2014) and wearing maroon and gold, the team wears the West Coast Eagles uniforms of blue and Gold. The history of the Sydney Hills Eagles can be traced back to the formation of the Baulkham hills junior Australian football club in 1976. Since 1976 Baulkham Hills has fielded teams in all age groups in
5699-706: The Western Suburbs Magpies change their name to Inner West Magpies to further distinguish between themselves and the South West Sydney Magpies (formerly Moorebank). G.B (T) G.B (T) The 2020 season was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the NSW Government's restrictions only 9 Home and Away rounds were able to be played before the finals. The finals were played in September–October rather than
AFL Sydney - Misplaced Pages Continue
5838-407: The field umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players. Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference. For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in)
5977-484: The 2006 season, East Coast Eagles recruited heavily in a bid to get to the top. The Eagles had been close to the finals for years without making it into the top 4, but this was to change in 2006 and the Eagles took all before them in an undefeated home & away season. Sydney's drought had a major bearing on this season, with several grounds being hardened dustbowls and the turf on many grounds going out of shape; so that even small amounts of rain caused puddles to form and
6116-612: The 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand, followed by China. After several failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, the Tasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028. In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on
6255-553: The AFL Sydney competition consisted of two senior men's competitions with the Premier Division and Platinum Division each having seniors and reserves divisions and an extra Women's division created to accommodate the rapid grown of Women's football in Sydney. In this division, the St George Dragons finished in 5th place but 4 sudden-death finals win in a row saw them defeat minor premiers, Holroyd-Parramatta Goannas in
6394-464: The AFL). The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play. "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football. Once
6533-472: The AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter. For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence
6672-641: The ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran a night series , which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated. With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of
6811-540: The Bombers nickname of Essendon. St George renamed themselves the St George Crows and began wearing the navy, gold and blue strip of Adelaide. But the biggest change in identity was Baulkham Hills, who changed their colours to blue and gold and took on the new name of the East Coast Eagles . Other clubs were to follow suit. Another change in 2000 was the merger of traditional powerhouse East Sydney with
6950-546: The Bombers pulled away with the wind in the third term and the Crows were unable to respond when they had the win in the last quarter. So it was North Shore who took out the premiership, with a 10.11 (71) to 7.4 (46) victory. In 2005, the Wollongong Lions were admitted to Premier Division, creating a 9-team league. The Lions are well-run off the field, and proved competitive on it. Western Suburbs and Pennant Hills were
7089-539: The British Isles, "others by no rules at all". Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College , held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacher John Macadam , it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal. It is commemorated with a statue outside
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#17327918618177228-410: The Bulldogs would have to go the long way into the grand final after North Shore came from behind to beat them by 3 points in the major semi-final. But UNSW-ES bounced back to win the preliminary final and earn a grand final berth, something that no major-final loser has managed to do in the 4 years since. On grand final day, despite the bright sunshine and perfect conditions, no side was able to score for
7367-843: The Club Champion in 2009, with Gus Seebeck finishing as runner up. Mark Skuse was announced as the Player's Player. In Division 1, Josh Shepherd claimed his third straight Best and Fairest award at the club by winning the Bill McLeod Medal, after taking out the Premier Cup Under 18's Best and Fairest award in 2007 and 2008. In 2010, the Eagles did it again securing Back to Back Premierships by defeating Sydney Uni at Blacktown Olympic Park – 13.9 (87) to 10.10 (70). Damien Bowles claimed his first Club Champion medallion to go with his Rod Podbury Medal on Grand Final Day. Damien
7506-464: The Eagles ended up going down by 104 points. In 2009 the club moved to their new oval Bruce Purser Reserve on the corner of Withers Rd and Commercial Rd, Rouse Hill In 2009, The East Coast Eagles won their first ever AFL Sydney Premiership, winning the Grand Final against UNSW/Eastern Suburbs 22.12 (144) to 13.12 (90). Gus Seebeck kicked 10 goals for the game. Captain, Jon Vlatko was named as
