Proposed VFL/AFL clubs are clubs that at various points in the history of the Australian Football League have been or were distinct possibilities but either did not or have not yet eventuated. Due to their association with the national Australian competition, they have drawn a large amount of controversy and media attention.

Formation of VFL (1896)

The VFL was formed in 1896 when Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, South Melbourne and St Kilda left the Victorian Football Association. A number of other VFA clubs were touted as becoming members of the League at this time, the most notable being North Melbourne and Port Melbourne.

North Melbourne

North was denied entry due to Essendon believing that it would take its recruiting areas.[1]

Port Melbourne

Port Melbourne was denied entry in favour of South due to its reputation of having unruly fans.[2] North Melbourne eventually gained admission in 1925, and Port Melbourne continued to play in the VFA.

VFL expansion (1925)

Between 1919 and 1925 the VFL sought expressions of interest from clubs wishing to gain admittance to the League. While Footscray, Hawthorn and North Melbourne were accepted in 1925, a number of existing VFA clubs were considered. The VFA clubs were Brighton, Brunswick, Port Melbourne and Prahran.[3]

One impediment that the VFL encountered when considering admitting existing VFA clubs to its ranks in 1925 was the existing recruiting districts; the VFL clubs' districts had been drawn up equitably in 1915, and clubs were unwilling to surrender portions of their districts to incoming VFA clubs.[4] One attempt to overcome this was the Public Service Football Club, which would draw its players from the public service rather than from a geographical district. The Public Service club was formally established in 1924 and was based at the newly built Motordrome, and it applied to join the VFL in 1925; but its application was rejected and the club disbanded without playing a game.[5]

North Melbourne (1907, 1921)

After the split between the VFL and VFA, North Melbourne became one of the stronger clubs in the VFA. In 1908, after University was admitted to the league, North Melbourne merged with West Melbourne and applied to become the tenth team in the league as the City Football Club, but the proposal was rejected and Richmond was admitted instead. North Melbourne and West Melbourne were expelled from the VFA for attempting to defect, but North Melbourne returned to the VFA the same year under a new committee (having absorbed West Melbourne).

In another attempt to gain admission, North Melbourne proposed a merger with Essendon in 1921, when Essendon attempted to move to Arden Street after East Melbourne was closed and demolished. The proposal was rejected, and both clubs continued in their previous states; North Melbourne finally gained admission to the VFL in 1925.[1]

Footscray (1919, 1922, 1923)

In the decade following World War I, Footscray became a powerhouse of the VFA. It was a rich club in a strong industrial area, and was able to recruit players aggressively from the VFL. It first applied for membership of the VFL in 1919, and then again in 1922 and 1923. It was admitted in 1925.[6]

VFL expansion proposals

In the mid-1950s there were additional discussions and an attempt by a club to gain admission into the VFL.

Bendigo (1951) and Ballarat (1955–56)

A move was raised in the 1940s to admit provincial sides from Bendigo and Ballarat. A 1951 move for Bendigo was the first formal proposal, with no specific club named a new composite license was the likely aim.[7] In 1954 there was discussion within the VFL to expand the competition to include both Ballarat and Bendigo sides.[8] On 14 July 1955 the Ballarat Football Club officially applied to join the VFL. Although the application was referred to a special sub-committee that was to meet and make a recommendation, there is no evidence that the application was ever acted on by the VFL.[9]

Fitzroy mergers (1980, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1996)

The Fitzroy Football Club, while being a league powerhouse in the early 1900s, found itself in financial difficulties by the 1980s. A number of mergers and relocations were proposed by both the league and the club throughout the 1980s and 1990s, culminating in the club merging its playing operations with the Brisbane Bears in 1996.

National Competition proposals (since 1980)

The same twelve clubs competed in the VFL between 1925–1986, except in 1942 and 1943 when Geelong went into recess due to travel restrictions, petrol rationing and loss of players to service in World War II. At the end of 1981, the financially troubled South Melbourne relocated to Sydney, and there were a number of developments in the 1980s, with new clubs being proposed as the League became the pre-eminent competition in the country.

