The AFL under-19s was an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

competition that operated as a junior competition to the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL) from 1946 until the end of 1991. Prior to 1990, it was known as the VFL thirds or VFL under-19s.

History

1946 Events January * January 6 - The 1946 North Vietnamese parliamentary election, first general election ever in Vietnam is held. * January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into f ...

, the Victorian Football League (VFL) introduced a thirds competition for under-19s players. Initially, only 7 clubs competed −

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

Hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

, Melbourne, North Melbourne,

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and St Kilda. Several VFL clubs already operated thirds teams in local competitions, while others were affiliated with existing junior clubs. In

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

, the VFL invited the

Doutta Stars Football Club The Essendon Doutta Stars Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 10 km north west of Melbourne in the suburb of Essendon, Victoria, Essendon, and affiliated with the Essendon District Football League in 1946. Histor ...

(which competed in the

Essendon District Football League The Essendon District Football League (EDFL) is a professional Australian rules football league competition based in Essendon, Victoria, consisting of teams based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne. Founded in 1930, the men's competition c ...

) to field a side in the Thirds; the team was known as North Essendon. The side was unsuccessful, and after two seasons a team representing Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) took its place. However, were beaten too heavily, and withdrew from the competition following round 4 of the 1949 season. By

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...

, all VFL clubs (bar Collingwood) were now in the thirds competition. Richmond chose to enter a second team − known as Richmond Juniors. The new side competed for a single season, and Collingwood joined the competition in 1951. 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. 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 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...

. A new competition, called the TAC Cup, began in 1992 with teams that were not linked to AFL clubs.

Clubs

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.

Uniforms

Premiers

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

References

{{Talent League 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