Australian Football League pre-season competition
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The Australian Football League pre-season Cup competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League Premiership season. It is a four round competition (round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and a Final) before the start of the Premiership season involving all sixteen clubs in a knockout competition (teams that do not win are eliminated). The Final is traditionally a night match. Pre-season Cup matches are not practice matches. The history of the series can be traced back to the first competition in 1956. The format has changed over the years, though it is now an AFL only competition.
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[edit] History
The current pre-season competition has its origins in a post-season competition which began in the 1950s called the Night Series. The Night Series used to feature any teams that missed the VFL finals in a post season competition. The Night Series evolved from a post-season competition to a mid-season competition with some pre-season games; eventually, the entire competition was switched to the pre-season.
Only pre-season competitions that featured/feature all teams in the competition are collectively referred to as pre-season Cup Premierships.
There are three trophies available to be won by all 16 teams in the AFL competition.
In order of Priority, Importance and Prestige:-
1. The Premiership Trophy awarded to the winner of the AFL Premiership competition - the winner of the Grand Final (the Premiers).
2. The Minor Premiership Trophy (C J McClelland Trophy) awarded to the team that finishes on top of the AFL standings at the end of the premiership season home and away rounds.
3. The pre-season Cup Trophy (the NAB Cup currently) awarded to the winner of the four round elimination competition that is held before the Premiership season begins.
[edit] 1956-1971: Post-season
The Night Premiership was first instituted in 1956, contested in September as a three round knock-out tournament by the eight VFL teams who did not make the final four. Games were played at the Lake Oval, Albert Park, then the home ground of South Melbourne, as it was the only ground equipped to host night games. Despite the fact that not all VFL teams participated, the first season's average crowd was 20,000 for the seven matches played, while a crowd of 33,120 watched the first night Grand Final.
[edit] 1972-1976: No competition
In 1972, the VFL switched from a final four to a final five playoff system. With only seven teams available to contest it, the Night Premiership ended.
[edit] 1977-1987: Night Series
The Night Series was revived in 1977 under a different format, with games played under the floodlights at VFL Park. Some games were played in the pre-season, and the rest ran concurrently with the home-and-away season. The tournament was knock-out from the quarter-finals, but featured non-knock-out qualifying rounds before them. Games were televised mid-week.
From 1978 until 1986, the tournament involved non-Victorian based clubs, as well as those from the then VFL, including teams from the SANFL and WAFL, and state teams. In the hectic earlier years, and complicated schedule within leagues led to the final seedings; in the later years, a short elimination round brought the number of teams to sixteen, from which a knock-out tournament was played. Three non-VFL teams reached Night Series semi-finals, but none reached the Grand Final.
| Year | Teams | VFL Teams | SANFL Teams | WAFL Teams | State Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 13 | All twelve | None | None | Tasmania |
| 1979 | 23 | All twelve | None | All eight | Tasmania, N.S.W., A.C.T. |
| 1980 | 34 | All twelve | All ten | All eight | Tasmania, N.S.W., A.C.T., Queensland |
| 1981 | 34 | All twelve | All ten | All eight | Tasmania, N.S.W., A.C.T., Queensland |
| 1982 | 18 | All twelve | Glenelg, Norwood, Port Adelaide | Claremont,South Fremantle, Swan Districts | None |
| 1983 | 17 | All twelve | Glenelg, Norwood | Claremont, West Perth | Tasmania |
| 1984 | 17 | All twelve | Sturt, West Adelaide | Claremont, South Fremantle | Queensland |
| 1985 | 17 | All twelve | Norwood, Port Adelaide | East Fremantle, Swan Districts | Queensland |
| 1986 | 14 | All twelve | Glenelg, North Adelaide | None | None |
In 1987, the combined pre-season/mid-season format remained with VFL teams only.
[edit] 1988-present: pre-season
In 1988, the night series was moved entirely to the pre-season; the term pre-season cup premiers eventually replaced night premiers. It has usually been run, and is currently run as a knock-out tournament; on occasions, a four-pool round-robin has been played before a two-week finals schedule. Under the existing knock-out format, the eliminated teams complete their pre-season preparation "Regional Challenge" practice matches (see below).
