The history of Victorian football
The interesting article in The Winner of August 12 on the birth of the game here was appropriately written by the ‘Father of Victorian Football’, Mr. H. C. A. Harrison. It dealt with the period up to the end of the sixties when the game had acquired a firm public support.
The oldest clubs
Two items in Mr Harrison's article are of special interest—the meeting of delegates from the four leading clubs in 1866, and the first rules and definitions fixed by them under the able presidency of Mr. Harrison. The clubs represented were Melbourne, Carlton, South Yarra (afterwards merged into St. Kilda, if I remember rightly), and Royal Park (subsequently playing as Hotham and later as North Melbourne). Geelong was even then a formidable rival to these clubs, and ranks, I think, with Melbourne and Carlton as the three oldest of those still playing. Albert Park (afterwards South Melbourne) must have come into prominence very soon afterwards, for I can remember them playing Geelong in the early seventies. The presence of the famous cricketer, W. ‘Billy’ Midwinter, in their ranks made a lasting impression on my youthful mind; as his solid weight did on the bodies of his opponents. Essendon was rather later on the scene, and Williamstown ranks as one of the oldest clubs. There were several which played in the pennant matches during the seventies, but have long been extinct, such as East and West Melbourne. Fitzroy was admitted to the Association about 1885 [sic, 1883], and Collingwood some seven years later. University has frequently been represented, but has always been handicapped by the difficulty of keeping a team composed in the main of the previous season's players, owing to the temporary nature of their stay at their Alma Mater.
Wonderful set of rules
Mr Harrison, with characteristic modesty, takes no credit to himself for drafting in 1866 a set of rules which has stood the test of nearly 50 years’ experience and still forms the basis of our national game today. The principal alterations that have been rendered necessary by the modern development of the game are as follow:
- 1) Behinds are now counted in the score.
- 2) The ball is bounced in the centre instead of being kicked off from there at the commencement and after each goal
- 3) Boundary umpires have been appointed.
- 4) The rules on to pushing and holding have been made more stringent.
Old grounds
Mr Harrison refers to a match, Carlton v. Melbourne, played on the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1876. This must have been an exception, I think, because two years later the famous match between Melbourne and Geelong, to decide the premiership of 1880, was played on the former's ground in Richmond Paddock, just outside the M.C.G oval. I well remember the reversible stand, which enabled people to see the football matches during the winter, and the cricket contests in the summer. This was the only grandstand possessed by any of the football clubs, and the grounds (except the famous Argyle green at Geelong) were unfenced, the boundaries being marked by flags.
Carlton and Hotham played in the Royal Park, South at Albert Park, St. Kilda at the southern end, nearly opposite the George Hotel, and Essendon at McCracken's paddock, in that suburb. For several seasons after the cricket grounds were utilised for football, the game was only allowed to be played on them up to the middle of the season, so that the turf might not be injured.
Famous names in the early seventies
I can well remember some of the celebrities referred to in Mr Harrison's memories. For instance the great Tommy Wills was captain of Geelong in the early seventies, though fast getting into what Artemus Ward calls 'the sheer and yeller leaf', but his brother Egbert was a magnificent player, then in his prime. The former was succeeded as captain by George Down, and then by George Day; and other famous players for the 'All Whites' (the Pivotonians didn't adopt the dark blue and white uniforms till late in the seventies), were Ted Nicholls, Sam Dickenson, and George Steedman.
Ben James was Carlton's captain, followed by J. Donovan and J. Gardiner (father of its present crack forward, Vin). Other great players for the famous 'Blues' were Goer, G. Robertson, Dedman, and Paddy Gunn.
Melbourne had some stars in the Bakers (Fred and Charlie), Larry Bell, Bennie 'Specs’ (as he always played in glasses), Lamrock, Sillett, and Jack Booth. St Kilda had Jack Hamilton, Tom Riddell, the Routs, and Dick McDonald. Hotham [had] Fuhrop, Lee. 'Tiger' Gardiner (who also has a son playing for his old team), and later the great follower Joey Tankard.
