Australian Club Championship?

[Eagle_Fan]

I heard something interesting on the radio...
They were doing a 'Footy Flashback', and it was about the Club Championship in about 1972/3, between Richmond and a SA team (Sturt? Glenelg?). I consider myself a relativly informed footy fan, but I have never heard of this comp before. When did it start? How long did it run for? Which competition usually won (ie VFL, SANFL, WAFL etc). I wasn't around in the 70's and would appreciate any info.... Thanks.

BTW/ Any chance it would work now, with a VFL rep, not an AFL? I don't think it would.

 

[Power Mad]

I went to a couple of games in the 1973 series, which were played at the Adelaide Oval. The participants were Glenelg (SA), Richmond (Vic), Subiaco (who had just won their first ever WAFL flag) and Scottsdale (Tas).

Subi had players like Mike Fitzpatrick and Peter Featherby who went on to good VFL careers. Apart from Graham Cornes, I can't remember if any Glenelg players went on to the VFL.

Glenelg and Richmond made it to the final, which meant two Tigers teams with almost identical jumpers. From memory Richmond, as 'visitors', wore all gold jumpers for the final. It was pretty even at half time, but in the third quarter Kevin Sheedy got up to a few of his old tricks and intimidated the Bays players. Richmond pulled away to a comfortable win.

In 1974 Richmond won it again, annihilating Sturt by about 13 goals.

These series were played from around mid 60's to mid 70's. I can't remember if any non-VFL teams ever won the championship. Port Adelaide was in a 12 year premiership drought during those years, so I didn't take a very close interest

 

[tig]

Hi eagle_fan, in 1972 North Adelaide defeated Carlton to win the Australian Football Championship. In 1973 Glenelg met Richmond in the final, losing by 21 points final scores were Richmond 19.16, Glenelg 16.19. As both sides were nicknamed Tigers and had similar guernseys they tossed a coin to see who would wear what, with Glenelg lining up in the yellow guernsey, yellow socks with black shorts.
Paul Weston (later played with Essendon) made his debut for Glenelg against Scottsdale, the 16 year old kicked 4 goals as Glenelg defeated the Tasmanian premiers 29.27 to 10.8

 

[Eagle_Fan]

Thanks for that guys! I guess it would have been an interesting way to decide which competition was the 'strongest'.....

 

[Longjohn]

I was also played in 1975, in Adelaide and the 1975 VFL Premiers, North Melbourne won, easily.