In 1992, the competition increased in prestige with the Michael Tuck Medal introduced for the best player in the pre-season elimination cup final.
[edit] Naming rights
- Night Premiership
- Golden Fleece (1965–69)
- Radiant (1970)
- Heinz (1971)
- Amco/Herald (1977–78)
- Escort (1979–82)
- Sterling (1983-84)
- CUB (1985–1986)
- Channel Seven (1986)
- National Panasonic Cup (1987–1988)
- Panasonic Cup (1989)
- Foster's Cup (1990–1994)
- Ansett Australia Cup (1995–2001)
- Also in 1996, the "Lightning Premiership" was held for the one time (see below).
- Wizard (Home Loans) Cup (2002–2005)
- NAB Cup (2006-)
The cup was known as the Foster's Cup until 1995, and Ansett Australia sponsored the Cup. Wizard Home Loans owned the naming rights to the event from 2002 through to 2005. The event was known formally as the "Wizard Home Loans Cup", and popularly as the "Wizard Cup." National Australia Bank took over naming rights for the tournament for 2006 through 2010, renaming it the "NAB Cup."
When a team collectively considers wins in previous incarnations of the competition, the phrase "night premierships" is most commonly used.
In the AFL the term pre-season cup premiers is used to describe winners.
[edit] AFL pre-season Cup Winners Since 1990
| The Year | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Essendon | North Melbourne |
| 1991 | Hawthorn | North Melbourne |
| 1992 | Hawthorn | Fitzroy |
| 1993 | Essendon | Richmond |
| 1994 | Essendon | Adelaide |
| 1995 | North Melbourne | Adelaide |
| 1996 | St. Kilda | Carlton |
| 1997 | Carlton | Geelong |
| 1998 | North Melbourne | St. Kilda |
| 1999 | Hawthorn | Port Adelaide |
| 2000 | Essendon | North Melbourne |
| 2001 | Port Adelaide | Brisbane Lions |
| 2002 | Port Adelaide | Richmond |
| 2003 | Adelaide | Collingwood |
| 2004 | St. Kilda | Geelong |
| 2005 | Carlton | West Coast |
| 2006 | Geelong | Adelaide |
| 2007 | Carlton | Brisbane Lions |
| 2008 | St. Kilda | Adelaide |
[edit] Prize money
Prizemoney is awarded to the winning team by the National Australia Bank - the current sponsors of the competition.
The AFL announced prior to the 2007 season that if a club could win both the pre-season cup and premiership in the same season, that club would receive a bonus $1 million. Half will be distributed among the players, while the other half goes to the club.[1] The last club to win the double was Essendon in 2000.
[edit] Recent attendances
- See List of Australian Football League night premiers for Grand Final crowds.
Although many clubs and coaches (especially the wealthier clubs) do not take the pre-season competition seriously and use the competition as a chance to test young and inexperienced players, the NAB Cup format has proven quite popular with spectators.
| Season | Total Attendance | Matches | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 245,070 | 15 | 16,338 |
| 2007 | 246,321 | 15 | 16,421 |
| 2006 | 235,980 | 15 | 15,732 |
| 2005 | 307,181 | 15 | 20,479 |
[edit] Regional challenge
Since 2003, the AFL has run a series of pre-season practice matches called the "Regional Challenge" for clubs that are eliminated from the NAB Cup. The dual aim of the series is to bring the game to fans in remote areas (this is limited to venues that are considered AFL standard, although many games are still played at metro AFL venues) and to provide the eliminated teams with match fitness. Although the games are informal and there is no actual winner or prize, they have attracted a large amount of interest in regional areas and grown in popularity.