Attractive games to watch
In many aspects the matches were more attractive to watch than those of the present day. The former represented the triumph of individualism, the latter, the results of combination. Runs from end to end of the ground were comparatively frequent, the marking and kicking were brilliant, and the games, if rough, were usually fair and manly. The players entered the arena from pure love of the sport, and there was no such thing as gate money. Carlton and Melbourne were the star clubs until 1878, when Geelong came to its zenith by the introduction of a concerted system, which may be said to have inaugurated the modern game.
Geelong introduces the modern system
The year 1878 marks an epoch in Victorian-football. Up till then Melbourne and Carlton had been undoubtedly the two best clubs, but from time to time throughout that season reports came up to the city of a wonderful team that had been got together at Geelong, and
club after club returned from the Pivot soundly beaten. There was, therefore, great interest shown in the last match of the season between Melbourne, the best metropolitan team of the year, and Geelong, which had not lost a match. An enormous crowd flocked to the Richmond paddock to witness the game. Fences were erected especially for the occasion, and the reversible seats of the grandstand of the M.C.C. were turned outward and facing the north.
A hard ground and a gravel bath
The playing area would have made a present day player shudder. It was as hard and bare as a rock, and a raised gravel path ran diagonally across it. This was the home ground of the M.F.C. [Melbourne Football Club] and also of the Scotch College, and I well remember an acrimonious correspondence taking place that year between Downes, the secretary of the 'Scotch' Sporting Committee, and myself in a similar capacity for Wesley College. Wesley and Geelong Grammar both protested against playing any longer on a ground that their Head Masters considered positively dangerous. The correspondence will be found in the earliest volume of the Scotch College paper, and is of interest in view of the last great premiership match played on that ground.
A popular team and a great game
Geelong has always been a popular team on metropolitan grounds. No doubt this is partly from a recognition of the courtesy due to visitors, partly from the fact that they always play a fine, open, manly game; but principally because the crowd recognises the handicap they are under in coming 45 miles to play every alternate match, while the Melbourne clubs have to do this only once in the season. That is what renders Geelong almost invincible on their own ground, and also makes it exceedingly difficult for them to do themselves justice on those of the metropolis.
The two teams got a great reception on coming out from the M.C.C. dressing rooms, and up to half time the game was most exciting, the goals being level. Behinds, of course, were not counted in those days, and there was only one interval and change of ends. Both teams had a well deserved reputation as stayers, and the supporters of each were quite confident their men would win.
Remarkable change
A remarkable change came over the scene from the resumption of the game. Jimmy Wilson and George Watson stood in the centre of the ground for Geelong and the ball never got past them. Time after time the Melbourne backs and ruck would clear their goal, and work the ball half way, but back it would come from a mighty kick by one of these champions, and be landed well on towards the Melbourne goal, where Percy Douglass, Bob Booth, and other star forwards knew most thoroughly what to do with it. Also, for the first time in the history of Victorian football, a system of concerted play was introduced—the famous 'little marks' by which the Geelong forwards passed to one another, and were enabled to get deliberate shots at goal. The result was that they won easily by about four goals.
Great players
One is tempted to linger over the description of the great players who took part in that historic match. First, Jimmy Wilson, to my mind the best player who ever kicked a football. His transcendent merit was that he could play a first-class game anywhere and always opposed the best man on the other side. Also, I think he was the best captain I ever saw, and his lightest word was cheerfully and loyally obeyed. Unfortunately, he had to give up the game after a comparatively short career owing to a tendency to rheumatism. The many admirers of a great sportsman will be glad to know that he still keeps up his cricket, and is one of the main stays of the Drysdale team.
Besides those already mentioned, the Geelong twenty in those days comprised the great Ben Hall, the finest and most consistent kick I have seen (with due respect to the merits of the famous Thurgood), and the burly George Stephen and ‘Tommy’ Austin, now the Hon. Albert Austin, M.L.C. reliable backs. Jack Sandilands and Billy Wilson [were] mighty men of valor in the ruck, and Arthur Christy, the most deadly of goal sneaks. In fact, every member of the team was a fine player and they all pulled together like clockwork.
