Since 1925
Hawthorn first entered the afl in 1925 when the competition was the VFL
Well AFL or VFL before AFL there was VFL, it has been around for years in Australia.
36 years
Richmond was founded in 1885. It joined the AFL (then called the VFL) in 1908.
From VFL
1977 had a VFL Grand Final Draw - Collingwood and North Melbourne. North Melbourne prevailed the week after. There has not been one in AFL before. (VFL became AFL in 1990)
Hawthorn have lost 5 VFL/AFL Grand Finals;1963,1975,1984,1985 and 1987 from 16 Grand Final Appearances.Their last Grand Final appearance was in 2008 when they beat the 2007 premiers, Geelong by 26 points (18.7.115 to 11.23.89) to win their 10th VFL/AFL Premiership.
the afl started in Victoria with the vfl and it has grown Eva since
The 'AFL' (Australian Football League) name has been around since 1990. The 'VFL' (Victorian Football League) change its name after expansion outside Victoria. The first season of the VFL was 1897 after team left the VFA to form a new league. Australian Rules Football (the SPORT played in the AFL) was first played in 1859.
Collingwood
Richmond's first season in the VFL (renamed AFL in 1990) was 1908.
1989 - 1990 was the transition from VFL to AFL. The Collingwood football club won the first AFL premiership in 1990.