Port Phillip Herald 16 May 1859 (Monday)

The Argus 16 May 1859 (Monday)

Cricket is out; football is in !" So said the throng of hearty, frollicking, holiday-loving boys we encountered on entering the Richmond paddock last Saturday afternoon. The first game of the season was played on this day between two sides chosen by Messrs. Bryant and Smith.

A preliminary meeting of gentlemen interested in the game was subsequently held at the Parade Hotel, with the object of forming a "Football Club." A list of fifty-one members was submitted, and from amongst them the following were selected as a committee to draw up rules, etc.: - Messrs. Wills, Hammersley, Bruce, Smith, and Wray. Mr Sewell was appointed treasurer; and Mr J B Thompson, secretary of the club.

The football campaign opened on Saturday in the Richmond Paddock with a game played between sides chosen by Messrs Smith and Bryant.

[At a subsequent meeting] a secretary, treasurer, and committee of five were appointed to conduct the affairs of the club, in which about 60 gentlemen have already enrolled themselves. The committee will meet on Tuesday afternoon, to draw up a code of rules. This proceeding is the more necessary as exceptions were taken last year to some of the Rugby regulations, which even a perusal of Tom Browns Schooldays has not made altogether palatable to other than old Rugbians.

The Argus 27 April 1860 (Friday)

Port Phillip Herald 28 April 1860 (Saturday)

The Melbourne Football Club holds its first annual meeting this day in the MCC pavilion, when a numerous attendance is expected. The season may almost be pronounced as commenced, but will probably be fairly inaugurated by a match between the Melbourne and Richmond clubs in about a fortnights time. Anticipated players on both sides are already taking their breathings every afternoon in the different training-grounds.

Football has now taken the place of cricket, and the various clubs are preparing for their winter campaign.

A meeting was held in the pavilion on the Melbourne ground yesterday, when the Melbourne Football Club of last year was revived, and a new committee, consisting of Messrs T W Wills, T H Smith, A Bruce, J B Thompson, R Morrison, and W Hammersley, with Mr S Woolley, as hon.sec. and treasurer. The first match will be played on the 12th, with twenty men on either side.

Port Phillip Herald 16 May 1859 (Monday)

The Argus 16 May 1859 (Monday)

Cricket is out; football is in !" So said the throng of hearty, frollicking, holiday-loving boys we encountered on entering the Richmond paddock last Saturday afternoon. The first game of the season was played on this day between two sides chosen by Messrs. Bryant and Smith.

A preliminary meeting of gentlemen interested in the game was subsequently held at the Parade Hotel, with the object of forming a "Football Club." A list of fifty-one members was submitted, and from amongst them the following were selected as a committee to draw up rules, etc.: - Messrs. Wills, Hammersley, Bruce, Smith, and Wray. Mr Sewell was appointed treasurer; and Mr J B Thompson, secretary of the club.

The football campaign opened on Saturday in the Richmond Paddock with a game played between sides chosen by Messrs Smith and Bryant.

[At a subsequent meeting] a secretary, treasurer, and committee of five were appointed to conduct the affairs of the club, in which about 60 gentlemen have already enrolled themselves. The committee will meet on Tuesday afternoon, to draw up a code of rules. This proceeding is the more necessary as exceptions were taken last year to some of the Rugby regulations, which even a perusal of Tom Browns Schooldays has not made altogether palatable to other than old Rugbians.

The Argus 21 May 1859 (Saturday)

The Argus 27 April 1860 (Friday)

Advertisement

Football – Members of the Melbourne Football Club are requested to assemble in Richmond Paddock at 1 pm

JB Thompson, Hon. Sec.

Advertisement

MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB – A MEETING of MEMBERS is called for THIS DAY, at 4.30 pm, at the Pavilion, Melbourne Ground.

J B Thompson, Hon Secretary

No direct evidence found to support claims that the award ever existed, a surprise given that  supporters of the award tout it as being second in prestige to the Brownlow.

