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State Aussie Rules Leagues

© Corrina Huxham

The AFL is the Australian Football League; the highest level budding footballers aspire too. However, players cannot just put their hands up and say “pick me” in order to play AFL footy. They must work their way through the ranks and then be selected through the AFL draft before they are even considered as AFL material. Where do these players start in their ambition to become an elite AFL player? In the state football leagues. Each state has their own individual league where potential AFL recruits strut their stuff. The major hunting grounds are the Victorian Football League (VFL), the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).

VFL
http://www.footballvic.com/vfl/

Today’s VFL originated from the Victorian Football Association, which was established in 1877. There are currently sixteen teams in the VFL, however, during its tenure, the composition of the league has changed. Two dramatic changes have occurred in the VFA’s history, the first being in 1897 when a breakaway group of clubs formed the forerunner of today’s AFL, and called their league the VFL. Then in 1987, the VFL changed its name to the AFL to accommodate the growing number of interstate clubs. This then allowed the VFA to rename their competition to the VFL as it stands at present.

The teams currently competing in the VFL are

Sandringham Zebras, North Ballarat Roosters, Carlton, Geelong, Williamstown Seagulls, Box Hill Hawks, Springvale Scorpians, Werribee Tigers, Essendon, Frankston Dolphins, Port Melbourne, Murray Kangaroos, Corburg Tigers, Northern Bullants, Bendigo Tigers, Tasmania

SANFL
http://www.sanfl.com.au

There is nine league clubs in the SANFL, which are:

Central Districts Bulldogs, Glenelg Tigers, North Adelaide Roosters, Norwood Redlegs, Port Adelaide Magpies, South Adelaide Panthers, Sturt Double Blues, West Adelaide Bloods, Woodville-West Torrens Eagles

The SANFL was not always known as the SANFL. It was formed as the South Australian Football Association (SAFA) back in 1877. It was originally termed the South Australian Football League (SAFL) back in 1907, before changing to their present name.

WAFL
http://www.wafl.com.au
http://www.wafc.com.au

The West Australian Football Commission (WAFC) controls the WAFL. Previously known as the Western Australian Football Commission, they formed in 1885. 1908 saw the name of the league change to the WAFL, then to the Western Australian National Football League in 1932. The 1980 season saw the league revert back to the WAFL. The start of the 1997 season to the end of the 2000 season the WAFL was called Westar Rules. The league has since decided to return to the more widely accepted WAFL. The WAFL has nine teams in its present competition, being:

Claremont Tigers, East Fremantle Sharks, East Perth Royals, Peel Thunder, Perth Demons, South Fremantle Bulldogs, Subiaco Lions,

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