Australska nogometna liga (Viktorijanska nogometna liga) (AFL/VFL) je najpoznatija svjetska liga u australskom nogometu.U početku su u njoj sudjelovali samo klubovi iz Viktorije, većinom iz Melbournea (otud i naziv Viktorijanska liga), da bi se od 1982. proširila na Sydney Swans (nakon što je South Melbourne Swans preselio u Sydney), a zatim se proširila i na Adelaide, Brisbane i neke druge australske gradove, pa je od 1989. i promijenila naziv u Australska nogometna liga (AFL).
Sustav natjecanja
Sezona AFL-a se sastoji od 2 dijela - ligaškog dijela i doigravanja. Ligaški dio traje od ožujka do kraja kolovoza ili početka rujna, a potom slijedi doigravanje. U ligaškom dijelu svaki od 16 klubova igra 22 utakmice, i na osnovu tih rezltata najboljih osam klubova ide u doigravanje, koje se igra kroz četiri tjedna kroz ove faze:
- Qualifying Finals - igra se u prvom tjednu doigravanja, a igraju ga međusobno 1. i 4., te 2. i 3. klub iz ligaškog dijela prvenstva. Pobjednici iz ova dva susreta idu direktno u Preliminary Finals u trećem tjednu doigravanja, dok poraženi idu u Semi Finals
- Elimination Finals - također se igra u prvom tjednu doigravanja, a igraju ga međusobno 5. i 8., te 6. i 7. klub iz ligaškog dijela. Pobjednici ova dva susreta idu u Semi Finals
- Semi Finals - igraju ga poraženi iz Qualifying Finals i pobjednici Elimination Finals u drugom tjednu doigravanja. Pobjednici prolaze u Preliminary Finals
- Preliminary Finals - igra se u trećem tjednu doigravanja, a igraju ga pobjednici Qualifying Finals protiv pobjednika Semi Finals
- Grand Final' (Veliko finale) - igraju ga pobjednici Preliminary Finals, a momčad koja pobjedi u Grand Final je prvak AFL-a
Klubovi u AFL-u
U AFL-u trenutno djeluje 18 klubova, a u toj ligi nema sustava promocije ni ispadanja iz drugih liga. Također, za razliku od liga u Sjevernoj Americi kod kojih također nema ispadanja i promocije poput NBA, NHL ili MLS, klubovi nisu podijeljeni po divizijama ili konferencijama.
Trenutni klubovi u AFL-u
- Adelaide Crows (Adelaide)
- Brisbane Lions (Brisbane)
- Carlton Blues (Melbourne)
- Collingwood Magpies (Melbourne)
- Essendon Bombers (Melbourne)
- Fremantle Dockers (Fremantle)
- Geelong Cats (Geelong)
- Gold Coast Suns (Gold Coast)
- Greater Western Sydney Giants (Sydney)
- Hawthorn Hawks (Melbourne)
- Melbourne Demons (Melbourne)
- North Melbourne Kangaroos (Melbourne)
- Port Adelaide Power (Adelaide)
- Richmond Tigers (Melbourne)
- St Kilda Saints (Melbourne)
- Sydney Swans (Sydney)
- West Coast Eagles (Perth)
- Western Bulldogs (Melbourne)
Bivši klubovi
- Brisbane Bears (Brisbane)
- Fitzroy Lions (Melbourne)
- Melbourne University (Melbourne)
Većina klubova dolazi iz australske države Victoria i to većinom iz Melbourne (Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond, St. Kilda, Sydney Swans su prije igrali u Melbourneu kao South Melbourne Bloods, te bivši klubovi Fitzroy i Melbourne University), dok je Geelog Cats smješten u gradu Geelong.
