The History Of The Teal Cup And AFL Under 18 Championships

THE STORY OF THE TEAL CUP AND AFL NATIONAL UNDER 18 CHAMPIONSHIPS

by Kevin Taylor

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Born In Sydney In 1952

In 1951 a Queensland club official, Mr. Roy Phythian, visited Sydney and conferred with the noted identity in NSW junior football, Arthur Bridgewater, with the view to an exchange of visitations at junior State level. To that time visits were few and far between. Indeed, 1952 saw the first visit to Sydney by a junior team representative of Queensland.

Domiciled in Sydney were dedicated supporters of the Balmain club, Mr. and Mrs. Teal, formerly of Richmond (VFL). On hearing of the impending annual fixtures with Queensland, they provided the NSW National Football Union with a magnificent trophy, to be known as 'The Teal Cup', with 1953 to be the commencement of the annual exchange. Additionally, the Teal family donated the finance for the NSW State team to travel to Brisbane in 1953 for the inaugural Teal Cup contest.

Queensland annexed the Teal Cup in the first year, though 10 years elapsed before the next interstate match was played, namely 1963. In the years following, rivalry was extremely keen between the two states, with Queensland being the most successful in holding the Cup.

In 1972, with an eye to the future, NSW and Queensland resolved to take steps to have the Teal Cup series become national, and 1973 saw the Australian Capital Territory enter the competition.

1974 marked the occasion when all other States were invited to compete in a national championship, which was fully realised in 1976 when Caltex Oil became sponsors.

Since that time, the annual competition graduated under the auspices first of the VFL, then the AFL to become the premier junior event of the football calendar and has been played in all states and territories. The Commonwealth Bank claimed naming rights in 1995 and in 1996 the competition became the AFL National Under 18 Championships.

Teams of NSW and the ACT were united in 1996 when squads were drawn from the NSW-ACT Victorian State Football League Under 18 RAMS (Riverina, Murrumbidgee, Albury, Sydney).

Strong memories of passion for the game have remained since the Teal Cup began in 1953.

Where now?