Activities by year

Independent Commission became VFL’s decision-making body.

In 1986 the TANFL had created a State wide competition. Member clubs were the existing six Southern, Clarence, Glenorchy, Hobart, New Norfolk, North Hobart and Sandy Bay. Two clubs from the NTFA namely, North Launceston and South Launceston joined to form an 8 team competition

In 1987 the TFL State Wide League was extended to ten clubs when NWFU clubs namely Burnie Hawks (later became Burnie Dockers) and Devonport Blues (later became Devonport Power), joined to complete a true State Wide competition.

As a result of the TANFL (controlling body in Tasmania) deciding to introduce a State-wide competition in 1986, several clubs from both the NTFA and NWFU had committed to participate. This caused the two Northern bodies (NTFA & NWFU) to form a new body known as the Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFL).

The inaugural season of the Northern Tasmanian Football League commenced in 1987.

Following the formation of the NTFL, the former NTFA folded in 1986.

The NTFL was formed in the early part of 1987, by both the NTFA and NWFU merging to become the NTFL. This was caused as a result of the TANFL creating a Statewide competition known as the TFL State-Wide League (TSWL) that commenced in 1986.

The TANFL granted the NTFL Second Tiered Status which was retained until 1998. The home base for the NTFL was in central Devonport.

The NTFL participated in the annual Victorian Country Championships, as it happened the exercise was a financial loss, that caused the NTFL to withdraw after three years in 1989. Instead, the NTFL played matches against the TANFL Under 23’s, the Southern Football League and the Tasmanian Amateur State Team.

Teams that participated in NTFL from 1987 included: Burnie, Deloraine, East Devonport, George Town, Latrobe, Launceston, Longford, Penguin, Scottsdale, Smithton, Ulverstone and Wynyard,

Twenty-First National Carnival, held in Adelaide and won by South Australia.

VFA reverts to a single division of 14 teams.

The Australian Football League was formed from the clubs of the VFL.

SANFL was reduced to nine teams with the merger between Woodville and West Torrens clubs.

The West Australian Football League introduced final five system.

AFL Premiership won by West Coast Eagles as first club outside Victoria border.

Formed in 1996 from the old Huon Football Association and the Tasmanian Amateur Football League (Southern Division), it became known as the Southern Tasmanian Football League.

Its member clubs in 1996 that moved from the Tasmanian Amateur Football Association, were Lauderdale, Mangalore, Claremont, Lindisfarne, Lachlan, and Sorell. Clubs that joined from the Huon Football Association were, Kingston and Channel.

Brisbane/Fitzroy merged (Brisbane Lions continued in AFL competition in 1997).

Footscray name change to Western Bulldogs Football Club.

There were moves afoot from the former Tasmanian Amateur Football League (Norther Division) that had folded in 1995. It applied in 1996 to use the NTFA name (that had been dormant for 10 years), but was rejected, and as a result the Tasmanian Amateur Football League ran the competition as Northern Amateurs that season.

When the Huon Football Association became defunct in 1997, the Hobart Football Club (formerly TFL Statewide League) joined the STFL, and Lachlan folded in the same year. Former Huon Football Association Clubs, Huonville and Franklin merged. 

Adelaide Crows won first AFL premiership as first SA-based club to do so.

In 1997, the name Northern Tasmanian Football Association was granted to be used again.

In 1997 clubs from former Esk-Deloriane Football Association merged into the NTFA and two divisions were created: Division 1 and Division 2.

Teams competing were: Bracknel, Bridgenorth, Deloraine, George Town, Hillwood, Longford, Rocherlea, Scottsdale and University-Mowbray.

Teams participating at this point in time: Campbell Town, Evandale, Fingal Valley, Old Launcestonians, Old Scotch, Perth, St. Patricks, Tamar & University/Mowbray.

From 1998 the STFL became the Southern Football League. 

In 2000, New Norfolk Football Club left the State Wide League to join the SFL.

