The 1985 Australian Football Championships Night Series was the 7th 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]

1985 AFC Night Series
AFC Foster's Football Cup
Tournament details
Dates9 March – 23 July 1985
Teams17
Venue(s)3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsHawthorn (1st title)
Runners-upEssendon
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Attendance97,922 (6,120 per match)
1984
1986

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

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Team Nickname League Qualification Participation (bold indicates winners)1
Enter in Round 1
Essendon Bombers VFL Winners of the 1984 Victorian Football League 9th (Previous: 1893, 1911, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Hawthorn Hawks VFL Runners-Up in the 1984 Victorian Football League 9th (Previous: 1971, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Collingwood Magpies VFL Third Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 9th (Previous: 1896, 1910, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Carlton Blues VFL Fourth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 14th (Previous: 1907, 1908, 1914, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Fitzroy Lions VFL Fifth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 8th (Previous: 1913, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Geelong Cats VFL Sixth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Footscray Bulldogs VFL Seventh Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 8th (Previous: 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Richmond Tigers VFL Eighth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 11th (Previous: 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Melbourne Demons VFL Ninth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Sydney Swans VFL Tenth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 10th (Previous: 1888, 1890, 1909, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
North Melbourne Kangaroos VFL Eleventh Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 9th (Previous: 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Norwood Redlegs SANFL Winners of the 1984 South Australian National Football League 12th (Previous: 1888, 1907, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983)
Port Adelaide Magpies SANFL Runners-Up in the 1984 South Australian National Football League 12th (Previous: 1890, 1910, 1913, 1914, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
Swan Districts Swans WAFL Winners of the 1984 West Australian Football League 6th (Previous: 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982)
East Fremantle Sharks WAFL Runners-Up in the 1984 West Australian Football League 7th (Previous: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
Enter in Qualifying Playoff
St Kilda Saints VFL Twelfth Place in the 1984 Victorian Football League 7th (Previous: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
Queensland Maroons QAFL Winners of the 1984 Escort Shield 6th (Previous: 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984)
1 Includes previous appearances in the Championship of Australia and NFL Night Series.

Venues

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Melbourne Adelaide Brisbane
Waverley Park Football Park John Wren Oval
Capacity: 72,000 Capacity: 67,000 Capacity: 10,000
   

Knockout stage

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Qualifying Playoff

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9 March 1985 Queensland 69–165 St Kilda John Wren Oval, Brisbane  
10.9 (69) 26.9 (165) Attendance: 3,000


Round 1

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13 March 1985 Carlton 108–76 Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
17.6 (108) 12.4 (76) Attendance: 7,773


19 March 1985 Richmond 89–68 East Fremantle Waverley Park, Melbourne  
13.11 (89) 9.14 (68) Attendance: 3,673


2 April 1985 Collingwood 105–23 Sydney Waverley Park, Melbourne  
15.15 (105) 3.5 (23) Attendance: 5,097


16 April 1985 Port Adelaide 92–111 Hawthorn Football Park, Adelaide  
14.8 (92) 16.15 (111) Attendance: 3,165


23 April 1985 Footscray 87–62 North Melbourne Waverley Park, Melbourne  
11.21 (87) 9.8 (62) Attendance: 3,441


30 April 1985 Fitzroy 184–93 Swan Districts Waverley Park, Melbourne  
27.22 (184) 14.9 (93) Attendance: 1,988


7 May 1985 Essendon 64–27 St Kilda Waverley Park, Melbourne  
9.10 (64) 3.9 (27) Attendance: 5,906


21 May 1985 Norwood 83–44 Geelong Football Park, Adelaide  
12.11 (84) 5.14 (44) Attendance: 7,448


Quarter-finals

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QF #1 28 May 1985 Carlton 76–35 Richmond Waverley Park, Melbourne  
11.10 (76) 5.5 (35) Attendance: 5,616


QF #2 5 June 1985 Hawthorn 140–53 Collingwood Waverley Park, Melbourne  
21.14 (140) 8.5 (53) Attendance: 5,453


QF #3 18 June 1985 Fitzroy 117–56 Footscray Waverley Park, Melbourne  
17.15 (117) 8.8 (56) Attendance: 2,598


QF #4 25 June 1985 Norwood 85–138 Essendon Football Park, Adelaide  
13.7 (85) 21.12 (138) Attendance: 6,030


Semi-finals

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SF #1 2 July 1985 Hawthorn 115–70 Carlton Waverley Park, Melbourne  
17.13 (115) 10.10 (70) Attendance: 6,077


SF #2 9 July 1985 Essendon 125–42 Fitzroy Waverley Park, Melbourne  
20.5 (125) 6.6 (42) Attendance: 5,845


Australian Football Championships Night Series final

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Final 23 July 1985 Hawthorn 77–68 Essendon Waverley Park, Melbourne  
3.2 (20)
4.4 (28)
9.8 (62)
11.11 (77)
1.2 (8)
3.5 (23)
9.6 (60)
10.8 (68)
Attendance: 24,812
Umpires: Cameron, James
    Goals  
Dipierdomenico 3
Brereton, Kennedy, Handley 2
Loveridge, Schwab 1
  Harvey 4
Ezard 3
Williams, Elshaug, Watson 1

References

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  1. ^ David Eastman. "1985 AFC Foster's Football Cup".