Portfolio Alternate History - ANFL

[Haymo_of_thor]

Alright so this is something that I made quite a while ago but never got around to posting. It s basically an alternate history scenario where the WAFL and the SANFL join forces during the mid-'80s thus leaving the VFL to die off into a minor sporting league. With this in place, the majority of the teams in the ANFL (Australian National Football League) are found in either Perth or Adelaide. There is a mixture of completely new teams, existing teams, relocated teams as well as mergers for both good and bad.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

1985

1985 was the year in which post competitions decided that both would be played at the top level, before merging. One problem that faced the new ANFL was in deciding how many teams would compete in the 1986 season. At the time the WAFL was made up of 8 Clubs while the SANFL was made up of 10 Clubs. The league decided upon 8 teams representing each state in a 16 team competition, with at least one of the teams representing a country or rural population.​

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The WAFL was the first to decide on the 8 teams representing their great state. These consisted of 7 Metro/City/Suburban teams being East Fremantle, Perth, West Pert, Claremont, Fremantle, Swan Districts, and Subiaco. And their first and only regional country team are the 'Kimberly' Crocs playing out of Broome.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The SANFL took longer to decide their 8 teams as Mergers were definitely needed to cut 10 teams down into only 8. These consisted of 6 City/Metro/Suburban teams being Port Adelaide, Central Districts, Adelaide, Woodville-West Torrens, North Adelaide, and Glenelg. One regional team being the Port Lincoln Shooters being the result of West Adelaide relocating. The last team from South Australia was one who played their home games in both metro and rural locations being the South Coast Panthers a rebranded South Adelaide playing home games in Noarlunga and Victor Harbor.

 

[Prison bar Pete]

The SANFL took longer to decide their 8 teams as Mergers were definitely needed to cut 10 teams down into only 8. These consisted of 6 City/Metro/Suburban teams being Port Adelaide, Central Districts, Adelaide, Woodville-West Torrens, North Adelaide, and Glenelg. One regional team being the Port Lincoln Shooters being the result of West Adelaide relocating. The last team from South Australia was one who played their home games in both metro and rural locations being the South Coast Panthers a rebranded South Adelaide playing home games in Noarlunga and Victor Harbor.

View attachment 936126

No Norwood or Sturt - woo hoo!

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The league ran smoothly with little trouble for the next few years until the ANFL decided that in order to truly capture a national league they needed to have teams based in the eastern states. With the VFL still running and hosting teams in NSW and QLD, the ANFL had only one option and that was to also play teams in those states. NSW became home to a soon dominant Western Sydney Thunder, while QLD became home to a smaller Townsville 'Canes tapping into the underground Aussie rules scene in far north Queensland.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

Now, this is where the fun begins...

One of the oldest and strongest teams in Australian football history, an absolute SANFL powerhouse and now a national powerhouse is the Port Adelaide Magpies. Playing home games at Alberton Oval (Where Else?), and of course keeping the greatest guernsey design in the country the Port Adelaide Warf Pylons/Prison Bars are feared in almost every state.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

A team that the SANFL tried to merge or move going into 1986 but the need for a team that represented the northern suburbs as North Adelaide now represented more of an inner-city area. The SANFL had no choice but to keep the Centrals around, playing home games at Elizabeth Oval.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The first merger in the competition is the merge between the two eastern suburb teams Norwood and Sturt into the Adelaide Crows named after South Australians themselves, playing home games at the Parade as it holds a larger capacity than Unley Oval.

 

[troybe]

Always wondered why the SANFL premier doesn’t play the WAFL premier.


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[Munners]

Interesting to see the Crows in here, Norwood was one of the strongest clubs so they probably wouldnt merge but it's up to you!

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

Interesting to see the Crows in here, Norwood was one of the strongest clubs so they probably wouldnt merge but it's up to you!

Yeah i just thought that having he two eastern suburbs teams merging to create a powerhouse as well as lower the congestion in the area

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

Next up is Glenelg, originally known as the Tigers the SANFL decided to drop this name to allow for Claremont to compete in the ANFL and will be forever known as the Glenelg 'Bays' a nickname already associated with the club.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

Now we have another merger of 2 clubs, Woodville Warriors and the West Torrens Eagles becoming the Woodville-West Torrens Warriors playing home games out of Football Park at West Lakes. The team wears a home guernsey inspired by the Woodville Warriors and an away guernsey inspired by the West Torrens Eagles.

 

[Prison bar Pete]

Next up is Glenelg, originally known as the Tigers the SANFL decided to drop this name to allow for Claremont to compete in the ANFL and will be forever known as the Glenelg 'Bays' a nickname already associated with the club.

View attachment 937098

The home looks quite nice but for club loyalty reasons I cannot give it a like! Away would work well.

 

[Jones2ByrneJones]

Great minds think alike

Portfolio - The History of the Australian National Football League

In the early years of the 1980's, many football clubs all around Australia were beginning to appreciate just how much value there could be in a nationwide football league, yet everybody seemed hesitant to make it happen. The VFL were the first to jump on this opportunity by relocating the...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Fizzler]

Great minds think alike

Portfolio - The History of the Australian National Football League

In the early years of the 1980's, many football clubs all around Australia were beginning to appreciate just how much value there could be in a nationwide football league, yet everybody seemed hesitant to make it happen. The VFL were the first to jump on this opportunity by relocating the...

www.bigfooty.com

Would love to see more of that, was very well written.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

Wow had a quick look before but couldn't find that hopefully it lives the original

 

[Zac_Barker]

Always wondered why the SANFL premier doesn’t play the WAFL premier.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Cos they play in separate leagues

 

[jle101]

This is always a cool concept IMO. Very similar to a thread a posted here a few years ago about a league that began in 1985.

Portfolio - Another alternate history thread

Hi all, first thread here. Have enjoyed reading some of the alternate histories on here & thought I’d give it a crack. Like a lot of alt histories on here, mine begins in the early 80’s before the game went national. A hypothetical league such as this would be pretty unrealistic & I’m sure the...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The next side coming right up...
North Adelaide Roosters staying very similar to our timeline but playing home games ut of the Adelaide Oval, in order to gain the support of suburbs like Medindie and Walkerville.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The next South Australian team in the ANFL is the South Coast Panthers, formerly known as the South Adelaide panthers. The panthers rebranded so they could capture a wider audience in being the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island while playing half of their home games in Noarlunga and half in Victor Harbor.

 

[Haymo_of_thor]

The final South Australian team in the ANFL is the Port Lincoln Shooters, formerly known as West Adelaide. The 'Bloods' rebranded and relocated to capture the hearts of country South Australians, playing home games at Port Lincoln.