At the conclusion of 2000 Football Tasmania was absorbed by AFL Tasmania, the new controlling body of football in Tasmania. It immediately ceased the State Wide League competition to focus on a Tasmanian team in the VFL. This move forced the former State Wide League clubs to return to their respective regional competitions.

With the demise of the State Wide League collapse, the original Southern based club, Clarence, Glenorchy and North Hobart had no option, but to join the SFL in 2001. 

Clubs participating in 2001 were, Brighton, Channel, Claremont, Clarence, Cygnet, Glenorchy Storm, Hobart, Huonville Lions, Kermandie, Kingston, Lauderdale, Lindisfarne, New Norfolk Hawks, North Hobart and Sorell.

Brisbane Lions won AFL premiership as first Queensland-based club to do so.

In 2002 the SFL created a two tiered competition (i) Premier League, made-up from former State Wide League Clubs, Clarence, Glenorchy Storm, North Hobart, Hobart, New Norfolk, Kingston, Brighton and Sorell. (ii) Regional League, included the original clubs Channel, Claremont, Cygnet, Huonville Lions, Kermandie, Lauderdale and Lindisfarne.

In early 2003, Sorell Football Club, a member of the SFL Premier League was forced the leave the competition and eventually went into recess.

Lauderdale Football Club which was elevated from the Regional League to the Premier League in 2004.

Sydney Swans won AFL premiership as first NSW-based club to do so.

2006 Saw the SFL gained two new clubs for its Regional League. Former Oatlands Football Association clubs Bothwell and Kempton merge to form the Central Hawks, while Triabunna Football Club also from the Oatlands association joined -up.

Teams participating at this point in time: Campbell Town, Evandale, Fingal Valley, Old Launcestonians, Old Scotch, Perth, St Patricks, Tamar & University-Mowbray.

In 2008, AFL Tasmania re-invented a Statewide League for season 2009. SFL Premier League clubs Clarence, Glenorchy, North Hobart and Lauderdale bailed out of the SFL in preference of the new Tasmanian State League 

Channel Football Club left the SFL and joined the Old Scholars Football Association.

Kermandie Football Club found itself with several problems both on and off the field and eventually entered recess in 2009. By 2010 the club had become defunct.

Southern Football League resumed its original (1996-1997) competition following the exit of clubs to the newly formed AFL Tasmania Tasmanian State League to commence in 2009. Clubs that left the SFL were: Clarence, Glenorchy, Hobart, Lauderdale and North Hobart.

With the revival of the State-Wide League in 2009, five Clubs (Burnie, Devonport, Launceston, North Launceston and South Launceston) left the NTFL, which left only six clubs.

Some other clubs from the North and North-West had joined and departed the NTFL and from 2009 the NTFL was solely supported by clubs from the North-West area. 

Lilydale Football Club joined the Association in 2011.

South-Prospect Hawks Football Club Joined the Association in 2012.

Central Hawks were forced into recess due to insufficient player numbers, brought about mainly, by the Bothwell Football Club, that had merged with Kempton to form the Central Hawks, had left the SFL to rejoin the Oatlands District Football Association.

Kingston became known as the Kingborough Football Club and left the SFL for the Tasmanian State League.

As a result of participating clubs all from the north west, the NTFL changed its name to North West Football League at the end of 2014.

Meander Valley Football Club Joined the Association in 2014.

n a match played 10th March, 2014, the central umpire caused the match to be abandoned prior to ½ time, due to a fight between players of both teams: Fingal Valley and Old Scotch.

As a result the:

1. The match was declared void with no premiership points awarded.
2. No best & Fairest votes awarded.
3. Fingal Valley was fined $6,000 and forfeited 24 premiership points.
4. Old Scotch was fined $4,000 and forfeited 16 premiership points.
5. Previous fines from 2013 for each Club was also imposed.
6. Until the end of season 2015, 3 Umpires plus a Reserve Umpire will be allocated to all games played between the two Clubs, with additional costs to be split equally between the two Club.
7. Until the end of season 2015, all matches between these two Clubs will be videoed from at least 2 angles and the additional cost will be equally shared between the two Clubs.