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.
1886
Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA)
The NTFA emerged in 1886 to become one of three major competitions in Tasmania and reigned supreme in the North/North-East region of the State until 1986, when a State-wide competition commenced.
From within the centre of Launceston the NTFA was formed to create a strong competition with the following member clubs: Launceston, Fitzroy, North Launceston, Longford, Scottsdale, South Launceston, East Launceston, City, Essendon, Cornwell, City South, Deloraine and George Town.
Surveyed in 1826, Launceston was named after a town in the United Kingdom, the birth place of Philip Gidley King, third Governor of the Colony of New South Wales. In the 1830’s, Launceston was a whaling port and agricultural district. It was proclaimed a Municipality in 1852, a town in 1858 and a City in 1888. Launceston was the first city in Australia to have underground sewers, and the first City to be lit with hydroelectricity.
1981
Tasmanian Greater Northern League (TGNL)
The NTFA had several disruptions over the years it operated in the Northern region of the State. One major change took place in 1981 when the NTFA merged with the NWFU to form the Greater Northern League (TGNL).
The TGNL came about by a merger of Northern Tasmanian Football Association and the North Western Football Union in 1981.
The concept was to have the top teams from the two major Northern competitions (NTFA & NWFU) play in one strong competition (TGNL). However, the move quickly found it had several challenges, such as a financial strain for both the Leagues and its clubs. Logistical problems of extensive travel across the Northern region of the State, and a lack of support from clubs and governing bodies. As a consequence of this, the TGNL folded after two seasons.
The TGNL competition was supported by the following competing clubs:
From NTFA:
City South Redlegs, East Launceston Demons, Launceston Blues, Longford Tigers, North Launceston Robins, Scottsdale Magpies.
From NWFU:
Burnie Tigers, Cooee Bulldogs, Devonport Magpies, East Devonport Swans, Latrobe Demons, Penguin Two Blues, Ulverstone Robins, Wynyard Cats and Smithton Saints.
1987
Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFL)
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,
1997
Northern Tasmanian Football Association (Division 1)
Teams competing were: Bracknel, Bridgenorth, Deloraine, George Town, Hillwood, Longford, Rocherlea, Scottsdale and University-Mowbray.