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THE HISTORY OF REPRESENTATIVE / INTERSTATE FOOTBALL

VICTORIA - UNIFORMS (1976-1989)

1976

Picture

The VFL's marketing department introduced a new league logo to be worn on all club uniforms in 1976; the State team quickly followed suit, adding the VFL patch to their jumper, shorts and socks.

1977-1984

Picture
1977-1984 - standard uniform
Picture
June 1979 - VIC 'B' vs Tasmania / July 1982 - VIC vs WA

1977-1984

From 1977 the V moved lower on the jumper, allowing the VFL logo to be placed prominently above it.

1979 vs Tasmania (right)
Due to Tasmania's official uniform featuring white shorts, the Victorian 'B' team wore navy blue shorts for this match in Hobart.

1982 vs Western Australia (right)

Victoria wore navy blue shorts for this match at Subiaco. This was most likely due to an error by the property steward and it resulted in a uniform clash because Western Australia wore black shorts (as they usually did against Victoria).

1985

Picture
May 13 vs South Australia
Picture
July 16 vs Western Australia

1985 vs SA

The standard Victorian jumper worn since 1977.

1985 vs WA

Western Australian company Sekem produced Victoria's jumpers for this match at Subiaco Oval and completely botched the design (the V was the wrong shape and placed too high on the jumper, causing it to vanish underneath the collar and the VFL patch).

1986

Picture

Sponsorship patches first appeared on VFL club jumpers in 1977 and although the Victorian representative team had been officially sponsored as early as 1980 (Statewide Insurance) the jumper itself had remained free of sponsor logos. All that changed in 1986 when this Foster's Lager patch dragged the State uniform into the modern era.

1987

Picture
May 27 vs South Australia
Picture
July 22 vs Western Australia

1987 vs SA

Melbourne radio station EON FM took over sponsorship duties for this match at Football Park.

1987 vs WA

The patch was redesigned because the official EON FM logo used on the original patch was illegible on television and in photos.

1988

Picture
March - National Carnival
Picture
July 5 vs Western Australia

1988 National Carnival

A return to the sponsor-less Victorian uniform of 1977-1985. Worn for the pre-season National Carnival played in Adelaide.

1988 vs WA
The VFL league naming-rights sponsor Elders IXL also provided sponsorship for the State team in this game at Subiaco.

1989

Picture
May 16 vs Western Australia
Picture
July 1 vs South Australia
Picture
July 2 - Victoria 'B' vs Tasmania

1989 vs WA (left)
At the time of this match the VFL had expanded nationally into New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. This Victorian jumper was the first without the VFL logo since 1975; a subtle nod to the Victorian-based league expanding into a national competition.

1989 vs SA (centre)
This is the iconic jumper worn in Victoria's famous victory at the MCG in front of over 90,000 fans. A Victorian coat of arms patch replaced the VFL logo on the jumper and shorts in a further move towards the VFL's re-branding as the Australian Football League a few months later.

1989 vs Tasmania (right)

Due to Tasmania's official uniform featuring white shorts, the Victorian 'B' team wore navy blue shorts for this match in Hobart.

NEXT PAGE:
1990-2008

RELATED PAGES:
1897-1914
1919-1941
1945-1975
VICTORIAN UNIFORMS (HOME)
STATE UNIFORMS (HOME)

Written and researched by David Eastman
Artwork by Rob Meredith

First published 15/9/2015
Last updated 17/11/2018

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The author is a proud member of the Australian Football Heritage Group (AFHG), which is dedicated to preserving Australian football's history.

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© David Eastman 2013-2022. All rights reserved.
  • HOME
  • AFL
    • Gardiner Medal
    • Grand Final Sprint
    • Interclub Medals & Trophies
    • Night Series & Pre-Season Cup
  • VFA / VFL
    • AWARDS / MEDAL WINNERS >
      • J.J. Liston Trophy (Best & Fairest)
      • Frosty Miller Medal (Leading Goalkicker)
      • Norm Goss Medal (Grand Final B.O.G.)
      • Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal
      • Frank Johnson Medal (Rep. B.O.G.)
      • Seconds/Thirds
    • FINALS >
      • Grand Finals
      • Grand Finals - A History
      • Premiership Captains/Coaches
      • Premiership Tables
      • Finals Records
      • Minor Premiers... no GF
      • Grand Finals - Second Division
      • Challenge Finals
      • Drawn & Postponed Finals
      • Finals Systems
    • NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES >
      • Centenary Cup
      • Foxtel Cup
      • Lightning Premierships
      • NFL Night Series
      • Practice/Exhibition Matches
      • Pre-Season Cup
      • Premiers Cup (VSFL)
      • Promotion Playoffs
      • VFL-TFL Challenge
    • RECORDS
    • SECOND DIVISION
  • NON-PREM
    • NFL - 1976 WILLS CUP
    • NFL - 1977 ARDATH CUP
    • NFL - 1978 ESCORT CUP
    • NFL - 1979 ESCORT CUP
  • REPRESENTATIVE
    • STATE MATCHES >
      • 1870s
      • 1880s
      • 1890s
      • 1900s
      • 1910s
      • 1920s
      • 1930s
      • 1940s
      • 1950s
    • STATE UNIFORMS >
      • QLD Uniforms
      • SA Uniforms
      • WA Uniforms
    • VICTORIA >
      • VIC Matches
      • VIC Uniforms
    • VFA-VFL COMBINE >
      • VFA Rep. Awards
      • VFA Rep. Captains-Coaches
      • VFA Rep Matches
      • VFA Rep. Records
      • VFA Rep. Uniforms
  • DISCOVERIES
    • UNEARTHING
    • MYTHBUSTING
    • IN THE NEWS
    • FURTHER READING
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT