1986: Western Australia (section one) and ACT (section two) win Australian interstate championships. Brad Hardie (Western Australia) becomes first player to win two Tassie Medals. His first win had been in 1984. TANFL is re-named Tasmanian Football League (TFL) and becomes a state-wide competition, with 8 teams, including 2 from the north of the state. Victoria successful in seventeenth AAFC interstate carnival, held in Adelaide. Grand final results - VFL: Hawthorn 16.14 (110) d. Carlton 9.14 (68); SANFL: Glenelg 21.9 (135) d. North Adelaide 12.15 (87); WAFL: Subiaco 19.16 (130) d. East Fremantle 8.13 (61); VFA: Division One - Williamstown 17.9 (111) d. Coburg 14.14 (98); Division Two - Box Hill 14.14 (98) d. Sunshine 11.14 (80); TFL: Glenorchy 14.20 (104) d. Sandy Bay 9.18 (72); NTFA: Scottsdale 20.14 (134) d. Longford 17.11 (113); SFL: Campbelltown 17.13 (115) d. North Shore 13.14 (92); NTFL: St Marys 32.19 (211) d. Nightcliff 4.9 (33); QAFL: Coorparoo 12.16 (88) d. Southport 11.12 (78); NWFU: Ulverstone 9.10 (64) d. Smithton 7.7 (49); ACTAFL: Tuggeranong 8.11 (59) d. Queanbeyan 8.10 (58).
1987: The NTFA and NWFU combine to form the Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTasFL), comprising 11 clubs. Ulverstone are inaugural premiers after a 13.19 (97) to 12.12 984) grand final defeat of East Devonport. Sydney Football League is re-named the New South Wales Australian Football League State League. Moorabbin drops out of VFA after playing just 2 matches of the 1987 season. Australian interstate champions are South Australia in section one and the VFA in section two. West Coast (based in Perth) and Brisbane enter VFL. Grand final results - VFL: Carlton 15.14 (104) d. Hawthorn 9.17 (71); SANFL: North Adelaide 23.7 (145) d. Glenelg 9.9 (63); WAFL: Claremont 20.20 (140) d. Subiaco 10.9 (69); VFA: Division One - Springvale 14.16 (100) d. Port Melbourne 7.20 (62); Division Two - Prahran 18.9 (117) d. Waverley 14.14 (98); TFL: North Hobart 23.20 (158) d. Glenorchy 16.10 (106); NSWAFL State League: Campbelltown 25.16 (166) d. St George 12.7 (79); NTFL: St Marys 26.14 (170) d. Darwin 7.7 (49); QAFL: Southport 13.17 (95) d. Windsor-Zillmere 11.6 (72); ACTAFL: Ainslie 21.9 (135) d. Queanbeyan 11.15 (81).
1988: VFL grand final sees Hawthorn 22.20 (152) defeat Melbourne 6.20 (56) by all time record 96 points. Bicentennial Australian interstate championships held in Adelaide in two sections involving all states and territories, plus VFA and Australian Amateurs. South Australia 15.12 (102) defeat Victoria 6.6 (42) in section one final while Northern Territory, participating in first ever championships, overcome VFA 17.10 (112) to 9.13 (67) in section two final. Peter Carey (Glenelg) retires after SANFL record 448 career games. Campbelltown win all 20 matches for year to take out SFL premiership. Mordialloc withdraw from VFA 3 matches into season. Victoria win AAFC interstate carnival (the eighteenth), held in Launceston. Other grand final results - SANFL: Port Adelaide 12.12 (84) d. Glenelg 8.7 (55); WAFL: Subiaco 19.8 (122) d. Claremont 8.12 (60); VFA: Division One - Coburg 16.18 (114) d. Williamstown 12.15 (87); Division Two - Oakleigh 22.17 (149) d. Sunshine 15.9 (99); TFL: Devonport 15.7 (97) d. Glenorchy 8.6 (54); NTasFL: East Devonport 20.7 (127) d. Burnie 18.15 (123); NSWAFL State League: Campbelltown 13.10 (88) d. East Sydney 8.9 (57); NTFL: St Marys 19.15 (129) d. Darwin 10.8 (68); QAFL: Windsor-Zillmere 13.13 (91) d. Southport 9.5 (59); ACTAFL: Queanbeyan 14.10 (94) d. Ainslie 10.15 (75).
