1983 AFC Night Series
AFC Sterling Cup
Tournament details
Dates8 March – 26 July 1983
Teams17
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsCarlton (1st title)
Runners-upRichmond
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Attendance112,719 (7,045 per match)
← 1982
1984 →

The 1983 Australian Football Championships Night Series was the 5th edition of the AFC Night Series, a VFL-organised national club Australian rules football tournament between the leading clubs from the VFL, the SANFL, the WAFL and State Representative Teams.[1]

A total of 17 teams from across Australia played 16 matches over five months, with matches held during the pre-season and midweek throughout the premiership season.

Qualified Teams

Team Nickname League Qualification Participation (bold indicates winners)1
Enter in Round 1
Carlton Blues VFL Winners of the 1982 Victorian Football League 12th (Previous: 1907, 1908, 1914, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Richmond Tigers VFL Runners-Up in the 1982 Victorian Football League 9th (Previous: 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Hawthorn Hawks VFL Third Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1971, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
North Melbourne Kangaroos VFL Fourth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Essendon Bombers VFL Fifth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1893, 1911, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Fitzroy Lions VFL Sixth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 6th (Previous: 1913, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Sydney Swans VFL Seventh Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 8th (Previous: 1888, 1890, 1909, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Melbourne Demons VFL Eighth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Geelong Cats VFL Ninth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Collingwood Magpies VFL Tenth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1896, 1910, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
St Kilda Saints VFL Eleventh Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Norwood Redlegs SANFL Winners of the 1982 South Australian National Football League 11th (Previous: 1888, 1907, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Glenelg Tigers SANFL Runners-Up in the 1982 South Australian National Football League 9th (Previous: 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Claremont Tigers WAFL Runners-Up in the 1982 West Australian Football League 6th (Previous: 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
West Perth Falcons WAFL Third Place in the 1982 West Australian Football League2 8th (Previous: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
Enter in Qualifying Playoff
Footscray Bulldogs VFL Twelfth Place in the 1982 Victorian Football League 6th (Previous: 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Tasmania Devils TANFL Winners of the 1982 Escort Shield 7th (Previous: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
1 Includes previous appearances in the Championship of Australia and NFL Night Series.
2 Replaced Swan Districts who was banned for two years by the AFC for fielding a Reserves-Colts side in their 1982 Quarter-final loss to Richmond.

Venues

Melbourne Hobart
Waverley Park KGV Oval
Capacity: 72,000 Capacity: 18,000

Knockout stage

Qualifying Playoff

19 March 1983 Tasmania 38–146 Footscray KGV Oval, Hobart  
4.14 (38) 21.20 (146) Attendance: 4,135


Round 1

8 March 1983 Carlton 66–50 Fitzroy Waverley Park, Melbourne  
9.12 (66) 6.14 (50) Attendance: 7,487


15 March 1983 Sydney 102–71 West Perth Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.12 (102) 10.11 (71) Attendance: 2,518


29 March 1983 North Melbourne 78–62 Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
11.12 (78) 8.14 (62) Attendance: 6,185


12 April 1983 Geelong 92–36 Glenelg Waverley Park, Melbourne  
13.14 (92) 5.6 (36) Attendance: 2,684


19 April 1983 Hawthorn 100–70 Essendon Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.10 (100) 11.4 (70) Attendance: 8,861


26 April 1983 Collingwood 111–59 Claremont Waverley Park, Melbourne  
16.15 (111) 7.17 (59) Attendance: 5,699


3 May 1983 Richmond 95–81 St Kilda Waverley Park, Melbourne  
14.11 (95) 12.9 (81) Attendance: 6,703


10 May 1983 Footscray 77–93 Norwood Waverley Park, Melbourne  
11.11 (77) 14.9 (97) Attendance: 1,145


Quarter–finals

QF #1 24 May 1983 Carlton 83–41 Sydney Waverley Park, Melbourne  
12.11 (83) 6.5 (41) Attendance: 4,879


QF #2 31 May 1983 North Melbourne 88–81 Geelong Waverley Park, Melbourne  
14.4 (88) 12.9 (81) Attendance: 4,317


QF #3 7 June 1983 Hawthorn 65–63 Collingwood Waverley Park, Melbourne  
9.11 (65) 8.15 (63) Attendance: 8,326


QF #4 21 June 1983 Richmond 121–66 Norwood Waverley Park, Melbourne  
18.13 (121) 10.6 (66) Attendance: 4,510


Semi–finals

SF #1 28 June 1983 Carlton 84–54 North Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
12.12 (84) 7.12 (54) Attendance: 4,541


SF #2 5 July 1983 Richmond 99–74 Hawthorn Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.9 (99) 11.8 (74) Attendance: 7,622


Australian Football Championships Night Series final

Final 26 July 1983 Carlton 100–66 Richmond Waverley Park, Melbourne  
2.7 (19)
8.7 (55)
12.9 (81)
14.16 (100) 		1.0 (6)
2.2 (14)
5.5 (35)
10.6 (66) 		Attendance: 32,927
Umpires: Smith, Nash
    Goals  
Ashman 3
Bosustow, Johnston, Howell, Glascott 2
Marchesani, M.Buckley, Williams 1 		  Roach 4
Egan 2
Wiley, Landy, Foley, Lovett 1

References

  1. ^ David Eastman. "1983 AFC Sterling Cup".
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