The Tasmanian Amateur Football League was a body which controlled amateur football in the state of Tasmania, Australia.
Structure Two competitions were run by the TAFL - the Launceston-based Northern Division and the Hobart-based Southern Division. These competitions ran separate home-and-away premiership seasons, with the premiers of each competition playing off for the Conder Shield at the close of each season. The TAFL operated on amateur sporting principles, which forbade payments of any kind to players or officials.
Northern Division
History The Northern Division began as the Launceston Amateur Football League in 1931, with Associated Banks, Old Launcestonians and Old Patricians making up the inaugural roster of clubs. The LAFL grew steadily during the pre-war years, with Churinga and Dark Blue Rovers joining in 1933, Old Scotch Collegians in 1935 and Technical School Old Boys in 1938. Banks folded after the 1934 season. Churinga won 4 premierships in a row between 1937 and 1940 and went through the entire 1939 and 1940 seasons without losing a match. The LAFL went into recess in 1942 as clubs struggled with numbers due to WWII enlistments.
The competition was re-formed in 1946 as the Tasmanian Amateur Football League. This season saw the introduction of district clubs for the first time, with Mowbray and Waverley joining. Dark Blue Rovers did not re-form after the war. Mowbray dominated the early postwar seasons, winning premierships in 1946, 1947, 1949 and 1950. The 1949 premiership was marred by controversy. Rumors emerged in November that Mowbray had paid their coach for that season, Terry Cowley. This went against the Amateur code followed by the TAFL, which strictly forbade any payments to players or coaches. At a Tribunal meeting on the 12th of December, Mowbray were found guilty of paying Cowley, which put them at risk of being stripped of their 1949 State and Northern Division premierships. This decision was overturned following a re-hearing on 1 February 1950, which found that the December 12th meeting was unconsitutional because no delegate from Waverley was present.
The 1950s were a tumultuous decade for the Northern Division. Technical School Old Boys folded after the 1951 season. The competition was left with only four clubs in 1953 when Old Scotch entered recess and Mowbray departed for the Northern Tasmanian District Football League before the season. Old Scotch would return in 1954 but the competition's future was placed in jeopardy when Churinga withdrew from the competition in June and Waverley forfeited its last two games, leaving only 3 active clubs to complete the season. Waverley would later rule out a return to the competition as it believed it received a "poor deal" from the competition due to not being an Old Boys' club, as the other 4 clubs were. Churinga would re-form in 1955, allowing the Northern Division to continue as a 4 club competition.
The competition stabilized during the 1960s with the additions of Quandeine and Brooks Old Boys. The dissolution of the NTDFL after the 1963 season saw Deloraine and Kings Meadows join briefly. Mowbray also rejoined the TAFL from the NTDFL and would become the dominant club of the next decade, winning 5 premierships in a row between 1965-1969 and another three in a row between 1972-1974. Rocherlea entered the competition from the East Tamar Football Association in 1970 after that competition merged with the West Tamar FA.
The Northern Division experienced a period of rapid growth during the 1980s. Churinga folded in 1979, followed by Quandeine and Brooks both after the 1982 season, however this was offset in 1985 when 5 clubs from the recently-defunct Tamar Football Association joined the TAFL, along with the newly-formed Northern Districts club. Longford and George Town both joined from the NTFL in 1988 and 1991 respectively. The dissolution of the Tasmanian Amateur Football League after the 1995 season saw the Northern Division clubs form the Northern Tasmanian Football Association in 1996.
