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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)
← 1980
1982 →

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

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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

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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

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Round 1

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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

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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

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


Round 3

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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

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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

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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

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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

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