School Sport Australia

Australian Football Information

Age Eligibility, and Participating States and Territories

School Sport Australia Exchange
(12 years of age and under)

Participants:  ACT NSW NT QLD SA - VIC -

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

YearWinnerVenue
1923VICMelbourne
1924NSWSydney
1925SAAdelaide
1926WAMelbourne
1927SAHobart
1928VICBrisbane
1929WAPerth
1930WASydney
1931VICAdelaide
1932SABrisbane
1933VICBrisbane
1934VICMelbourne
1935SACanberra
1936VICAdelaide
1937Not Held.
1938WAMelbourne
1939VICHobart
1940Not Held.
1941Not Held.
1942Not Held.
1943Not Held.
1944Not Held.
1945Not Held.
1946Not Held.
1947WAPerth
1948WABrisbane
1949QLDAdelaide
1950NSWHobart
1951VICMelbourne
1952WAPerth
1953VICBrisbane
1954TASSydney
1955TASAdelaide
1956Seniors WA / VIC / TASLaunceston
1956Juniors VICLaunceston
1957Seniors VICBrisbane
1957Juniors VICBrisbane
1958VICMelbourne
1959VICPerth
1960WAAdelaide
1961VICHobart
1962VICMelbourne
1963WABrisbane
1964VICPerth
1965VICCanberra
1966VICAdelaide
1967VICHobart
1968VICMelbourne
1969VIC / WAPerth
1970VICBrisbane
1971WALaunceston
1972VICMelbourne
1973SA / WA / VICPerth
1974VICBrisbane
1975TASAdelaide
1976VICSydney
1977TASHobart
1978VICGeelong
1979SAPerth
1980VICDarwin
1981VICBrisbane
1982VICAdelaide
1983VIC / NTCanberra
1984QLDSydney
1985VIC / QLDMelbourne
1986VICAdelaide
1987VIC / QLD / WAPerth
1988VICHobart
1989QLDDarwin
1990VICBrisbane
1991NSWCanberra
1992VICSydney
1993VICMelbourne
1994VICAdelaide
1995NSWPerth
1996WA - Div. 1Melbourne
1996VIC Country - Div. 2Melbourne
1997WA - Div. 1Darwin
1997NSW - Div. 2Canberra
1998VICCairns
1999VIC CountryCanberra
2000VIC CountryDarwin
2001VIC MetropolitanAlbury
2002VIC CountryMornington Peninsula
2003WAGold Coast
2004WAPerth
2005VIC MetropolitanCanberra
2006VIC CountryDarwin
2007VIC MetropolitanSydney
2008  Melbourne

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.

YearNameState / Territory
1931S. LeCornueSA
1932G. NussQLD
1933G. NussQLD
1934J. JacksonQLD
1935S. Crowe*VIC
 W. Hudson*SA
1936A. Wilkinson*WA
 D. Bachli*ACT
1937Not Awarded.
1938L. McCankieVIC
1939J. PaulNSW
1940Not Awarded.
1941Not Awarded.
1942Not Awarded.
1943Not Awarded.
1944Not Awarded.
1945Not Awarded.
1946Not Awarded.
1947A. TaeeTAS
1948L. CoxTAS
1949A. WebbTAS
1950B. Shepherd*WA
 W. Temple*TAS
1951F. LeeVIC
1952W. PowerVIC
1953R. TrenordenNSW
1954D. ChuggTAS
1955L. AndersonNSW
1956N. SweetTAS
1957D. BarrattNSW
1958T. Gould*QLD
 W. Gregory*SA
1959G. RamshawWA
1960J. PerkinsSA
1961R. JavaviciusQLD
1962K. OsborneVIC
1963G. LakesNSW
1964D. Peardon*TAS
 M. Ford*WA
1965P. StewartCVIC
1966R. ArbonWA
1967P. MorrisonTAS
1968P. CookWA
1969R. LambVIC
1970C. Morse*TAS
 M. Botica*WA
1971G. LintonTAS
1972R. ShepherdQLD
1973R. StewartWA
1974W. MorrisNSW
1975C. Webb*TAS
 W. Harmes*VIC
1976W. SlatterySA
1977M. WeidemannSA
1978M. HeenanNT
1979J. KarabidianVIC
1980S. MacPhersonTAS
1981T. SpencerQLD
1982P. CusickTAS
1983G. ParkerVIC
1984G. CrossicaQLD
1985S. SmithACT
1986C. WalkerTAS
1987W. RioliNT
1988T. BenyonQLD
1989B. DoolanNSW
1990C. ElliotQLD
1991D. McPhersonNSW
1992S. CusackNT
1993L. BarryNSW
1994J. BowdenNT
1995L. PicioaneVIC
1996Div. 1 - M. SaundersWA
 Div. 2 - A. Staehr**VIC Country
1997Div. 1 - D. HeadlandWA
 Div. 2 - S. Angeles**NT
 Div. 2 - B. Rawlings**TAS
1998J. TurnerNSW
1999A. SchneiderNSW
2000C. IlettNT
2001R. TamblingNT
2002R. JacksonVIC Metropolitan
2003J. SelwoodVIC Country
2004P. MillsACT
2005F. SleethNSW
2006A. HooperVIC Country
2007B. JacobsVIC Metropolitan
2008  
* Denotes a Tie ** A. McLean Medal


