1983 AFC Night Series

1983 AFC Night Series

AFC Sterling Cup
Tournament details
Dates	8 March – 26 July 1983
Teams	17
Venue(s)	2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Carlton (1st title)
Runners-up	Richmond
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Attendance	112,719 (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.

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