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.[1]

1983 AFC Night Series
AFC Sterling Cup
Tournament details
Dates8 March – 26 July 1983
Teams17
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsCarlton (1st title)
Runners-upRichmond
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Attendance112,719 (7,045 per match)
1982
1984

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
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

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Melbourne Hobart
Waverley Park KGV Oval
Capacity: 72,000 Capacity: 18,000
   

Knockout stage

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Qualifying Playoff

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19 March 1983 Tasmania 38–146 Footscray KGV Oval, Hobart  
4.14 (38) 21.20 (146) Attendance: 4,135


Round 1

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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

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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

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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

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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

References

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  1. ^ David Eastman. "1983 AFC Sterling Cup".