1981 AFC Night Series

The 1981 Australian Football Championships Night Series was the 3rd edition of the AFC Night Series, a VFL-organised national club Australian rules football tournament between the leading clubs from the VFL, the SANFL, the WAFL and State Representative Teams.

A total of 34 teams from across Australia played 35 matches over five months, with the qualifying rounds held during the pre-season and the main draw held midweek throughout the premiership season.

Qualified Teams TeamNicknameLeagueQualificationParticipation (bold indicates winners)1Enter in Round 3RichmondTigersVFLWinners of the 1980 Victorian Football League7th CollingwoodMagpiesVFLRunners-Up in the 1980 Victorian Football League5th GeelongCatsVFLThird Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League3rd CarltonBluesVFLFourth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League10th North MelbourneKangaroosVFLFifth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League5th South MelbourneSwansVFLSixth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League6th Enter in Round 1EssendonBombersVFLSeventh Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League5th HawthornHawksVFLEighth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League5th MelbourneDemonsVFLNinth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League3rd FootscrayBulldogsVFLTenth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League4th St KildaSaintsVFLEleventh Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League3rd FitzroyLionsVFLTwelfth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League4th Port AdelaideMagpiesSANFLWinners of the 1980 South Australian National Football League10th NorwoodRedlegsSANFLRunners-Up in the 1980 South Australian National Football League9th SturtDouble BluesSANFLThird Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League9th GlenelgTigersSANFLFourth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League7th West TorrensEaglesSANFLFifth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League3rd Central DistrictBulldogsSANFLSixth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League4th South AdelaidePanthersSANFLSeventh Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League7th North AdelaideRoostersSANFLEighth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League6th West AdelaideBloodsSANFLNinth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League8th WoodvilleWoodpeckersSANFLTenth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League3rd South FremantleBulldogsWAFLWinners of the 1980 West Australian Football League5th Swan DistrictsSwansWAFLRunners-Up in the 1980 West Australian Football League4th East PerthRoyalsWAFLThird Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League6th ClaremontTigersWAFLFourth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League4th West PerthFalconsWAFLFifth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League7th PerthDemonsWAFLSixth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League5th East FremantleSharksWAFLSeventh Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League6th SubiacoLionsWAFLEighth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League4th Australian Capital TerritoryRamsACTAFL State Representative Team5th New South WalesBluesNSWAFLState Representative Team5th QueenslandMaroonsQAFLState Representative Team4th TasmaniaDevilsTANFLState Representative Team6th 1 Includes previous appearances in the Championship of Australia and NFL Night Series.

Venues MelbourneAdelaidePerthBrisbaneCanberraHobart Waverley Park Norwood Oval Subiaco Oval Claremont Oval Leederville Oval Chelmer Oval Phillip Oval North Hobart Oval Capacity: 72,000 Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 53,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 26,000

Knockout stage

Round 1

Round 2

Round 2 Playoff

Round 3

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Australian Football Championships Night Series final

References