7645-850: The Falcons – was born. The team played in a maroon jersey with gold stripes, similar to the jersey of the Subiaco club playing in the WAFL . In the early 80s Baulkham Hills played in the SDSFA at their home ground at the Kellyville Postal Institute Club, then later moved to Charles McLaughlin Reserve. This period of the club was not a successful one and both the First and Reserve Grade teams went long periods without wins. In 1989,
7784-1041: The Grand Final. Pennant Hills, North Shore and St George completed the top five. The grand final was played as a twilight match at Blacktown International Sportspark. The lead see-sawed for three-quarters, with the Bulldogs leading by four points at the last change. But a run of seven goals to one in the final term saw the Bulldogs run our comfortable 42-point winners; their first premiership since 2003 and condemning Balmain to their second straight grand final defeat. Premier Division: UNSW-ES 13.11 (89) d Balmain 7.5 (47) Division One – Manly 11.15 (81) d Southern Power 9.2 (56) Division Two – St George 7.8 (50) d UNSW-ES 6.10 (46) Division Three – UTS 15.4 (94) d Blacktown 8.5 (53) Division Four – Penrith 9.16 (70) d Gosford 8.6 (54) Division Five – Sydney Uni 10.6 (66) d UTS 9.7 (61) Under 18s One – Sydney Hills Eagles 14.14 (98) d Illawarra 11.10 (76) Under 18s Two – Southern Power 9.11 (65) d Manly 3.4 (22) Women – Balmain 7.9 (51) d Sydney Uni 2.1 (13) The 2013 season saw Manly added to Premier Division, making
7923-740: The Grand Final. Similarly, the St George Dragons Premier Division Reserves team also came from 5th to defeat Minor Premiers, the Pennant Hills Australian Demons . In the Premier Division competition the UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs went back-to-back by defeating Sydney University . Macquarie University defeated East Coast Eagles by 6 points to win the Women's Premier Division Grand Final. This season saw
8062-583: The Irish game evolved in a similar direction. Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up among Aboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game of Marn Grook , and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills
8201-752: The MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules: "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" . These are the laws from which Australian football evolved. The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men. In another significant departure from English public school football,
8340-503: The MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in the Cordner–Eggleston Cup , the world's oldest continuous football competition . Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football . However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before
8479-576: The Melbourne rules omitted any offside law . "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings. The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist. Following Melbourne's lead, Geelong and Melbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859. While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. A South Yarra club devised its own rules. To ensure
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#17327918618178618-456: The NEAFL in 2013; with their Premier Division teams being the clubs' reserves teams. Neither qualified for the finals in Premier Division; with the Eagles finishing on the bottom of the ladder. The season was a fall from grace for Balmain. The Dockers, after playing in the last two Grand Finals, crashed down the ladder in 2013; and internal tensions boiled over late in the season as 11 players staged
8757-413: The NEAFL, the Premier Division teams for those two clubs were their reserves teams. Neither made the finals, and the Eagles' run of premierships ended after their three-peat from 2009 to 2011. UNSW-ES were the form team of the 2012 season, spearheaded by a Phelan Medal performance from Dane Rampe that would result in him being drafted by the Swans. UNSW-ES finished top of the ladder, and would meet Balmain in
8896-960: The Platinum Division Premiership and finish Runners-Up in the Platinum Division Reserves Competition. This wasn't the first time that the clubs had aligned, with the two clubs previously entering a combined U19s side in the Division 2 competition. Other club changes were Nor-West Jets being renamed to Hawkesbury Jets and the North West Sydney Redbacks no longer entering a team in the Masters competition. G.B (T) G.B (T) Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy ,
9035-409: The SANFL's Port Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league. In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition: Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney . The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to
9174-690: The Sydney AFL adopted Henson Park as its finals venue. In later years, the Marrickville ground which also hosts the Newtown Jets in the NSW Rugby League would play a bigger role in Sydney football and be the venue for representative fixtures and night matches. North Shore were again front-runners, remaining undefeated until the second half of the season and again losing only 2 home & away games. Tennis ace Patrick Rafter played
9313-410: The Sydney AFL, known as the Redbacks. This move didn't turn out to be successful, with the existing clubs unable to compete against full-time professional footballers who had far superior training resources. The games were generally one-sided, to the point where the rules were changed halfway through the season to allow other clubs to field an extra player against the Redbacks. The Redbacks finished top of
