1981: The Sydney Football League (SFL) is established as the senior competition in New South Wales. North Launceston win fourth successive NTFA premiership. Port Adelaide record third consecutive SANFL premiership. Peter Ruscuklic (East Sydney) kicks SFL and Australian record 213 goals for season. South Fremantle kick WAFL senior record 40.18 (258) against West Perth. Grand final results - VFL: Carlton 12.20 (92) d. Collingwood 10.12 (72); SANFL: Port Adelaide 14.11 (95) d. Glenelg 6.8 (44); WAFL: Claremont 16.15 (111) d. South Fremantle 12.24 (96); VFA: Division One - Port Melbourne 32.19 (211) d. Preston 15.8 (98); Division Two - Camberwell 15.16 (106) d. Waverley 11.8 (74); TANFL: Clarence 15.23 (113) d. New Norfolk 13.10 (88); NTFA: North Launceston 14.21 (105) d. Launceston 12.8 (80); SFL: East Sydney 19.16 (130) d. Newtown 3.23 (41); NTFL: North Darwin 15.9 (99) d. Wanderers 14.9 (93); QAFL: Windsor-Zillmere 17.23 (125) d. Kedron 8.9 (57); NWFU: Devonport 13.9 (87) d. Penguin 10.12 (72); ACTAFL: Manuka 18.18 (126) d. Ainslie 15.14 (104).
1982: Section two of Australian interstate championships held; Tasmania win round robin series conducted in various states. Port Melbourne win third consecutive VFA premiership. South Melbourne (VFL) re-locate to Sydney and alter their name to the Swans. Fifteenth AAFC interstate carnival won by Victoria in Perth. Ainslie (ACTAFL) repeat 1980 feat of going through entire season uneaten, this time winning all 20 matches played en route to the premiership. VFA admits Springvale and Kilsyth. Grand final results - VFL: Carlton 14.19 (103) d. Richmond 12.13 (85); SANFL: Norwood 20.13 (133) d. Glenelg 9.17 (71); WAFL: Swan Districts 18.19 (127) d. Claremont 11.12 (78); VFA: Division One - Port Melbourne 21.15 (141) d. Preston 20.14 (134); Division Two - Northcote 12.15 (87) d. Caulfield 11.16 (82); TANFL: New Norfolk 13.9 (87) d. Glenorchy 11.10 (76); NTFA: Scottsdale 19.9 (123) d. Launceston 12.10 (82); SFL: East Sydney 8.8 (56) d. Pennant Hills 5.8 (38); NTFL: Wanderers 13.13 (91) d. St Marys 13.12 (90); QAFL: Mayne 18.17 (125) d. Morningside 14.11 (95); NWFU: Cooee 16.15 (111) d. Penguin 16.5 (101); ACTAFL: Ainslie 22.19 (151) d. Eastlake 11.9 (75).
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Western Australia's Ron Boucher wins a ruck contest during his state's 3 point win over Victoria in the 1983 interstate championship series decider at Subiaco Oval. |
1983: Twenty
second Australian interstate championship series held, this time on round robin,
'mixed' basis featuring Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia only; Western
Australia emerge as undefeated winners. Section two of championships also held;
won by Queensland. Southport (QAFL) win premiership in first year in competition
after downing
Morningside 13.12 (90) to 12.7 (79) in grand final. Rick Davies (Sturt) kicks SANFL record 151 goals for season. Kevin Bartlett
(Richmond)
retires after VFL career record 403 games. The Swans (VFL) undergo a second name
change in as many years and become known as the Sydney Swans. Berwick and Moorabbin
admitted to VFA, the latter for a second time. Grand
Final results - VFL: Hawthorn 20.20 (140) d. Essendon 8.9 (57); SANFL:
West
Adelaide 21.16 (142) d. Sturt 16.12 (108); WAFL:
Swan Districts 15.14 (104) d. Claremont
12.11 (83); VFA: Division One - Preston 14.10 (94) d.
Geelong West
12.15 (87); Division Two - Springvale 17.9 (111) d.
Brunswick 13.16 (94); TANFL:
Glenorchy 28.19 (187) d. New Norfolk 14.11 (95);
NTFA: North Launceston 14.14 (98) d. Longford
10.10 (70); SFL:
East Sydney 18.23 (131) d.
Balmain 15.3 (93); NTFL: Wanderers 14.8 (92) d. St Marys 12.9
(81); NWFU: Smithton 20.17 (137) d. Cooee
21.10 (136); ACTAFL: Ainslie 18.13 (121) d. Eastlake
13.11 (89).
1984: Australian interstate championships won by Western Australia (Section One) and Queensland (Section Two). East Sydney (SFL) win fifth premiership in succession. Swan Districts 20.18 (138) defeat East Fremantle 15.12 (102) to register third consecutive WAFL flag. Other grand final results - VFL: Essendon 14.21 (105) d. Hawthorn 12.9 (81) [See GREAT GAMES section]; SANFL: Norwood 15.10 (100) d. Port Adelaide 13.13 (91); VFA: Division One - Preston 19.21 (135) d. Frankston 12.9 (81); Division Two - Box Hill 32.23 (215) d. Oakleigh 11.14 (80); TANFL: Clarence 13.13 (91) d. Glenorchy 9.11 (65); NTFA: Scottsdale 13.11 (89) d. Launceston 13.7 (85); SFL: East Sydney 20.13 (133) d. North Shore 5.4 (34); NTFL: St Marys 13.11 (89) d. Darwin 11.11 (77); QAFL: Coorparoo 18.22 (130) d. Morningside 5.14 (44); NWFU: Cooee 18.16 (124) d. Smithton 17.13 (115); ACTAFL: Ainslie 20.14 (134) d. Eastlake 12.13 (85). |
1985: South Australia earn title of Australia's champion state for first time since 1911 after Victoria are disqualified for flouting the interchange rule. Section Two of championships won by Queensland for third consecutive year. Malcolm Blight, having previously kicked 102 goals for North Melbourne in 1982, boots 126 goals for Woodville to become first player to achieve century in both VFL and SANFL. East Fremantle secure WAFL record 26th flag. Sixteenth AAFC interstate carnival held in Melbourne and won by South Australia. Grand final results - VFL: Essendon 26.14 (170) d. Hawthorn 14.8 (92); SANFL: Glenelg 21.15 (141) d. North Adelaide 12.12 (84); WAFL: East Fremantle 15.12 (102) d. Subiaco 14.13 (97) [See GREAT GAMES section]; VFA: Division One - Sandringham 14.16 (100) d. Williamstown 13.16 (94); Division Two - Brunswick 25.18 (168) d. Oakleigh 22.12 (144); TANFL: Glenorchy 10.15 (75) d. Clarence 10.11 (71); NTFA: Launceston 19.22 (136) d. North Launceston 12.11 (83); SFL: North Shore 18.19 (127) d. Campbelltown 14.12 (96); NTFL: St Marys 13.20 (98) d. Wanderers 13.7 (85); QAFL: Southport 11.8 (74) d. Mayne 10.11 (71); NWFU: Penguin 21.9 (135) d. Smithton 13.9 (87); ACTAFL: Queanbeyan 23.18 (156) d. Ainslie 14.13 (97).