AFL under-19s
![]() | |
Formerly | VFL thirds VFL under-19s |
---|---|
Sport | Australian rules football |
Founded | 1946 |
First season | 1946 |
Ceased | 1991 |
No. of teams | 12 (final season) |
Country | Australia |
Most titles | Richmond (11) |
Related competitions |
The AFL under-19s was an Australian rules football competition that operated as a junior competition to the Australian Football League (AFL) from 1946 until the end of 1991.
Prior to 1990, it was known as the VFL thirds or VFL under-19s.
History
[edit]In 1946, the Victorian Football League (VFL) introduced a thirds competition for under-19s players. Initially, only 7 clubs competed − Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond and St Kilda.[1] Several VFL clubs already operated thirds teams in local competitions, while others were affiliated with existing junior clubs.[2][3]
In 1947, the VFL invited the Doutta Stars Football Club (which competed in the Essendon District Football League) to field a side in the Thirds; the team was known as North Essendon.[4] The side was unsuccessful, and after two seasons a team representing Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) took its place. However, TAA were beaten too heavily, and withdrew from the competition following round 4 of the 1949 season.[5][6]
By 1950, all VFL clubs (bar Collingwood) were now in the thirds competition. Richmond chose to enter a second team − known as Richmond Juniors.[7] The new side competed for a single season, and Collingwood joined the competition in 1951.[2]
The competition became known as the VFL under-19s beginning in 1960 − a name that continued until the VFL was renamed to the AFL in 1990.[8]
With the focus of the VFL/AFL moving rapidly towards a national competition, the former metropolitan and country zoning recruitment system for the Victorian VFL/AFL clubs was abolished, and the league's under-19 competition was shut down at the end of 1991. A new competition, called the TAC Cup, began in 1992 with teams that were not linked to AFL clubs.
Clubs
[edit]12 clubs competed in the competition's final season. No teams from Queensland, South Australia or Western Australia ever competed in the VFL/AFL under-19s.
Club | Colours | Moniker | First season | Last season | Premierships | Year(s) of premierships | Current league |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlton | ![]() |
Blues | 1946 | 1991 | 6 | 1948, 1949, 1951, 1963, 1978, 1979 | In recess |
Collingwood | ![]() |
Magpies | 1951 | 1991 | 4 | 1960, 1965, 1974, 1986 | In recess |
Essendon | ![]() |
Bombers | 1946 | 1991 | 5 | 1950, 1952, 1959, 1961, 1966 | In recess |
Fitzroy | ![]() |
Lions | 1947 | 1991 | 2 | 1955, 1982 | VAFA U19s |
Footscray | ![]() |
Bulldogs | 1948 | 1991 | 1 | 1954 | In recess |
Geelong | ![]() |
Cats | 1947 | 1991 | 1 | 1962 | In recess |
Hawthorn | ![]() |
Hawks | 1946 | 1991 | 1 | 1972 | In recess |
Melbourne | ![]() |
Demons | 1946 | 1991 | 6 | 1947, 1953, 1964, 1971, 1981, 1983 | In recess |
North Essendon | ![]() |
Stars | 1947 | 1948 | 0 | − | EDFL U18s |
North Melbourne | ![]() |
Kangaroos | 1946 | 1991 | 7 | 1946, 1976, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 | In recess |
Richmond | ![]() |
Tigers | 1946 | 1991 | 11 | 1958, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1989 | In recess |
Richmond Juniors | ![]() |
Tigers | 1950 | 1950 | 0 | − | Folded 1950 |
St Kilda | ![]() |
Saints | 1946 | 1991 | 1 | 1957 | In recess |
Sydney (South Melbourne)[a] |
![]() |
Swans | 1947 | 1991 | 1 | 1956 | In recess |
TAA | ![]() |
None | 1949 | 1949 | 0 | − | Folded 1949 |
- ^ South Melbourne relocated to Sydney in 1982 was renamed Sydney Swans in 1983.
Uniforms
[edit]![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Carlton |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Collingwood |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Essendon |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Fitzroy |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footscray | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Geelong |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Hawthorn |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Melbourne |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() North Essendon |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() North Melbourne | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Richmond |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Richmond Juniors |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() St Kilda |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() South Melbourne |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Sydney |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() TAA |
Premiers
[edit]Richmond won the most under-19s premierships, with a total of 11.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Rhett Barlett; Trevor Ruddell. "1946 Richmond Thirds". Tigerland Archive.
- ^ a b "The Under-19s". Collingwood Forever.
- ^ "Under 19s". Demonwiki.
- ^ "Club History". Essendon Doutta Stars Football Club.
- ^ "1949 Thirds season". Demonwiki.
- ^ "Cornell flies flag for '49ers". Carlton Football Club. 23 July 2019.
- ^ Rhett Barlett; Trevor Ruddell. "1950 Richmond Thirds". Tigerland Archive.
- ^ "Under 19s Best and Fairest". Tigerland Archive.
- ^ Stephen Rodgers (1992), Every Game Ever Played – VFL/AFL results 1897–1991 (3rd ed.), Viking O'Neil
- Australian rules football in Australia
- History of Australian rules football
- Australian rules football competitions in Victoria (state)
- 1946 establishments in Australia
- 1991 disestablishments in Australia
- Sports competitions in Melbourne
- Sports leagues established in 1946
- Professional sports leagues in Australia