9452-412: The University of NSW club to form the UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs. In 2001, with the Redbacks concept having not been considered a success, the Swans entered an alliance with Port Melbourne in the VFL and fielded their reserves with Port Melbourne . They continued to field a Redbacks team for the next 2 years, mainly as a junior development and talent-spotting team; but the Redbacks were never to make
9591-429: The annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community. The role of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived the Championship of Australia , a competition first held in 1888 between
9730-448: The back of a 14-game winning streak, were minor premiers. Also finishing in the final five were Wests, East Coast, North Shore and Pennant Hills. East Coast Eagles win back to back premierships, defeating Sydney University in the Grand Final (13.9 – 87) (10.10 – 70). UTSAFC are admitted to Premier Division. UTSAFC finished 10th in their first year in the Premier Division winning 3 games. Campbelltown finished last, failing to win
9869-473: The ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpeded possession . Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark is paid. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in the back ), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties , or suspension for
10008-413: The ball. The primary methods are kicking , handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with the ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on the ground . Throwing the ball is not allowed, and players must not get caught holding the ball . A distinctive feature of the game is the mark , where players anywhere on the field who catch
10147-442: The case of Sydney , denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth. In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs— Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne —met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition. Later joined by Collingwood and St Kilda ,
10286-402: The casualties was the historic foundation club Newtown which folded in 1987. The league was renamed the ‘Sydney AFL’ in 1998. The league consisted of 7 teams – Balmain , Pennant Hills , North Shore, St George , East Sydney, Western Suburbs and Baulkham Hills . In 2009, the league became known as ‘AFL Sydney’, as it is known today. In 1999, Campbelltown returned to the Sydney AFL after
10425-435: The clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted. Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known as half-time . Each game
10564-541: The club fielded a senior team competing in the Sydney Football Association (Division 2) competition. The team met with moderate success in their first year, finishing fourth in a seven team competition, being knocked out of the finals race in the first semi-final. In 1990 the club had gathered enough support from ex-junior players and disenchanted players from other clubs to field teams in the Sydney Football Association (SFA) Division 1 competition in
10703-665: The club had enough numbers to field an under 19 team in the Sydney Football League. As the Sydney University club could not field an under 19 team, Baulkham Hills played in their stead. The team had a successful season, eventually finishing in fourth place after losing the first semi-final to Pennant Hills . As this team was an amalgamation of players from the Hawks and the Kookaburras, a new emblem –
10842-548: The club had outgrown the SFA and was promoted to the Sydney Football League . The Falcons endured a tough couple of years in 1993 and 1994 before making the preliminary final in 1995. It was in 1995 that the club produced its first Phelan Medallist in ruckman Graham Jones. Between 1996 and 1999 the club struggled, never finishing higher than fifth on the ladder. One high point for the club during these lean years
10981-504: The clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which held its inaugural season in 1897 . The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing the behind as a score. Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition of Hawthorn , Footscray and North Melbourne , it had become
11120-490: The code took hold during a series of gold rushes . Likewise, when New Zealand experienced a gold rush , the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal, attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game". Australian rules football reached Queensland and New South Wales as early as 1866;
11259-515: The completion of the 2011 season, the club was admitted to the North East Australian Football League and subsequently the name of the club was changed to the Sydney Hills Eagles. In December 2012, it was announced that Marc Dragicevic had been recruited as coach of the Eagles' NEAFL team. The years of 2012, 2013 and 2014 were spent playing in the NEAFL competition as the Sydney Hills Eagles, however in 2015
11398-409: The field of play, it is deemed as a mark . To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent. Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When
11537-413: The field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts
11676-425: The finals and have yet to make the finals since. Instead it was St George that came in 2nd, with reigning premiers UNSW-ES coming third. North Shore qualified first for the grand final, while UNSW-ES eliminated Campbelltown. In the prelim final, St George were held goal-less in the second half and for the 4th year in a row had been defeated in the prelim final. And so the grand final in the league's centenary year, which
11815-499: The finals to make their way through. The Demons led by eight points at the long break, but the Wolves made the decisive move in the premiership quarter with three goals to one to turn the half time deficit into a six-point lead at three quarter time. The Demons hit the lead early in the last, but the Wolves regained the momentum to regain the lead and take out the Grand Final by eight points; a remarkable achievement in their first season at
11954-401: The first 17 minutes as the defences of both teams held tight. But eventually it was to be North Shore that cracked, and although they fought back in the third term to come into the last break only a few points behind, they never led. Instead, it was UNSW-ES who ran away with the game in the last quarter to record a 16.10 (106) to 11.6 (72) win and their first premiership since the merger. This was
12093-496: The first grade, reserve grade and under 20 competitions. 1990 was a successful season, with the first grade team eventually losing the Grand Final to Balmain at Erskineville Oval and Doug Scholz winning the Snow Medal for the best and fairest player in the competition. In the following year the Falcons turned the tables on Balmain and won their first senior premiership in a keenly fought match at Roger Sheeran Oval. By 1993
12232-459: The first match between North Shore and Balmain was postponed twice, leading to the two clubs playing each other twice within 4 days. Reigning premiers Pennant Hills finished top of the ladder, and were joined in the finals by St George, North Shore and Campbelltown. But the Demons were upset in the major semi-final after St George got off to a flying start and maintained their lead to qualify first for
12371-627: The first match in Darwin . The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally. Both World War I and World War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian " diggers " in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,
12510-536: The formation of the Adelaide Football Club , the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria. It devised its own rules, and, along with other Adelaide -based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneer Charles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules". Similarly, Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted
12649-435: The goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded. A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four-quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at the umpire 's discretion, e.g. for serious injury. Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as
12788-452: The grand final. Campbelltown made the finals for the first time since 2003, but were no match for North Shore in the minor semi. North Shore maintained their winning form in the prelim final, comfortably accounting for Pennant Hills – the 5th year in a row the loser of the major semi has again lost in the prelim final. Grand final day was fine and warm, and in ideal conditions at Henson Park North Shore led by 15 points at half-time and extended
12927-420: The grounds to be closed. All clubs faced rising injury tolls due to the ground conditions. After an undefeated home & away season and an easy win in the major semi-final, East Coast Eagles went into the grand final at Henson Park against Pennant Hills as the hottest of favourites. But this was the day the drought was to break, with conditions more resembling water polo than football. The Eagles' running game
13066-413: The home & away series, but won three finals matches to qualify for the grand final. Their opponent in the grand final was Pennant Hills. All finals matches were again played at Henson Park except for the second semi-final which was played in wet conditions at North Dalton Park . The grand final was played in 33-degree heat, the hottest grand final day in the history of the Sydney AFL competition. After
13205-470: The home ground for East Coast Eagles ; as well as a backup venue for wet weather, with Pennant Hills, Western Suburbs and North Shore also playing home games at the venue. The Second Semi-Final was also played there. And later in the season, Blacktown Olympic Park began operations, firstly as the venue for the Representative fixture where Sydney AFL defeated AFL Canberra . In August the ground held
13344-672: The introduction of a Divisional structure, with promotion and relegation through the lower divisions (see the Divisional Structure section further down this page). 2009 was also notable for the opening of two new football venues in Sydney. Bruce Purser Reserve was opened in February when it hosted an AFL trial match between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs, and through the course of the year served as
13483-424: The knees (a low tackle or a trip ) or above the shoulders (a high tackle ), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick. Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player. Additionally, players may perform