Previous School Sport Australia Exchange Winners

YearWinnerVenue
1972SABrisbane
1973SASydney/Wagga
1974SAScottsdale, TAS
1975SAAdelaide
1976SABrisbane
1977SADarwin
1978SAAlbury
1979NTAdelaide
1980SABrisbane
1981SACanberra
1982SADarwin
1983SACampbelltown
1984SAAdelaide
1985VICMelbourne
1986NT / SA / VICBrisbane
1987VICCanberra
1988QLD / VICDarwin
1989SASydney
1990SAAdelaide
1991VICMelbourne
1992VICBrisbane
1993VICWagga
1994QLD / SA / VICDarwin
1995SAAdelaide
1996SAMelbourne
1997SABrisbane
1998VICWollongong
1999SACanberra
2000VICDarwin
2001SAAlbury
2002VICMornington Peninsula
2003VICCairns
2004VICAdelaide
2005VICCanberra
2006VICDarwin
2007VICSydney
2008   Melbourne

Life Members

YearNameState / Territory
1958AW AlphenQLD
1960CE WoodwardSA
1961G LewisTAS
1963A HoweQLD
 AE BrowneSA
1964H LewisWA
1966IN PearsonSA
1967EPJ FlemingTAS
1968TE LeonardVIC
1969KW MillerWA
1970CA BryceQLD
1971JG PullenTAS
1972CJ RobbVIC
1973RT LawnWA
1974RD BoyceQLD
1975RA HallSA
1977RK HoodTAS
1978JP LorenzVIC
1979V NelsonWA
1980L RauertNT
1982G MunnSA
 R WyattQLD
1984K HArdieNSW
1985C CrawfordVIC
1986D ScullyTAS
 C SteinertSA
1987A McLeanVIC
 L DaviesVIC
 B WatsonTAS
 G SinclairWA
1988D ProbertTAS
 D PowerNSW
1989B DeslandesNT
 R MannVIC
1990G CurtisSA
1991R PearceVIC
 G RussellQLD
1992R BeanACT
1993R AlmondVIC
 R DeanVIC
1994M TippettSA
1995J EnsorWA
1997I PennVIC
 P AtkinsonNT

Service Award Recipients

YearNameState / Territory
2000R Diggle*NT
 D StanleyVIC
2001R Ash*NSW
 R NewmanSA
2002B BevanNSW
 O DunlopNSW
2004R. Barrett*WA
 G. Hadley*WA
 P. Smith*WA
 I. Temby*WA
2005P. Jackson*NSW
 B. Taylor*NSW
2006A. Perrin*NT
 B. WestleySA
2007D. MinchamNT
* Previously known as ASSNFC Life Members

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.

YearNameState / Territory
2002D HarrisVIC Metropolitan
2003M. GestierNSW
2004R. BurlinsonWA
2005J. McEwanVIC Metropolitan
2006T. GrytaWA
2007E. WilliamsWA
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

Team Officials

SSA Team Officials 2004

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