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in TAFLTAFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsBridgenorthParrotsBridgenorth Recreation Ground, BridgenorthTFA19231985-19950 -Formed NTFA in 1996George TownSaintsGeorge Town Sports Complex, George TownNTFL19271991-19950 -Formed NTFA in 1996HillwoodSharksHillwood Recreation Reserve, HillwoodTFA19271985-19952 1990, 1992Formed NTFA in 1996LongfordTigersLongford Recreation Ground, LongfordNTFL18781988-19951 1989Formed NTFA in 1996Northern Districts(1985-90)(1991-95) Invermay–19851985-199511987Formed NTFA in 1996Old Launcestonians(1960s)(?-1995)BluesInvermay Park, Invermay–19311931-1995111951, 1953, 1953, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1982Formed NTFA in 1996Old Scotch CollegiansThistlesNTCA Ground, Launceston–19351935-1952, 1954-199571957, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1986Formed NTFA in 1996RocherleaTigers, RockapesRocherlea Football Oval, RocherleaETFA19511970-199541981, 1985, 1988, 1991Formed NTFA in 1996St Patrick's Old CollegiansSaintsJohn Cunningham Memorial Oval, Prospect–19311931-1939, 1941-199591931, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1948, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1984Formed NTFA in 1996Tamar CatsCatsBeauty Point Recreation Ground, Beauty Point and Beaconsfield Football Ground, Beaconsfield–19891989-199511993Formed NTFA in 1996University-Mowbray Eagles NewnhamNTDFL19231946-1952, 1964-1995141946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1994, 1995Played in NTDFL between 1953-63. Formed NTFA in 1996
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in TAFLTAFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsAssociated BanksInvermay Park, Invermay–19301931-19341 1933Folded after 1934 seasonBeaconsfieldSwansBeaconsfield Football Ground, BeaconsfieldTFA19001985-19880 -Merged with Beauty Point to form Tamar Cats after 1988 seasonBeauty PointTigersBeauty Point Recreation Ground, Beauty Point TFA19481985-19880 -Merged with Beaconsfield to form Tamar Cats after 1988 seasonBrooks Old BoysBirdwood Oval, Brooks High School, Rocherlea–19601960-198221961, 1963Folded after 1982 seasonChuringaInvermay Park, Invermay–19311933-197951934, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940Folded after 1979 seasonColleges–0 -Folded at unknown dateDark Blue RoversBlues, RoversInvermay Park, Invermay–1933-1939, 194111941Recess in 1940. Did not re-form after WWIIDeloraineMagpiesDeloraine Recreation Ground, DeloraineNTDFL18941964-19670 -Moved to Esk FA in 1968Devonport High School1967-19680 -Left leagueEastern Suburbs Kangaroos Lilydale–1980s1980s-19860 -Folded after 1986 seasonExeterMagpiesExeter Showgrounds, ExeterTFA19101985-19910 -Folded after 1991 seasonKings MeadowsKings Meadows High School Oval, Kings MeadowsNTDFL19511964-19670 -Folded after 1967 seasonMatriculation College–0 -Folded at unknown dateQuandeineQs Riverside–19641964-198221977, 1979Folded after 1982 seasonTechnical School Old BoysInvermay Park, Invermay–19381938-19510 -Folded after 1951 seasonWaverleyRoversWaverley Oval, Waverley–19461946-19540 -Left league after 1954 season
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-upNotes1931St Patricks Old CollegiansOld LauncestoniansNo grand final1932St Patricks Old CollegiansOld LauncestoniansNo grand final1933Associated BanksSt Patricks Old CollegiansNo grand final1934ChuringaOld LauncestoniansNo grand final1935St Patricks Old CollegiansChuringaNo grand final1936St Patricks Old Collegians10.9 (69) - 8.14 (42)Old Launcestonians1937Churinga17.18 (120) - 8.15 (63)Old Launcestonians1938Churinga15.22 (122) - 12.8 (80)Old Launcestonians1939Churinga24.17 (161) - 7.11 (53)Dark Blue Rovers1940Churinga24.21 (165) - 6.7 (43)Old Launcestonians1941Dark Blue Rovers17.14 (116) - 17.5 (107)Churinga1942-45TAFL in recess (WWII)1946Mowbray12.14 (86) - 12.11 (83)Churinga1947Mowbray16.18 (114) - 8.13 (61)Churinga1948St Patricks Old Collegians9.20 (74) - 9.16 (70)Mowbray1949Mowbray26.19 (175) - 6.7 (43)Waverley1950Mowbray12.11 (83) - 9.8 (62)Old Launcestonians1951Old Launcestonians11.16 (82) - 6.10 (46)Mowbray1952Old Launcestonians13.11 (89) - 6.12 (48)St Patricks Old Collegians1953Old Launcestonians9.17 (71) - 5.7 (37)St Patricks Old Collegians1954St Patricks Old Collegians9.12 (66) - 6.6 (42)Old Launcestonians1955St Patricks Old Collegians8.17 (65) - 9.5 (59)Old Launcestonians1956St Patricks Old Collegians8.13 (61) - 8.9 (57)Old Launcestonians1957Old Scotch Collegians9.8 (62) - 7.11 (53)Old Launcestonians1958Old Launcestonians11.15 (81) - 11.10 (76)Old Scotch Collegians1959Old Launcestonians11.13 (79) - 5.2 (32)Old Scotch Collegians1960Old Launcestonians11.14 (80) - 6.9 (45)Old Scotch Collegians1961Brooks Old Boys12.10 (82) - 10.17 (77)Old Launcestonians1962Old Launcestonians9.19 (73) - 10.8 (68)Brooks Old Boys1963Brooks Old Boys12.16 (88) - 10.17 (77)Old Launcestonians1964Old Launcestonians13.11 (89) - 9.6 (60)Old Scotch Collegians1965Mowbray13.13 (91) - 11.15 (81)Deloraine1966Mowbray8.11 (59) - 7.11 (53)Churinga1967Mowbray9.12 (66) - 5.12 (42)Old Launcestonians1968Mowbray14.19 (103) - 5.11 (41)St Patricks Old Collegians1969Mowbray8.7 (55) - 5.3 (33)Old Scotch Collegians1970Old Launcestonians13.20 (98) - 8.4 (52)St Patricks Old Collegians1971Old Launcestonians9.8 (62) - 8.3 (51)St Patricks Old Collegians1972Mowbray13.10 (88) - 11.8 (74)Old Scotch Collegians1973Mowbray10.9 (69) - 8.19 (67)St Patricks Old Collegians1974Mowbray9.20 (74) - 7.7 (49)Colleges1975Old Scotch Collegians13.10 (88) - 8.15 (63)Mowbray1976Old Scotch Collegians15.8 (98) - 8.6 (54)Quandeine1977Quandeine15.22 (112) - 9.7 (61)Mowbray1978Old Scotch Collegians12.9 (81) - 12.7 (79)Mowbray1979Quandeine15.7 (97) - 9.16 (70)St Patricks Old Collegians1980Old Scotch Collegians17.9 (111) - 14.21 (105)Rocherlea1981Rocherlea1982Old Launcestonians15.12 (102) - 11.12 (78)Old Scotch Collegians1983Old Scotch Collegians23.8 (146) - 10.11 (71)Old Launcestonians1984St Patricks Old Collegians13.15 (93) - 10.8 (68)Rocherlea1985Rocherlea15.9 (99) 13.14 (92)St Patricks Old Collegians1986Old Scotch Collegians13.8 (86) - 8.7 (55)Rocherlea1987Northern Districts15.20 (110) - 10.11 (71)Rocherlea1988Rocherlea24.13 (157) - 9.8 (62)Hillwood1989Longford17.17 (119) - 11.12 (78)Rocherlea1990Hillwood12.14 (86) - 10.10 (70)Longford1991Rocherlea16.9 (105) - 10.16 (76)Longford1992Hillwood12.7 (79) - 10.6 (66)George Town1993Tamar Cats13.9 (87) - 9.16 (70)George Town1994University-Mowbray16.14 (110) - 6.19 (55)Tamar Cats1995University-Mowbray14.15 (99) - 10.6 (66)Rocherlea
Southern Division
History The Southern Division of the Tasmanian Amateur Football League had its origins in the Public Schools Old Boys Football Association, founded in Hobart in 1932 to provide a competition for old school boys' clubs. The inaugural clubs were Clemes Old Boys, Friends Old Boys Hutchins Old Boys and Old Virgilians. This line-up of clubs remained the same until the competition entered recess due to WWII in 1941.
Clemes did not return after the war as Clemes College merged with The Friends' School in 1945, leaving the PSOBFA with only 3 clubs. In 1947 three teams joined from the Queenborough Football Association - Old Hobartians, Teachers College and University. This saw the competition join the TAFL to become its Southern Division. The following season saw the addition of district clubs for the first time in the form of Claremont and Lindisfarne, along with old scholars club Ogilvenians. Teachers College folded after the 1947 season. Queenborough FA club Long Beach would join in 1952 to form a 9-team competition.
New clubs of the 1960s included Sorell, who joined in 1963 and Bridgewater, who joined in 1968. Claremont's 1974 flag marked the beginning of a 22-year period of dominance over the competition, in which they won 15 of a possible 22 premierships. Oatlands and Cambridge both played briefly during the early 1970s, while new club Dominic Old Scholars Association (DOSA) joined in 1976.