Australia is known for many things, whether its incredible scenery, dangerous animals or their unique cities.
Among this list is Australia’s love of sports of every shape and size, but some sports are particularly beloved by the fans, and one of the most popular throughout the country is football.
Football is an incredibly important part of the country’s history and culture, and also gives home to a variety of events, clubs, and organisations.
With football events in mind, the biggest in the country is the AFL, or the Australian Football League.
The AFL is run by the AFL Commission, which not only provides rules and regulations for most of the country’s football activity, but also acts as the governing body for the AFL and all its associated events.
The AFL is a major player in Australian sports, and while it also allows for teams to play and events to take place, it also gives fans the chance to enjoy the games, socialise, and even take part in a little betting NZ.
Where It All Began
Football has been a part of British history for hundreds of years, and it was no surprise that many of the colonies Britain set up would adopt some of the sports that were popular in the country.
Not long after the first Australian colonies were set up, the Victorian Football League came into being. The VFL was an amalgamation of a series of other clubs that were prominent in Australia at the time, and many of them wanted to join together to create a more professional environment for both the teams and the games.
The 20th Century
The VFL remained mostly unchanged until the start of world war one. Up until that point, most of the games were organised in tournaments and premierships that grew in popularity with every passing year.
The VLF then decided to expand its teams from nine to twelve in 1928. Many of which swapped over from rival football clubs.
The VFL teams proved to be some of the most successful in the country, with certain teams like Collingwood winning up to four Premierships in succession.
The 1950s proved to be some of the most important years for Australian football. One of the most important developments was National Day that was held outside of Melbourne.
This was a full day of football where multiple teams could play, and set the stage for many of the competitions that football leagues have today.
The second most important improvement to football in the country was the introduction of television, and coverage of football began in 1957.
While not hugely successful at first, some years later in the 1960s, television became one of the football’s most powerful broadcasting tools, which the VFL took full advantage of.
The Modern League
Fast forward to the 1980s, and Australia was undergoing rapid transformations in both its culture and economy.
Football popularity was exploding across the world, and many football clubs in Australia had started restructuring their teams and competitions. In 1986, after some struggle with money, the VFL became more widely known as the AFL, and after gaining dominance on national television, has remained unchanged over the last three decades.
The AFL has a long history that has been a part of Australia for over 200 years, and will continue to be a favourite among football fans.