List of Australian rules football clubs by date of establishment
Barwon Heads 1922
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a chronological list of Australian rules football clubs since their formation.
Note that some of these football clubs that formed before 1866 (see Laws of Australian football) may not have originally played the game known today as Australian rules football. It is more than likely that most of these clubs were influenced by the Melbourne Rules of 1859 which were the dominant rules of the day. However many played by their own rules and often compromised rules when playing against other clubs.
Football clubs by date of establishment
| Founding Date | Original name | Location | State | Country | Current competition | Notes & References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1858 April | St Kilda FC† | St Kilda (Melbourne) | Victoria |  | Defunct | The club was formed in April 1858, playing under its own rules (possibly rugby).[1] First recorded game was on 28 May 1859 against Melbourne University.[2] Played at Alpaca Park until council bailiff did not allow them in 1865. Money from the club went to the cricket club. Most players went to South Yarra; others may have formed the bowls club. In 1872, when a home ground was found, the club started again with players returning from South Yarra. Important note: not related to the current St Kilda Football Club. |
| 1858 July 10 | Melbourne FC | Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Officially incorporated in 1859, its origins can be traced to an informal playing team prior to a prominent July 1858 letter in which Tom Wills calls for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with the need of a "code of laws".[3][4][5] |
| 1858 August 7 | Church of England Grammar School FC | Melbourne | Victoria | | APS Schools Football | [6] Contest the annual Cordner–Eggleston Cup against Scotch College |
| 1858 August 7 | Scotch College FC | Melbourne | Victoria | | APS Schools Football | [6] Contest the annual Cordner–Eggleston Cup against Melbourne Grammar |
| 1858 September 25 | South Yarra FC† | South Yarra (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (1873) | Formed to play under its own rules (unknown - likely rugby football). Played it first game against Melbourne on 25 September 1858. Was joined by players of St Kilda in 1865. Merged with the St Kilda Cricketers' Club in 1873 to form the present-day St Kilda Football Club.[7] |
| 1859 May 28 | Melbourne University FC | Parkville (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
VAFA | First recorded game was on 28 May 1859 against the original St Kilda Football Club.[2] Disbanded for some time after World War I, leaving the VFL, then reformed with multiple teams in the VAFA. |
| 1859 June 15 | Castlemaine FC* | Castlemaine | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | Possibly dormant for periods.[8] |
| 1859 (9 June) | Brighton FC† | Brighton (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
Defunct (unknown) | Considered unlikely to be connected to the Brighton Football Club (1885-1964)[9] |
| 1859 (Prior to 25 June) | Coast FC† | Elsternwick (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
Defunct (1877) | Date of formation unknown[10] |
| 1859 July 18 | Geelong FC | Geelong | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Formed under its own rules. Began to adopt Melbourne rules in early 1860s. One of the founding members of both the VFA and VFL. |
| 1859 (Prior to August) | Prahran FC† | Prahran (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
Defunct (unknown) | Date of formation unknown[11] Merged with St Kilda Football Club in 1888. |
| 1859 (Prior to August) | Emerald Hill FC† | Emerald Hill (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
Defunct (unknown) | Date of formation unknown[11] |
| 1860 April 25 | Richmond FC† | Richmond (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
Defunct (1861) | Formed at the Royal Hotel in Melbourne on 25 April 1860.[12] Not related to the Richmond Football Club that formed in 1885 and participates in the Australian Football League. Club dissolved in 1861.[13] |
| 1860 April 26 | Old Adelaide FC† | Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct (1881) | Formed to play under its own rules. Staged games in the Adelaide North Parklands between sides selected from North and South of the River Torrens. Disbanded 1873 and reformed in 1875 after adopting the Victorian Rules. Founding member of SAFA in 1877. Merged with Kensington and disbanded after 5 games in SAFA 1881. Not to be confused with another SAFA Club called Adelaide which joined in 1885 or the present Adelaide Football Club in the AFL . |
| 1860 May 18 | Williamstown FC | Williamstown (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Unknown | Very strong likeliness that this is the same as the current VFL club (Williamstown Football Club) though there is conflicting evidence.[14] Was involved in the drafting of the 1860 rules. |
| 1860 May 19 | Collingwood FC | Collingwood (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (?) | No connection to AFL club. Was involved in the drafting of the 1860 rules. |
| 1860 May 20 | Ballarat FC | Ballarat | Victoria | | Ballarat Football League | Established as junior club. Senior club established in 1862[15] |
| 1860 June 16 | Boroondara FC† | Boroondara (Melbourne) | Victoria | |
Defunct (1860) | Began with scratch matches, was involved in the 1860 rules committee however disappeared later that year. |
| 1861 May 28 | Warrnambool FC | Warrnambool | Victoria | |
Hampden FNL | On 28 May 1861, the Warrnambool Examiner published an advertisement of a "foot-ball" game.[16] |
| 1861 | Federal FC | Wagga Wagga | New South Wales | |
Riverina Football Netball League | Now known as the Wagga Tigers[17] |
| 1861 June 3 | Sandhurst FC | Bendigo | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | Alleged to have been founded by J.B. Thompson, one of the inventors of Australian rules football.[18] |
| 1862 May 7 | Essendon and Flemington FC | Flemington (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (?) | No connection to AFL club[19] |
| 1862 May 12 | Royal Park FC | Brunswick (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (?) | [20] |
| 1862 July 24 | Modbury FC and Teatree Gully | Adelaide | South Australia | | South Australian Amateur Football League | Accepted an invitation to play the Old Adelaide Football Club on 24 July 1862.[21] Later split into two clubs being the current Modbury Football Club and Tea Tree Gully Football Club. |
| 1862 | Williamstown FC† | Williamstown (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct | The first of two Williamstown clubs |
| 1862 | Bendigo FC† | Bendigo | Victoria | | Defunct | Earliest record of matches are from 1862 |
| 1862 | Kangaroo Flat FC† | Bendigo | Victoria | | Defunct | Earliest record of matches are from 1862. Joined the Bendigo Junior Football association in 1866. Current senior club formed in 1890.[22] |
| 1864 | Campbells Creek FC | Campbells Creek | Victoria | |
Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League | |
| 1864 | Williamstown FC | Williamstown (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | May have been founded as early as 1860, though possible connection with earlier club remains unproven. |
| 1864 July | Carlton FC | Carlton (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Founding member of the VFA and VFL. |
| 1864 | New Town FC† | Hobart | Tasmania | |
Defunct | Unlikely to have played under Victorian Rules |
| 1865 June 17 | Sydney FC† | Sydney | New South Wales | | Australian Football League | First club in Sydney formed under its own rules (possibly Victorian), formally adopted the Victorian Rules in 1866 but survived only briefly. |
