All the Lineal Shields we have created do essentially the same thing. They all trace a sport or competition back to its origin and identify the team that won the very first game. Then, in a winner-stays-on format, as if the shield was a boxing title, the results are tracked throughout history with the team holding the shield successfully defending it every time they win. But, if they lose a game the shield is passed onto their successful challengers who then carry the shield into the next round.
We must acknowledge our entry into the world of tracking lineal titles started with the Raeburn and Utrecht Shield which follows the international rugby union competitions. If you want another way of following and engaging with international rugby union you must go and check out @Raeburnshield and @Utrechtshield on instagram or on their website https://www.raeburnandutrechtshields.com
We have tracked the shields for NRL and AFL across both the men’s and the women’s competitions and you can see the full history of the shield, overall records and current standing all on the website.
NRL Shields
Trumper Shield
The Trumper Shield follows the men’s NRL competition from the very first season of NSWRL in 1908 through to current day. The very first holders of the shield were Eastern Suburbs. The shield itself is named after Victor Trumper who was a first grade cricketer and rugby league player, he was an influential figurehead of establishing the very first NSWRL competition.
Cane Shield
The Cane Shield follows the women’s NRL competition through the same winner-stays-on format as all the other lineal shields. The Warriors were the first holders of the shield after they defeated the Roosters in game one of the opening round in the NRLW 2018 season.
The shields is named after Molly Cane, who along with Nellie Doherty, wrote a letter to the NSWRL in 1921, requesting assistance in establishing a women’s rugby league competition. In September of that same year, the first ever women’s rugby league match took place.
AFL Shields
Lake Shield
The Lake Shield tracks the men’s AFL competition from the inaugural VFL season in 1897. Because all the games in the opening rounds were played on the same day at the same time, it was impossible to determine who won the first game. As such it was decided the first holders of the shield would be Melbourne as they went on the longest unbeaten run to start the season.
The name ‘Lake’ was chosen to represent the shield as Lake Oval was the ground in which the first ever VFL title was decided, after Essendon won their third out of three round-robin finals matches and claimed the inaugural VFL title. They also held the Lake Shield at the end of the season and carried it into 1888.
Broadmeadows Shield
The Broadmeadows Shield tracks the women’s AFLW competition from their first season in 2017. Carlton won the very first game of the competition against Collingwood on Friday 3/2/2017 and became the first holders of the shield.
The name ‘Broadmeadows’ was chosen to represent the shield as an acknowledgement of the various women’s AFL competitions of the past. The women’s VFL shield was initiated in 1981 and the very first winners were the Broadmeadow Scorpions.