Activities by year

Fifth National Carnival, held in Hobart and won by Victoria.

Highlight of the season was the staging of the fifth AFL Carnival in Hobart – the first in Tasmania.

When the final Tasmanian team was being chosen, the League sent an invitation to through to the NWFU for Ivor Warne-Smith to join the team at the League’s expense.

The Union refused to endorse the application and as a result Warne-Smith was lost to the carnival team.

The TFL secured the New Town Oval for the season on the same rental basis as North Hobart Oval.

Introduction of Brownlow Medal for Beat & Fairest player in VFL (now AFL).

Founded in 1924, Leven is a small tourist centre known locally as Leven Canyon. It’s located on the North-West Coast line of Tasmania and is 42 kilometres from the town of Ulverstone.

Leven was built on the banks of the Leven River, which runs through 300-metre limestone cliffs, carved through the Loongana Range.

The LFA was formed in the first instance to cater for teams in the Ulverstone Municipality. Over time the LFA became a solid feeding-ground for clubs in both the NWFU and NTFA, but equally as important, for Ulverstone. After 92 years the LFA folded in 2016.

Clubs that joined the competition over the seasons included the following: Castra, Devonport Saints, East Ulverstone, Forth, Gawler, Kindred,Mersey Valley Workers Club, Motton Rovers, Motton-Preston, North Motton, Preston, Railton, South Riana, Sprent, Turners Beach, Ulverstone Juniors, Ulverstone Rovers, Upper Castra, West Ulverstone, Western Juniors, Wilmot and Zeehan,

This was the first year a ‘Best & Fairest’ award was presented, known as the W. H. Gill memorial Medal. The gold medal was donated by News Ltd. The first player to win the award was ‘Leisha’ Smith, of the Lefroy Club.

Footscray, Hawthorn and North Melbourne join the Victorian Football League.

Cananore won the TFL premiership and then defeated NTFA premiers Launceston for State honours.

Two VFL Clubs, Essendon and Carlton came to Hobart in 1926. Essendon played one match against the TFL. Carlton played local TFL club New Town. Game results were : TFL 6.12 (48) defeated Essendon 4.9 (33). After one of the best games seen in recent years Carlton ran out winners 16.10 (106) to New Town 12.8 (80)

South Australian club Norwood also arrived, but did not play a match.

J. Brain from Cananore Football Club set a new Tasmanian goalkicking record of 71 for the season.

Sixth National Carnival, held in Melbourne and won by Victoria.

Tasmania did not win a game.

During the 1927 ANFC Carnival conducted in Melbourne, the ANFC held a National Conference for all States, to consider several constitutional changes on rules and regulations. Representing Tasmania at the Conference was Mr. William Leitch. Among other matters, and at the behest of the ANFC, the States were required to include into their respective names, the words ‘Australian National’.

From that point onwards the TFL became Tasmanian Australian National Football League (TANFL). 

Cananore repeated its previous season good form by defeating Lefroy in the TANFL grand final (third premiership in a row) and went on to beat North Launceston in the TFL State final 12.20 (92) to 10.15 (75).

The Australian School Boys carnival was conducted in Hobart. Tasmania beat every State with the exception of South Australia.

Ken Roberts of the New Town club, won the TANFL Best & Fairest award.

In the annual Triangular Series, results were: NTFA 13.12 (90) defeated the TANFL 8.15 (63 in Launceston. The TANFL 17. 18 (120) defeated NTFA 7.10 (52) in Hobart, a crowd of 14,00 patrons saw the game which was a record between the two leagues. In the third deciding match the TANFL 9.20 (74) defeated the NWFU 7.11 (53) at Burnie. The TANFL was successful in winning the series.

Visiting mainland teams included East Fremantle (WA) and VFL club Carlton. In the first match the TANFL Combined team defeated East Fremantle 8.14 (62) to 7.12 (54). This was a most satisfying experience as later in the season, East Fremantle won the WA premiership. The second match1Carlton 5.13 (103) defeated TANFL 13.9 (87).

George Cole of the New Town club won the TANFL Best & Fairest award the Wilson Bailey medal.

Gordon Coventry kicked 124 goals becoming the first player in the VFL, WAFL or SANFL to score a century in a season.

The TANFL repeated its 1928 performance in winning the Triangular Series. Results of games : In Hobart TANFL 17.7 (109) defeated NTFA 10.23 83. In Launceston NTFA 11.10 (76) defeated TANFL 6.10 (46) and at Burnie the TANFL clinched the series 13.21 (99) to NWFU 8.9 (57. 

