VAFA vs SAAFL: A storied history

Posted on - Latest News, Featured, Rep Footy

The Big V senior representative squad of 44 completed their first training session under first-time representative coach, Stuart Powell, at Sportscover Arena last night ahead of their match against the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL) on June 11.

Despite not having faced the SAAFL at senior level since 2004, the VAFA and its South Australian counterpart share a storied history of representative clashes, totalling 70 matches over the past 91 years. The first match was held in 1925 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the most recent at Elsternwick Park.

The VAFA currently holds the ascendancy on the scoreboard, with 54 victories at a 77% win rate and is on a seven-game winning streak. A VAFA win in June will equal the longest winning streak between the two sides, which is currently held by the VAFA from 1977 – 1984.

The SAAFL’s strongest period of dominance came between 1969 and 1973, defeating the VAFA four out of the five times they met by an average winning margin of 29 points.

Further information on each of the 70 matches between the two sides can be found in the table below.

Match ID Year Opponent Location VAFA Margin Opposition W/L
154 2004 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 19.18.132 85 6.11.47 W
151 2002 SAAFL Adelaide (Woodville Oval) 15.13.103 62 6.5.41 W
149 2001 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 19.14.128 32 14.12.96 W
148 2000 SAAFL Adelaide (Norwood Oval) 16.13.109 54 8.7.55 W
146 1999 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 15.11.101 66 4.11.35 W
144 1998 SAAFL# Adelaide (Woodville Oval) 11.12.78 3 11.9.75 W
141 1997 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 18.16.124 7 17.15.117 W
139 1995 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 7.9.51 12 9.9.63 L
136 1994 SAAFL# Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 17.25.127 56 10.11.71 W
134 1993 SAAFL Adelaide (Football Park) 14.17.101 68 4.9.33 W
133 1992 SAAFL Melbourne (Waverley Park) 19.18.132 83 7.7.49 W
131 1991 SAAFL# Perth (Subiaco Oval) 11.17.83 10 14.9.93 L
129 1990 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 18.15.123 46 11.11.77 W
128 1989 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 22.16.148 60 13.10.88 W
127 1988 SAAFL# Launceston (York Park) 27.11.173 84 13.11.89 W
123 1987 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 16.16.112 8 18.12.120 L
122 1986 SAAFL# Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 17.10.112 36 11.8.74 W
117 1985 SAAFL# Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 12.12.84 60 23.6.144 L
111 1984 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 21.20.146 60 13.8.86 W
110 1983 SAAFL Adelaide (Kilburn) 15.14.104 38 9.12.66 W
106 1982 SAAFL# Perth (Leederville Oval) 25.12.162 68 14.10.94 W
103 1981 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 13.22.100 66 4.10.34 W
101 1980 SAAFL Adelaide (Alberton Oval) 16.10.106 26 12.8.80 W
99 1979 SAAFL# Hobart (North Hobart Oval) 5.17.47 8 4.15.39 W
96 1978 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 12.31.103 13 13.12.90 W
94 1977 SAAFL Adelaide (Woodville Oval) 25.12.162 71 13.13.91 W
92 1976 SAAFL# Adelaide (Thebarton Oval) 14.8.92 34 19.12.126 L
89 1975 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 13.24.102 12 13.12.90 W
87 1974 SAAFL Adelaide (Norwood Oval) 18.14.122 11 17.9.111 W
85 1973 SAAFL# Melbourne (MCG) 7.18.60 22 12.10.82 L
81 1972 SAAFL Adelaide (Alberton Oval) 13.5.83 31 16.18.114 L
80 1971 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 18.14.122 55 9.13.67 W
76 1970 SAAFL# Perth (Perth Oval) 12.15.87 8 14.11.95 L
75 1969 SAAFL Adelaide (Alberton Oval) 6.13.49 55 15.14.104 L
73 1968 SAAFL Melbourne (Elsternwick Park) 13.11.89 35 7.12.54 W
71 1967 SAAFL# Launceston (York Park) 14.16.100 90 1.4.10 W
67 1966 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 15.9.99 26 10.13.73 W
66 1965 SAAFL Melbourne (St. Kilda CG) 15.11.101 56 6.9.45 W
64 1964 SAAFL# Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 11.16.82 42 5.10.40 W
60 1963 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 10.14.74 21 7.11.53 W
58 1962 SAAFL# Melbourne (MCG) 13.19.97 64 4.9.33 W
55 1961 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 9.19.73 11 12.12.84 L
53 1960 SAAFL Melbourne (Olympic Park) 19.19.133 92 6.5.41 W
49 1959 SAAFL# Perth (Subiaco Oval) 13.21.99 31 10.8.68 W
48 1958 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 13.16.94 4 12.18.90 W
47 1957 SAAFL Melbourne (Olympic Park) 15.9.99 48 8.3.51 W
43 1956 SAAFL# Hobart (TCA Ground) 20.15.135 77 8.10.58 W
42 1955 SAAFL Adelaide (Alberton Oval) 12.10.82 3 13.7.85 L
40 1954 SAAFL Melbourne (St. Kilda CG) 12.14.86 11 10.15.75 W
37 1953 SAAFL# Adelaide (University Oval) 16.16.112 58 8.6.54 W
36 1952 SAAFL Adelaide (Alberton Oval) 9.15.69 6 9.9.63 W
32 1950 SAAFL Adelaide (Norwood Oval) 21.14.140 66 10.14.74 W
31 1949 SAAFL Melbourne (St. Kilda CG) 15.18.108 82 3.8.26 W
28 1948 SAAFL# Perth (Subiaco Oval) 10.14.74 13 11.21.87 L
25 1947 SAAFL Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 11.14.80 64 18.16.124 L
24 1939 SAAFL Adelaide (Norwood Oval) 15.16.106 29 10.17.77 W
23 1938 SAAFL# Launceston (York Park) 17.19.121 57 9.10.64 W
20 1937 SAAFL Melbourne (St. Kilda CG) 14.10.94 22 17.14.116 L
18 1936 SAAFL# Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) 18.7.115 5 16.14.110 W
13 1935 SAAFL Melbourne (Richmond CG) 24.15.159 52 15.17.107 W
12 1934 SAAFL Adelaide (Norwood Oval) 11.14.80 24 6.20.56 W
10 1933 SAAFL Melbourne (Richmond CG) 21.14.140 54 12.14.86 W
8 1932 SAAMFA (SAAFL) Adelaide (Norwood Oval) 10.12.72 5 10.17.77 L
7 1931 SAAFL Melbourne (MCG) 15.16.106 54 6.16.52 W
6 1930 SAAFL Adelaide (Kensington Oval) 14.9.93 63 22.24.156 L
5 1929 SAAFL Melbourne (Albert Ground) 14.16.100 24 10.16.76 W
4 1928 SAAFL Adelaide (Unley Oval) 11.20.86 12 11.8.74 W
3 1927 SAAFL Melbourne (Albert Ground) Or (MCG) 13.17.95 18 11.11.77 W
2 1926 SAAFL Adelaide (University Oval) 17.10.112 2 16.14.110 W
1 1925 SAAFL Melbourne (MCG) 22.22.154 96 8.10.58 W