2023 in Australian rules football

In the Australian Football League (AFL), Collingwood won their 16th VFL/AFL premiership (and 17th senior premiership) after defeating Brisbane Lions by four points in the 2023 AFL Grand Final.^[3][4]

The AFL fixture was extended to 23 matches per club, the longest in history, to accommodate the introduction of Gather Round, a special round featuring all 18 clubs playing in the same city and its surrounds.^[5] South Australia won the bid for the event.^[6]

In the AFL Women's (AFLW), Brisbane won their second women's premiership with a 19-point victory over North Melbourne in the 2023 AFL Women's Grand Final.^[7]

Melbourne won the McClelland Trophy, the format of which was altered to a club championship including results from both the AFL and AFL Women's 2023 seasons. Under the points system, Melbourne won 128 points with a percentage of 142.3, clear of second-place Brisbane Lions, who won 116 points and 126.4 percentage.^[8]

In May 2023, Tasmania secured an AFL licence for the first time, following a unanimous vote of AFL club presidents.^[9]

Gillon McLachlan stepped down as AFL CEO in October 2023 and was replaced by Andrew Dillon.^[10]

In the Victorian Football League (VFL), a non-Victorian team won the premiership for the first time, with Gold Coast defeating Werribee by 19 points in the 2023 VFL Grand Final.^[11]

Sandringham Dragons won their 5th Talent League Boys premiership, while Oakleigh Chargers won their second Talent League Girls premiership after defeating minor premiers Eastern Ranges in the Grand Final.^[12][13]

Ainslie won a total of four premierships in 2023, and were runners-up in a fifth grand final.^[14]

In the Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL), Aspley won the premiership for the second consecutive time, after defeating Redland-Victoria Point by 42 points in the 2023 QAFL Grand Final.^[27]

In the QAFL Women's (QAFLW), Bond University defeated Aspley by 49 points.^[28]

During the AFL Mount Isa grand final between Alpurrurulam Bats and Mount Isa Buffs, supporters of Alpurrurulam stormed the field in protest of an umpiring decision. Two men were later charged with assaulting police officers.^[29]

Kingborough won their first Tasmanian State League (TSL) premiership, defeating North Launceston by 15 points.^[37]

In the VFL Women's (VFLW), Port Melbourne won their first VFLW premiership after defeating Collingwood in the grand final, a week after eliminating defending premiers Essendon in the preliminary final.^[48]

There was one change to the competition, with the Hawthorn Football Club transferring their VFLW license to Box Hill during the off-season, replicating the club's men's team reserves arrangement in the AFL and VFL.^[49]

In the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), Collegians won their 18th Premier Division premiership, defeating St Kevin's by 85 points.

St Kevin's won their second consecutive VAFA Women's (VAFAW) premiership, defeating Kew by 25 points.^[50]

Although they were defeated in the Premier B Grand Final, Fitzroy was promoted to Premier Division for the first time since the club entered the VAFA.^[51]

Two clubs − Westbourne Grammarians and Old Mentonians − were in recess for the 2023 season.^[52][53]

On 28 March 2023, the Ovens & Murray Football Netball League (OMFNL) announced the Wangaratta Magpies would be stripped of their 2022 premiership following salary cap breaches. The OMFNL operates with a $125,000 salary cap, which the Magpies exceeded in 2022.^[54]

This was the first time in regional Victorian football that such a penalty had been handed down because of a salary cap breach.^[55] As a result, no premier was declared for the 2022 OMFNL season.^[56]

• Maldon Football Club (MCDFNL) − 150 years
• Port District Football Club (Adelaide FL) − 150 years
• St Kilda Football Club (AFL) − 150 years
• Mayne Australian Football Club (QFA) − 100 years

Original clubs	New club	League	State	Date	Ref
Maryborough Rovers	Maryborough Giants	Maryborough Castlemaine District FL	VIC	26 June 2023	[104]
Royal Park
Balwyn-Greythorn	Balwyn	Yarra Junior FL	VIC	5 October 2023	[105]
Boroondara
Southern Mallee Giants	Southern Mallee Thunder	Wimmera FL	VIC	27 October 2023	[106]
Jeparit-Rainbow

• 29 January – John Devine (82), former Geelong VFL player and coach^[107]

• 23 February – Jack Sheedy (96), former East Fremantle and East Perth WANFL player^[108]

• 22 April – Antonio Loiacono (20), Birwood player who died during Hills Football League game^[109]

• 27 May – Dallas Keogh-Frankling (17), Castlemaine player who died during Bendigo Football Netball League game^[110]

• 27 June – Graeme John (80), former Australian Football League commissioner^[111]
• 28 June – Matt Rendell (64), former AFL and SANFL player and Fitzroy captain from 1985 to 1987^[112]

• 13 July – Alan Morrow (86), St Kilda 1966 VFL premiership and Dandenong 1967 VFA premiership player^[113]

• 3 August – Nick Lowden (23), Norwood 2022 SANFL premiership player^[114]
• 22 August – Austin Robertson Jr. (80), former South Melbourne VFL and Subiaco WANFL player^[115]

• 1 September – Ken Bennett (83), Collingwood 1958 VFL premiership player^[116]
• 16 September – Kevin Neale (78), St Kilda 1966 VFL premiership player^[117]
• 16 September – Ron Barassi (87), former VFL/AFL player and coach across four clubs, Hall of Fame "Legend"^[118]
• 26 September – Geof Motley (88), former Port Adelaide SANFL captain and coach^[119]

• 20 November – Ted Hopkins (74), Carlton 1970 VFL premiership player^[120]