1882
Essendon visited Tasmania
Visiting VFA club Essendon, played four matches in Tasmania.
Match No. 1, Wednesday 23rd August 1882 Essendon played a Northern Tasmanian team, selected from Launceston clubs plus Ross and Longford clubs. The game was played on what was known as the 'Western Swamp'. Essendon scored 8 goals to Northern Tas. 2 goals.
Match No. 2, Saturday 26th August, Essendon played a combined STFA team in Hobart. Essendon won 6.15 (51) to STFA 2.18 (30).
Match No. 3, played 3rd September in Hobart (first ever Tasmanian team) the team was chosen from the North, North West and South of the State Tasmania v Essendon. Scores Essendon 6.27 (63) to Tasmania 1.8 (14).
Match No. 4, before heading back to Victoria, Essendon played a match against the Oatlands Association. The local side was made-up from Oatlands, Ross and Richmond players, with two players invited from Launceston and two from the STFA. making-up a 23 player list. Essendon won 8 goals to 2.
1887
Tasmania team travels to Victoria
In 1887 a Tasmania team travelled to Victoria for the first time to play a series of matches in the Victorian capital. The team played six matches, won three, drew one and suffered two defeats.
1906
Page Trophy
This was donated by the Honorable Alfred Page, MLC. contested for by Tasmanian country clubs.
Clubs shown were Woodbridge (captained by Freeman), Kettering, Oatlands captained by Harry Fish, Wynyard (captained by W. Alderson), Ross and South Esk.
1907
Rosehill Cup
Clubs: Oatlands, Campbell Town, Ulverstone, Mersey.
1907
Teams Playing Social Games (Statewide)
Clubs: Bakers, Bidencope & Son, Bridgewater, Buckland, Campania, Cascade Brewery, Claremont, Ellerton Football Club (near Cuprona), Glenfern, Hobart Presbyterians (formed in 1907 name changed to Taraba in April 1909), Hutchins, IXL, Kempton, Kettering, Kingston captained by ? Sherwood. Lindisfarne Longley, Margate, Melrose captained by C. Cleary, Melville Street, Methodist Football Club captain Cleve Peterson (colours black guernsey with light blue maltese cross on breast), Middleton, Molesworth, Nettlefolds, New Town Rovers, Nugent, Parattah, Plenty captained by J. Glann Junior, Queen's College, Riana captain L. Read, Saint Leonards (formed this season), Sandfly captain C. W. Burrell, Training College, Trinity.
1909
Clubs playing in Social matches
Tunnack, South Arm, Claremont, Brighton Junction, Woodsdale captain T.E. Wagner, Government Printing Office, T. J. Cane & Company captain G. Sherwood, vice-captain Grant, Walch Brothers, Dreadnoughts, IXL, Kettering, Glenorchy, Abattoirs (Hobart), St. Davids, Brisbane Rovers, Brighton, Kingston, St. George's, captain S. Wells, Fitzroy captain C. Goodwin, United, Lachlan, Fitzgeralds, Molesworth, Woodbridge Rokeby, Brownell Brothers captain Tom Rowlands, Standfast captain E. Cohen vice-captain R. Reid, Gordon, Dromedary, Runnymede, Excelsior formed in 1909 as an off-spring of Excelsior Cricket Club colours Blue and Gold, Buckingham, New Town Rovers, Buckland, Burn's Creek (Midlands),Trinity Hill, North Bruny, Regatta Point.
1909
Hodgman Trophy
Donated by J. Bailey, T. A. Jones & George Munnings Junior, open to all country clubs in Tasmania. Won by Richmond (captain H. Howell) 7.5 defeated Colebrook 1.5, Campania,, Kempton.
1912
Teams Playing Social Games
Social football was common during these times due to a number of circumstances, including availability of players, grounds, umpires and the like.
The following clubs were recorded playing these in 1912: Hope of Hobart, Juvenile Temple #8, Boy's Home, Buckland, Nugent, Sandy Bay Rovers, Claremont, Corporation, Bagdad, Brighton Rovers, Cascade Brewery, North Bridgewater, Excelsior, Bream Creek, Lindisfarne, captained by L.G. Wilson & D. Scott, South Hobart, Standfast, Kingston, who were captained by A.Tringrove, Battery Point, Crescent, West Hobart, Buckingham, captain, O. Morgan, Rokeby, Margate, who also had two captains, B. Mudge & A. Cordwell, Woodsdale, Mt. Seymour, Sandfly, Swansea, Queensborough, Whiteford, Y.M.C.A., Runnymede, Spring Bay and Wellington Rovers.
It can be seen from the many teams involved and spread far and wide throughout the state, clubs were prepared to travel, irrespective of the transport and distance just to be involved in a game of Australian Rules!
1926
Cananore TFL & State Premiers
Cananore won the TFL premiership and then defeated NTFA premiers Launceston for State honours.
1986
TFL State Wide League (TSWL)
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
1987
TFL State Wide League new clubs
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.
2000
AFL Tasmania
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.
2009
SFL restructure
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.