| 1865 | Australian FC† | Sydney | New South Wales | | Defunct (1868?) | Likely to have played under its own rules however formally adopted Victorian rules in 1866 along with Sydney FC and played early matches against Sydney. Survived only briefly. |
| 1865 | Brunswick FC† | Brunswick (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (1991) | |
| 1865 August 12 | St Peter's College† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | St Peter's College Football Club founded in 1865.[23] Played the Adelaide Educational Institute Football Club in 1865 under the Old Adelaide Football Club rules.[24] The school was still fielding a football team in 1905? Under what club?[25] An external St Peter's Old Collegians Football Club was established in 1928. |
| 1865 August 12 | Adelaide Educational Institute† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1880) | Played the St Peter's Collegiate Football Club in 1865 under the Old Adelaide Football Club rules.[24] Adelaide Educational Institute closed in 1880. |
| 1865 | Penola | Penola | South Australia | |
Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League | Claims that the club was founded in 1865. Meeting held on 25 July 1868.[26] Confirmed to have been challenged by the Mount Gambier Football Club in 1869.[27] |
| 1866 April 18 | Kapunda | Kapunda | South Australia | |
Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association | Formed by Kapunda copper miners on 18 April 1866 in the North Kapunda Hotel.[28] |
| 1866 May 12 | Hobart Town† | Hobart | Tasmania | |
Defunct | Did not play Victorian/Australian rules[29][30] Its formation is frequently erroneously suggested as evidence of the game's early establishment in the colony. |
| 1866 May 22 | Brisbane† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct (1887c) | Formed under Victorian rules. Club disbanded at the end of the 1887 season. Switched to soccer in 1870 then back to Australian rules and switched to rugby in 1879 and back to Australian rules again before disappearing around 1887-88. No connection to Brisbane Bears or Brisbane Lions[31] |
| 1867 April | Albert Park FC† | Melbourne | Victoria | | Defunct (1880) | Renamed South Melbourne Football Club, Emerald-hill then Albert-park. Merged with South Melbourne (Sydney Swans) in 1880 |
| 1867 August 31 | Mount Gambier† | Mount Gambier | South Australia | |
Defunct (1897c) | Club formed in 1867 and adopted the rules of Australian rules football[32] The club dissolved around 1897.[33] |
| 1867 | Newington College FC | Silverwater (Western Sydney) | New South Wales | | Independent School’s Competition | Australian rules football was introduced in 1867 by its then headmaster and ex-Geelong FC vice-president George Metcalfe. It was the first school club in Sydney formed to play under Victorian Rules. It switched to rugby in 1869. The school reintroduced the sport in 2016. |
| 1868 May 23 | Woodville† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1877) | Formed as Port Suburban Football Club it renamed to Woodville in 1870. Dissolved at the end of the 1877 SAFA season with a number of the club's leading players, including the captain, forming the Norwood Football Club in 1878. Not affiliated with the club of the same name that formed in 1938. |
| 1868 June 30 | Gawler† | Gawler | South Australia | |
Defunct (1890) | Amalgamated with Albion as Gawler Albion to join SAFA for 1887. Albion dropped from the name for the SAFA 1888 Season. Gawler Football Association (formed in 1889) withdrew the senior Gawler club from SAFA in 1891. Gawler Football Association representative teams would continue to represent Gawler in matches against clubs visiting the Township. Gawler Football Association merged with the Barossa & Light Football Association (formed in 1908) to form the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association in 1987. |
| 1868 | Ipswich Grammar† | Ipswich | Queensland | | Defunct | Founded 1868[34] Switched to rugby in 1887. Participate in Queensland Independent Schools Australian Football League for some time in the 2000s |
| 1868 | Wharehousemen† | Melbourne | Victoria | | Defunct | |
| 1868 | Kyneton | Kyneton | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1869 May | Tradesmen† | Mount Gambier | South Australia | |
Defunct | |
| 1869 July 24 | Creswick | Creswick | Victoria | |
Central Highlands Football League | First game against Kingston on 24 July 1869. |
| 1869 | North Melbourne FC | North Melbourne (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Officially founded in 1869.[35] |
| 1869 | Carltonm Imperial† | Parkville (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (1876) | Competed in the Unaffiliated era, but did not apply to enter the VFA for 1877 following a difficult season 1876 and folded. Most players joined Carlton and others moved to Hotham. The Imperials are sometimes mistakenly referred too as the Reserves side of Carlton, though the two were not affiliated and did not formally amalgamate. |
| 1869 | Northcote FC† | Northcote (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (1987) | |
| 1870 May 11 | Young Australian† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1872) | Founded at the Royal Oak Hotel in Adelaide on 11 May 1870.[36] 1871 - Renamed to Union Cricket and Football Club[37] |
| 1870 May 12 | Port Adelaide | Adelaide | South Australia | | Australian Football League | Fielding teams in the SANFL since foundation and in the AFL since 1997.[38] Only pre-existing non-Victorian club to be competing in the Australian Football League. |
| 1870 | Brisbane Grammar† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Switched to rugby in 1885. New junior club established in 2005 to participate in Queensland Independent Schools Australian Football League |
| 1870 May | Ipswich† | Ipswich | Queensland | | Defunct | Dormant in the 1890s, then reformed in 1906[39] lasted until the 1940s after which it either folded or became a soccer club |
| 1870 | Volunteer Artillery† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Appears to have begun as an 11 man soccer club before later (possibly late 1860s) switching between codes to facilitate matches against Brisbane Football Club which was the only available opposition.[40] Breakaway from Brisbane FC. There are no records of its incorporation. |
| 1870 | Civil Service† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Members of Brisbane FC participated in scratch matches.[40] Breakaway from Brisbane FC. There are no records of its incorporation. |
| 1871 | Railway Workshops† | Ipswich | Queensland | | Defunct | |
| 1871 April 24 | Alberton and Queenstown† | Port Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | Formed by the Alberton and Queenstown Cricket Club. Home ground Port Gasworks, Kingston-on-the-Hill. Appears to be defunct after just one season. |
| 1871 | Kensington† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1886) | Integral club to the codification of Australian rules in South Australia. SAFA 1877-1881 Adelaide and Suburban Association 1882-1885 |
| 1871 | Ararat* | Ararat | Victoria | | Wimmera Football League | |
| 1871 | Redan | Redan | Victoria | | Ballarat Football League | |
| 1872 | Lilydale | Lilydale | Victoria | | 1st Div Eastern Football League | Formerly Yarra Valley Football League, Mountain District Football League, Eastern Districts Football League |
| 1872, 26 April | Kent Terrace† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | [41] |
| 1872 | Essendon | Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Founding member of the VFL. |
