1977: Collingwood 10.16 (76) draw with North Melbourne 9.22 (76) in VFL grand final. North win replay 21.25 (151) to 19.10 (124). VFL clubs withdraw from NFL series and conduct own night competition for first time since 1971; all twelve clubs participate, and Hawthorn emerge victorious. NFL series contested by 8 SANFL clubs, 6 clubs from WANFL, 4 from the VFA, and representative teams from the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania; competition won by Norwood (SANFL) from East Perth (WANFL). Western Australia 23.13 (151) defeat Victoria 8.9 (57) in Perth in first ever State of Origin match. VFA's Centenary grand final sees Port Melbourne defeat Sandringham by a century of points, 23.19 (157) to 7.15 (57).  VFA also organises a Centenary Cup knock-out competition, which is won by Port Melbourne from Caulfield.  Tasmanian State Premiership not contested.  First ever international match (see picture above) sees Australia defeat Papua New Guinea at under 17 level in Adelaide. Mel Whinnen (West Perth) retires after WANFL record 371 games. Other grand final results - SANFL: Port Adelaide 17.11 (113) d. Glenelg 16.9 (105); WANFL: Perth 26.13 (169) d. East Fremantle 14.12 (96); VFA: Division Two - Mordialloc 19.19 (133) d. Yarraville 14.11 (95); TANFL: Sandy Bay 19.9 (123) d. Glenorchy 3.14 (32); NTFA: Scottsdale 15.19 (109) d. North Launceston 10.10 (70); NSWAFL: Western Suburbs 18.25 (133) d. North Shore 14.9 (93); NTFL: Waratahs 10.15 (75) d. St Marys 8.14 (62); QAFL: Western Districts 18.16 (124) d. Wilston Grange 17.17 (119); NWFU: Penguin 11.18 (84) d. Cooee 11.14 (80); ACTAFL: Manuka 16.12 (108) d. Eastlake 14.9 (93); NFL: Norwood 10.9 (69) d. East Perth 9.7 (61).

1978: Malcolm Blight (North Melbourne) wins Brownlow Medal to add to Magarey Medal won in 1972 while with Woodville - first player to win both awards. Peter Hudson (Glenorchy) kicks TANFL and Australian record 191 goals for season.  NFL series contested by 5 SANFL clubs, 4 clubs from Western Australia, 3 from the VFA, and representative teams from the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.  Last ever Tasmanian State Premiership sees Cooee 19.25 (139) defeat Sandy Bay 16.17 (113) in final.  Grand final results - VFL: Hawthorn 18.13 (121) d. North Melbourne 15.13 (103); SANFL: Norwood 16.15 (111) d. Sturt 14.26 (110) [See GREAT GAMES section]; WANFL: East Perth 11.15 (81); Perth 12.7 (79) [See GREAT GAMES section]; VFA: Division One - Prahran 21.15 (141) d. Preston 17.17 (119); Division Two - Frankston 15.13 (103) d. Camberwell 13.11 (89); TANFL: Sandy Bay 11.14 (80) d. Glenorchy 9.15 (69); NTFA: North Launceston 14.12 (96) d. Launceston 11.17 (83); NSWAFL: North Shore 17.17 (119) d. Western Suburbs 14.12 (96); NTFL: St Marys 15.17 (107) d. North Darwin 13.6 (84); QAFL: Western Districts 17.11 (113) d. Windsor-Zillmere 14.25 (109); NWFU: Cooee 20.11 (131) d. Wynyard 13.30 (108); ACTAFL: Eastlake 19.23 (137) d. Ainslie 16.17 (113); NFL: South Adelaide 9.9 (63) d. Glenelg 3.8 (26).

1979: First ever state of origin championships held in Perth. Western Australia 17.21 (123) defeat Victoria 16.12 (108) in final. Fitzroy kick VFL record 36.22 (238) against Melbourne.  VFL commences playing televised Sunday fixtures in Sydney.  Peter Hudson (Glenorchy) kicks 209 goals for season to break own TANFL and Australian records. All 10 SANFL clubs compete in final NFL series, together with 2 clubs from the VFA and 2 clubs from the QAFL.  WANFL grand final attracts a record attendance of 52,871 spectators.  Victoria win AAFC interstate carnival, the fourteenth, held in Hobart. Grand final results - VFL: Carlton 11.16 (82) d. Collingwood 11.11 (77); SANFL: Port Adelaide 9.9 (63) d. South Adelaide 3.14 (32); WANFL: East Fremantle 21.19 (145) d. South Fremantle 16.16 (112); VFA: Division One - Coburg 16.15 (111) d. Geelong West 14.19 (103); Division Two - Camberwell 18.14 (122) d. Oakleigh 12.11 (83); TANFL: Clarence 12.11 (83) d. Glenorchy 11.14 (80); NTFA: North Launceston 15.7 (97) d. Scottsdale 13.17 (95); NSWAFL: North Shore 13.17 (95) d. Western Suburbs 9.22 (76); NTFL: St Marys 17.15 (117) d. Nightcliff 13.8 (86); QAFL: Sandgate 18.18 (126) d. Western Districts 14.14 (98); NWFU: Wynyard 21.24 (150) d. Cooee 15.7 (97); ACTAFL: Ainslie 17.18 (120) d. Belconnen 11.8 (74); NFL: South Adelaide 7.9 (51) d. Norwood 5.10 (40).

1980: Second state of origin carnival held in Adelaide. Victoria 15.12 (102) defeat South Australia 12.13 (85) in final. Earlier in year, in Canberra, under non state of origin conditions, the VFL lose to ACT for first ever time. Scores: ACT 13.17 (95) defeat VFL 11.16 (84). Name of WANFL reverts to WAFL. Russell Ebert (Port Adelaide) wins record fourth Magarey Medal. Tim Evans (Port Adelaide) kicks SANFL record 146 goals for season. ACTAFL flag won by Ainslie with 100% record from 17 games played (see above).  VFA introduces order off rule to seniors after experimenting with the system in Thirds. Grand final results - VFL: Richmond 23.21 (159) d. Collingwood 9.24 (78); SANFL: Port Adelaide 11.15 (81) d. Norwood 9.9 (63); WAFL: South Fremantle 23.18 (156) d. Swan Districts 15.8 (98) [See GREAT GAMES section]; VFA: Division One - Port Melbourne 11.15 (81) d. Coburg 10.10 (70); Division Two - Brunswick 20.27 (147) d. Yarraville 14.14 (98); TANFL: Hobart 14.9 (93) d. Glenorchy 7.16 (58); NTFA: North Launceston 15.13 (103) d. City-South 11.13 (79); NSWAFL: East Sydney 30.24 (204) d. North Shore 12.11 (83); NTFL: Darwin 12.11 (83) d. North Darwin 6.10 (46); QAFL: Kedron 20.19 (139) d. Coorparoo 13.13 (91); NWFU: Penguin 12.11 (83) d. Wynyard 11.5 (71); ACTAFL: Ainslie 21.10 (136) d. Manuka 12.15 (87).

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