East Perth (1980)

In 1980 East Perth of the West Australian Football League applied to join the VFL as the League's first non-Victorian club. Nothing came of this application.[10]

Canberra / Australian Capital Territory (1981, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1993)

The Australian Capital Territory Australian Football League was the first league from a major city to express an interest in fielding a team in a national competition as early as the 1970s, however the first official bid was made in 1981,[11][12] The VFL dismissed the bid, opting for a Sydney side instead. Following the entry of the Canberra Raiders, the sport in Canberra lost major ground to rugby league. In 1990, the ACTAFL began to arrange a deal with the AFL to field a Canberra-based team in the AFL Reserves competition from 1991, which the ACTAFL hoped would later lead to senior representation.[13][14] The ACTAFL had received assurances from the AFL throughout 1990 that the bid was progressing well; but progress abruptly stalled and the bid failed in August 1990 when Port Adelaide made its bid to join the AFL, drawing almost all of the AFL's strategic focus to the South Australian situation.[14]

Norwood Redlegs (1982, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1994)

The Norwood Football Club had sought to join the AFL on numerous occasions.

In 1982 the Norwood Football Club had sought discussions with the VFL about admissions but these met with cold responses. When Port Adelaide were privately seeking admission into the AFL during 1990, the AFL approached the club but Norwood decided to follow the SANFL's decision with its intentions undecided at the time.[15]

Fremantle Sharks (1987)

In 1987, the first year after the admission of the West Coast Eagles to the VFL, traditional rival WAFL clubs East Fremantle and South Fremantle had discussions on the possibility of merging and joining the VFL as a second Perth-based team. The merged club was to have been known as the Fremantle Sharks, and to have played at Fremantle Oval.[16]

Los Angeles Crocodiles (1987)

In 1987 a $10 million proposal from Perth magnate Errol Marron was put forward for a VFL expansion club based partly in Los Angeles (and partly in Melbourne) named the Los Angeles Crocodiles with profits from increased television rights to fund a local league. Stadiums in the proposal included the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In October 1987, Ross Oakley announced that the VFL had officially rejected the bid.[17][18][19][20][21][22]

Port Adelaide (1990)

Seven years before their debut season in the AFL, SANFL club Port Adelaide applied to become the AFL's first South Australian club.

During the 1990 pre-season, Port Adelaide played a practice match against the Geelong Cats at Football Park before a crowd of 35,000.[23] However, the bid was met with legal issues within South Australia that resulted in the SANFL creating the Adelaide Crows.[24]

Norwood-Sturt (1990s)

A rival bid proposed by Norwood and financially struggling Sturt to combat Port Adelaide's second bid was seriously considered during the early 1990s. When Port Adelaide won the second licence the Norwood-Sturt merger was still discussed but relations between the clubs quickly soured.[25]

Tasmania (1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2019, 2021)

Tasmania is traditionally a strong Australian rules football state, and as such had long been touted as being a location for an AFL club prior to the state, being granted a license in 2023.

In October 1992, the AFL Commission voted on shutting down the Sydney Swans, as the club had accrued over AUD $9 million dollars of debt.[26] With Melbourne clubs siding against the Swans, the AFL was desperate to offset the potential loss of the Swans to the national competition, so the AFL offered the TFL an AFL license.[26] However, the TFL declined the license fee, reported to be around AUD $4 million, claiming it was "10 years away" from being ready.[26] In addition to finding money to pay the license fee, the TFL would have faced significant travel costs to send a team to the mainland every second week. As a result of Tasmania declining a license, the AFL had to prepare a multi-million-dollar assistance package to keep the Sydney club viable.

In April 1994, Tasmanian Sports Minister, Peter Hodgman, spoke to the AFL about the possible introduction of a local team to the league and had raised the possibility of state funding.[27] Between 1994 and 1997, the bid was prepared for a Tasmanian team that involved the construction of a 30,000-capacity stadium at the Hobart Showgrounds in Glenorchy, at the cost of approximately $30 million.[28] This and every subsequent bid had been declined by the AFL until its successful 8th attempt in 2021.

The AFL's continued rejection of the Tasmanian AFL team raised significant controversy, with the Government of Australia launching a Senate inquiry in 2008 which AFL Commission CEO Andrew Demetriou and chairman Mike Fitzpatrick both declined to attend.[29][30][31]

Norwood Crows (1995)

During 1995 the Norwood Football Club, with the assistance of Wolf Blass, attempted to buy the Adelaide Crows and have them relocated to the Parade.[32]

Southport Sharks (1996)

By 1995 the Southport Sharks had reached 20,000 members began to lead the charge for a second Queensland team entering the Australian Football League. In 1996, the Sharks made their first bid to the AFL for inclusion in the national league, which was rejected by the AFL in favour of Port Adelaide's proposal. After which, the club continued to lobby for a licence.

