Sydney have taken the discussion on whether to recognise premierships won before 1897 one step further, commissioning premiership cup and flag replicas of their 1881, 1885 and 1888-90 triumphs, to display in their recently refurbished Moore Park headquarters.
Harley said they categorise them under each era: five VFA, three VFL two AFL premierships, but the cups are displayed together in the foyer of the club’s headquarters while the 10 flags hang in the rooms. In 2016, the AFL Commission considered whether to officially recognise the premierships won before the VFL began in 1897 after former Cats president and AFL Commission member Colin Carter put forward a position paper on the issue.
Carter is likely to be in touch with the Cats to see whether they might follow the lead in finding a way to recognise their seven premierships – 1878, 79, 80, 82-84, 86 – they won through that era.