Let's take the failed mergers covered in the last week and take the successful ones. From there we will explain any further merger and/or expansion talks that would occur starting in the year 2004.
In order of oldest teams first, we show the VFL members of the 1986 season:
These clubs had been in tact since the latter three joined from the VFA in 1925. 1987 was the first season in over 60 years to see a structural change in the VFL. The Brisbane Bears and West Coast Eagles expanded the league to 14 teams from 12. Prior to the start of this season, Melbourne tried to partner with Fitzroy - which fell under. The winter following the 1989 season saw the merger of North Melbourne and Carlton instead to become the Carlton Kangaroos. At this point in time, Fitzroy was to move to Sydney prior to 1981 but wound up for the birds. Those birds being South Melbourne, was to go Darwin in the Northern Territory for the following season, but Sydney emerged as a successful market as the test game during the '81 season drew a sellout crowd, compared to only 70 percent attendance in Darwin. For the 1982 season, Sydney was the new home for the Swans.
The following were the members of the AFL coming into 2004:
In order of oldest teams first, we show the VFL members of the 1986 season:
Fitzroy Lions Carlton Blues Collingwood Magpies
Essendon Bombers Geelong Cats Melbourne Demons
St. Kilda Saints Sydney Swans (formerly South Melbourne)
Richmond Tigers Hawthorn Hawks North Melbourne Kangaroos
Footscray Bulldogs
These clubs had been in tact since the latter three joined from the VFA in 1925. 1987 was the first season in over 60 years to see a structural change in the VFL. The Brisbane Bears and West Coast Eagles expanded the league to 14 teams from 12. Prior to the start of this season, Melbourne tried to partner with Fitzroy - which fell under. The winter following the 1989 season saw the merger of North Melbourne and Carlton instead to become the Carlton Kangaroos. At this point in time, Fitzroy was to move to Sydney prior to 1981 but wound up for the birds. Those birds being South Melbourne, was to go Darwin in the Northern Territory for the following season, but Sydney emerged as a successful market as the test game during the '81 season drew a sellout crowd, compared to only 70 percent attendance in Darwin. For the 1982 season, Sydney was the new home for the Swans.
Only three seasons after expanding to 14 teams, the now Australian Football League was back to 12 as Fitzroy finally found a dancing partner in Footscray for 1990. Much to the dismay of Bulldog fans, Fitzroy would stay - thus taking Footscray's nickname. This was just the start of several fluctuations within the next seven years. Adelaide enters the AFL in 1991 with the Crows nickname. Then Melbourne manages to strike a deal with Brisbane to merge for 1994 to become the Brisbane Demons. The Fremantle Dockers become the next expansion team in 1995 and in 1997 both the Power expand to Port Adelaide and another merger occurs. The Richmond Tigers (who "finished ninth again" and had "not been much good since 1982") took discussions with Essendon to finalization and created the Richmond Bombers. Finally, the St. Kilda Saints and Sydney joined forces prior to the 1998 season to come back to South Melbourne under their former rivals' location name and so the St. Kilda Swans were established. This was the decade of the 1990s.
The following were the members of the AFL coming into 2004:
Fitzroy Bulldogs Carlton Kangaroos Collingwood Magpies
Richmond Bombers Geelong Cats Brisbane Demons
St. Kilda Swans Hawthorn Hawks West Coast Eagles
Adelaide Crows Fremantle Dockers Port Adelaide Power
So we're pretty much back where we started - 12 teams in the league. Tomorrow we look at the future of the AFL, starting in 2005. I intend to put together a schematic and club kit(s) for each of the new clubs - including the above if possible.
-Ricky
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