- 2008
- New South Wales - Narrandera (8,296)
- South Australia - Noarlunga
- Western Australia - Albany (8,000)
- Northern Territory - Alice Springs (6,000)
- Victoria - Bendigo (7,000), Shepparton, Casey, Princes Park (1,500)
- Australian Capital Territory - Canberra (2,264)
- Queensland - Cairns (5,321), Carrara (4,134)
- 2007
- New South Wales - Narrandera (10,979)
- South Australia - Mount Gambier (5,000)
- Northern Territory - Alice Springs (11,000)
- Victoria - Geelong, Mildura (10,733) (Severe drought made many rural grounds in Victoria unavailable)
- Australian Capital Territory - Canberra (3,365)
- 2006
- Queensland - Carrara (2 games - 6,277; 10,117)
- Victoria - Shepparton (4,500); Bendigo (11,000); Mildura (10,000) (this match was played as a memorial to teenagers that died in a Mildura road accident)
- Western Australia - Mandurah (8,283)
- New South Wales - Lavington (5,151)
- 2005
- South Australia - Port Lincoln
- Western Australia - Joondalup
- Queensland - Carrara (16,591)
- Northern Territory - Alice Springs (7,500)
- New South Wales - Lavington (12,157); Newcastle (5,002)
- Victoria - Bendigo (14,000); Latrobe Valley
In 2005, the total Regional Challenge attendance was 117,552 up from 87,000 in 2004 and 76,000 in 2003.
[edit] New rule trials
The pre-season competition has been a place where the AFL has trialled new rules. The NAB Cup has the intentions of being modern and promoting a fast-paced pre-season competition.
Most of the rules are included as a trial to determine their appropriateness for the regular season, with the obvious exception of the Supergoal. However, the shortness of the pre-season makes it difficult for the AFL to evaluate how coaches will tactically handle rule-changes it makes.
Such rules have included:
- 2003
- Nine points for a goal kicked from outside of the 50 metre arc, known as a Super Goal.
- 2005
- No requirement to wait upon the goal umpires' flag waving before playing on.
- Extra players on the interchange bench, although this is intended mainly so that coaches can try extra players, and ensure that none is over-worked, during the pre-season.
- A larger centre circle.
- 4 field umpires
- Umpires coming in 10m from the boundary line to throw in the ball.
- Play on if the ball hits the goal post and bounces back into the field of play.
- 2006
- For a player kicking it backwards, except when that kick takes place within the attacking team's forward 50m, there can be no mark to a team-mate of that player and the umpire simply calls `Play On'
- 2007
- Video replay umpire for goals. Ability for goal umpire decisions to be overruled by video umpire.
- All 9 umpires able to pay free kicks (includes boundary and goal umpires) (Trialled only in Melbourne vs Hawthorn Round 1 NAB Cup 2007)
- Play on called for backwards kicks only in the defensive half of the field.
- Kick must travel 20m to be paid a mark.
- 2008
- 8 men on the interchange bench, only 16 interchanges permitted each quarter.
- 2.5m x 6.5m "no-go" area around the centre bounce, where players are prohibited before and during the bounce until the umpire clears the area.
- Play on called for backwards kicks only in the defensive half of the field.
- Kick must travel 20m to be paid a mark.
- Three points for a deliberate rushed behind.
- The Super Goal continuing, scoring nine points for a goal from outside 50m.
- Centre bounces only at the start of a quarter and after goals, ball is thrown up otherwise.
- Play on if the ball hits any of the posts and rebounds into the field of play.
- Boundary throw-ins to be taken from 10m inside the boundary line.
[edit] Lightning Premiership
The Lightning Premiership was held for the only time in the modern era, 1996, the Centenary Season of the AFL. It was a knock-out competition played from Friday, 9th February until Sunday, 11th February, with four games each evening at Waverley Park, each consisting of two 17.5 minute halves. The game trialled a number of highly experimental rules, including three points awarded both for deliberate rushed behinds and balls which hit the goalposts, and timekeepers not blowing the siren if scores were tied; however, the rule which altered the game most significantly was that where the ball was not thrown in from the boundary line, but a free kick given against the last team to touch the ball. Essendon won the series.
The Lightning Premiership was originally contested for a short time in the 50s and 60s.
[edit] See also
- List of Australian Football League night premiers
- Michael Tuck Medal, awarded to the best player in a night series grand final
[edit] References
- ^ "Time to get serious in chase for $1m windfall", Herald Sun, February 12, 2007.
[edit] External links
[edit] Seasons
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