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The sport has a long history in the state but at present, it's popularity lags behind 3 other codes of football in Rugby League , Rugby Union and Soccer in the state, however has been popular for many years in the Riverina region and has a growing popularity in Sydney . Over the years, New South Wales has produced many champion players, including Haydn Bunton Snr , Terry Daniher , Wayne Carey , Paul Kelly , John Longmire and modern greats such as Shane Crawford and Leo Barry . HISTORY One of the key Inventor s of the game of Australian Football was a New South Welshman, Tom Wills , who was born and raised in Parramatta , before moving the Victoria, Australia . In 1933, a proposal by the New South Wales Rugby League to amalgamate Australian football and Rugby League were carried out and a report and set of proposed rules was prepared by secretary of the NSWRL's (Mr Harold R Miller) in Sydney in 1933. These were never instituted. Sydney The first recorded game of Australian Rules Football in Sydney was against a rugby club, Waratah and the Carlton Football Club in 1877. The NSW Australian Football Association was formed informally in 1880 and began competitionin earnest in 1889 when clubs competed for the Flanagan Cup. In 1894 the game fell from favour and the association collapsed until 1903. The NSW Australian Football League was born on February 12, 1903 at a meeting held in the YMCA Hall in George St. Three of the original clubs are still in existence – playing in the Sydney AFL – North Shore, East Sydney (now UNSW-ES) and Balmain. Riverina Australian Football was introduced to the Riverina region of New South Wales in Wagga Wagga in 1881 between Wagga Wagga and Albury . Competition formed in 1884 in Wagga Wagga. The league went through many incarnations including the Murrumbidgee District Football Association (1897), Wagga United Football Association (1898-1921), Riverina Mainline Competition (1922-24), Rock and District Association (1925-1926), Wagga and District Association (1926), Wagga Football Association (1928- 1981). The South Western District Football League commenced in 1894. The Farrer Football League commenced in 1930. In 1982 the South Western District Football League, the Farrer Football League and the Central Riverina Football League were all combined into the Riverina Football League . In 1995, the leagues came under one umbrella of the Murrumbidgee Valley Australian Football Association . Western New South Wales Australian Football was first played in Broken Hill in 1885 between Day Dream and Silverton. Informal competition began in 1888 between 4 clubs. The Barrier Ranges Football Association formed in 1890, which later became the Broken Hill Football League . In recent years, the area has produced such players as Dean Solomon and Brent Staker . {Link without Title} Newcastle Australian Football was introduced to Newcastle, New South Wales in 1883 when the Wallsend FC was formed by miners from Ballarat . In 1888, the Black Diamond Cup , Australia's oldest sporting trophy began. Five clubs were established in the Newcastle area:- Newcastle City, Plattsburg, Northumberland, Lambton, and Singleton. In 1883, a touring South Melbourne Football Club defeating Combined Northern District team by only one goal. In 1888, a touring Fitzroy Football Club defeated Wallsend by 10 goals to 5. The following year, Wallsend defeated Fitzroy. North Coast The game was first played in the Coffs Harbour area as late as 1978. The North Coast Australian Football League was formed in 1980 and has grown rapidly. Sydney Swans The debt ridden South Melbourne Football Club moved to Sydney in 1982 and was renamed the Sydney Swans . It became the first club based outside of Victoria and represented the VFL 's first attempt to broaden its appeal which culminated in its extension into a national competition, the AFL. On 31 July 1985, for what was thought to be $6.3 million, Dr Geoffrey Edelsten "bought" the Swans. In reality it was $2.9 million in cash with funding and other payments spread over five years. Edelsten resigned as chairman in less than twelve months. By 1988 the licence was sold back to the VFL for ten dollars. Losses were in the millions. A group of financial backers including Mike Willessee , Basil Sellers, Peter Weinert and Craig Kimberley purchased the licence and bankrolled the club until 1993, when the AFL stepped in. With substantial monetary and management support from the AFL, the club survived, and with player draft concessions in the early 1990s, has fielded a competitive team throughout the past decade. In 1996 the Swans lost the grand final to North Melbourne , which had been their first appearance in a grand final since 1945. The game was played in front of 93,102 at the MCG . Since 1996, the Swans have made the finals in each season except 2000 and 2002. The culmination of the recent success is the 2005 premiership against the West Coast Eagles played in front of 91,898 at the MCG taking the flag to Sydney for the first time and breaking a 72 year drought for the club. It also broke the longest premiership drought in the history of the competition. Despite the final success of the Swans, the former Melbourne based club struggled for many years to gain support of the Sydney public. Modern Era The Australian Football League has expressed intentions to invest in junior development in the growing Sydney market, particularly in Sydney's west and compete head on with the established Rugby Football codes, particularly under new CEO Andrew Demetriou . A second team in Sydney is a key strategy of the AFL, and has been trialled unsuccessfully with a relocation attempt by the Kangaroos Football Club in 1998. Poor crowds led to the Kangaroos leaving the Sydney market. The Western Bulldogs have been suggested as another relocation candidate, although a new licence is a remote possibility. PRINCIPAL VENUES EXTERNAL LINKS
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