Indexes to The Argus (Melbourne) for 1860-79, 1910-1949 make no reference to the Champion award, but after 1924 when the Brownlow Medal began, that award is consistently shown in the index. Jack Donnellys Football Guide (pub. 1947) and Hugh Buggys Lets Look At Football (pub. 1951) both give details of the Brownlow up to date of publication, but make no reference whatsoever to the alleged Champion of the Colony award.

T Wills (1856 winner according to Champion list)

 - How is this possible? Wills was in England for few years until arriving back in Melbourne on 23^rd December 1856.

G Bruce (1858 winner according to Champion list, player from Richmond Cricketers FC)

- No such football club is known to have existed

G Coulthard (1876, 1877 and 1879 winner according to Champion list)

- 1877 season didn�t start until May. Coulthard was in Sydney for a fair portion of the season until near the end of September that year. His obituary in The Australasian issue of 27 October 1883 does not refer to him winning any Champion award at all.

H Gavin (1903 winner according to Champion list)

 - Gavin didn�t even play in Victoria that year. He was playing in the Goldfields competition in Western Australia!

Australian Football Championship Official Programme 1953

Australian Football Championship Official Programme 1956

p.8: under heading All-Australian Team

�At the conclusion of this year�s championship the Executive of the ANFC will select an All-Australian team from players competing in the championship series. The players so chosen will be presented with special Australian team blazers to mark the occasion.�

p.34: under heading Second All-Australian Team

�The second all-Australian team will be announced following the conclusion of today�s match between West Australia and the Victorian Football League. The first all-Australian team was selected after the conclusion of the 1953 Australian Championship at Adelaide.�

The Australasian 1 May 1897 (Saturday)

The Australasian 8 May 1897 (Saturday)

In accordance with VFA rules, which, in this particular, differ from those adopted by the league, only 18 men will be played on each side, an innovation that will be watched with interest, as it is calculated to go far towards opening out the play.

The ten yards minimum for marks opened out the play in last week�s games, and already the connoisseur proclaims it a success. Let it be remembered, however, that last week�s games were played with only 18 men per team. Moreover, the two men were in nearly every case removed from the ruck, a fact that must have played a material part in the reduction of the crush about the ball. Perhaps it is a pity the league held out so obstinately for their 20 men a side.

The Australasian 18 Sept. 1897 (Saturday)

The Herald 28 April 1899 (Friday)

[Everyone who has watched VFA matches, emphatically asserts,] that the reduction from 20 men to 18 per team has, in conjunction with the ten yards minimum, vastly improved the game.

The one big change adopted by the League this season has been applauded all round, and it is seldom that an innovation meets with such unanimous approval as that under notice, namely, the reduction of the number of players from twenty to eighteen men a-side.

South Australian Register 1 May 1877 (Tuesday)

The Argus 9 May 1877 (Wednesday)

News item under headline Football Association

stated that on the previous evening [30 April] at the Prince Alfred Hotel a meeting of delegates from most football clubs in the colony had met and formed the SAFA, with Mr N Twopenny elected as Honorary Secretary, and Mr JR Osborne as Honorary Treasurer.

A preliminary meeting of the honorary secretaries of the senior clubs was held at Oliver�s Caf�, on Monday evening last�[after discussion of suggested rule changes] �It was also suggested that an association, to be called the Victorian Football Association, should be formed, to have the entire control and management of all intercolonial football matches. It was proposed that the association should consist of delegates from all senior clubs which would acknowledge certain necessary conditions. The whole of the suggestions as well as the proposed alterations in the rules, will be submitted to a meeting of delegates from all the senior clubs, to be held on the 17^th inst.

The Argus 18 May 1877 (Friday)

The Argus 19 May 1877 (Saturday)

A meeting of delegates from the various football clubs held at Oliver�s Caf� yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of considering the rules of the proposed Victorian Football Association. Mr H Budd was in the chair, and after a number of the amendments had been made in the rules the meeting was adjourned until Friday next, to allow of the amendments made in the rules being printed.