Prvaci i viceprvaci
| Godina | Prvak | Viceprvak / finalist |
|---|---|---|
| Victorian Football League | ||
| 1897. | Essendon Bombers | Geelong Cats |
| 1898. | Fitzroy Lions | Essendon Bombers |
| 1899. | Fitzroy Lions | South Melbourne Bloods |
| 1900. | Melbourne Demons | Fitzroy Lions |
| 1901. | Essendon Bombers | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1902. | Collingwood Magpies | Essendon Bombers |
| 1903. | Collingwood Magpies | Fitzroy Lions |
| 1904. | Fitzroy Lions | Carlton Blues |
| 1905. | Fitzroy Lions | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1906. | Carlton Blues | Fitzroy Lions |
| 1907. | Carlton Blues | South Melbourne Bloods |
| 1908. | Carlton Blues | Essendon Bombers |
| 1909. | South Melbourne Bloods | Carlton Blues |
| 1910. | Collingwood Magpies | Carlton Blues |
| 1911. | Essendon Bombers | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1912. | Essendon Bombers | South Melbourne Bloods |
| 1913. | Fitzroy Lions | St. Kilda Saints |
| 1914. | Carlton Blues | South Melbourne Bloods |
| 1915. | Carlton Blues | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1916. | Fitzroy Lions | Carlton Blues |
| 1917. | Collingwood Magpies | Fitzroy Lions |
| 1918. | South Melbourne Bloods | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1919. | Collingwood Magpies | Richmond Tigers |
| 1920. | Richmond Tigers | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1921. | Richmond Tigers | Carlton Blues |
| 1922. | Fitzroy Lions | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1923. | Essendon Bombers | Fitzroy Lions |
| 1924. | Essendon Bombers | Richmond Tigers |
| 1925. | Geelong Cats | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1926. | Melbourne Demons | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1927. | Collingwood Magpies | Richmond Tigers |
| 1928. | Collingwood Magpies | Richmond Tigers |
| 1929. | Collingwood Magpies | Richmond Tigers |
| 1930. | Collingwood Magpies | Geelong Cats |
| 1931. | Geelong Cats | Richmond Tigers |
| 1932. | Richmond Tigers | Carlton Blues |
| 1933. | South Melbourne Swans | Richmond Tigers |
| 1934. | Richmond Tigers | South Melbourne Swans |
| 1935. | Collingwood Magpies | South Melbourne Swans |
| 1936. | Collingwood Magpies | South Melbourne Swans |
| 1937. | Geelong Cats | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1938. | Carlton Blues | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1939. | Melbourne Demons | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1940. | Melbourne Demons | Richmond Tigers |
| 1941. | Melbourne Demons | Essendon Bombers |
| 1942. | Essendon Bombers | Richmond Tigers |
| 1943. | Richmond Tigers | Essendon Bombers |
| 1944. | Fitzroy Lions | Richmond Tigers |
| 1945. | Carlton Blues | South Melbourne Swans |
| 1946. | Essendon Bombers | Melbourne Demons |
| 1947. | Carlton Blues | Essendon Bombers |
| 1948. | Melbourne Demons | Essendon Bombers |
| 1949. | Essendon Bombers | Carlton Blues |
| 1950. | Essendon Bombers | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
| 1951. | Geelong Cats | Essendon Bombers |
| 1952. | Geelong Cats | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1953. | Collingwood Magpies | Geelong Cats |
| 1954. | Footscray Bulldogs | Melbourne Demons |
| 1955. | Melbourne Demons | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1956. | Melbourne Demons | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1957. | Melbourne Demons | Essendon Bombers |
| 1958. | Collingwood Magpies | Melbourne Demons |
| 1959. | Melbourne Demons | Essendon Bombers |
| 1960. | Melbourne Demons | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1961. | Hawthorn Hawks | Footscray Bulldogs |
| 1962. | Essendon Bombers | Carlton Blues |
| 1963. | Geelong Cats | Hawthorn Hawks |
| 1964. | Melbourne Demons | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1965. | Essendon Bombers | St. Kilda Saints |
| 1966. | St. Kilda Saints | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1967. | Richmond Tigers | Geelong Cats |
| 1968. | Carlton Blues | Essendon Bombers |
