The VFL Development League, officially known as the AFL Victoria Development League and formerly known as the VFL reserves, VFA seconds/reserves and VFA Second Eighteens, was an Australian rules football competition that operated as a second-tier competition to the Victorian Football League (VFL, originally known as the VFA) from 1928 until 2017.

History The VFA Second Eighteens emerged from the Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA), the first successful junior football competition in Melbourne which was founded in 1883. Although formally operating as the VFA's reserves competition starting in 1928, the VJFA name was retained until the end of the 1932 season.

Coinciding with the seniors VFA competition, a second reserves division was established in 1961. Clubs played in the same division as their senior teams, until the separate divisions were abolished for both grades at the end of 1988.

From its inception until 1979, the seconds team played on Saturday afternoons, playing at home when the senior team played away and vice versa.

Starting in 1980, seconds matches were played as curtain-raisers to senior matches, on Saturdays or Sundays as necessary.

The competition was later renamed the VFA reserves (becoming the VFL reserves when the competition changed its name in 1996), and then from the beginning of the 2012 season it became the VFL Development League, a move that coincided with the introduction of the AFL Victoria Development Academy which provides development opportunities for up to 25 selected VFL players per year.

Fielding a team in the reserves competition was mandatory for all senior VFA teams for most of the competition's history. Since the changes to the VFL in 2000, all AFL clubs fielding their reserves teams in the VFL seniors opted not to contest the minor grade.

Several regional clubs were unable to sustain teams, with and North Ballarat leaving the competition at the end of the 2009 and 2013 seasons respectively.

The Development League was abolished after the 2017 season.

Clubs Eight different clubs competed in the VFL Development League's final season. They were Box Hill, Casey, Coburg, Northern Blues, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Werribee and Williamstown. ClubColoursMonikerSeasonsDiv 1 flagsDiv 2 flags First Last Bendigo Diggers, Bombers 1998 2009 0 – Berwick Gippslanders, Wickers 1983 1987 – 0 Box Hill Mustangs, Hawks 1951 201750 Brighton Penguins 1928 1961 0 0 Brighton-Caulfield Penguins 1962 1964 – 0 Brunswick–Broadmeadows (Brunswick) Magpies 1928 1991 5 5 Camberwell Cobras 1928 1991 0 2 Casey Scorpions, Demons 1982 2017 3 1 Caulfield Bears 1965 1987 0 1 Coburg Tigers, Lions 1928 2017 18 1 Dandenong Dandies, Redlegs 1958 1994 1 1 Frankston Dolphins 1966 2016 3 1 Geelong West Roosters 1963 1988 0 0 Kilsyth Cougars 1982 1984 – 0 Moorabbin (I) Kangaroos 1951 1963 1 – Moorabbin (II) Kangaroos, Kangas 1983 1987 – 0 Mordialloc Bloodhounds 1958 1988 0 0 North Ballarat Roosters 1996 2014 2 – Northcote Dragons1928 1987 0 5 Northern Blues Bullants, Blues 1928 2017 6 2 Oakleigh Oaks, Devils 1929 1994 1 1 Port Melbourne Borough 1928 2017140 Prahran Two Blues 1928 1994 2 1 Sandringham Zebras 1929 2017 9 0 Sunshine Crows 1959 1989 0 1 Waverley Panthers 1961 1987 1 0 Werribee Tigers 1965 2017 1 2 Williamstown Seagulls 1928 2017 13 2 Yarraville (1928-29)(1930-76)(1977-83) Eagles 1928 1983 3 2

Premiers Coburg won the most reserves premierships, with a total of 18. The competition's final premiership was won by Casey. Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1928 4.5 (29) d. 1.9 (15) Coburg City Oval 15 September 1928 1929 Warrawee Park 1930 Preston 9.12 (66) d. 6.13 (49) North Melbourne Recreation Reserve 4 October 1930 1931 Brunswick 12.10 (82) d. 5.14 (44) Preston City Oval 26 September 1931 1932 Brunswick 13.15 (93) d. 4.13 (37) Coburg City Oval 1 October 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 (No season due to World War II) 1943 (No season due to World War II) 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Werribee 11.15 (81) d. 10.14 (74) Princes Park 22 September 2002 2003 Northern Bullants 20.15 (135) d.12.11 (83) Princes Park 21 September 2003 2004 19.13 (127) d. 8.15 (63) Princes Park 19 September 2004 2005 North Ballarat 16.7 (103) d. 12.9 (81) Princes Park 18 September 2005 2006 Box Hill 10.11 (71) d. 8.11 (59) Princes Park 24 September 2006 2007 Coburg 17.20 (122) d. 8.8 (56) Princes Park 23 September 2007 2008 Box Hill 16.17 (113) d. 11.16 (82) North Port Oval 20 September 2008 2009 Box Hill Sandringham 16.18 (114) d. 13.8 (86) North Port Oval 20 September 2009 2010 Box Hill 17.20 (122) d. 16.9 (105) Box Hill City Oval 11 September 2010 2011 Box Hill Coburg 18.10 (118) d. 7.11 (53) North Port Oval 17 September 2011 2012 Coburg Box Hill 16.12 (108) d. 15.11 (101) North Port Oval 15 September 2012 2013 Box Hill 11.19 (85) d. 12.12 (84) North Port Oval 14 September 2013 2014 Box Hill 18.18 (126) d. 13.13 (91) North Port Oval 13 September 2014 2015 Box Hill 8.13 (61) d. 8.12 (60) North Port Oval 19 September 2015 2016 Box Hill 26.16 (172) d. 10.7 (67) North Port Oval 18 September 2016 2017 North Port Oval

References