Tasmanian Football League
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The Tasmanian Football League (TFL) is a defunct Australian Rules football league from Tasmania, Australia.
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[edit] Early history
Australian rules football was played in Tasmania shortly after it was introduced to Victoria, Australia and its origins can be traced back to about 1860. The TFL began in 1879 and the first official game was played in Hobart.
In 1881, the first inter-colonial match was played in Tasmania between VFA club Hotham (now Kangaroos Football Club) and the Launceston Football Club.
[edit] Demise
In 1987 the TFL became known as the Statewide League.
In the 1990s, competition with the national VFL competition and drain of players was taking its toll. Each year, the TFL Grand Final was attracting smaller and smaller crowds and participation was falling. [1] There was general expectation in Tasmania of entry into the AFL.
By late 2000, the league was struggling and no AFL team eventuated.
[edit] Disbandment
The opportunistic Australian Football League stepped in and TFL was rationalised and disbanded and fell under the umbrella of Football Tasmania (which was soon renamed AFL Tasmania). Four regional leagues replaced the Statewide League, consisting of 2 main North/South leagues and subsidiary regional leagues:
- SFL (AFL Southern Tasmania)
- SFL Regional League
- NTFL (Northern Tasmanian Football League)
- NTFA (Northern Tasmanian Football Association)
[edit] Legacy
This format has not been overly successful, and once strong crowds of the TFL have now dwindled. Although the AFL claims that participation is increasing, local identities have claimed that the game is dying at the grassroots in Tasmania.