| 1969. | Richmond Tigers | Carlton Blues |
| 1970. | Carlton Blues | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1971. | Hawthorn Hawks | St. Kilda Saints |
| 1972. | Carlton Blues | Richmond Tigers |
| 1973. | Richmond Tigers | Carlton Blues |
| 1974. | Richmond Tigers | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
| 1975. | North Melbourne Kangaroos | Hawthorn Hawks |
| 1976. | Hawthorn Hawks | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
| 1977. | North Melbourne Kangaroos | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1978. | Hawthorn Hawks | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
| 1979. | Carlton Blues | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1980. | Richmond Tigers | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1981. | Carlton Blues | Collingwood Magpies |
| 1982. | Carlton Blues | Richmond Tigers |
| 1983. | Hawthorn Hawks | Essendon Bombers |
| 1984. | Essendon Bombers | Hawthorn Hawks |
| 1985. | Essendon Bombers | Hawthorn Hawks |
| 1986. | Hawthorn Hawks | Carlton Blues |
| 1987. | Carlton Blues | Hawthorn Hawks |
| 1988. | Hawthorn Hawks | Melbourne Demons |
| 1989. | Hawthorn Hawks | Geelong Cats |
| Australian Football League | ||
| 1990. | Collingwood Magpies | Essendon Bombers |
| 1991. | Hawthorn Hawks | West Coast Eagles |
| 1992. | West Coast Eagles | Geelong Cats |
| 1993. | Essendon Bombers | Carlton Blues |
| 1994. | West Coast Eagles | Geelong Cats |
| 1995. | Carlton Blues | Geelong Cats |
| 1996. | North Melbourne Kangaroos | Sydney Swans |
| 1997. | Adelaide Crows | St. Kilda Saints |
| 1998. | Adelaide Crows | North Melbourne Kangaroos |
| 1999. | North Melbourne Kangaroos | Carlton Blues |
| 2000. | Essendon Bombers | Melbourne Demons |
| 2001. | Brisbane Lions | Essendon Bombers |
| 2002. | Brisbane Lions | Collingwood Magpies |
| 2003. | Brisbane Lions | Collingwood Magpies |
| 2004. | Port Adelaide Power | Brisbane Lions |
| 2005. | Sydney Swans | West Coast Eagles |
| 2006. | West Coast Eagles | Sydney Swans |
| 2007. | Geelong Cats | Port Adelaide Power |
| 2008. | Hawthorn Hawks | Geelong Cats |
| 2009. | Geelong Cats | St Kilda Saints |
| 2010. | Collingwood Magpies | St Kilda Saints |
| 2011. | Geelong Cats | Collingwood Magpies |
| 2012. | Sydney Swans | Hawthorn Hawks |
| 2013. | Hawthorn Hawks | Fremantle Dockers |
| 2014. | Hawthorn Hawks | Sydney Swans |
| 2015. | Hawthorn Hawks | West Coast Eagles |
NAPOMENE:
Fitzroy Lions i Brisbane Bears su se 1996. spojili u Brisbane Lions
South Melbourne Bloods, South Melbourne Swans i Sydney Swans su isti klub (Sydney Swans)
Footscray Bulldogs je današnji Western Bulldogs
Klubovi po uspješnosti
Zaključno sa sezonom 2015.
| Klub | Grad | Prvak | Viceprvak | Ukupno |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essendon Bombers | Melbourne | 16 | 14 | 30 |
| Carlton Blues | Melbourne | 16 | 13 | 29 |
| Collingwood Magpies | Melbourne | 15 | 26 | 41 |
| Hawthorn Hawks | Melbourne | 13 | 6 | 19 |
| Melbourne Demons | Melbourne | 12 | 5 | 17 |
| Richmond Tigers | Melbourne | 10 | 12 | 22 |
| Geelong Cats | Geelong Melbourne |
9 | 9 | 18 |
| Fitzroy Lions | Melbourne | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| Sydney Swans (South Melbourne Bloods, South Melbourne Swans) |
Sydney Melbourne |
4 | 11 | 15 |
| North Melbourne Kangaroos | Melbourne | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| West Coast Eagles | Perth | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Brisbane Lions | Brisbane | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Adelaide Crows | Adelaide | 2 | 2 | |
| St. Kilda Saints | Melbourne | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Western Bulldogs (Footscray Bulldogs) |
Melbourne | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Port Adelaide Power | Adelaide | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Fremantle Dockers | Fremantle | 1 | 1 |
Poveznice
Video
Nedovršeni članak Australian Football League koji govori o športu treba dopuniti. Dopunite ga prema pravilima uređivanja Hrvatske internetske enciklopedije.