They have long standing rivalries with Victoria accounting for them in 1923, 1925, and in 1990 under State of Origin rules at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and Queensland which was evenly contested from 1884.

Some of the greatest names in the sport hail from the state including its leading pioneers, cousins Tom Wills and H. C. A. Harrison, who were born there.

Over 400 players have competed in the AFL including two Legends in the Australian Football Hall of Fame: Haydn Bunton Sr. and Jock McHale.

During the 1860s, Sydney being a much smaller city had a handful of clubs compared to at least a dozen active at the time in the code's heartland in the Victorian colony of Melbourne.

[14] In 1868, a new Sydney Football Club was founded also adopting the Victorian rules, citing their popularity in Melbourne as the main reason for the choice.

[15] Some players, I am aware, can't swallow the idea of adopting the Victorian Game, simply because it is supposed to hail from the sister colony.

Rugby clubs could manage just four matches prior to the 1870s, however it was being successfully integrated into schools and later began producing organised senior competition.

Subsequently, in 1874 the newly formed Southern Rugby Football Union (SRFU) instituted a ban on its member clubs from playing any matches under those rules.

[26] By 1880, Waratah and other Sydney clubs began initiating proposed changes to rugby amid growing dissatisfaction over the game's rules.

[29] In response, the proponents of the Australian game, led by Harry Hedger and George Walker, formed the New South Wales Football Association (NSWFA) in 1880.

Despite this, the Sydney Rugby Football Union, seeing the new competition as a threat, enforced a strict ban on every one of its member clubs playing Victorian rules.

[18] The game was introduced to Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1883 when the Wallsend and Plattsburg Football Club was formed by miners from Ballarat, though some sources claim that it has been played in the Northern District even earlier than 1881.

The Northern District Football Association around Newcastle began in 1886, with teams from 1888 competing for the Black Diamond Cup,[36] Australia's oldest existing and active sporting trophy.

The matches were seen by the Sydney media as an attempt to force-feed the Victorian game to Sydneysiders who had plenty of rugby to attract their ongoing interest.

[55] During the 1920s, funded by a NSWAFL in Sydney and a thriving schoolboys competition, NSW defeated Victorian sides on several occasions at home, notably Melbourne Football Club on 28 July 1923,[56] the VFL at the SCG in 1923, and again at Erskineville Oval by one point on 15 August 1925.

World War II proved a massive setback for the code in Sydney; the government insisted that the league cease operations.

Top level VFL returned to the SCG on 14 June 1952 when Collingwood 10–12 (72) defeated Richmond 5–6 (36) in front of 24,174 spectators in wet conditions as part of "National Day Round".

The league also VFL agreed to play annual matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground to assist in lifting the profile of the local competition.

The idea began to gain traction and in 1977, Ron Barassi proposed the VFL setting up a club in Sydney, which he offered to coach believing that it would help spread the code in the state.

[61] Fitzroy Lions, in a financial struggle, was prevented from conducting a feasibility study into the possibility of moving to North Sydney; a proposal was put forward, but was voted down by its board in 1980.

[63] Financially struggling VFL club South Melbourne, fearing a missed opportunity to establish a new market, announced its decision to play all 1982 home games in Sydney.

[68] With substantial monetary and management support from the AFL, the Sydney Swans continued and with player draft concessions in the early 1990s, and fielded a competitive team throughout the decade.

On the back of four subsequent years of Swans finals appearances, junior numbers, stagnant for many decades, began to move in Sydney and across the state.

The Giants struggled in their early years, winning only three games in their first two seasons, but since then, made gradual progress up the ladder, culminating in a Grand Final appearance in 2019.

[77] Although the Giants have been somewhat successful on the field, despite more than $200 million in AFL investment, the club has made little impact in growing attendance, television viewership, or participation in the region.

[120] In 1993, the game's new governing body, the AFL Commission created a composite team with the Australian Capital Territory, the NSW/ACT Rams to contest the 1993 State of Origin Championships.

Notable players from the Riverina include: Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend Haydn Bunton, Sr. (Albury), who was the first player born in New South Wales to win the Brownlow Medal and the Sandover Medal, in 1931 and 1938 respectively; Bill Mohr of Wagga who kicked 735 league goals; the Daniher family from West Wyalong, particularly Terry Daniher and Anthony Daniher but also Neale and Chris who all played at Essendon for much of their career and represented the state on multiple occasions; Paul Kelly from Wagga the first New South Welshman to win the Brownlow; Shane Crawford (Finley) who won the Brownlow in 1999; and Wayne Carey (Wagga), who won the Leigh Matthews Trophy twice in the 1990s.

Notable players from Broken Hill include Dave Low, Robert Barnes and Bruce McGregor, who all won Magarey Medals in the 1910s and 1920s, and Jack Owens, a three-time South Australian National Football League (SANFL) leading goalkicker.

Players from Broken Hill include Roy Bent, Steve Hywood one of the best back flankers ever to play the game,[128] Dean Solomon, Brent Staker, and Taylor Walker.

[130] Some notable players made their name in leagues outside of Victoria include Lithgow born and Sydney raised West Australian Football Hall of Famer William "Nipper" Truscott, South Australian Football Hall of Famer Geoff Kingston and Balmain and Port Adelaide's Jack Ashley and West Torrens Dave Low.