The Auckland Australian Football League which began in 1974, is an amateur Australian rules football competition in Auckland, New Zealand currently consisting of 6 clubs and is one of the leagues governed by AFL New Zealand. The league has a men's competition and affiliated women's competition known as Auckland Women's AFL featuring some of the same clubs. The competition runs from September to December to avoid clashes with the rugby football season.
An earlier league which existed in Auckland from 1904 until the outbreak of World War I was also known, for a time, as the Auckland Australian Football League.
History The Auckland Australian Football Association (AAFA) was founded by former Australian professional player Terry Gay in 1974, North Shore Tigers were one of the foundation clubs.History of the Auckland AFL Four teams were playing in 1988 and it shifted its season to spring. It was renamed Auckland Australian Football League (AAFL) in 1990.
In 2012 the AAFL established a 2nd Division for less competitive clubs however this lasted only one year before all clubs were to play in first division.Howick Hornets AFL bringing Australian Rules Football from the Hornets Nest from Howick Hornets Rugby League
The league went through a period of strong growth in the 2010s with players like Michael Boyce, Shane Leat, Te Kopa Tipene-Thomas, Andriu Sucu and Jackson Clince among the players selected to represent New Zealand on the international stage helping to attract more media exposure for the sport in the city.University Blues determined to retain Auckland AFL premier title by Torika Tokalau-Chandra for Stuff.co.nz 29 November 2016Australian Football League continues to grow in Auckland by Anna Thompson for Stuff.co.nz 1 September 2017University Blues out to make it three in a row by Torika Tokalau-Chandra for Stuff.co.nz 26 September 2016
Season 2021 was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.COVID-19 Update 15 February 2021 from AFL New Zealand 15 February 2021
The competition resumed in 2022 where the North Shore Tigers became the first team to go undefeated for an entire season, going 12-0 including finals.. This record has been added to in subsequent years with the Tigers going on to remain undefeated through the 2023 and 2024 seasons currently sitting at 44 games undefeated.
Current clubs
Men ClubColoursNicknameLocationEst.Years in AAFLAAFL PremiershipsTotal Years Howick Paparoa Park, Howick 2012 2012-0 - Mt Roskill Saints War Memorial Park, Mount Roskill 1991 1991-3 1997, 2005, 2012 North Shore Tigers Sunnynook Park, Sunnynook 1974 1974-15 1977, 1978, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2008, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 South City Raiders Mountfort Park, Manurewa 1991 1991-2 1995, 1996 University Blues Colin Maiden Park, Glen Innes 1981 1981-20 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 Waitākere Magpies Parrs Park, Oratia 1999 1999-3 2010, 2013, 2016
Women ClubColoursNicknameLocationEst.Years in AAFLAAFL PremiershipsTotal Years Auckland Blues Colin Maiden Park, Glen Innes 1981 2020-1 2025 North Shore Tigers Sunnynook Park, Sunnynook 1974 2020-3 2020*, 2023, 2024 Waitākere Magpies Parrs Park, Oratia 1999 2020-2 2020*, 2022 *2020 Women's title won by Norwest Magpies - an amalgamated side between Waitakere and North Shore
Former clubs Club ColoursNickname Location Formed Takapuna Eagles Eagles Takapuna 1981
Locations
Results Men's Year Premier Runner up Result2024North Shore TigersWaitakere Magpies82 (12.10) - 45 (7.3) 2023North Shore TigersWaitakere Magpies34 (4.10) - 32 (4.8) 2022 North Shore Tigers University Blues 50 (8.2) - 32 (4.8) 2020 North Shore Tigers University Blues 87 (14.3) - 34 (5.4) 2019 University Blues North Shore Tigers 2018 University Blues Mt Roskill Saints 2017 North Shore Tigers Waitakere Magpies 87 (14.3)- 64 (10.4) Year of the Tiger: North Shore crowned 2017 AAFL Premiers from AFL New Zealand 4 December 2017
Women's Year Premier Runner up Result2025Auckland BluesNorth Shore Tigers36 (5.6) - 24 (3.6) 2024North Shore TigersWaitakere Magpies28 (4.4) - 27 (3.9) 2023North Shore TigersWaitakere Magpies36 (6.0) - 3 (0.3) 2022 Waitakere Magpies North Shore Tigers 54-5
Historic League The 'Auckland Football Association (under Victorian rules)' was formed at a meeting at Foresters' Hall, Newton on 28 April 1904. The initial subscription rate was 2s 6d, and forty members were enrolled at that meeting.New Zealand Herald, 29 Apr 1904, Auckland Library CopyThe Argus, 11 June 1904 At the 1906 AGM, the name was changed to 'The Australian Football League of Auckland'Auckland Star, 24 Mar 1906, Auckland Library Copy in order to differentiate the league from Rugby Union and Association (soccer) football. After several active seasons which were covered in some depth in the local papers, the league went into decline around the end of the decade due to the departure of a number of the Australian players back home. In 1912 the senior competition was put on hold due to the lack of players, with only a junior competition continuing.New Zealand Herald, 4 May 1912, Auckland Library Copy
Clubs
Club Formed Participating years Notes Imperial 1904 1904New Zealand Herald, 14 May 1904, Auckland Library Copy-1911 Formerly Auckland Imperial. Austral 1904 1904-1910 Eden 1904 1904-1911 Formerly Victoria, name changed in 1906Auckland Star, 7 April 1906 Newtown 1908New Zealand Herald, 4 April 1908 1908 Mt Roskill 1909 1909-1911
Players
A number of the players in the league were immigrants from the southern Australian states. Regular mention was made in the newspaper reports of the arrival of these gentlemen and their intentions to play football in Auckland.
Four VFL players played for the league at various times, including Vic Cumberland who was rated one of the best VFL players of the day:
Player Years in Auckland VFL Club detailsBen SandfordNew Zealand Herald, 2 May 1904 1904 – St Kilda 1901-03Vic CumberlandNew Zealand Herald, 8 May 1905 1905–1906 Melbourne 1898–1901; St Kilda 1903-04 1907-08 1912-15 1920Hughie Webb 1905 Geelong 1900-03Hughie CallanNew Zealand Herald, 28 April 1906 1906 Essendon 1903–05; South Melbourne 1907-1910
Administrators
The inaugural president of the league in 1904 was a Mr McNamara. He was supported by a large committee that included 5 vice presidents; Messrs Hale, McKeon, Walsh, Kneebone and McVeigh.New Zealand Herald, 29 April 1904 At the 1905 AGM, Dr Tracy Inglis was elected president,Auckland Star, 30 March 1905, Auckland Library a position he held for a number of years. The league had a number of prominent people involved during it existence. Patrons of the league in 1905 included politicians George Fowlds and F E Baume.
Competition
The new league's first game was a scratch match held on 30 April on the outer Domain. Several rounds of practice matches followed prior to the start of the competition. By the end of the 1904 season Austral and Imperial were "on a level footing",NZ Herald, 15 Aug 1904, Auckland Library Copy with Austral taking the honours, 29 to 18, in the final which was held at the Domain Cricket Ground.NZ Herald, 29 Aug 1904, Auckland Library Copy
References
External links Official Auckland AFL website Auckland AFL pages on New Zealand AFL site
External links Official Site