13622-445: The ladder, but elected not to compete in the finals; and in their absence Pennant Hills took out their first premiership with a 15.12 (102) to 12.7 (79) win over North Shore in the grand final. During the 2000 season, several Sydney AFL clubs had formed strategic alliances with clubs in the AFL. As part of this, some Sydney AFL clubs were to change their identity over the next few years. North Shore had always been black and red but took on
13761-577: The last for Auburn Tigers as a men's club, after forfeiting several games in Division Two. However, Auburn would continue as a women's club until 2018. Manly finished the regular season as minor premiers, and defeated St George in the Major Semi-Final to be first team through to the Grand Final. Their opponents in the Grand Final would be Pennant Hills, who finished fourth in the regular season but defeated UNSW-ES, North Shore and St George in
13900-477: The last grand final to be played at Macquarie University. The Redbacks finally withdrew from the Sydney AFL in 2003 and the competition was reduced to 8 teams. North Shore got the season off to a flying start and were undefeated for the first 14 rounds, the Bombers losing only 2 home & away games all season. Campbelltown returned to form early in the season, but after being badly beaten by North Shore at Gore Hill in round 7 they fell away and only just scraped into
14039-695: The lead in the third term. But a determined charge by St George closed the gap to just 4 points at three-quarter time. The Crows looked to have the momentum, but North Shore steadied to score the only two goals in the last quarter and record a 12.15 (87) to 9.12 (66) victory. Ryan Davis was awarded the Podbury Medal for best on ground in the grand final. Premier Reserves: East Coast Eagles 11.7 (73) def Pennant Hills 10.12 (72) 1st Division Seniors: Manly-Warringah Wolves 10.14 (74) def Southern Sharks 9.9 (63) 1st Division Reserves: UTS Bats 9.10 (64) def Manly Warringah Wolves 5.4 (34) 2nd Division: Pennant Hills 10.4 (64) def UNSW/ES Bulldogs 6.4 (40) 2008 commenced with
14178-475: The leaders for much of the season, Wests remaining undefeated until round 9 and Pennant Hills until round 10. The round 9 loss was to be Wests' only loss in the home & away season. Pennant Hills lost much of their edge after captain Barnaby Howarth suffered a stroke after training and was unable to play again, but bounced back to finish 2nd after the home & away season. Wests and Pennant Hills were
14317-421: The league noted that there was a lack of juniors with no schools any longer playing the sport. However faced with increasing competition from the rugby league, the competition switched all finals matches to Sundays in 1950. It also faced increasingly bad behaviour of players, which it sought to curb through harsher suspensions. However the tough sanctions resulted in a decrease in players so an amnesty on suspensions
14456-407: The local level. In the mid 1920s, the competition was split into two divisions: League and Association. In 1926, each of the clubs: Sydney, Newtown, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs, North Shore, and South Sydney had four teams across four grades including an Under 18 team. By the 1950s, the competition had become highly popular with crowds for some matches attracting up to 5,000 spectators, however
14595-464: The major junior competition in suburban Sydney. Baulkham Hills are the most successful junior club in Sydney, having enough players to field two teams in every age group in most seasons and more often than not winning the premiership. In the mid-to-late 1980s it was not uncommon for two Baulkham Hills teams (then known as the Hawks and the Kookaburras) to play each other in grand finals. In 1988,
14734-568: The new national capital Canberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911, Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes. Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with
14873-440: The others. Premier Reserves: East Coast Eagles def Pennant Hills 1st Division Seniors: UTS Bats def Sydney Uni Students 1st Division Reserves: UTS Bats def Sydney Uni Students 2nd Division: Nor-West Jets 8.9.(57) def UNSW/ES Bulldogs 6.5 (41) In 2007, Sydney University was re-admitted to Premier Division, making a 10-team competition. 18 home & away rounds were played, with each team playing each other twice; although
15012-461: The phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television. In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans . In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and
15151-407: The player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes. Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which umpire sends the ball to commence play. Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins. They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role
15290-429: The player penalised for ' holding the ball ', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so. The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side. If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for a push in the back . If the opposition tackles the player with possession below