| 1872 | Maryborough | Maryborough | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1873 | Maldon | Maldon | Victoria | |
Maryborough -Castlemaine District Football League | |
| 1873 May 21 | Rockhampton† | Rockhampton | Queensland | | Defunct | Formed at Leichart Hotel to play under Victorian Rules[42] |
| 1873 | Warwick† | Warwick | Queensland | | Defunct | Club existed after 24 May 1873 and practiced, however had no opposition, appears to have gone dormant and reformed in 1875 there are no mention of matches against other clubs until the introduction of nearby Toowoomba in 1876.[43] |
| 1873 April 2 | St Kilda | Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Founding member of the VFA and VFL.[44] |
| 1873 | Hawthorn† | Melbourne | Victoria | | Defunct | The continuity of clubs with this name is disputed. The existing Hawthorn Football Club is purported to have formed in 1901. |
| 1873 | Port District | Adelaide | South Australia | |
SAAFL | Founded as the LeFevre Peninsula Football Club in 1873. Later renamed Semaphore Central in 1898. In 1979 absorbed the Exeter Football Club and renamed as the Port District Football Club. |
| 1874 | Victorian† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1885) | Founding member of SAFA in 1877 and Joint Premiers. Renamed to the North Adelaide Football Club in 1883. Collected wooden spoons in final two seasons 1883 and 1884. Resigned from SAFA on eve of 1885 Season. It is not related to the present North Adelaide Football Club in SANFL. |
| 1874 May 29 | Willunga | Willunga | South Australia | | Great Southern Football League | 1877 foundation member of SAFA – which became SANFL.[45] |
| 1874 June 8 | Rochester | Rochester | Victoria | | Goulburn Valley Football League | Founded in 1874 so it could play against the Echuca Football Club[46] |
| 1874 June 19 | Cecil | South Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Renamed South Melbourne four weeks after formation. Relocated to Sydney in 1982. |
| 1874 | Sandridge Alma† | South Melbourne | Victoria | | Defunct | Formed from the Alma Cricket Club |
| 1874 | Port Melbourne | Port Melbourne (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | |
| 1874 | Penshurst | Penshurst | Victoria | | Mininera & District Football League | |
| 1874 | Echuca | Echuca | Victoria | | Goulburn Valley Football League | |
| 1875 May 3 | South Adelaide | Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct | Held meeting at Arab Hotel, corner Gillies and Hutt Street, Adelaide. Played a game against the Kensington Club. Amalgamated with a breakaway group from the Old Adelaide Football Club in 1876 who also called themselves South Adelaide Football Club. |
| 1875 May 22 | Casterton | Casterton | Victoria | |
Western Border Football League | [47] |
| 1876 June 3 | Albury | Albury | New South Wales | | Ovens & Murray Football League | |
| 1875 June | Wangaratta | Wangaratta | Victoria | | Ovens & Murray Football League | |
| 1875 July 16 | Launceston | Launceston | Tasmania | | Tasmanian Football League | [48] |
| 1876 | Toowoomba† | Toowoomba | Queensland | | Defunct | |
| 1876 April 12 | South Adelaide | Adelaide | South Australia | | South Australian National Football League | Formed by amalgamation after a 2nd breakaway group from the Old Adelaide Football Club who merged with a Club already called South Adelaide who had broken away in the previous year. First game of new club was on 20 May 1876. |
| 1876 | Australs † | Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct (1876) | Held meeting at Havelock Hotel, Adelaide on 13 May 1876. SA Interclub 1876[49] |
| 1876 | Glenelg† | Glenelg | South Australia | |
Defunct | Opening game held on 10 June 1876 [50] SA Interclub 1876 |
| 1876 | Ballarat Imperial† | Ballarat | Victoria20 | | Defunct (1955) | |
| 1876 | Inglewood | Inglewood | Victoria | | Loddon Valley Football League | [51] |
| 1876 | Heidelberg | Melbourne | Victoria | | Northern Football League | |
| 1876 | Winchelsea | Winchelsea | Victoria | | Geelong & District Football League | |
| 1876 | Portland FNCC | Portland | Victoria | | Hampden FNL | |
| 1877 April 7 | South Park† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1884) | At the start of 1885 South Park disbanded, with a number of its better players transferring to South Adelaide. |
| 1877 June 16 | Wahgunyah | Wahgunyah | Victoria | | Tallangatta & District Football League | |
| 1877 | Corowa† | Corowa | New South Wales | | Defunct (1979) | |
| 1877 | Britannia† | Collingwood | Victoria | | Defunct (1892) | Colours were blue, red and white. Played their first games in 1878. Played out of Victoria Park from 1882 and were a precursor to the Collingwood Football Club's formation in 1892. |
| 1877 | Camperdown | Camperdown | Victoria | | Hampden FNL | |
| 1877 | Sale | Sale | Victoria | | Gippsland Football League | |
| 1877 | Stratford | Stratford | Victoria | |
East Gippsland Football Netball League | The ‘Stratty Swans’ FC wear a red and white vertical stripe guernsey. EGFL premierships 3 and 3 premierships in the now defunct Riviera Football League. |
| 1877 March 28 | Bankers† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1877) | Weak fledgling club that was a founding member of the SAFA. Folded midway during the inaugural season 1877 after struggling with playing numbers. |
| 1877 | Footscray | Melbourne | Victoria | |
Australian Football League | The club's name remains the Footscray Football Club Pty Ltd but now trades & is known as "Western Bulldogs". The letters FFC can still be located near the neck on the back of the jumpers identifying the clubs true name. In 1879 Prince Eugene Louis Napoleon, the 'Prince Imperial' and heir to the French throne, was ambushed and killed by Zulu warriors during the Anglo-Zulu war in Africa. Out of respect to him, the Footscray Football Club changed their name to the prince Imperials Football Club. In 1882 it decided to revert to the name 'Footscray' and therefore 1883 can not have been its formation date. |
| 1877 | Beechworth | Beechworth | Victoria | | Tallangatta & District Football League | |
| 1878 | Clarendon FC† | East Melbourne (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (1882) | Renamed East Melbourne |
| 1878 July 6 | Wodonga | Wodonga | Victoria | | Ovens & Murray Football League | |
| 1878 | Excelsior† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Formed at the start of the season. Played its first match in August 1878[52] |
| 1878 | Wallaroo† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | From 1880 interchanged between Australian rules and rugby |
| 1878 | Brunswick† | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Defunct | |
| 1878 Feb 28 | Norwood | Adelaide | South Australia | | South Australian National Football League | |
| 1878 | North Park† | North Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct | Club formed in 1878.[53] Premier Club from Adelaide and Suburban merged with Adelaide to form Adelaide SAFA (1885) |
| 1878 | West Melbourne† | Melbourne | Victoria | | Defunct | merged with North Melbourne Football Club |
| 1878 | New Norfolk District | New Norfolk | Tasmania | | Southern Football League (Tasmania) | |
| 1878 | Toowoomba Grammar† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Switched to rugby in 1887 |
| 1879 March 27 | Reform† | Wellington | New Zealand |  | Defunct | First known club to be established outside Australia |
| 1879 May 14 | Athenian† | Ipswich | Queensland | | Defunct (~1892) | Began as an Australian rules club in May 1879 however switched to rugby in 1889 starting with its juniors before fielding a full senior side in 1890 and breaking away from the QFA to the local rugby competition. It switched briefly back to Australian rules in 1892 hoping that an Ipswich competition would recommence however when this didn't eventuate it switched back to continuing on until the 1920s after which it switched into a rugby league in the West Moreton Rugby League until the 1940s after which it may have folded or renamed. |
