1981 AFC Night Series

The 1981 Australian Football Championships Night Series was the 3rd 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]

1981 AFC Night Series
AFC Escort Championships
Tournament details
Dates7 March – 14 July 1981
Teams34
Venue(s)8 (in 6 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsEssendon (1st title)
Runners-upCarlton
Tournament statistics
Matches played35
Attendance223,959 (6,399 per match)

A total of 34 teams from across Australia played 35 matches over five months, with the qualifying rounds held during the pre-season and the main draw held midweek throughout the premiership season.

Qualified Teams
Team Nickname League Qualification Participation (bold indicates winners)1
Enter in Round 3
Richmond Tigers VFL Winners of the 1980 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980)
Collingwood Magpies VFL Runners-Up in the 1980 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1896, 1910, 1979, 1980)
Geelong Cats VFL Third Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 3rd (Previous: 1979, 1980)
Carlton Blues VFL Fourth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 10th (Previous: 1907, 1908, 1914, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1980)
North Melbourne Kangaroos VFL Fifth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980)
South Melbourne Swans VFL Sixth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 6th (Previous: 1888, 1890, 1909, 1979, 1980)
Enter in Round 1
Essendon Bombers VFL Seventh Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1893, 1911, 1979, 1980)
Hawthorn Hawks VFL Eighth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 5th (Previous: 1971, 1976, 1979, 1980)
Melbourne Demons VFL Ninth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 3rd (Previous: 1979, 1980)
Footscray Bulldogs VFL Tenth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 4th (Previous: 1976, 1979, 1980)
St Kilda Saints VFL Eleventh Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 3rd (Previous: 1979, 1980)
Fitzroy Lions VFL Twelfth Place in the 1980 Victorian Football League 4th (Previous: 1913, 1979, 1980)
Port Adelaide Magpies SANFL Winners of the 1980 South Australian National Football League 10th (Previous: 1890, 1910, 1913, 1914, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Norwood Redlegs SANFL Runners-Up in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 9th (Previous: 1888, 1907, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Sturt Double Blues SANFL Third Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 9th (Previous: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980)
Glenelg Tigers SANFL Fourth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 7th (Previous: 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
West Torrens Eagles SANFL Fifth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 3rd (Previous: 1979, 1980)
Central District Bulldogs SANFL Sixth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 4th (Previous: 1977, 1979, 1980)
South Adelaide Panthers SANFL Seventh Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 7th (Previous: 1893, 1896, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
North Adelaide Roosters SANFL Eighth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 6th (Previous: 1971, 1972, 1977, 1979, 1980)
West Adelaide Bloods SANFL Ninth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 8th (Previous: 1908, 1909, 1911, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Woodville Woodpeckers SANFL Tenth Place in the 1980 South Australian National Football League 3rd (Previous: 1979, 1980)
South Fremantle Bulldogs WAFL Winners of the 1980 West Australian Football League 5th (Previous: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980)
Swan Districts Swans WAFL Runners-Up in the 1980 West Australian Football League 4th (Previous: 1976, 1979, 1980)
East Perth Royals WAFL Third Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League 6th (Previous: 1972, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Claremont Tigers WAFL Fourth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League 4th (Previous: 1977, 1979, 1980)
West Perth Falcons WAFL Fifth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League 7th (Previous: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Perth Demons WAFL Sixth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League 5th (Previous: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
East Fremantle Sharks WAFL Seventh Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League 6th (Previous: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Subiaco Lions WAFL Eighth Place in the 1980 West Australian Football League 4th (Previous: 1973, 1979, 1980)
Australian Capital Territory Rams ACTAFL State Representative Team 5th (Previous: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
New South Wales Blues NSWAFL State Representative Team 5th (Previous: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
Queensland Maroons QAFL State Representative Team 4th (Previous: 1977, 1978, 1980)
Tasmania Devils TANFL State Representative Team 6th (Previous: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
1 Includes previous appearances in the Championship of Australia and NFL Night Series.

Venues
Melbourne Adelaide Perth Brisbane Canberra Hobart
Waverley Park Norwood Oval Subiaco Oval Claremont Oval Leederville Oval Chelmer Oval Phillip Oval North Hobart Oval
Capacity: 72,000 Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 53,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 26,000

Knockout stage

Round 1
7 March 1981 Subiaco 107–86 South Fremantle Claremont Oval, Perth  
16.11 (107) 12.14 (86) Attendance: 3,500 (estimate)


7 March 1981 West Perth 88–87 Claremont Subiaco Oval, Perth  
13.10 (88) 12.15 (87) Attendance: 5,000 (estimate)


7 March 1981 Essendon 94–52 Fitzroy Waverley Park, Melbourne  
13.16 (94) 7.10 (52) Attendance: 24,255


8 March 1981 East Fremantle 141–70 Swan Districts Subiaco Oval, Perth  
21.15 (141) 9.16 (70) Attendance: 6,000 (estimate)