At a meeting of representatives of Football Clubs, held at Oliver�s caf� on Thursday evening, the Victorian Football Association was formed, and a set of rules was adopted.

THE ARGUS 2 August 1879 (Saturday)

THE HERALD 5 August 1879 (Tuesday)

Advertisement -

GRAND EXHIBITION of the ELECTRIC LIGHT

GRAND MILITARY FOOTBALL MATCH between E.M. [East Melbourne] ARTILLERY CORPS and COLLINGWOOD RIFLE CORPS

on the MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND on Tuesday Evening, 5th AUGUST

When the ground will be lighted up for the match by at least five first-class ELECTRIC LIGHTING MACHINES and make the GRANDEST EXHIBITION OF OUTDOOR LIGHTING that has ever been shown hitherto.

Admission 1s. Grand Stand 1s. extra

Gates open 7 o�clock. Commence 8.

The football match which is to be played on the Melbourne Cricket Ground this evening by the aid of the electric light, between two volunteer teams, is likely to prove very attractive. Several military bands will be in attendance, and the arrangements for the display of the electric light which have been made by Mr Draper are most complete. There will also be a tug of war. As the weather promises to be fine, there will probably be a very large attendance.

THE ARGUS 6 August 1879 (Wednesday)

The announcement that a football match would be played on the Melbourne cricket ground by electric light last evening was sufficient to induce a very large crowd to stand on the damp ground and brave the cold night air for a couple of hours to see the game. The play was announced to commence at 8 o�clock, but long before that time the spectators were arriving in a constant stream. The grand stand and members pavilion were dimly lighted up by a few kerosene lamps, the electric lights not being started until the time arrived for commencing the game. There were a great many boys on the ground, who appeared to enjoy themselves amazingly in the darkness. The grand stand was kept by a detachment of the Garrison Artillery, under the command of Captain Stubbs, while a guard of volunteers kept the outsiders from clambering over the fence. This guard was relieved at frequent intervals, and the marching and counter-marching of these bodies of volunteers gave the place an appearance of a camp.

At last the competing teams from the East Melbourne Artillery and Collingwood Rifles marched from the reserve into the gloom amid a cheer from the few who knew what was going on. The electric light was then turned on from five points surrounding the ground. The appearance of the ground was very peculiar, being something between strong moonlight and twilight, with brilliant points opposite the lights. The Collingwood team took the north side, facing the East Melbourne Artillery on the south, but there were no distinguishing badges by which the spectators could tell the men. The lights were fitful. The one on the opposite side to the stand and close to the engine burned badly from the first, and soon went out altogether.

The play did not excite much interest, as the men were continually going out of sight into dark patches, and the ball, though painted white, required too much of an effort for the eye to follow it. The play was much in favour of the Artillery team, and several times the ball was forced behind so close to the goal posts that the spectators thought a goal had been kicked. At last, just before half time was called, the East Melbourne Artillery team obtained a goal out of a scrimmage.

During the half time there was what is called a 'tug of war' between 20 members of the East Melbourne Artillery and the same number of the Collingwood Rifles. The affair caused a great deal of amusement. The Artillery men being used to drawing heavy guns about, were more than a match for their opponents, and slowly but surely drew them over the line. Play was then resumed, and after some time a second goal was obtained for the Artillery team. After playing a little longer the Collingwood players suspected they were opposed by more than 20 men, and ceased playing to count their opponents. They stated there were 21 Artillery men, which was stoutly denied by the latter.

The spectators believing the game was over, thronged on to the ground, and the match ended in some confusion. The evening was bitterly cold, and standing about on the damp ground was so uncomfortable that many left after the tug of war. The attendance was fully as large as was expected. It was stated that at one time there were fully 10,000 persons on the ground. A large crowd of people loitered about outside the ground while the match was on. The electric light was under the management of Lieutenant Draper. The bands of the Engineers and Collingwood Rifles were on the ground, and played at intervals during the evening.