| 1879 July 10 | Yatala | Salisbury | South Australia | |
Defunct | Maiden game vs Harris, Scarfe, & Co.'s employees. |
| 1879 July 12 | Angaston | Angaston | South Australia | |
Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association | |
| 1878 | St Killian† | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Defunct | |
| 1879 | Sunbury | Sunbury | Victoria | | Ballarat Football League | |
| 1879 | Melton | Melton, Victoria | Victoria | | Ballarat Football League | |
| 1879 | Cobden | Cobden | Victoria | | Hampden FNL | |
| 1879 | Aldinga | Aldinga | South Australia | |
Southern Football League | One of four teams that founded what is now known as the Southern Football League in 1879. |
| 1879 | College Park † | College Park | South Australia | | Defunct | Competed in the City and Suburban Association which formed in 1891. Renamed East Torrens in 1897.[54] 1898 competed in East Torrens Football Association. |
| 1879 | Hotham† | North Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct 1889 | Merged with Tritons in 1884. Premiers City and Suburban Association 1885 and 1886. Joined SAFA in 1887. Renamed North Adelaide in 1888. Merged with Adelaide in 1889. |
| 1879 | Middlesex † | City of Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct | Last reported games were in 1881. |
| 1879 | Gisborne | Gisborne | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1880 March 25 | Royal Park† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct 1882 | Joined SAFA in 1882 and folded after 5 games. |
| 1880 April 16 | Glenelg † | Glenelg | South Australia | |
Defunct | Decided not to join proposed Junior Association[55] |
| 1880 May 1 | Kent Town | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | Played first game in 1880.[56] and was a member of the Adelaide and Suburban Football Association. |
| 1880 | Beaufort | Beaufort | Victoria | | Central Highlands Football League | |
| 1880 | Eaglehawk | Eaglehawk | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1880 | Macclesfield | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Hills Football League | |
| 1880 August 7 | Sydney† | Sydney | New South Wales | | Defunct (1926) | Formed in 1880 as the first Australian Rules club in Sydney, participating in the NSWAFA in 1881. |
| 1880 August 7 | East Sydney† | Sydney | New South Wales | | Defunct (1954) | In 1926, it merged with Paddington AFC to become the Eastern Suburbs AFC. This club again merged with the University club to become the Uni-NSW Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs AFC in 1999. |
| 1881 April 30† | Blackwood | Blackwood | Victoria | | Defunct | [57] |
| 1881 | Murchison | Murchison | Victoria | | Kyabram District Football League | |
| 1881 | Canterbury FC | Canterbury | Victoria | | VAFA | Canterbury was formed in 1881 and joined the newly-created Reporter District Football Association (RDFA) in 1903. The club's first home ground was located at the back of the Canterbury Hotel, which was between Canterbury railway station and Wattle Valley Road. |
| 1881 | North Hobart | Hobart | Tasmania | | Tasmanian Football League | |
| 1881 | North Adelaide | Adelaide | South Australia | | South Australian National Football League | Originally known as the Medindie Football Club which joined the Adelaide and Suburban Association in 1886 and then SAFA in 1888. Renamed North Adelaide in 1893. |
| 1881 | Balmain† | Balmain (Sydney) | New South Wales | | Defunct (?) | |
| 1881 | Woollahra† | Woollahra (Sydney) | New South Wales | | Defunct (?) | |
| 1882 April | Rovers† | Perth | Western Australia | | Defunct (1899) | Started as a rugby club but switched to Australian rules in 1885. Inaugural premiers of the WA competition in 1885 and again in 1891. Disbanded in 1899. |
| 1882 April | Fremantle*† | Fremantle | Western Australia | | Defunct (1886) | No relation to the present-day club by the same name. Formed as a rugby club but switched to Australian rules in 1885. Disbanded at the end of 1886. |
| 1882 | Unions*† | Fremantle | Western Australia | | Defunct | Formed as a rugby club in 1882, Unions switched to Australian rules in 1885. Its remnants were eventually folded into South Fremantle. |
| 1882 | Ballarat | North Ballarat | Victoria | | Ballarat Football League | |
| 1882 | Maffra | Maffra | Victoria | | Gippsland Football League | |
| 1882 | Preston | Preston (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | Now Northern Bullants |
| 1882 | Maryborough† | Maryborough | Queensland | | Defunct | |
| 1882 | Emu† | Maryborough | Queensland | | Defunct | |
| 1882 | Rover† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Started as Australian rules but switched to rugby and soccer |
| 1882 | Holbrook | Holbrook | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1883 | Creswick | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | First reported games in 1883. First Annual Dinner held in 1884.[58] 1885 joined the South Australian Junior Football. 1886 Runnerup to Hotham in Adelaide and Suburban Association. Applied to join United Football Association (SAFA) in 1888 but continued in Adelaide and Suburban Association. Last reported games were in 1890 Season. |
| 1883 September 26 | Fitzroy | Melbourne | Victoria | | VAFA | [59] Playing operations merged with the Brisbane Bears in 1996, but the club continues to trade as standalone entity, |
| 1883 | Swans† | Fremantle | Western Australia | | Defunct | |
| 1885 March 5 | Adelaide † | North Adelaide | South Australia | | Defunct (1894) | Formed from merger of North Adelaide Juniors and North Park from Adelaide and Suburban Association. SAFA Premiers 1886. 1893 Merged with Eastbourne Football Club from City and Suburban Association. Not to be confused with the present Adelaide Football Club in the AFL. |
| 1885 March 26 | East Torrens | Kent Town, South Australia | South Australia | | Defunct | Formed from merger of Kent Town and Zingari.[60] Later an East Torrens Football Association was formed. Which Kent Town was a member. |
| 1885 June 9 | Brighton FC† | Brighton (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Defunct (1964) | |
| 1885 | Union† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | |
| 1885 | North Rockhampton† | Rockhampton | Queensland | | Defunct | [61] |
| 1885 | Day Dream | Silverton | New South Wales | |
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| 1885 | Silverton | Silverton | New South Wales | |
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| 1885 | Brighton† | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct (1938) | In 1938 Brighton amalgamated with the Seacliff Football Club to form the Brighton and Seacliff Football Club (BSFC). At the end of the 1990 season the BSFC merged with Brighton High Old Scholars to form the Brighton Bombers. |
| 1885 | Richmond | Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | Joined the VFL in 1908. |
| 1885 | Victorians† | Perth | Western Australia | | Defunct (1890) | In 1889, the club merged with the West Australian Football Club and became Metropolitans. Metropolitans folded at the end of 1890. |
| 1885 | Rosewater | Adelaide | South Australia | | South Australian Amateur Football League | [62] |
| 1886 | Charters Towers† | Charters Towers | Queensland | | Defunct | [63] |
| 1886 | Koroit | Koroit | Victoria | | Hampden FNL | |
| 1887 | Kermandie† | Geeveston | Tasmania | | Defunct (2010) | |
