AFL Rules

Collingwood Magpies and Western Bulldogs

The Australian Football League (AFL) was first established in 1990 to promote a more national initiative. Before then it had been the VFL (Victorian Football League), and the AFL has continued to grow in popularity around the country since growing beyond its roots in Victoria.

There are currently sixteen teams making up the AFL, which is a single tier system, with no sides relegated or promoted from any other league. The very first AFL team was Melbourne FC, and many of the sides in the division today were established at the beginning of the sport.

Primarily a Victorian sport when it was inaugurated, the VFL was created in 1897 with just eight teams, and it was not until South Melbourne relocated to Sydney in 1982 and became the Sydney Swans that interest grew in the sport. In 1987 the league grew further, encapsulating the West Coast Eagles from Western Australia and the Brisbane Bears from Queensland, although in 1996 the Brisbane Bears merged with Fitzroy to become the Lions. In 1991 South Australia was represented for the first time through the Adelaide Crows, with Port Adelaide joining five years later.

From 2011, a new Queensland side will play in the league – the Gold Coast FC, with a Western Sydney team expecting to start in 2012.

The following 16 clubs form the present line-up of the AFL – check out each team’s page for more information on them, and a current squad list to help you on any punting you may choose to do!