8 March 1981 East Perth 127–102 Perth Leederville Oval, Perth  
19.13 (127) 16.6 (102) Attendance: 4,500 (estimate)


9 March 1981 Central District 102–68 West Torrens Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
14.18 (102) 9.14 (68) Attendance: 4,000 (estimate)


9 March 1981 Port Adelaide 101–72 Woodville Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
14.17 (101) 10.12 (72) Attendance: 4,000 (estimate)


10 March 1981 Norwood 80–102 West Adelaide Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
12.8 (80) 15.12 (102) Attendance: 5,000 (estimate)


10 March 1981 North Adelaide 106–75 Sturt Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
15.16 (106) 10.15 (75) Attendance: 5,000 (estimate)


13 March 1981 South Adelaide 88–57 Glenelg Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
13.10 (88) 6.17 (53) Attendance: 3,500 (estimate)


13 March 1981 Melbourne 41–31 Footscray Waverley Park, Melbourne  
6.5 (41) 4.7 (31) Attendance: 3,627


14 March 1981 Hawthorn 101–48 St Kilda Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.11 (101) 7.6 (48) Attendance: 8,100


11 April 1981 Queensland 80–96 Tasmania Chelmer Oval, Brisbane  
12.8 (80) 13.18 (96) Attendance: 2,500 (estimate)


12 April 1981 Australian Capital Territory 108–51 New South Wales Phillip Oval, Canberra  
14.24 (108) 7.9 (51) Attendance: 2,000 (estimate)


Round 2
14 March 1981 West Perth 130–86 East Fremantle Subiaco Oval, Perth  
18.22 (130) 12.14 (86) Attendance: 5,500 (estimate)


14 March 1981 East Perth 125–93 Subiaco Subiaco Oval, Perth  
18.17 (125) 13.15 (93) Attendance: 5,500 (estimate)


17 March 1981 West Adelaide 129–92 Central District Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
19.15 (129) 14.8 (92) Attendance: 4,000 (estimate)


17 March 1981 Port Adelaide 90–66 North Adelaide Norwood Oval, Adelaide  
13.12 (90) 8.18 (66) Attendance: 4,000 (estimate)


26 April 1981 Tasmania 86–106 Australian Capital Territory North Hobart Oval, Hobart  
11.20 (86) 17.4 (106) Attendance: 8,497


Round 2 Playoff
5 May 1981 Footscray 99–73 Australian Capital Territory Waverley Park, Melbourne  
14.15 (99) 11.7 (73) Attendance: 3,889


Round 3
20 March 1981 Geelong 75–31 South Adelaide Waverley Park, Melbourne  
10.15 (75) 4.7 (31) Attendance: 3,029


21 March 1981 Richmond 86–52 Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
13.8 (86) 7.10 (52) Attendance: 12,951


24 March 1981 North Melbourne 133–55 West Perth Waverley Park, Melbourne  
20.13 (133) 8.7 (55) Attendance: 2,327


31 March 1981 South Melbourne 115–54 West Adelaide Waverley Park, Melbourne  
16.19 (115) 8.6 (54) Attendance: 1,521


7 April 1981 Essendon 107–58 Port Adelaide Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.17 (107) 8.10 (58) Attendance: 5,360


14 April 1981 Collingwood 138–40 East Perth Waverley Park, Melbourne  
20.13 (138) 4.16 (40) Attendance: 7,136


5 May 1981 Hawthorn 112–34 East Fremantle Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.22 (112) 5.4 (34) Attendance: 3,889


19 May 1981 Carlton 67–60 Footscray Waverley Park, Melbourne  
10.7 (67) 8.12 (60) Attendance: 6,934


Quarter-finals
QF #1 12 May 1981 South Melbourne 55–42 Geelong Waverley Park, Melbourne  
8.7 (55) 5.12 (42) Attendance: 7,066


QF #2 2 June 1981 Essendon 93–75 Hawthorn Waverley Park, Melbourne  
14.9 (93) 10.15 (75) Attendance: 7,775


QF #3 9 June 1981 Carlton 70–61 Richmond Waverley Park, Melbourne  
10.10 (70) 8.13 (61) Attendance: 6,394


QF #4 16 June 1981 North Melbourne 81–59 Collingwood Waverley Park, Melbourne  
11.15 (81) 9.5 (59) Attendance: 11,992


Semi-finals
SF #1 23 June 1981 Essendon 88–33 South Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
13.10 (88) 4.9 (33) Attendance: 5,676


SF #2 30 June 1981 Carlton 72–30 North Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
9.18 (72) 4.6 (30) Attendance: 9,661


Australian Football Championships Night Series final
Final 14 July 1981 Essendon 65–41 Carlton Waverley Park, Melbourne  
0.1 (1)
1.2 (8)
4.10 (34)
9.11 (65)		 2.0 (12)
4.0 (24)
5.3 (33)
6.5 (41)		 Attendance: 42,269
Umpires: Cameron,Robinson
    Goals  
N.Daniher, Fowler, Watson 2
Foreman, Merrett, S. Madden 1		   McConville 2
Wells, Bosustow, Johnston, Marcou 1

References
  1. David Eastman. "1981 AFC Escort Championships".
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