| 1887 | Sydney University ANFC | Sydney | New South Wales | | NEAFL | SUANFC claims to be a spin-off of Australia's oldest rugby union club, Sydney University Football Club founded in 1865, which experimented with Australian rules in its early years. If the claim is accepted, this would make SUANFC the oldest Australian rules football club in NSW. However it did not play an Australian rules fixture until 1887.[64] |
| 1887 | Frankston | Frankston | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | |
| 1888 | Mitcham | Mitcham | Victoria | Australia | Eastern Football Netball League | |
| 1888 | Healesville | Healesville | Victoria | | Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League | |
| 1889 March 19 | Gawler Centrals | Gawler | South Australia | |
Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association | Founding member of Gawler Football Association renamed Gawler and Districts Football League in 1953 |
| 1889 March 21 | South Gawler | Gawler South | South Australia | |
Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association | Founding member of Gawler Football Association renamed Gawler and Districts Football League in 1953 |
| 1889 | Willaston | Willaston | South Australia | |
Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association | Founding member of Gawler Football Association renamed Gawler and Districts Football League in 1953 |
| 1889 | Victoria† | Maryborough | Queensland | | Defunct | |
| 1889 | Eastbourne † | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | Premiers City Suburban Association 1891 and 1892. Merged with Adelaide (SAFA) in 1893. Rejoined City Suburban Association in 1894. |
| 1889 | Yankalilla | Yankalilla | South Australia | |
Great Southern Football Association | |
| 1889 | Cranbourne | Cranbourne | Victoria | | Casey Cardinia Football League | |
| 1890 | Kangaroo Flat | Kangaroo Flat | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1891 | Marion | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Adelaide Footy League | First formed in 1891 as the Sturt Football Club no relation to the SANFL’s Sturt Football Club. Renamed in 1956 to Marion. |
| 1891 | Coburg | Coburg (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | |
| 1891 | Centrals† | Perth | Western Australia | |
Defunct | |
| 1891 | West Perth | Perth | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | The oldest surviving football club in Western Australia, West Perth moved to the northern suburb of Joondalup in 1993 and has come under pressure to change its name to recognise its new location. |
| 1891 | Cheltenham | Cheltenham | Victoria | | Southern Football Netball League | |
| 1892 February 12 | Collingwood | Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | A meeting was held at the Collingwood town hall on Friday 12 February 1892 to announce the foundation of the Collingwood Football Club. |
| 1892 | Bunbury | Bunbury | Western Australia | |
South West Football League | Known as "Bunbury Railways Football Club" from 1906 until 1956. |
| 1892 | Imperials† | Perth | Western Australia | |
Defunct | |
| 1892 | Corryong FNC* | Corryong | Victoria | | Upper Murray Football Netball League | |
| 1892 | Cudgewa FNC* | Cudgewa | Victoria | | Upper Murray Football Netball League | |
| 1892 | Federal FNC* | Corryong | Victoria | | Upper Murray Football Netball League | Founded as the "Mount Elliot Football Club" in 1892 before being renamed to "Federal Football Club" in 1901. |
| 1892 | West Adelaide | Adelaide | South Australia | |
SANFL | The club joined the Adelaide and Suburban Association in 1894 and won the premierships in 1895 and 1896. Admitted to SAFA in 1897 with the introduction of Electoral District zoning. |
| 1893 | Port Natives† | Port Adelaide | South Australia | |
Defunct | Held AGM on 25 Apr 1893 and decided that the club should join the Adelaide and Suburban Association and were Premiers in 1893 and 1894. Admitted to SAFA in 1895 as Natives and renamed to West Torrens in 1897. |
| 1893 | South Bendigo | South Bendigo | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1893 | Sebastopol | Sebastopol | Victoria | | Ballarat Football League | |
| 1895 | Culcairn | Culcairn | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1895 | Henty | Henty | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1895 | West Torrens | Thebarton | South Australia | |
South Australian National Football League | Originally formed as Natives and renamed to West Torrens with the introduction of Electoral District zoning in 1897. Merged with neighbouring Woodville club at end of 1990. |
| 1896 | Wanderers† | Johannesburg | South Africa |  |
Defunct | Date of formation unknown |
| 1896 | Subiaco | Perth | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1897 | South Bunbury | Bunbury | Western Australia | |
SWFL | South West Football League |
| 1897 | Midland | Mildand | Western Australia | |
Metro Football League | |
| 1895 | Howlong | Howlong | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1895 | Jindera | Jindera | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1895 | Lockhart | Lockhart | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1895 | Osborne | Osborne | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1898 | East Fremantle* | Fremantle | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1898 | Kelmscott* | Kelmscott | Western Australia | | South Suburban Murry Football League | |
| 1899 | North Broken Hill | Broken Hill | New South Wales | |
Broken Hill Football League | |
| 1899 | Perth | Perth | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1900 29 March | Gawler Shamrocks† | Gawler | South Australia | | Defunct 1903 | Participated in Gawler Football Association. The colours decided upon were blue stockings, knickers, and guernseys, with green
hoop.[66] April 1903 letter sent to GFA informing club had disbanded. |
| 1900 April 20 | South Fremantle | Fremantle | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1900 | Durban† | Durban | South Africa | |
Defunct (1909) | Date of formation unknown |
| 1900 | South Broken Hill | Broken Hill | New South Wales | |
Broken Hill Football League | |
| 1901 | Sturt | Adelaide | South Australia | |
South Australian National Football League | Formed by the Sturt Cricket Club[67][68] |
| 1901 | Kangarilla | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Hills Football League | |
| 1901 | Walkerville | Adelaide | South Australia | | South Australian Amateur Football League | |
| 1901 | Hawthorn | Melbourne | Victoria | | Australian Football League | |
| 1901 | Spring Vale | Springvale (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Victorian football league | Now Casey Demons |
| 1902 | Kalkee | Kalkee | Victoria | | Horsham & District Football League | |
| 1903 | Echunga | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Hills Football League | |
| 1903 | Balaklava | Balaklava | South Australia | |
Adelaide Plains Football League | |
| 1907 | Gerogery | Gerogery | New South Wales | |
Defunct (1949) | |
| 1903 February 25 | North Shore | Sydney | New South Wales | | Sydney Australian Football League | |
| 1903 | Balmain | Sydney | New South Wales | | Sydney Australian Football League | |
| 1903 | Newtown | Sydney | New South Wales | | Defunct (1987) | |
| 1903 | Lefroy† | Wellington | New Zealand | | Defunct | Renamed City |
| 1903 | Federal† | Wellington | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1903 | Pretoria† | Pretoria | South Africa | |
Defunct (1909) | Date of formation unknown. First appeared in 1903. |
| 1904 | Petone† | Wellington | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1904 | Newtown† | Wellington | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1904 | Wanderers† | Wellington | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1904 | Auckland Imperial† | Auckland | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1904 | Austral† | Auckland | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1904 | Victoria† | Auckland | New Zealand | | Defunct | Changed name to Eden in 1906 |
