Australian Football Information
Age Eligibility, and Participating States and Territories
School Sport Australia Exchange
(12 years of age and under)
School Sport Australia Championship
(15 years of age and under)
Participants: ACT NSW NT QLD SA - VIC WA
Rules and Guidelines
History
National Football Championships and Exchanges
The National Schoolboy Championships were inaugurated in Melbourne in 1923. Victoria were the first Carnival winners with New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia the other foundation participants.
Western Australia and Tasmania entered for the first time in 1925 whilst the Australian Capital Territory have played several short periods since the early 1950's and have participated currently since 1977 when Hobart was the venue. The Northern Territory entered in 1974 when the Carnival was played in Brisbane and the 1998 Championship was their 25th Carnival. From 1974 to 2001 all States and Territories have participated in the Championships except Tasmania who missed from 1991 to 1995 and since 1998, South Australia 1998 to 2007 and Western Australia 1998 to 2000.
There have been two breaks in the competition continuity with an outbreak of infantile paralysis in 1937 and the Second World War the reasons. The carnival has continued u nbroken since 1947. First awarded in 1931, the J.L.Williams Medal for the Championship Best and Fairest perpetuates the memory of the late Jack Williams, a Victorian teacher who battled for the creation and recognition of the National Schoolboys' Championships.
Of the 36 Exchanges conducted 33 have ended with outright winners, with one tie; the 1986 and 1994 Exchanges finished in three way ties.
Outright winners have been South Australia 19 times, Victoria 13 times and Northern Territory once. Victoria (3), South Australia (2), Queensland (2) and Northern Territory (1) have been involved with ties. The Host State has won or tied 8 of the 36 Exchanges conducted.
Of the 77 Championships conducted (1956 and 1957 Championships having Senior and Junior Divisions and 1996 and 1997 having Division One and Division Two) 68 have ended with outright winners, 7 with ties and the 1956, 1973 and 1987 Championships finishing in three way ties.
Outright winners have been Victoria 44 times (including Victorian Country 4 and Victorian Metropolitan 3), Western Australia 12 times, South Australia 5 times, New South Wales 4 times, Tasmania 3 times and Queensland 3 times.
Victoria (7), Western Australia (4), Queensland (2), New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory (each 1) have been involved with ties.
The host State has won or tied in only 21 of the 77 Championships conducted. The Australian Secondary Schools' National Football Council has been a leader in Inter-State competitions, and many innovative ideas have been adopted by the Council during the past 77 years.
Perhaps the years of the greatest expansion began in 1978. This was the year that the Commonwealth Bank became the major sponsor. We have seen many new ideas introduced to our Championships. These have been possible because of the funds supplied by the Commonwealth Bank. It had also been much easier on our Host Associations, as our sponsorship funds helped to ease the costs of conducting our Championships. In 1996 and 1997 the Championship was played as an Under 16 competition organised and funded by Football Development Foundation in each State under the umbrella of the AFL as the parent body.
In 1998 School Sport Australia reverted back to the original concept of an Under 15 Championship for compulsory age students without any financial support. The Championship was funded by the participants. Since 1999 Victoria has fielded two teams: a metropolitan and country team.
From 2002, the A.S. McLean Medal was awarded to the best umpire (field, boundary or goal) who officiates in the Championship. The medal is named in honour of Alan McLean, a Life Member and former National Secretary of the ASSNFC for 18 years and who had been involved in umpiring for over 34 years.
The Carnival which combines the 12 & under Exchange and 15 & under Championships was formally named 'The School Sport Australia Australian Rules Football Carnival' in 2005.
Previous School Sport Australia Championship Winners
J. L. Williams Medal
The medal is awarded to the player judged to be the best and fairest footballer of the Championship. It perpetuates the name of one of the originators of the Championship and was first awarded in 1931.
Points are awarded to the selected players in each match, on the basis of 3 for the first choice, 2 for the second and 1 for the third. The votes are sealed and handed to the Championship Secretary and opened at the conclusion of the Championship.
In the event of a tie in points resulting, a count back is made. If the players concerned cannot be separated after this, an extra medal is provided.
Previous School Sport Australia Exchange Winners
Life Members
Service Award Recipients
A. S. McLean Medal
The medal is awarded to the best umpire (field, boundary or goal) who officiates in the Championship. The Umpire's Coordinator from the host State/Territory will have the responsibility of selecting the best umpire.
The medal is named in honour of Alan McLean, a Life Member and former National Secretary of the ASSNFC for 18 years, and a Life Member of the Victorian Country Football Umpires Association and the Geelong Football Umpires League, who has been involved in umpiring for over 34 years.
| Year | Name | State / Territory |
| 2002 | D Harris | VIC Metropolitan |
| 2003 | M. Gestier | NSW |
| 2004 | R. Burlinson | WA |
| 2005 | J. McEwan | VIC Metropolitan |
| 2006 | T. Gryta | WA |
| 2007 | E. Williams | WA |
| 2008 |
All Australian Teams
At every National Championships an All Australian Team is selected to identify the elite players.
Please choose a year to view the team selected.
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
All Australian Team Photographs
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