15429-436: The playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to four interchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game. Although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players. In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during
15568-668: The preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport. The time around the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901 saw Australian rules undergo a revival in New South Wales, New Zealand and Queensland. In 1903, both the Queensland Australian Football League and the NSW Australian Football Association were established, and in New Zealand, as it moved towards becoming
15707-530: The premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, with North Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987,
15846-507: The season. Campbelltown returned to finals action after missing out in 2008, but were eliminated in the first week of finals action. Week 2 saw the demise of reigning premier Pennant Hills; while the Preliminary Final saw UNSW-ES qualify for the Grand Final at the expense of Wests. The Grand Final was played in perfect weather, but was to be a one-sided contest. East Coast took control of the game early and won every quarter to record
15985-433: The second time this decade. Also missing out on finals action for the second time since the turn of the millennium was North Shore. East Coast Eagles , strengthened by finally having a home ground to call their own, took out the minor premiership and were first to qualify for the Grand Final after a comfortable win over Wests in the Second Semi Final, a match where East Coast's full forward Gus Seebeck kicked his 100th goal for
16124-467: The sport across Australia, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland met in 1883 and updated the code. New rules such as holding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking and high-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such as George Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise of professionalism , particularly in Victoria and Western Australia , where
16263-472: The sport experienced a period of dominance in the former, and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as the Riverina . However, by the late 1880s, rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration, regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In
16402-406: The sport is most often called AFL after the Australian Football League , while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas. Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared to cricket and horse racing , football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little
16541-414: The substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL. To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive. The VFL changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 1990 season , and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry: Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and
16680-613: The supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first-club level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society's Challenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used. This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66. With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing
16819-406: The top 4 again. Instead it was North Shore who led from start to finish in 2001, and although the grand final was tight the Bombers got critical goals when it mattered to record a 12.12 (84) to 10.9 (69) victory over Campbelltown. 2002 saw a resurgent Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs team return to the top, and despite a strong challenge from North Shore the Bulldogs finished the season as minor premiers. But
16958-775: The top level. Grand Final winners 2013: Premier Division – Manly 11.14 (80) def Pennant Hills 11.6 (72) Division One – Southern Power 16.9 (105) def UNSW-ES 3.2 (20) Division Two – Sydney Uni 8.14 (62) def Manly 7.6 (48) Division Three – Blacktown 11.11 (77) def Randwick City 10.6 (66) Division Four – Pennant Hills 14.11 (95) def Sydney Uni 4.4 (28) Division Five – Randwick City 13.8 (86) def UTS 6.7 (43) Under 19s Division One – Pennant Hills 10.10 (70) def UNSW-ES 10.7 (67) Under 19s Division Two – Manly 20.24 (144) def Holroyd-Parramatta 3.5 (23) Women's Division One – Sydney Uni 7.9 (51) def Balmain 3.7 (25) Women's Division Two – Macquarie Uni 7.11 (53) def Southern Power 4.1 (25) In 2018 AFL Sydney celebrated 115 years of senior football in Sydney, since
17097-565: The traditional August–September. Sydney University won their first Premier Division flag since 1992 with a win over UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs at Kanebridge Oval. Manly-Warringah , in their first season in the Women's Premier Division Premiership won the flag by defeating the Inner West Magpies . Southern Power made both the Platinum Division and Platinum Division Reserves Grand Finals at Rosedale Oval but lost to
17236-412: The usage of other means, such as punching. While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to either bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd). Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see
17375-472: The ‘NSW Australian Football Association’ was formed in 1903. In season 2018 the Camden Cats were promoted to the Men's Premier Division to again bring the number of clubs in Sydney's top flight back to 10 after Campbelltown Blues withdrew at the conclusion of the 2014 season. AFL Sydney continues to grow with thirteen Divisions across men's, women's, U19s and Masters Football. G.B (T) G.B (T) In 2019
17514-429: Was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School". A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858. The following year, on 14 May, the Melbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world's oldest football clubs . Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacher Thomas H. Smith met near
17653-541: Was Jarrod Crosby winning the club's second Phelan Medal in 1998. Before the 2000 season began, the club struck up a partnership with the West Coast Eagles and was renamed the East Coast Eagles. the club adopted their new playing strip of blue and yellow. In 2006, the club were undefeated through the home and away season, and easily won their second semi final to qualify for the grand final. But in
17792-407: Was UNSW-ES, who finished top of the ladder after the home & away season. A five-team finals series was re-introduced for 2008; and reigning premiers North Shore bounced back from a slow start to the season to qualify for the finals. But the Bombers were to go no further than the first week of the finals. Also qualifying for the playoffs were Pennant Hills and St George. East Coast finished 4th after
17931-556: Was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals. The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock ( Yarra Park ), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground. Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter, and, as early as 1859, football
18070-485: Was allowed on the MCG. However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day. Football became organised in South Australia in 1860 with
18209-528: Was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. On 10 July 1858, the Melbourne-based Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter by Tom Wills , captain of the Victoria cricket team , calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football while
18348-435: Was coined by scholar Ian Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned. It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league. The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with
18487-463: Was declared in 1952. In 1980 the ‘NSW Australian Football Association’ became known as the ‘Sydney Football League’. The impact of the introduction to the Sydney Swans into the VFL in 1982 on the Sydney Football League was heavy. By this time the competition had built up a strong following and was semi-professional. That changed with the Swans introduction as supporters left the local competition. Among
18626-514: Was elected president of the NSWFA, helped to secure access to enclosed grounds for club and interstate matches. 11 clubs contested the opening season in 1903 (including: East Sydney FC, Ashfield Electorate FC, North Shore FC , North Sydney FC, South Sydney FC, YMCA FC, Paddington FC, Redfern FC, West Sydney FC, Newtown FC, Sydney FC and Balmain FC ), with East Sydney taking out the first premiership with
18765-504: Was eventually cancelled on the 16th of August. Accordingly, no premierships, medals or awards were given for 2021 cancelled competitions. The 2022 season saw a slight reduction in overall teams from 135 to 126. This season also saw the merger of South West Sydney Magpies and Campbelltown Blues to form the South Western Sydney Blues. This proved to be a successful season for the merged entity as they went on to win
18904-399: Was negated by the conditions and by Pennant Hills' pressure tactics, while the Demons' tactic of peppering the goals from a distance and keeping the scoreboard paid dividends. Although the Eagles scored 2 more goals, the constant scoring got Pennant Hills over the line, 5.20 (50) to 7.6 (48). There have been many upsets in recent years in Sydney AFL grand finals, but this one more so than any of
19043-419: Was no Master's Grand Final in 2020. G.B (T) G.B (T) The 2021 season saw the introduction of a 5th Division of Women's Football known as "Women's Division 4". 7 teams took part in this new division. There was also an additional 12 teams across all Men's and Women's divisions. On the 24th of June, the season was put on hold due to the outbreak COVID-19 Delta variant throughout Greater Sydney. The 2021 season
19182-467: Was played at Monarch Oval in Campbelltown , would involve the same teams that played in the first grand final. And the result was to repeat. North Shore went in as the hottest of favourites, but poor kicking and excellent pressure from the Bulldogs saw them pull off a stunning upset. UNSW-ES 12.10 (82) defeated North Shore 10.16 (76), an exact repeat of the very first Sydney AFL grand final. In 2004,
19321-732: Was unlucky not to also claim the League's Phelan Medal when after polling the most votes, he was ruled ineligible owing to suspension during the season. The U/18 Premier Cup lads were beaten in the Grand Final by 6 points after extra time by Sydney University. Luke McLeod won the Division One medal named after his father Bill. James Ford took out the Division Three B&;F whilst Dean Costello and Adam Hutt won their respective U/18 awards in Premier and Challenge Cup. Following
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