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AFL under-19s

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AFL under-19s
FormerlyVFL thirds
VFL under-19s
SportAustralian rules football
Founded1946
First season1946
Ceased1991
No. of teams12 (final season)
CountryAustralia
Most titlesRichmond (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
  1. ^ South Melbourne relocated to Sydney in 1982 was renamed Sydney Swans in 1983.

Uniforms

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Carlton
Collingwood
Essendon
Fitzroy
Footscray
Geelong
Hawthorn
Melbourne
North Essendon
North Melbourne
Richmond
Richmond Juniors
St Kilda
South Melbourne
Sydney
TAA

Premiers

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Richmond won the most under-19s premierships, with a total of 11.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Rhett Barlett; Trevor Ruddell. "1946 Richmond Thirds". Tigerland Archive.
  2. ^ a b "The Under-19s". Collingwood Forever.
  3. ^ "Under 19s". Demonwiki.
  4. ^ "Club History". Essendon Doutta Stars Football Club.
  5. ^ "1949 Thirds season". Demonwiki.
  6. ^ "Cornell flies flag for '49ers". Carlton Football Club. 23 July 2019.
  7. ^ Rhett Barlett; Trevor Ruddell. "1950 Richmond Thirds". Tigerland Archive.
  8. ^ "Under 19s Best and Fairest". Tigerland Archive.
  9. ^ Stephen Rodgers (1992), Every Game Ever Played – VFL/AFL results 1897–1991 (3rd ed.), Viking O'Neil