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VFA Representative Team 1989: Section 2 Carnival Winners |
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| BACK ROW (L-R): Kevin Dyson (Oakleigh), Tim Rienets (Coburg), Harold Hetherton (Port Melbourne), Brendan Griffiths (Brunswick), Paul Dudley (Springvale), Robbie Kerr (Brunswick), David Palm (Springvale), Brian Allison (Coburg) |
| MIDDLE ROW (L-R): John Holt (Box Hill), David Buttifant (Box Hill), Ken Ingram (Coburg), Geoff Clarke (Springvale), Geoff Pritchard (Port Melbourne), Ken Rainsford (Port Melbourne), Rino Pretto (Oakleigh), Robbie Evans (Coburg), Nick Walsh (Werribee), Danny Del Re (Williamstown) |
| FRONT ROW (L-R): Ian Rickman (Williamstown), Andrew Johns (Box Hill), Gary Sheldon (Coburg), Phil Cleary (Coburg, coach), Brett McTaggart (Williamstown, captain), Saade Ghazi (Williamstown), Peter Darby (Coburg), Lindsay Cahill (Williamstown) |
1989: Section one of Australian interstate championships not held. Section two conducted in Tasmania, and won by VFA, although reigning champions the Northern Territory do not participate. VFA reverts to a single division format with 15 clubs, reduced to 14 when Sunshine withdraw after 8 rounds. Campbelltown (SFL) win fourth consecutive premiership. Grand final results - VFL: Hawthorn 21.18 (144) d. Geelong 21.12 (138); SANFL: Port Adelaide 15.18 (108) d. North Adelaide 1.8 (14); WAFL: Claremont 15.16 (106) d. South Fremantle 5.9 (39); VFA: Coburg 10.13 (73) d. Williamstown 7.13 (55); TFL: North Hobart 18.22 (130) d. Hobart 16.4 (100); NTasFL: Scottsdale 13.10 (88) d. Smithton 10.10 (70); NSWAFL State League: Campbelltown 10.12 (72) d. North Shore 6.9 (45); NTFL: Darwin 12.8 (80) d. Wanderers 10.6 (66); QAFL: Southport 16.17 (113) d. Windsor-Zillmere 12.6 (78); ACTAFL: Queanbeyan 12.15 (87) d. Manuka-Weston 9.13 (67).
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The triumphant New South Wales state of origin team which defeated Victoria by 10 points at the SCG in 1990. |
1990: Port Adelaide achieve third consecutive SANFL premiership. Scott Hodges (Port Adelaide) kicks SANFL record 153 goals for season. New South Wales 13.8 (86) defeat Victoria 10.16 (76) at SCG - first senior interstate win over Vics since 1925 (see above). Name of VFL changed to Australian Football League (AFL). Name of WAFL changed to Western Australian State Football League (WASFL). NSWAFL State League reverts to its previous name of Sydney Football League (SFL). Brunswick (VFA) changes its name to Brunswick-Broadmeadows. Grand final results - AFL: Collingwood 13.11 (89) d. Essendon 5.11 (41); SANFL: Port Adelaide 16.12 (108) d. Glenelg 13.15 (93) [See GREAT GAMES section]; WASFL: Swan Districts 16.7 (103) d. Claremont 10.17 (77); VFA: Williamstown 16.11 (107) d. Springvale 15.15 (105); TFL: Hobart 19.16 (130) d. North Launceston 10.12 (72); NTasFL: Ulverstone 18.13 (121) d. Scottsdale 12.7 (79); SFL: Holroyd-Parramatta 9.15 (69) d. North Shore 9.8 (62); NTFL: St Marys 28.15 (183) d. Darwin 10.15 (75); QAFL: Southport 22.14 (146) d. Morningside; ACTAFL: Ainslie 16.12 (108) d. Queanbeyan 10.21 (81).