1925 - New clubs, new rules, new era
The opening of the football season on Saturday was marked by great enthusiasm. The attendances were larger than ever, and the general standard of play was admirable. The outstanding feature was the immediate and universal success of the new rule, which provides that a free-kick must be awarded every time the ball is kicked out of bounds. Whatever opposition there may have been to the innovation was immediately swept aside, and on all sides one heard expressions of approval.
There was no unsightly ruck scrambling, nor scuffing on the boundaries, the use of the elbow became a lost art, and instead of slowing down the game, as was predicted, the tendency was to increase the pace. It was remarkable how tactics were altered and players, because of the restriction on the boundaries, soon realised that the shortest way to an opponent's goal was by the direct line.
Mr. C. M. Hickey, the hon sec. of the Australian Football Council, was delighted at the success of the rule, and general regret was expressed that Mr. John Worrall, who has always been an advocate of the innovation, was not well enough to see any of the games. He has been seriously ill for some weeks, but it is good to know that he is improving.
An extraordinary feature of the application of the new rule was that, whereas it was supposed that the slow, burly followers would be prejudiced, they, as a matter of fact, were benefited. There was no need for them to race for the boundary, to be up at the throw-in; no necessity for them to be interfering with the other man, and the result was that some, who have been sacrificing their skill in unseemly scuffling in the pack, were able to play real football.
No innovation, in my recollection, has so speedily or universally been so successful, and the framers of the rule are to be congratulated on the improvement it has elicited. It makes for pace; it makes the keeping of places more important than ever; it relieves an overworked ruck of much unnecessary and unsightly work; it tends to keep the play open, and should minimise undue roughness. I look forward to seeing a revival of two most attractive features of the Australian game, viz., long kicking and running with the ball.
The alteration of the rule regarding handball, which I have advocated for years, whereby the ball must be punched instead of being passed by a camouflaged throw, was also generally approved. Players were not so ready to fall into line in this matter, but it was not to be expected that the habits of a lifetime could be easily altered. However this will soon be remedied.
In every way the opening day was satisfactory, for the three new clubs showed themselves well up to League standard, and this confirmed the view I have always held, that the ability of the leading Association, clubs is not far behind the League.
The new clubs
The three new clubs in the League, Footscray, North Melbourne, and Hawthorn, must have felt that the other clubs and the public generally were receiving them with open arms on Saturday.
At Fitzroy the welcome of Footscray was almost overwhelming. The crowd cheered the visitors enthusiastically as they came out, and also when they left the field, and the applause which greeted their successes did not come from Footscray alone. At half-time the Footscray officials were welcomed and entertained by the Fitzroy committee. Messrs. D. W. Chandler (president), J. Gray (vice-president), and M. Clota (delegate), expressed their pleasure at seeing Footscray in the League, and wished them luck. Messrs. J. Hocking (vice president), W. Hunter (chairman of committees), and C. Newbould (secretary), returned thanks, Mr. Hunter remarking that the League would lose no dignity in having Footscray in its ranks. After the game Messrs. Chandler, M. E. Green (secretary), and J. Atkinson (captain) visited Footscray in their room and congratulated them on their fine manly play, and the great fight they had put up. Mr. Green said he wished to assure Footscray and the other clubs just admitted that they were in the League for all time. The only thing that could put them out would be themselves. It was wrong to think they would only be in the League for a year or two. The League was out to do its best for football, and to have the best clubs under its banner. Subsequently the Footscray team were entertained by the Fitzroy committee.
Hawthorn were at home to Richmond and so were the hosts, but Richmond took every opportunity of congratulating them. The mayor of Hawthorn (Councillor Rigby) addressed the teams before they entered the field. Subsequently the Hawthorn club entertained the Richmond players and officials. Mr. Kennon, the Hawthorn president, expressed the pleasure his club had at being in the League, and said they were glad that their first match should be against their neighbours from Richmond. Mr. J. Archer, the Richmond president, in thanking the Hawthorn club, said how pleased all the League clubs were to see Hawthorn in the League, and his club had been delighted at the game Hawthorn had played. He wished Hawthorn every success. Messrs. Percy Page (secretary) and H. L. Roberts (delegate) proposed the health of the Hawthorn club, and Mr. W. Hulse (vice-president) responded. The Richmond captain (Dan Minogue) also spoke, and said the Hawthorn men had given them a great surprise. He expected an easy game, but Hawthorn made them go all the way, and he, prophesied a successful season for them.
Geelong laid themselves out to welcome North Melbourne, and their guests more than justified the good things said of them by beating their hosts. Senator Guthrie, the mayor of Geelong (Councillor Ritchie), and the president of the club welcomed the visitors to Geelong and to the League, and when they had been beaten, went into the dressing-room again and congratulated their conquerors. After the match the president of the North Melbourne club entertained his team at dinner at the Oriental Hotel, Geelong. The delight of the North Melbourne people, who went by a crowded special train to Geelong, was unbounded, the more so because the victory was well earned.
Geelong's Memorial stand
The new grandstand recently built on the Corio Cricket-ground as a memorial to two of the most prominent sportsmen in Geelong, the late Charles Brownlow and the late Henry Young, was officially opened by Senator Guthrie, himself an old player of the Geelong club, during the half-time interval of the Geelong-North Melbourne football match on Saturday. The North Melbourne club was represented by Mr. P. Sullivan (president), Rev. D. Daley, Messrs. G. Ravenhall, T. Harrison, J. Stewart, J. Connolly, and S. Thomas. Senator Guthrie referred to the fine services rendered to Geelong by the late Charles Brownlow and late Henry Young, not only to football, but in other sports.
Attendances and receipts
The hearts of treasurers must have been warmed by the substantial gate receipts, and every club showed an increase in membership. At Essendon more than £1,000 was received in this way, and other clubs were similarly successful. The five League games in Melbourne attracted more than 110,000 spectators, and allowing for those looking on at the Association and various junior matches it is estimated that more than 150,000 people watched the various games in the metropolitan area.
Footnotes
Title: The season opened. New clubs and rules Author: Old Boy Publisher: The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria, 1848-1957) Date: Monday, 4 May 1925, p.9 (Article)
Comments
Carl Rayson 12 November 2015
Imagine waiting until May for the footy to start
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