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Created
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Melbourne Football Club formed
The Melbourne Football Club was formed on August 7, 1858 The first recorded match was between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School. -
The Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club was formed in 1859 -
VFL established
Victorian Footbal League established in 1896. First games were played among the foundation clubs – Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and South Melbourne. -
Rules updated competition stated.
In 1866 an updated set of rules was put in place and competition started. -
More teams joined
In 1925, Footscray (now the Western Bulldogs), Hawthorn and North Melbourne joined the VFL. -
Two new clubs
West Coast Eagles and the Brisbane Bears -
Brisbane Loins
foundation club Fitzroy merged with the Brisbane Bears -
16 clubs total NEW NAME AFL
By 1997, the competition comprised 16 clubs after Adelaide (in 1991), Fremantle (in 1995), and Port Adelaide (in 1997) joined the now Australian Football League -
New teams
In 2011 the Gold Coast Suns joined the competition, followed by the Greater Western Sydney Giants, creating the 18-team national competition we see today.