Further attempts were made by the club to enter the AFL including purposed mergers with North Melbourne.[33]

Melbourne Hawks (1996)

The Melbourne Hawks would have comprised a merger between the Melbourne and Hawthorn Football Clubs at the end of the 1996 season. Out of all the proposed merger combinations in the 1990s, it was seemed as ideal as it was known that Hawthorn had a football team which ranked as one of the best of all time but were in a dire financial situation, as opposed to Melbourne which had a sound financial base but were a club which had mostly struggled on-field since their last premiership in 1964.

Despite the controversial approval of the Melbourne Football Club board and members, the merger was voted out by Hawthorn members after a passionate campaign led by Don Scott.

Sydney Celtic (2008)

In March 2008, it was revealed by the media that the AFL had considered a radical proposal to launch an Irish-dominated team in Sydney's western suburbs, which would perform before an international audience under the "Celtic" brand name. At the time, the Irish Experiment was peaking with numerous Irish players in the AFL. The "Sydney Celtics" plan was first put to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou in early 2007 by Gaelic Players Association executive Donal O'Neill. It was said that the proposal originated at the International Rules series in Ireland in late 2006 when O'Neill put forward a plan to purchase an AFL licence in Sydney. The idea had been boosted by the hype generated by Tadgh Kennelly's appearance for Sydney in the AFL Grand Final, having become one of the club's better locally known players.[34] However, the idea never materialised and the AFL has since stated that this was never a serious option[35][36] and it proceeded to make plans for a new license, which was to become the Greater Western Sydney Giants.

Northern Territory (2018)

In October 2018, the Government of the Northern Territory announced that it would allocate $100,000 towards a "scoping study" to investigating whether the Territory should bid for an AFL licence when it becomes available. Chief Minister Michael Gunner and AFL Northern Territory CEO Stuart Totham met with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan in Melbourne to discuss the potential bid. It was reported that an AFL licence would not become available until 2028 at the earliest.

If successful, the team would play its home games at TIO Stadium in Darwin and at Traeger Park in Alice Springs.[37][38]

Future proposals

Listed below are potential clubs that have been suggested by lobby groups, local governments or the AFL itself as regions that the league has expressed interest in granting licences.

Location/clubBid typeStatus/Notes
AucklandOfficial(See also Australian rules football in New Zealand) The AFL has stated Auckland is its next expansion priority pending construction of a suitable stadium. While Wellington has hosted all AFL premiership matches to date, the AFL has stated its preference is to locate a club in Auckland. The proposal has the support of AFL New Zealand and country's participation, with the average AFL attendance currently similar to that of Tasmania, the NT and the ACT. The catchment population is highest of all AFL markets without a club.[39][40][41]
DarwinOfficial (launched 2021)(See also Australian rules football in the Northern Territory) Entry proposed for 2030.[42][43][44] Official bid launched in 2021 after feasibility study completed in 2018. Business case continues to be developed along with stadium proposals. Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire supports this bid as the 20th club.[45]
CanberraOfficial(See also Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory) Not supported by the AFL. Canberra has had an open bid for a license since the 1980s, which has been overlooked by the VFL/AFL for decades including when the South Melbourne became the Sydney Swans in 1982, in 1985 prior to the sale of the club to Geoffrey Edelsten, in 1986 when it was overlooked in favour of Perth and Brisbane, in 1988 when the Swans folded and the licence was put out to tender, in 1993 ("AFL For Canberra Bid"), 1995,[46] a proposed relocation of the North Melbourne Kangaroos, and again in 2008 when licenses were awarded to Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast. In 2019, the AFL CEO Gillion McLachlan stated that Canberra now belongs to the Giants.[47]
NewcastleUnofficial(See also Australian rules football in New South Wales) Suggested by many given Newcastle's large population and growing support for Australian rules football in the Hunter Region.[48][49][50]
Cairns/Far North QueenslandUnofficial(See also Australian rules football in Queensland) Sometimes bundled with NT/Northern Australia proposals: AFL Cairns owns Cazaly's Stadium.[51][52]
Sunshine Coast or 2nd Brisbane teamUnofficial(See also Australian rules football in Queensland) Speculation by the media fuelled by the temporary home for AFLW, with millions spent on upgrading the Maroochydore complex and the Lions' relocation to The Reserve, Springfield.[53][54][55]
3rd Perth teamUnofficial(See also Australian rules football in Western Australia) Frequently speculated by the media, but not mentioned as a distinct possibility since Andrew Demetriou in 2009.[56][57][58][59]
3rd Adelaide team Unofficial Alongside another Western Australian team, a third South Australian team has been suggested with the introduction of a conference system. Another SA team has been backed by Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon and Norwood Football Club president James Fantasia.[60]
Ballarat or Bendigo Unofficial In 1954, there was discussion within the VFL to expand the competition to include both Ballarat and Bendigo sides.[61] In 1955, the Ballarat Football Club officially applied to join the VFL. Although the application was referred to a special sub-committee that was to meet and make a recommendation, there is no evidence that the application was ever acted on by the VFL.[62]

