# 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.
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

| Team | Nickname | League | Qualification | Participation (bold indicates winners) |
| 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

| Melbourne | Adelaide | Perth | Perth | 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 |