Looking back at the last 120 years of AFL/VFL football

AS we gear up for the 2017 AFL season and marvel in the success of the inaugural AFLW season, take a look back at how it all began — and how much things have changed.

AS we gear up for the 2017 AFL season and marvel in the success of the inaugural AFLW season it’s a good time to look back on how it all began.

It’s hard to believe there have been so many changes in the 120 years this great game has existed (professionally).

Our game, AFL, is the oldest code of football in the world and was invented way back in the 1850s.

It was first played among Melbourne’s private schools as a way of keeping cricket players fit during winter.

RARE COLOUR FILM OF COLEMAN’S LAST FINAL

CIRCA 1900: Photo circa 1900 of Victoria Park, home ground of Collingwood, taken from book "100 Years of Australian football". Australian rules / AFL / VFL Historical Victoria / Venue

Footballer Gordon Coventry marking during a Collingwood vs. Melbourne match in 1937.

IT’S FOOTY, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT

The crowded MCG grandstand overflows in 1919. Photo: 100 Years of Australian football

Melbourne Football Club was the first club formed in Australia in 1858 and others quickly followed.

In it’s inaugural year, 1897, the VFL consisted of Melbourne, Geelong, Carlton, Essendon, St Kilda, South Melbourne, Fitzroy and Collingwood.

Essendon won the very first premiership — 120 years ago.

Two more teams, Richmond and University joined the league in 1908, but because of waning interest during World War One, University withdrew in 1915.

10 years later Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Footscray made the shift to the professional league — making it 12 teams in the VFL.

DOGGIES HAD THEIR DAY OVER VFL IN 1989

VFL football — Carlton vs. Collingwood match 1908.

Illustration of what a game of footy was like in 1877. Photo: 100 Years of Australian football.

The next major change was the unprecedented move to Sydney by the South Melbourne Football Club.

Unable to survive in Melbourne, South Melbourne became the Sydney Football Club, creating the first professional team outside of Victoria.

Two other interstate teams were added to the fold in 1987 — the West Coast Eagles and the Brisbane Bears and the VFL became the Australian Football League.

The game expanded further, with Adelaide in 1991, Fremantle in 1995 and Port Adelaide in 1997.

Fitzroy's Brunswick Street Oval in 1909.

Gary Ablett marks before kicking one of his record nine goals in losing team during Hawthorn v Geelong 1989 VFL grand final.

Joe Johnson, believed to be the first aboriginal VFL player. Picture: Supplied

Fitzroy and Brisbane merged at the end of the 1996 season to become the Brisbane Lions.

There was another long break before expansion teams the Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants joined the league in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

GWS player Israel Folau celebrates his first AFL goal in 2012. Picture: Simon Cross

It was a controversial move to add two new teams to states in NRL heartland that already had teams, especially given Tasmania — a well-known breeding ground for AFL talent — didn’t and still doesn’t have a team.

Another controversy was a decision by NRL player Karmichael Hunt to switch codes and play four seasons for the Suns in 2011.

It was a move mirrored by the Giants who lured Rugby League superstar Israel Folau to switch codes in 2014.

Ellie Blackburn of the Bulldogs is tackled by Emma King of the Magpies during the 2017 AFLW Round 04 match between the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood Magpies. Picture: Getty Images

Deanna Berry celebrates a goal 3rd term Picture: Wayne Ludbey

In another huge change for the game, the AFL Women’s league was launched in 2017.

Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood, GSW, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs the first eight teams to compete in the competition.

The competition is being held between February and March — with some games played before AFL preseason matches.

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