THE HISTORY OF REPRESENTATIVE / INTERSTATE FOOTBALL

VFA-VFL - REPRESENTATIVE RECORDS

Since 1879 the VFA-VFL has played in over one hundred representative and interstate matches against the other major leagues from around Australia. When representative matches against lower level leagues and clubs are added that total grows to almost 150 games.

Detailed below are the VFA's representative records, scroll down to view each section:
- WIN-LOSS RECORD (overall)
- WIN-LOSS RECORD (interstate)
- SCORING RECORDS
- MOST GOALS IN A REPRESENTATIVE MATCH

VFA - REPRESENTATIVE WIN-LOSS RECORD (OVERALL)

VFA-VFL REPRESENTATIVE RECORDS

STATES AND STATE LEAGUES

OPPONENT

YEARS

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Australian Amateurs

1951-1989

3

3

-

-

Canberra/ACT/ACTAFL/AFL Canberra

1950-present

7

7

-

-

New South Wales/NSWAFL/AFL Sydney

1881-present

8

7

1

-

Northern Territory/NTFL

1988-present

2

-

2

-

Queensland/QAFL/AFL Queensland

1960-present

7

5

2

-

South Australia/SANFL

1879-present

42

19

23

-

Tasmania/TFL/TSL

1887-present

17

11

6

-

Victoria/VFL (now AFL)

1902-1966

11

-

11

-

Western Australia/WAFL

1950-present

12

3

9

-

TOTAL

109

55

54

-

OTHER LEAGUES AND CLUBS

OPPONENT

YEARS

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Ballarat FA

1897

1

1

-

-

Barrier Ranges FA

1908-1912

6

4

2

-

Bendigo & Northern District FAs

1906

1

-

1

-

Central Gippsland FA

1926-1927

2

1

1

-

Goldfields FA

1920-1923

7

3

3

1

Northern NSW (NDFA)

1889

1

1

-

-

Northern Tasmania*

1957/80/81/82

4

3

1

-

Norwood FC

1893

1

1

-

-

Ovens & Murray FL

1975-1976

2

1

1

-

Perth FC

1924

1

-

1

-

Port Adelaide FC

1893

1

1

-

-

Southern Tasmania (STFA)

1889/93

3

1

-

2

Victorian Amateur FA

1982-1986

5

3

2

-

Victorian Country FL

1992

1

1

-

-

Western District FA

1913

1

1

-

-

TOTAL

37

22

12

3

OVERALL TOTAL (1877-2017)

146

77

66

3

 
*four matches in the above table have been grouped as Northern Tasmania:

1957 vs NTFA-NWFU (win)
1980 vs NTFA (win)
1981-82 vs Greater Northern FL (1 win, 1 loss)
(the GNFL was a combined team featuring players from the NTFA and NWFU)

----------------------------------------------------------

NOTE - the following exhibition/practice matches are not included in the above table:

OPPONENT

YEARS

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Hotham-Essendon FCs

1879

1

1

-

-

SA Natives

1880

1

1

-

-

Essendon FC

1894

1

1

-

-

Footscray FC

1900

1

1

-

-

Stawell FC

1905-1910

5

4

1

-

North Melbourne FC

1916

1

-

1

-

VFL-AFL

1936 (Sept)

1

-

1

-

Bendigo FA

1947

1

-

1

-

Victorian Amateur FA

1956

2

-

2

-

Essendon FC Reserves

1988

1

1

-

-

Melbourne FC Reserves

1988

1

1

-

-

Victorian Amateur FA

1988

1

1

-

-

Ireland

2014

1

-

1

-

TOTAL

18

11

7

-

 

VFA - WIN-LOSS RECORD (INTERSTATE)

A detailed breakdown of the VFA's win-loss record against each of their interstate/State League opponents:

