The Allies (Australian rules football)

The Allies were a representative Australian rules football team made up of players who played their junior football in the ACT, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania, formed to participate against other states in state of origin football matches.

The team was first proposed as part of the AFL Commission's five-year plan released in August 1994. The team was intended to renew the public's waning interest in the state of origin series by creating a composite team of the sport's minor states which would be more competitive against the main states (Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia) than any individual minor state team.[1] The team was launched in March 1995, known in full as the Australian Football Alliance, or for short as the Allies; the name was intentionally selected to honour World War II's Allies, which were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the war victory that year.[2]

The Allies first played in 1995, against Western Australia, winning 13.14 (92) to 8.13 (61). In total, the team played four matches; two against Western Australia, winning both, and two against Victoria, losing both. The Allies played their last game in 1998.

Notable players for The Allies include Jason Akermanis (QLD), Marcus Ashcroft (QLD), Nathan Buckley (NT), Ronnie Burns (NT), Shane Crawford (NSW), Andrew McLeod (NT) and Matthew Richardson (TAS). The best on ground for the Allies in each game received the Alex Jesaulenko Medal, named in honour of future Hall of Fame Legend Alex Jesaulenko, who began his career in the ACT.

The Allies played in a guernsey composed of a teal top half featured a logo consisting of a black star on a white background, and a bottom half consisting of an orange half and a black half divided in two by a jagged line.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Stephen Linnell (23 August 2014). "AFL plan dooms Lions". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 50.
  2. ↑ Stephen Linnell (15 March 1995). "Allies join state-of-origin battle". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 36.
  3. ↑ Allie jumper - Retrieved 23 June 2011.
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