Page "Australian rules football" Paragraph 2

In 1896, delegates from the stronger and wealthier VFA clubs — Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and South Melbourne — met to form a breakaway competition and in 1897, the Victorian Football League ( VFL ), was born as an eight-team competition.

Popularity of the VFL grew rapidly and by 1925 with 12 teams, had become the most prominent league in the game and would dominate so many aspects of the sport from that point on.