vs AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Australian Amateurs

1950-1969

2

2

-

-

Australian Amateurs

1987-1989

1

1

-

-

TOTAL

3

3

-

-

vs AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Canberra

1950-1969

3

3

-

-

ACT

1987-1989

2

2

-

-

ACTAFL

1990-present

2

2

-

-

TOTAL

7

7

-

-

vs NEW SOUTH WALES

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

New South Wales

1877-1896

3

3

-

-

New South Wales

1931

1

1

-

-

New South Wales

1950-1969

1

1

-

-

New South Wales

1987-1989

2

1

1

-

New South Wales

1990-present

1

1

-

-

TOTAL

8

7

1

-

vs NORTHERN TERRITORY

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Northern Territory

1987-1989

1

-

1

-

NTFL

1990-present

1

-

1

-

TOTAL

2

-

2

-

vs QUEENSLAND

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Queensland

1950-1969

1

1

-

-

Queensland

1977-1979

3

1

2

-

Queensland

1987-1989

3

3

-

-

QAFL

1990-present

-

-

-

-

TOTAL

7

5

2

-

vs SOUTH AUSTRALIA

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

South Australia

1877-1896

13

11

2

-

South Australia

1905-1911

13

6

7

-

South Australia

1950-1969

8

1

7

-

South Australia

1980

1

-

1

-

SANFL

1990-present

7

1

6

-

TOTAL

42

19

23

-

vs TASMANIA

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Tasmania

1877-1896

1

1

-

-

Tasmania

1950-1969

11

7

4

-

Tasmania

1987-1989

2

1

1

-

TFL/TSL

1990-present

3

2

1

-

TOTAL

17

11

6

-

vs VICTORIA (VFL-AFL)

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

VFL

1902

1

-

1

-

VFL

1931-1937

5

-

5

-

Victoria (VFL)

1950-1969

5

-

5

-

TOTAL

11

-

11

-

vs WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TEAM

ERA

PLAYED

WON

LOST

DRAWN

Western Australia

1950-1969

6

-

6

-

WAFL

1988

1

-

1

-

WAFL

1990-present

5

3

2

-

TOTAL

12

3

9

-

 

NOTE - the VFA also played a 12th match against the VFL-AFL. It was an exhibition match played in 1936 on the Show Day holiday (Sept.24) and the VFL won by 29 points. This game is not included in the above figures because it was not an official representative/interstate match. 

VFA - REPRESENTATIVE SCORING RECORDS

VFA-VFL - REPRESENTATIVE SCORING RECORDS

STATES AND STATE LEAGUES

OPPONENT

ERA

HIGHEST

YEAR

BIGGEST

YEAR

LOWEST

YEAR

BIGGEST

YEAR

SCORE

WIN

SCORE

LOSS

PRE-1897

New South Wales

1877-1896

9.24

1881

9 goals

1881

8.20

1886

-

-

South Australia

1877-1896

13.15

1894

13 goals

1894

3.21

1880

2 goals

1890

Tasmania

1877-1896

7.15

1887

3 goals

1887

7.15

1887

-

-

1897-PRESENT

Australian Amateurs

1951-1989

21.15 (141)

1989

126 points

1989

12.9 (81)

1960

-

-

Canberra/ACT/ACTAFL

1950-present

24.27 (171)

1950

127 points

1950

11.25 (91)

1997

-

-

New South Wales

1897-present

23.24 (162)

1960

105 points

1960

8.5 (53)

1987

19 points

1987

Northern Territory/NTFL

1988-present

12.8 (80)

1994

-

-

9.13 (67)

1988

45 points

1988

Queensland/QAFL

1960-present

28.26 (194)

1979

156 points

1979

11.11 (77)

1989

30 points

1978

South Australia/SANFL

1897-present

18.17 (125)

2005

56 points

2005

4.7 (31)

1909

95 points

1951

Tasmania/TFL/TSL

1897-present

26.15 (171)

1951

108 points

2012

7.11 (53)

1966

100 points

1956

6.17 (53)

1998

Victoria/VFL

1897-1966

17.8 (110)

1934

-

-

3.5 (23)

1956

120 points

1956

Western Australia/WAFL

1950-present

25.11 (161)

2007

119 points

2007

5.11 (41)

1966

133 points

1966

OTHER LEAGUES AND CLUBS

OPPONENT

YEAR(S)

HIGHEST

YEAR

BIGGEST

YEAR

LOWEST

YEAR

BIGGEST

YEAR

SCORE

WIN

SCORE

LOSS

Ballarat FA

1897

7.8 (50)

1897

3 points

1897

7.8 (50)

1897

-

-

Barrier Ranges FA

1908-1912

13.12 (90)

1911

39 points

1911

5.11 (41)

1908

16 points

1912

Bendigo & Nthn District FAs

1906

3.10 (28)

1906

-

-

3.10 (28)

1906

2 points

1906

Central Gippsland FA

1926-1927

18.16 (124)

1927

69 points

1927

10.10 (70)

1926

45 points

1926

Goldfields FA

1920-1923

20.22 (142)

1923

101 points

1921

6.17 (53)

1920

19 points

1920

Northern NSW (NDFA)

1889

6.14

1889

4 goals

1889

6.14

1889

-

-

Northern Tasmania

1957/80/81/82

27.33 (195)

1982

132 points

1982

15.10 (100)

1981

10 points

1981

Norwood FC

1893

6.9

1893

4 goals

1893

6.9

1893

-

-

Ovens & Murray FL

1975-1976

19.11 (125)

1976

9 points

1976

17.9 (111)

1975

56 points

1975

Perth FC

1924

4.12 (36)

1924

-

-

4.12 (36)