References

  1. 1 2 "History of North Melbourne FC". Shawfactor.
  2. ↑ Grow, Robin (November 1986). "Nineteenth century football and the Melbourne press" (PDF). Sporting Traditions. 3 (1): 23–37. ISSN 0813-2577. OCLC 7128631434. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 August 2016 – via LA84 Foundation.
  3. ↑ Bartrop, Paul (May 1986). "The VFA and the search for an identity" (PDF). Sporting Traditions. Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education. 2 (2): 74–87. ISSN 0813-2577. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2011 – via LA84 Foundation.
  4. ↑ "Football – Tenth Club proposal". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 2 October 1924. p. 12.
  5. ↑ "Public Service Club – admittance to league". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 4 November 1924. p. 17.
  6. ↑ "Potted History - Official AFL Website of the Western Bulldogs Football Club". Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  7. ↑ "MOVE TO HAVE BENDIGO JOIN THE V.F.L." The Riverine Herald. No. 22, 949. Victoria, Australia. 13 June 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "VFL laws bar Ballarat and Bendigo". Herald. 16 September 1954.
  9. ↑ "Ballarat Applies to Enter VFL". Argus. 14 July 1955.
  10. ↑ "Fight On East Perth - Applying to Join VFL". Amnet. Vocus Group.
  11. ↑ "Weaknesses exposed in VFL transfer plan". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 746. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 2 August 1981. p. 6. Retrieved 9 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "Swans might be Canberra's lever into AFL". The Canberra Times. Vol. 64, no. 19, 730. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 October 1989. p. 14. Retrieved 9 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ Daryl Timms (4 June 1990). "In on the ACT". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 77.
  14. 1 2 Glen McFarlane; Glen Quartermain (August 1990). "Canberra bid hits stumbling block". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 85.
  15. ↑ "ACT orienteers win top places". The Canberra Times. 9 August 1990. p. 16. Retrieved 28 June 2014 – via Trove.
  16. ↑ Peter Simunovich (24 July 1987). "Top WAFL clubs eye VFL spot". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 78.
  17. ↑ "Reference at www.heraldsun.com.au".
  18. ↑ "Reference at www.heraldsun.com.au".
  19. ↑ "TIMES Sport Canberra link in move for Los Angeles VFL side". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 18, 989. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 1 October 1987. p. 18. Retrieved 28 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ "Tigers, Kangaroos and Lions could have merged: Ross Oakley". 4 July 2014.
  21. ↑ Warner, Michael (18 December 2017). "How a wild plan to send a VFL team to the US went to the top". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022.
  22. ↑ Warner, Michael (17 December 2017). "Revealed: VFL's crazy plan to relocate a Melbourne team to Los Angeles in 1988". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022.
  23. ↑ Rollings, Barry (21 March 1990). "Trio to miss Cats' final hit-out". The Canberra Times. p. 44. Retrieved 28 June 2014 – via Trove.
  24. ↑ "Drama of Port's 1990 bid to join AFL".
  25. ↑ Devaney, John "The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia of Australian Football Clubs, Volume 1", pg. 365
  26. 1 2 3 "ACT hovers over Swans' deathbed". The Canberra Times. Vol. 67, no. 21, 002. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 October 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 10 July 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. ↑ "AFL clubs oppose push for more sides". The Canberra Times. Vol. 69, no. 21, 546. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 April 1994. p. 38. Retrieved 23 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ↑ "Ditch AFL bid: clubs". Examiner. 20 February 1998. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  29. ↑ "Soccer could beat AFL". The Mercury. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  30. ↑ "Soccer could beat AFL". 28 March 2009.
  31. ↑ Colebatch, Tim (1 January 2007). "Soccer on rise as AFL treads water".
  32. ↑ Rucci, Michaelangelo (24 October 2014). "Norwood's three-peat success in the "new" SANFL is a story that deserves greater praise". The Advertiser (Adelaide).
  33. ↑ Stannard, Damien (15 March 2008). "Southport Sharks circle the big time in the AFL". The Sunday Mail. Archived from the original on 5 April 2013.
  34. ↑ "Grand final agony for Kennelly". BreakingNews.ie. 30 September 2006. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011.
  35. ↑ "The Sydney Celtics would need more than the luck of the Irish". The Age www.theage.com.au. Melbourne. 14 July 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  36. ↑ Caroline Wilson (12 July 2008). "AFL eyes Ireland for Celtic team". The Age. Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
  37. ↑ "NT Government announces $100,000 scoping study in bid to secure AFL team licence". ABC News. 6 October 2018.
  38. ↑ McGowan, Marc (6 October 2018). "Territory explores potential bid for AFL team". AFL Media.
  39. ↑ Wilson, Caroline (26 April 2013). "We want AFL team: Kiwis". The Age.
  40. ↑ Thompson, Matt (2 November 2013). "Saints could find themselves relocated to NZ, warns Thomas". AFL.com.au.
  41. ↑ Warriors want new waterfront stadium with the Blues, Auckland Council interested David Long for Stuff.co.nz Feb 19 2016
  42. ↑ "Darwin AFL team worth considering". Sportal. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  43. ↑ Rawlinson, Clare (20 February 2013). "Hope on the horizon for NT AFL team". ABC.net.au.
  44. ↑ "Northern Territory takes aim at goal to play in AFL". news.com.au. 24 August 2012.
  45. ↑ ‘Put up or shut up’: Eddie’s mega multimillion-dollar, eight-point plan to create two new AFL teams Ben Waterworth and David Zita from Fox Sports 8 April 2021
  46. ↑ "It's time for the sleeping giant to lie kicked out of bed". The Canberra Times. Vol. 70, no. 21, 953. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 26 May 1995. p. 36. Retrieved 2 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  47. ↑ Tassie wants in, so does the NT. Where will AFL teams 19 and 20 come from? Max Laughton. Fox Sports 5 March 2020
  48. ↑ "Where should the 20th AFL team be based?".
  49. ↑ "'The next two teams': Sheedy backs Tassie and left-field location for AFL sides". 25 April 2022.
  50. ↑ "Sheedy's left-field destination for AFL expansion". 25 April 2022.
  51. ↑ Davis, Greg (17 February 2013). "AFL could be headed to North Queensland by 2030". Heraldsun.com.au.
  52. ↑ Jon, Pierik (28 August 2013). "Far north shaping up for the big league". theage.com.au.
  53. ↑ Brand, Anthony (15 February 2015). "What's the plan, Dave? NRL lags AFL on the Coast". Sunshine Coast Daily.
  54. ↑ Flynn, Joe (11 February 2015). "Plan being hatched for AFL shift to the Coast". Sunshine Coast Daily.
  55. ↑ Flynn, Joe (10 February 2015). "Coast considered as future home for AFL side". Sunshine Coast Daily.
  56. ↑ Sapienza, Joseph (22 October 2009). "Readers have their say on third WA team". WAtoday.com.au.
  57. ↑ McFarlane, Glenn (13 March 2011). "Debate over third AFL team in WA reignites". Perthnow.com.au.
  58. ↑ SportsFanGC (28 November 2013). "AFL expansion: where to next?". The Roar.
  59. ↑ Duffield, Mark (22 September 2006). "Study makes case for third WA team". The Age.
  60. ↑ Laughton, Max (5 March 2020). "Tassie wants in, so does the NT. Where will AFL teams 19 and 20 come from?".
  61. ↑ "VFL laws bar Ballarat and Bendigo". Herald. 16 September 1954.
  62. ↑ "Ballarat Applies to Enter VFL". Argus. 14 July 1955.
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