Melbourne, too, had some magnificent players. 'Toppy' Longden (a Geelong boy, by the way), unequalled in the ruck, and solidly supported there by Bennie ('Specs'), those very fine forwards, Fred and Charlie Baker, Jack Booth (Bob's elder brother), and a trio from the Scotch College in Lamrock, Downes and Simpson, with Bob Sillett, then a master there, and a great left foot kick.
Three years undefeated
The system introduced by Geelong simply paralysed the other clubs. For three years the Blue and Whites were unbeaten—easily a record in Victorian football. I well remember their defeat on the East Melbourne Ground by Carlton in 1881. The onlookers were staggered, but it was a good thing for the game. That season Geelong finished second, but the next three saw them again premiers on each occasion—six firsts and one second in seven years.
One of the pleas for replacing the old system of deciding the premiership on the results of home-and-home matches by the present method of semi-finals and finals was that if one club was a long way ahead of the others, all interest in the matches would be gone. That certainly was not the case in the early eighties. Every time the champions appeared, crowds welcomed them, partly to see their fine play and partly in the hope that their own particular team might be the one to lower the flag of the Pivotonians.
Queen's birthday matches—Hotham v Geelong
I cannot conclude without a reference to the great Queen's Birthday matches between Hotham and Geelong on the East Melbourne Ground. What triumphs of skill and endurance they were! It was well worthwhile attending just to see those two great followers, 'Joey' Tankard and 'Tiger' Gardiner, follow unchanged for Hotham throughout with unflagging zeal and wonderful effect, just as Henry Young did later for 18 out of his 20 years splendid service for the one club [Geelong]. Those who have tried the ruck for one quarter out of the four will know what it must mean to keep following for the whole game.
Premiership returns to the metropolis
Like all other systems, that of the 'little marks' became overdone; the 'little' grew less and less and the 'marks' more than doubtful. The later eighties saw the premiership wrested from Geelong and brought triumphantly to the metropolis in the capable hands, or I should say feet, of South Melbourne.
Supremacy of South
The Geelong lien on the premiership extended with two breaks from 1878 to 1886 inclusive. During those nine seasons the blue and whites were first seven times, second once, and third once. For three consecutive seasons they were unbeaten, and for another similar period premiers. The two breaks were in 1881 and 1885, when South Melbourne were at the top. In 1887 Carlton won the pennant, but only held it for the one year, and 1888, 1889, and 1890 saw South premiers each season.
The flag that had floated so long on the shores of Corio Bay was transferred to the beautiful oval that adorns the margin of Albert Park Lake. What a fine roomy, breezy ground it is, and with its sandy soil it is by far the best metropolitan oval in anything approaching wet weather. The well-kept stands and neatly trimmed bowling green show that cricket and football are not the only attractions on the Hill.
A very great team
In the eighties the South twenty (for the number of players was not reduced to 18 till much later) was, for even merit, as fine a body of footballers as ever took the field. It was a genuine pleasure to see them playing either of their principal rivals—Geelong or Essendon, or Carlton—though the latter in the early nineties seemed to die away, and did not again come prominently to the front till about 12 years ago [1902]. The captains were Gil Major, succeeded by Sonny Elms, and great generals they were. Perhaps the cleverest and quickest player in the team was little Jimmy Young, nicknamed 'Diddlie’, because of his prowess as an ‘artful dodger’. Small as he was, he was so sturdy that he was as hard to shift as many a player twice his size. Other shining lights were Windley, who shares with Henry Young of Geelong, the distinction of playing 20 years for the one team; Dinny McKay, a great all-round man; and Harry Latchford, most reliable of place kickers.
The years 1886 and 1887 saw three particular stars join the Red and White ranks from Ballarat— George McKenzie, Harry Purdy and the 'immortal' Peter Burns. What a trio these were! It was a lucky day for South, and an evil one for Ballarat when they decided to migrate to the metropolis. But one must not linger too long even over such a team as then wore the red and white stripes— to my mind a much prettier uniform than the present white with a red sash—so must pass on to consider the next stages, when the Red and Black ousted the red and white.