| 1904 | Commonwealth† | Johannesburg | South Africa | |
Defunct (1909) | Date of formation unknown. First appeared in 1904. |
| 1904 | Central Railways (CSAR)† | Johannesburg | South Africa | |
Defunct (1909) | Date of formation unknown. First appeared in 1904. |
| 1904 | Germiston† | Johannesburg | South Africa | |
Defunct (1909) | Date of formation unknown. First appeared in 1904. |
| 1904 | Quambatook Football Club | Quambatook | Victoria | | Defunct (2022) | Club was believed to be over 120 years old.[69] |
| 1905 | Wynnum† | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Defunct | Merged with Gordon in 1910. Disappeared in the 1920s. Unrelated to the present day Wynnum Football Club that plays in the QAFL. |
| 1905 | Locomotives† | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Defunct | |
| 1905 | Valley† | Fortitude Valley, Brisbane | Queensland | |
Defunct | Merged with Brisbanes in 1928 |
| 1906 March 26 | Adelaide University | Adelaide | South Australia | |
SAAFL | |
| 1906 | Koonibba | Koonibba | South Australia | |
The oldest surviving Aboriginal football club in Australia. | |
| 1906 | Langhorne Creek | Langhorne Creek | South Australia | |
Great Southern Football League | |
| 1906 | Oxford University | Oxford | United Kingdom |  | AFL England (National University League) | Oldest existing club in both Europe and outside of Australia. First recorded match was in 1911[70][71] |
| 1906 | East Perth | Perth | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1906 | Balldale | Balldale | New South Wales | |
Defunct (1975) | |
| 1907 | Brocklesby | Brocklesby | New South Wales | |
Defunct (2006) | Merged with Burrumbuttock |
| 1907 | Hamley Bridge | Hamley Bridge | South Australia | |
Adelaide Plains Football League | |
| 1908 | Newtown† | Auckland | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1908 | Loxton | Loxton | South Australia | |
Riverland Football League | |
| 1908 | Clayton | Melbourne | Victoria | | Southern Football League | Have been known as the Magpies, currently known as The Clays. |
| 1909 | Mt Roskill† | Auckland | New Zealand | | Defunct | |
| 1909 | Columbia Park† | San Francisco | United States |  |
Defunct (1919c) | Founded as juniors club |
| 1909 | Berri | Berri | South Australia | |
Riverland Football League | |
| 1908 | Kingscote Football Club | Kangaroo Island | South Australia | |
Kangaroo Island Football League | |
| 1910 | South Brisbane† | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Defunct | Merged with Yeronga date unknown |
| 1910 | Seisoka† | Tokyo | Japan |  |
Defunct | |
| 1911 | Carrum† | Carrum | Victoria | | Defunct (1996) | Went into recess in 1996. Reformed in 2013 as the Carrum Patterson Lakes Football Club (See entry below) Archived 29 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine |
| 1907 | Burrumbuttock | Burrumbuttock | New South Wales | |
Defunct (2006) | Merged with Brocklesby |
| 1912 | South Melbourne Districts | Melbourne | Victoria | |
Victorian Amateur Football Association | |
| 1913 | Heatherton | Heatherton | Victoria | | Southern Football League | Originally named the Heatherton Freighters they are now known as the Tunners |
| 1916 | Darwin | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1916 | Wanderers | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1916 | Waratah | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1918 | Murrumbeena | Melbourne | Victoria | | Southern Football League | The club began as an Under 18 team in 1918, playing in the Caulfield-Oakleigh-Dandenong Junior Football League. |
| 1919 | Edwardstown | Adelaide | South Australia | |
SAAFL | |
| 1920 | Bencubbin | Bencubbin | Western Australia | |
Central Wheatbelt Football League | |
| 1920 | Taringa† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Changed name to Western Districts Australian Football Club in 1946, merged with Sherwood Districts in 1991 |
| 1920 | Glenelg | Glenelg | South Australia | |
South Australian National Football League | Newly formed Club admitted to Reserves B Grade for 1 season before competing in the Senior Competition |
| 1921 | Encounter Bay | Encounter Bay | South Australia | |
Great Southern Football League | |
| 1921 | Cambridge University | Cambridge | United Kingdom | | AFL England (National University League) | *Possibly formed in 1911 for first recorded match, though did not play regularly until 1921 |
| 1921 | Claremont | Perth | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1923 | Zillmere | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Queensland Australian Football League | Merged with Windsor in 1962 |
| 1925 | Windsor† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Merged with Zillmere in 1962 |
| 1924 | Boe | Boe District | Nauru |  | Nauru Australian Football Association | |
| 1924 | Denigomodu† | Denigomodu District | Nauru | | Defunct | |
| 1924 | Acton | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | Defunct (1973) | |
| 1924 | Queanbeyan | Queanbeyan | New South Wales | | AFL Canberra | |
| 1924 | Mayne | Everton Hills | Queensland | | AFLQ State Association (division 2) | formed as a junior club and became senior club in 1925 |
| 1925 | Gawler Rovers† | Gawler | South Australia | | Defunct (1947) | Formed in 1925 [72] and participated in Gawler Football Association. Joined Lower North Association in 1939. Premiers 1939 and 1940. Rejoined Gawler Association in 1941. In May 1947 the club wound up with a dinner and donating their jerseys to the High School.[73] |
| 1926 | Western Suburbs | Sydney | New South Wales | | Sydney Australian Football League | |
| 1926 | Eastern Suburbs | Sydney | New South Wales | | Defunct (1999) | Formed from merger of East Sydney and Paddington clubs |
| 1926 | Colonel Light Gardens | Mortlock Park Colonel Light Gardens | South Australia | | SAAFL | |
| 1926 | Eastlake | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | NEAFL | Renamed Canberra in 2016 |
| 1927 | Ainslie | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | AFL Canberra | Renamed Canberra in 2016 |
| 1928 | Yeronga | Brisbane | Queensland | | AFLQ State Association | |
| 1928 | Kedron | Kedron, Brisbane | Queensland | | AFLQ State Association | |
| 1928 | St George | Sydney | New South Wales | | Sydney Australian Football League | |
| 1929 | Sandringham | Sandringham (Melbourne) | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | |
| 1931 | Imperial | Murray Bridge | South Australia | |
River Murray Football League | |
| 1932 | Golden Square | Golden Square | Victoria | | Bendigo Football League | |
| 1934 | Swan Districts | Perth | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | |
| 1935 | Swan Athletic | Perth | Western Australia | | Perth Football League | |
| 1935 April | Coorparoo | Brisbane | Queensland | | QANFL, QAFL | Seniors folded in 1995 but the Junior club still operate out of Giffin Park. |
| 1936 | Box Hill | Box Hill | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | |
| 1943 | Sandgate | Brisbane | Queensland | |
Queensland Australian Football League | Merged with Zillmere in 1991 then de-merged |
| 1945 | Wilston | Brisbane | Queensland | | Queensland Australian Football League | Originally known as Wilston, renamed Wilston-Grange in 1947 |
| 1947 | Morningside | Brisbane | Queensland | | AFLQ State League | |
| 1952 | St Marys | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1955 | Port Moresby ARFC | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea |  |
Defunct (?) | Foundation club of the POM AFL[74] |
