Australian Football Clubs
The very best of the best of the Australian football clubs play matches in the Australian football league. Many of these teams actually date right back to the very beginning of Australian rules football, including Melbourne Football Club which, dating back to 1859 is the oldest in the league. The founders of this Australian football club actually helped to co-define the sport, an original member of the Victorian Football Association (VFL) and the Australian Football League (AFL). These teams play in the Australian football league where there are no divisions, no promotions or relegations to other leagues, they’re just all in it together, in it to win it basically.
In the beginning 1897 (not of the bible, of the Victorian Football League) there were eight teams in the VFL:

• Carlton
• Collingwood
• Essendon
• Fitzroy
• Geelong
• Melbourne
• South Melbourne
• St Kilda.

They were joined in 1908 by Richmond and University, but then in 1915 University disbanded and, in 1925, the original Australian football clubs were joined by Footscray (who became known as the Western Bulldogs), Hawthorne and North Melbourne. These 12 Australian football clubs battled it out between them for years. In 1987 a few more Australian football clubs were introduced; the West Coast Eagles and the Brisbane Bears, and the league became known as the Australian football league. By 2012 there are plans to expand the AFL to 18 teams.
Present Australian football clubs which play in the Australian football league are:

• Adelaide – aka the Crows – joined in 1991 and won the premier league in 1997 and 1998, not bad eh?
• Brisbane Lions – aka the Lions – Joined in 1997 and won the premier league in 3 consecutive years, 2001/2/3, even better eh?
• Carlton – aka the Blues – one of the originals from 1897 with 16 premier league seasons to their name.
• Collingwood – aka the Magpies – another original who have managed 15 premierships.
• Essendon – aka the Bombers – this original team have also lifted the premiership 16 times.
• Fremantle – aka the Dockers – joined in 1995 and have yet to take the prize.
• Geelong – aka the Cats – an original team with 8 premiership season wins to their name.
• Gold Coast – aka the Suns – joined in 2011 and have yet to win – hey, they haven’t had the chance yet!
• Hawthorn – aka the Hawks – since 1925 they’ve lifted the premiership a commendable 10 times.
• Melbourne – aka the Demons – this original 1897 team have taken the premiership 12 times.
• North Melbourne – aka the Kangaroos – they’ve bounced their way to success 4 times since 1925.
• Port Adelaide – aka the Power – they only joined in 1997 but managed to take the premiership in 2004 for the only time.
• Richmond – aka the Tigers – 10 premierships since 1925.
• St Kilda – aka the Saints – they’re one of the originals from 1897, but have only managed to win the premiership once in 1966.
• Sydney Swans – aka the Swans – original team from 1897 with 4 wins to their name.
• West Coast Eagles – aka the Eagles – joined the AFL in 1987 and picked up the trophy 3 times, in 1992, 1994 and again in 2006.
• Western Bulldogs – aka the Bulldogs – have won the premiership only once since 1925.
• Greater Western Sydney – aka the Giants are confirmed for entry in 2012.

You gotta’ be made of a certain kind of stuff to cut the mustard . . . now boys, calm down.