1924

2 points

1924

Port Adelaide FC

1893

12.14

1893

8 goals

1893

12.14

1893

-

-

Southern Tasmania (STFA)

1889/1893

6.9

1889

5 goals

1889

5.5

1893

-

-

Victorian Amateur FA

1982-1986

22.14 (146)

1984

51 points

1984

14.13 (97)

1985/86

20 points

1982

Victorian Country FL

1992

32.7 (199)

1992

102 points

1992

32.7 (199)

1992

-

-

Western District FA

1913

20.19 (139)

1913

76 points

1913

20.19 (139)

1913

-

-

 

NOTE - numbers in bold indicate the VFA's record score/margin against States/State Leagues and other Leagues/Clubs

VFA-VFL's HIGHEST SCORES:

32.7 (199) vs VCFL, 1992 at MCG
27.33 (195) vs GNFL, 1982 at Beach Oval, Sandringham
28.26 (194) vs Queensland, 1979 at Toorak Park, Prahran
28.19 (187) vs NTFA, 1980 at York Park, Launceston
24.27 (171) vs Canberra, 1950 at Manuka Oval, Canberra
26.15 (171) vs Tasmania, 1951 at North Hobart Oval


VFA-VFL's LOWEST SCORES:

3.5 (23) vs VFL, 1956 at Subiaco Oval
3.10 (28) vs Bendigo & Northern District FA's, 1906 at Bendigo
4.3 (27) vs VFL, 1902 at MCG
3.10 (28) vs VFL, 1931 at MCG
4.7 (31) vs South Australia, 1909 at Adelaide Oval
4.12 (36) vs Perth FC, 1924 at Arden Street Oval


VFA-VFL's BIGGEST WINNING MARGINS:

156 points vs Queensland, 1979 at Toorak Park
132 points vs GNFL, 1982 at Beach Oval, Sandringham
127 points vs Canberra, 1950 at Manuka Oval, Canberra
127 points vs Queensland, 1960 at Trumper Park, Sydney
126 points vs Australian Amateurs, 1989 at North Hobart Oval
121 points vs NTFA, 1980 at York Park, Launceston
119 points vs WAFL, 2007 at North Port Oval, Port Melbourne
108 points vs TSL, 2012 at Bellerive Oval, Hobart
105 points vs New South Wales, 1960 at Trumper Park, Sydney
104 points vs Canberra, 1960 at Trumper Park, Sydney
102 points vs VCFL, 1992 at MCG
101 points vs GFA, 1921 at EMCG


VFA-VFL's BIGGEST LOSING MARGINS:

133 points vs Western Australia, 1966 at North Hobart Oval
120 points vs VFL, 1956 at Subiaco Oval
104 points vs VFL, 1937 at Junction Oval
100 points vs Tasmania, 1956 at Subiaco Oval
95 points vs South Australia, 1951 at Adelaide Oval


HIGHEST SCORE BY AN OPPONENT:

28.19 (187) - South Australia, 1951 at Adelaide Oval


LOWEST SCORE BY AN OPPONENT:

2.3 (15) - Australian Amateurs, 1989 at North Hobart Oval

VFA - MOST GOALS IN A REPRESENTATIVE MATCH

GOALS

PLAYER

CLUB

YEAR

OPPONENT

12

Rino Pretto

Oakleigh

1989

Australian Amateurs

10

Tom Clarke

Essendon 'A'

1913

Western District FA

Eddie Szyska

Williamstown

1968

Canberra

Fred Cook

Port Melbourne

1982

Greater Northern FL

9

George Taylor

Port Melbourne

1923

Goldfields FA

Bill Byron

Coburg

1960

Queensland

Fred Cook

Port Melbourne

1977

Queensland

Nick Sautner

Sandringham

2007

WAFL

8

Bruce Harper

Sandringham

1951

Tasmania

Bill Byron

Coburg

1960

Australian Amateurs

Mark Fotheringham

Williamstown

1983

Victorian Amateur FA

Greg Doyle

Dandenong

1992

Victorian Country FL

7

Keith Warburton

Brighton

1950

Canberra

Bruce Harper

Sandringham

1951

Australian Amateurs

Fred Cook

Port Melbourne

1979

Queensland

Kim Smith

Prahran

1979

Queensland

Matthew Little

Williamstown

2010

WAFL

 

NOTE - In 1947 the VFA played an exhibition match against the Bendigo FA, and at least four VFA players took the field for Bendigo to provide a more even contest. Preston's Kevin Pritchard scored 9 goals for the VFA and Sandringham's Geoff Brokenshire scored 10 goals whilst "on loan" to the BFA. These numbers have not been included in the above table because it was not an official representative match.

Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 12/12/2013
Last updated 27/5/2019