| 1955 | Boroko-Badili | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Defunct (1970) | Foundation club of the POM AFL[75] |
| 1955 | North Cairns | Cairns | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 1956 | South Cairns | Cairns | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 1956 | University of Queensland | Brisbane | Queensland | | AFLQ State Association | Archived 10 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine |
| 1956 | Sherwood† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Formed as junior club. Merged with Sherwood Districts in 1991 |
| 1958 | Centrals-Trinity Beach | Cairns | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 1959 | Central District | Elizabeth | South Australia | |
South Australian National Football League | New Club which played in SANFL reserves 1959-1963 before competing in the League from 1964 |
| 1961 | Southport | Southport | Queensland | | AFLQ State League | |
| 1961 | Surfers Paradise | Surfers Paradise | Queensland | | Queensland Australian Football League | |
| 1961 | Central Australian | Palm Beach | Queensland | | Queensland Australian Football League | Name changed to Palm Beach Currumbin in 1965 |
| 1963 | Christies Beach | Adelaide | South Australia | |
Southern Football League | |
| 1964 | Labrador | Palm Beach | Queensland | | Queensland Australian Football League | |
| 1964 | Mount Gravatt | Brisbane | Queensland | | AFLQ State League | |
| 1964 | Aspley | Brisbane | Queensland | | AFLQ State League | |
| 1965 | Koboni Demons | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Port Moresby Rules Football League | One of the oldest surviving clubs in Papua New Guinea[76] |
| 1965 | Werribee | Werribee | Victoria | | Victorian Football League | |
| 1966 | Victoria Point† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct | Changed name to Redlands in 1972 |
| 1969 | Maroochydore | Maroochydore | Queensland | | Queensland Australian Football League | |
| 1969 | Aviat† | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Defunct (1971) | |
| 1969 | Defence | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Port Moresby Rules Football League | Formed as Murray Barrack Football Club[77] |
| 1969 | Manly-Warringah | Curl Curl, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1969 | Macquarie University | Macquarie Park, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1970 | Palmerston | Palmerston, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1970 | Noosa | Noosa | Queensland | | Queensland Australian Football League | |
| 1970 | Goroka | Goroka | Papua New Guinea | |
Goroka Football League | [78] |
| 1970 | PIR Regiment† | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Defunct | [79] |
| 1970 October 4 | Coolaroo | Toowoomba | Queensland | | AFL Darling Downs | |
| 1971 | Pennant Hills | Pennant Hills, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1971 | Turner | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | AFL Canberra | Merged with West Canberra Football Club in 1986 to become Belconnen |
| 1971 | Broadbeach | Broadbeach | Queensland | | AFLQ State League | |
| 1971 | Dysart* | Dysart | Queensland | | Central Queensland Highlands AFL Defunct League | Club still continues but has no league to play in. |
| 1972 | Sutherland | Sutherland Shire, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1972 | Springwood | Springwood (Logan City) | Queensland | | QFA Division 1 | |
| 1972 | West Bundaberg | Bundaberg | Queensland | | AFL Wide Bay | Now known as Brothers Bulldogs Bundaberg (1996-) |
| 1973 | Caloundra | Caloundra | Queensland | | Queensland Football Association | |
| 1973 | Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs | Wellington | New Zealand | |
Wellington AFL | Oldest surviving club in New Zealand |
| 1974 | West Canberra Football Club | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | AFL Canberra | Merged with West Canberra Football Club in 1986 to become Belconnen |
| 1974 | North Shore Tigers | Auckland | New Zealand | |
Auckland AFL | |
| 1974 | Halagu† | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Defunct | |
| 1975 | University | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Port Moresby Rules Football League | |
| 1975 | West New Britain | Kimbe | Papua New Guinea | |
Kimbe Football League | |
| 1975 | South West Sydney | Kellyville, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1975 | East Coast Eagles | Macquarie Fields, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1977 | Hervey Bay | Hervey Bay | Queensland | | AFL Wide Bay | Started as Seahawks – now Bombers (1985-) |
| 1977 | Maryborough | Maryborough | Queensland | | AFL Wide Bay | Started as Tigers – now Bears(1995-) |
| 1978 | Boroko† | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Defunct | Merger of the Bomana and Elcom clubs[80] |
| 1979 | West | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Port Moresby Rules Football League | |
| 1981 | Dubbo | Dubbo | New South Wales | | AFL Central West | |
| 1981 | Parkes | Parkes | New South Wales | | AFL Central West | |
| 1982 | Young Saints FC† | Young | New South Wales | | Defunct (2018) | Reformed in 2008 after 19 year recess |
| 1982 | Orange | Orange | New South Wales | | AFL Central West | |
| 1981 | Cowra | Cowra | New South Wales | | AFL Central West | |
| 1981 | University Blues | Auckland | New Zealand | |
Auckland AFL | |
| 1981 | Takapuna† | Takapuna, Auckland | New Zealand | | Defunct | Former Auckland AFL club |
| 1981 | Brothers Rockhampton | Rockhampton | Queensland | | AFL Capricornia | |
| 1981 | Penrith | Penrith, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | |
| 1981 | Gungahlin | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | AFL Canberra | |
| 1981 | Southern Districts | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1982 | PINT | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 1983 | Manunda | Cairns | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 1983, November | Narooma Lions | Narooma | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 1983 | Tathra | Tathra | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 1983 | Pambula Panthers | Pambula | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 1983 | Merimbula Diggers | Merimbula | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 1983 | Eden Whalers | Eden | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 1986 | Brisbane Bears† | Brisbane | Queensland | | Defunct (1996) | Participated in the VFL/AFL from 1987 until 1996, then merged with Fitzroy to form the Brisbane Lions. |
| 1986 | West Coast Eagles | Perth | Western Australia | | Australian Football League | Participant in the VFL/AFL since the 1987 VFL season. |
| 1987 | Belconnen | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | | AFL Canberra | Merger of West Canberra and Turner |
| 1989 | Hong Kong Dragons | Hong Kong | China |  |
South China AFL | |
| 1989 | Port Douglas | Port Douglas | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 1990 February 14 | Wandsworth Demons | London | United Kingdom | |
AFL London | |
| 1990 September 12 | Adelaide Crows | Adelaide | South Australia | | Australian Football League | Participant in the Australian Football League since the 1991 AFL season. |
| 1990 | Bermagui Breakers | Bermagui | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 1991 November | Tokyo Goannas | Tokyo | Japan | |
Japan AFL Top League | |
| 1991 | Manurewa Raiders | Manurewa, Auckland | New Zealand | |
Auckland AFL | Later renamed South City Raiders |
| 1991 | Mt Roskill Saints | Mt Roskill, Auckland | New Zealand | |
Auckland AFL | |
| 1991 | Woodville-West Torrens | Woodville | South Australia | |