The same old Essendon
From 1890 to 1893 the premier pennant was removed from Albert Park to new quarters at East Melbourne, and for a time it looked as if it was to be permanently located there. Four years in succession was Essendon at the top—a new record, and one which has never been equaled before or since.
No doubt the change from the breezy, sandy Hill to the cramped and muddy surroundings of the new ground was a big handicap against South, and Geelong have never overcome their superstition that ill luck dogs their footsteps at East Melbourne. Still it is probably no more against them than the big grounds are against Essendon and Richmond, because they are not used to them. I do not suppose any team ever had such a strong and loyal body of supporters as Essendon had in those palmy days. How they used to roar out their chorus at each goal—
The same old Essendon they used to be
The same old Essendon, premiers shall see
You can take your straightest tip,
They're off for Premiership,
For they're always the same old Essendon
Well might their supporters wax poetical over such a team—the mighty Thurgood, probably with Ben Hall of Geelong, the finest forward who ever played; the safe and sure Ned Officer, full back; Billy Fleming, the great captain and half-back; that grand old follower, Charles 'Tracker' Forbes (whose mantle and nickname worthily descended to his great successor, Henry Young (the Geelong marvel), and his sturdy assistants in the ruck, Jack Mouritz and Reg 'Bung' Wilmot; Billy Crebbin, one of the brainiest footballers we ever had; W. J. Schutt, a success both forward and back, and Stewart Angwin, a beautiful wing man.
The long arm of coincidence
Collingwood is said to have lost its place in the four through taking a too prolonged trip in the recent vacation. Essendon lost the premiership one year through stress of weather delaying their return from Tasmania, as that they had to drive from Queenscliff and meet Geelong—nearly always invincible on their own ground. I was mentioning this incident in the Fitzroy reserve a few years ago, when a gentleman in front of me turned round, and said that it was quite true, and he had played in the match referred to. A fortnight later I told both incidents to a friend on the Echuca ground when that team was playing Kyabram for the local premiership. Again a gentleman in front corroborated, as one who had played in the match. I have stood on that record, and not mentioned the occasion again till now.
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To the Editor of 'The Winner.'
Sir,— I get 'The Winner' every week, and I think'it is the best sporting paper I have seen. The articles re old times of football have interested many over here. There are many old cracks of the seventies and later in this State, such as Barney Murphy, Dick Frayne, Billy Walton (Carlton), Dolly Christie, Barney Grecian (Geelong), and many others whose names I have forgotten. I have often been asked by old followers of the game about the first intercolonial match, but I am not quite sure, so I could not answer. I think it was Victoria v. South Australia, at the end of the seventies. You would oblige if you would publish the names of the respective teams.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully, Croweater, Stirling Street, Perth, W.A., August 27.
[Ed - The Winner]: We have made inquiries as to the composition of the teams of the first intercolonial match, but without success. Have you applied to the Victorian League? It appears, however, that intercolonial football matches did not commence till years later than the period dealt with so interestingly by Mr C. L. Andrews, to whose article you refer. You are right in saying that in the seventies an intercolonial club match was played. In 1878 the late Mr J. F. Hamilton, then captain of St. Kilda, took over a team to Adelaide, of course by boat, as the train was not running in those days. The St. Kilda team then played in the park nearly opposite the George Hotel, and comprised Tom Riddell, M. Routs, Alf Walker, H. W. Bryant, H. W. Oakley (the Wesley College captain), and Dick McDonnell, as well as the experienced and sportsmanlike captain. Your remarks about 'The Winner' are appreciated.
Footnotes
Title: History of Victorian football
Author: C.D. Andrews
Publisher: Winner (Melbourne, Vic: 1914-1917)
Date: Wednesday, 19 August, 1914, p.8 (Article)
Link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155525521
Date: Wednesday, 9 September, 1914, p.6 (Article)
Link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155523770
Date: Wednesday, 16 September, 1914, p.6 (Article)
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