Seventh National Carnival, held in Adelaide and won by Victoria.

Ken Farmer became first SANFL player to score a century of goals in a season, a feat he managed for eleven seasons to 1940.

North Hobar player, Allan Rait beat the goal kicking record previously held by Col. Stokes, by booting 112 goals for the season.

In the TANFL Triangular series the TANFL claimed the annual Jubilee Cup, scores from the three games played were : NTFA 16.17 (113) defeated TANFL 11.10 (76), in the second match the TANFL 17.7 (109) defeated NTFA 13.9 (87), the third clash was an easy win for the TANFL 19.17 (131) defeated NWFU 8.10 (58).

Page McIntyre final system adopted in the VFL, SANFL and WAFL.

The TANFL grand final resulted in a drawn game between Cananore and North Hobart, with both teams finishing with the score 9.12 (66).

The grand final replay was equally as exciting but Cananore eventually held the lead to win the premiership. 

TANFL premiers Cananore met NTFA premiers North Launceston in the State final and won the match by just one point.

The TANFL Best & Fairest award, now known as the William Leitch medal, was won by Cananore captain (former Collingwood champion) Alber Collier.

TANFL combined teams played two matches against the Huon Football Association, comfortably winning both encounters.

Little is known about this association, but its possible that it was formed in 1931 and its home is where the current Mt. Stronach Reserve is located, 4 kilometres East of the town of Scottsdale in the North- Eastern region of Tasmania.

The area is recognised for its forest density and its several popular walking tracks. The MSFA may not have been a prominent Association, but it did service the needs of closely related communities. Its opening season was 1932 and it became defunct at the end of 1936.

In the MSFA inaugural season of 1932, there were four foundation member clubs: Bridport, Foresters, Lietinna and Springfield. Shortly after, new clubs: Scottsdale Ramblers, IXL, Nabowla and Warrentinna joined.

Its opening season saw the MSFA compete with a Combined Team from its ranks, in four representative matches, winning two against Derby Football Association, one against Ringarooma Football Association and was beaten by North-Eastern Football Association in the fourth match.

MSFA premiership winners were the recipients of the Steele Cup.

Eighth National Carnival, held in Sydney and won by Victoria.

George Doig kicked 106 goals in a season, became the first WAFL player to achieve the feat.

Referred to as the SDFA, this Association blended rural and suburban teams that formed a strong and vibrant competition over the years.

It had a club membership of the following: Australian Newsprint Mills, Bagdad-Mangalore, Bellerive, Bothwell, Bridgewater, Brighton, Clarence, Forcett, Glenorchy Rovers, Hamilton, Mangalore, Maydena, Maydena-Westerway, Montrose, New Norfolk, Ouse, Ouse-Wayatinah, Richmond and South Hobart.

The first premiership in 1934 was won by Glenorchy Rovers 13.5 (83) over New Norfolk 4.9 (33) and the last premiership played in 1970 saw Bothwell 11.6 (72) defeat Upper-Derwent 7.8 (50).

The competition was suspended between 1941 and 1944 as a consequence of WW11.

On resumption in 1945, the 1st post war premiership was won by New Norfolk when it easily accounted for Clarence, by scoring 12.12 (84) to 1.5 (11). 

The STDFA became defunct at the end of 1970.

Ninth National Carnival, held Perth (WA) and won by Victoria.

The Tassie Medal was awarded to the outstanding player at each Australian rules football Interstate Carnival or Australian interstate championship series held between 1937 and 1988 with the exception of the 1975 knock-out series.

The medal is named after Eric Tassie who was a South Australian football administrator who served with distinction on the Australian National Football Council.

TANFL club Lefroy kicked a TANFL record score of 34.18 (222).

North Hobart player, Len Pye became the first player to win the TANFL Best & Fairest award on three occasions, having won the award in 1932 and 1937.

North Hobart set a new TANFL record when it won four straight senior premierships.

1942 –1944 TANFL in recess due to World War 2.

No competition due to World War 2.

Both Lefroy and Cananore Clubs became defunct. Replaced by Sandy Bay and Hobart District Football Clubs.

TANFL recommenced its competition under a new ‘District’ scheme 

Tenth National Carnival, held in Hobart and won by Victoria.

Two new Clubs namely Clarence and New Norfolk District Football Clubs entered the TANFL competition to commence in 1947.

Eleventh National Carnival, held in Brisbane and won by Victoria.

Twelfth National Carnival, held in Adelaide and won by Victoria.

This year was the first naming of an All Australian team.