South Australian National Football League | Formed from merger of neighbouring Woodville and West Torrens clubs at end of 1990 |
| 1993 April 24 | Singapore Wombats | Singapore | Singapore |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 1993 | Cairns Saints | Cairns | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 1994 | Munich Kangaroos | Munich | Germany |  |
Australian Football League Germany | The oldest team in the Australian Football League Germany |
| 1995 | Jakarta Bintangs | Jakarta | Indonesia |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 1995 | Wellington City Saints | Wellington | New Zealand | |
Wellington AFL | |
| 1995 | Fremantle | Fremantle | Western Australia | | Australian Football League | Participant in the Australian Football League since the 1995 AFL season. |
| 1995 | Frankfurt Redbacks | Frankfurt | Germany | | Australian Football League Germany | |
| 1996 | Brisbane Lions | Brisbane | Queensland | | Australian Football League | Merger of Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears. Participating in the Australian Football League since the 1997 AFL season. |
| 1996 | Cincinnati Dockers | Cincinnati | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1996 | Louisville Kings | Louisville | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1996 | Peel Thunder | Mandurah | Western Australia | | West Australian Football League | Participant in the West Australian Football League since the 1997 WAFL season.[81] |
| 1996 | Thailand Tigers | Bangkok | Thailand |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 1995 | Bali Geckos | Bali | Indonesia | |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 1997 | Across The Waves Bundaberg Eagles | Bundaberg | Queensland | | AFL Wide Bay | Merger of Norths and Souths |
| 1997 | Boston Demons | Boston | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1997 | Nashville Kangaroos | Nashville | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1997 | North Carolina Tigers | Raleigh | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1997 | St. Louis Blues | St. Louis | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1997 | Denver Bulldogs | Denver | United States | |
United States Australian Football League | |
| 1997 | Murray Magpies | Lavington | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | |
| 1997 | San Diego Lions | San Diego | United States | | United States Australian Football League | |
| 1998 | Bendigo Gold | Bendigo | Victoria | |
Defunct (2014) | |
| 1998 | Atlanta Kookaburras | Atlanta | United States | |
United States Australian Football League | |
| 1998 | Chicago Swans | Chicago | United States | |
United States Australian Football League | |
| 1998 | Paris Cockerels | Paris | France |  |
Championnat de France de Football Australien | |
| 1989 | Toronto Eagles | Toronto | Canada |  | AFL Ontario | |
| 1989 | High Park Demons | Toronto | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 1993 | Broadview Hawks | Toronto | Canada | | Defunct (2017) | |
| 1990 | Hamilton Wildcats | Hamilton, Ontario | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 1990 | Toronto Rebels | Toronto | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 1992 | Balmy Beach Saints | Toronto | Canada | | Defunct (1997) | |
| 1993 | Brampton Wolverines | Brampton | Canada | | Defunct (1999) | |
| 1996 | Toronto Dingos | Toronto | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 1999 | Waitakere Magpies | Waitākere, Auckland | New Zealand | |
Auckland AFL | |
| 1999 | UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs | Daceyville, Sydney | New South Wales | |
AFL Sydney | Formed from merger of Eastern Suburbs Australian Football Club and University of New South Wales Australian National Football Club |
| 2000 | Malaysian Warriors | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2001 January | Vancouver Cougars | Vancouver | Canada | |
British Columbia Australian Football League | |
| 2001 | Grand River Gargoyles | Guelph | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 2001 | Belfast Redbacks | Belfast | Northern Ireland |  | Australian Rules Football League of Ireland | |
| 2002 | Austin Crows | Austin | United States | |
United States Australian Football League | |
| 2002 | Windsor Mariners | Windsor | Canada | | Defunct (2005) | |
| 2003 | Etobicoke Kangaroos | Toronto | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 2003 | London Magpies | London | Canada | | Defunct (2005) | |
| 2004 | Bay Power | Hervey Bay | Queensland | | AFL Wide Bay | Replacement Club for Fraser Coast |
| 2004 | Bathurst Bushrangers | Bathurst | New South Wales | | AFL Central West | Merger of Charles Sturt University and Bathurst Eagles |
| 2004 | Philippine Eagles | Manila | The Philippines |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2005 | Billabong Crows | Oaklands | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | Formed by merger of Urana and Oaklands |
| 2005 | Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock | Brocklesby | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | Formed by merger of Brocklesby and Burrumbuttock |
| 2005 | Coreen-Daysdale-Hopefield-Buraja United | Coreen | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | Formed by merger |
| 2006 | Central Blues | Toronto | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 2006 | Tiwi Bombers | Darwin, Northern Territory | Northern Territory | | Northern Territory Football League | |
| 2006 | Pyramid Power† | Gordonvale | Queensland | | Defunct (2020) | |
| 2006 | Ottawa Swans | Ottawa | Canada | | AFL Ontario | |
| 2007 | Singapore Sharks | Singapore | Singapore | |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2007 | Lao Elephants | Vientiane | Laos |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2007 | Vietnam Swans | Saigon | Vietnam |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2008 | Bengal Tigers | Bengal | India |  |
AFL India | |
| 2008 | Quebec Saints | Montreal | Canada | | Defunct (2019) | |
| 2009 | Gold Coast Suns | Gold Coast | Queensland | | Australian Football League | Participant in the Australian Football League since the 2011 AFL season. |
| 2009 | Greater Western Sydney Giants | Sydney | New South Wales | |
Australian Football League | Participant in the Australian Football League since the 2012 AFL season. |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Dragons | Los Angeles | United States | |
United States Australian Football League | |
| 2010 | Cambodian Eagles | Phnom Penh | Cambodia |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2011 | Cairns City | Cairns | Queensland | |
AFL Cairns | |
| 2012 | Howick Hornets | Howick, Auckland | New Zealand | |
Auckland AFL | |
| 2013 | Islamabad Tigers | Islamabad | Pakistan |  |
AFL Pakistan | |
| 2013 | Carrum Patterson Lakes | Carrum | Victoria | | Southern Football League | Takes on the history of the Carrum Football Club Est. 1911. Now named 'Carrum Patterson Lakes' to incorporate the suburb of Patterson Lakes which was developed adjacent to Carrum in the 1970s Archived 29 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine |
| 2013 | Bega Bombers | Bega | New South Wales | | Sapphire Coast Australian Football League | |
| 2014 | Bathurst Giants | Bathurst | New South Wales | | AFL Central West | |
| 2016 | Rand-Walbundrie-Walla Walla | Rand | New South Wales | |
Hume Football Netball League | Formed by merger |
| 2017 | PNG Muruks | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2019 | Mongolian Wolves | Ulaanbaatar | Mongolia |  |
Asian Australian Football Championships | |
| 2020 | Queenstown | Queenstown | New Zealand | |
Otago AFL |
* = defunct, disputed, poorly documented or dormant for a period.