The return of Inter-colonial football, VIC vs. SA
Although there has been an interchange of club visits between Victoria and South Australia nearly every winter, it is 10 years since representative teams of the two colonies have met on the field. In the meantime the game has made great progress in South Australia, and on one notable occasion a couple of seasons since the South Melbourne team, after winning the Victorian premiership, went over to Adelaide to play the Norwoods for the championship of Australia, and were soundly beaten in a series of matches. As a consequence a great deal of interest was manifested in the meeting of teams representative of Victoria and South Australia on the Melbourne Cricket-ground on Saturday.
The visiting team was the strongest the colony has ever sent into the field, and the Victorian twenty, while not satisfying some critics, was without question a splendid team. The interest taken in the match was shown in the attendance. The number of people who paid for admission was 16,072, and coupling this with the fact that the club reserves were crowded and that a large number of complimentary tickets were issued there could not have been fewer than 20,000 people watching the game.
Play was commenced punctually. Elms, who led the Victorians, lost the toss to Waldron, an old Carlton man, who captained the visitors, and has been now many years playing the game. The teams drew up, each gave the other three cheers and a tiger, and Worrall, the Victorian vice-captain, sent the ball away. The ruck on either side played a distinct game, the Victorians working along the wing, the South Australians to the centre. McGaffin, C. Woods, and Daly ran it up the mid-field, but the fleet Adams was too quick for them, and before the South Australians knew what had happened Grace, the crack Fitzroy forward, had marked splendidly from Finlay right in front of their posts. His try for goal was a rank failure. Tomlin, in the centre, for South Australia amazed his guards by his quick and sudden dashes, while Daly, who is reputed the best rover in South Australia, was justifying his reputation, and really doing more work than any three men on his side. One of his dashes was answered in equally effective fashion by the Melbourne back, Fox. Houston got an easy chance for goal, and in a half lazy way just missed the post.
So far the game lacked the keenness of a good club match, but with the two teams playing different games there was less ruck play than usual, and the game was really faster than it seemed. The Essendon pair, Ball and Rout, were too clever for their opponents, and in the midst of a hard struggle before the South Australian posts one of the defenders maladroitly placed the ball fairly in the arms of Burns, and five seconds later it skimmed between the posts - first goal for Victoria. As soon as they started again, Fry marked finely in the centre for the visitors. He played the ball on to Stevens, who passed it to McGaffin, and from the latter's kick Rowley marked fair in front of the Victorian posts. The goal was easily scored, and they were even. A quick exchange between Burns, Finlay, and Worrall, and the latter, with a long, low shot - a fine kick - got second goal for Victoria, but it was not long before Waldron passed to Rowley, who marked close in, and equalised the score for South Australia.
At quarter-time the score stood: Victoria, 2 goals 4 behinds, South Australia, 2 goals 1 behind.
On continuing the Victorians almost immediately scored Grace having added the third goal, Burns marked about 50 yards from the posts, but it was not too far for him, and a good fourth goal was scored. As half-time approached, both teams played an improved game, and the South Australians had the best of it. Again, it was chiefly through the sound work of Daly and Kempster that the forwards got their chance, and they made the best use of it. Monck marked to Rowley, and for the third time this clever forward scored for the visitors. His turn of bad luck came just afterwards. Through the efforts of Tomlin and Hamilton he had possession fairly in front, but missed an easy chance. South Australia were playing a dashing game, and only the fine marking of Elms and Ewing in turn saved the Victorians, helped somewhat by the cleverness of Purdy in the ruck.
Some of the neatest play of the day followed. Fry, Stevens, and Hamilton took possession, and as much by careful shepherding as anything else were able to score a beautiful goal for South Australia. As soon as play was resumed McKenzie had a try, and Ewing marked it right in goal. McGaffin had a try without going near, and the same player was in possession of the ball again when the bell rang, but he got flurried, and tried to mark to a companion, instead of going for goal.
At half-time the score was: Victoria, 4 goals 5 behinds, South Australia, 4 goals 2 behinds.
So far there had been every promise of a good game, though not an exceptionally fast one. It changed completely in the second half, and became brilliant as uneven, for the improvement was all on the side of the Victorians. For a moment it seemed that the opposite was the case, Bushby, Monck, Hamilton, Daly, Webb, and Kempster being all active, while their kicking was above all effective.
First Ewing, then, in turn, Banks and Adams relieved the strain on the Victorian end. McKee by pretty play gave Rowley a running shot, but he not only missed the goal but strained his knee, and was afterwards of little use to his side. McKay was playing an all round game for the Victorians, and certainly the neatest football of the forty. Buckley, through slipping, got a nasty blow on the eye from a comrade, and had to leave the field for a time, coming back afterwards with a bandage round his head. Next Angwin, Houston, Purdy, and McKay had exclusive possession, and with a running shot McKay scored sixth goal for Victoria.
Windley shone in the centre, and twice in succession after the visitors had forced it up the ground A. Smith brought it back again in dashing style, the St. Kilda player being seen to much advantage at this stage. Once he fairly beat two opponents. Monck played a rattling game, but the South Australians as a team were beaten. The faster the play became the more decided was the superiority of the Victorians. South Melbourne was again to the fore, Burns, Purdy, and O’Meara playing a perfect game, though Worrall kept the red and white from claiming all the credit. Houston and Webb on opposite sides, played a little game of checkmate, but there was no one to check Purdy and Ball. Through their efforts it passed to McKay, and though the distance was outside 50 yards he made a fine shot, and scored seventh goal for the home twenty. But it was got only after some of the finest play of the match. O’Meara in his neat way gave it to Purdy, and eighth goal was promptly punted.
At three-quarter time the scoring-board showed: Victoria, 8 goals 8 behinds, South Australia, 4 goals 3 behinds.
On continuing Burns got it from a fine rush along the wing, and he scored ninth goal for his side, C. Woods one of the South Australian goal kickers, had his first chance to score, and score he would had not one of his own side foolishly touched the ball as it passed between the posts. The tenth goal for Victoria was got by Grace, who, however, was much indebted to Worrall and McKay for the opportunity, Stevens, in the centre played prettily for the visitors, but their efforts were now merely spasmodic. Worrall was playing grandly for Victoria, and once, when Purdy made a bad try for goal, the Fitzroy captain marked it on the boundary just outside the behind post. There was very little clear space between the posts at that angle, but enough for Worrall and the ball, so the eleventh goal, and a remarkably good one, was scored. Worrall at this stage was as good as three men to his side, and his play was remarkable even in a team all members of which were playing brilliant football.
Adams and Angwin, on the one side, and Kempster on the other, showed some good football, and then South Australia got complete possession of the ball. An exchange of marks between Tomlin, Richards, Grayson, and Fry gave the latter a difficult chance for goal, but he got it, and was loudly cheered. On the kick off McKay was seen to much advantage. He passed to Purdy, who sent it on to Fleming, the Essendon captain having changed places with Burns forward. One of his fine long kicks brought twelfth goal to Victoria.
Waldron, who had not played anything like his customary game, came forward, and showed something like his real form. J.Woods got a chance for goal through Worrall holding the ball a bit too long. The shot was a real good one, and once more the two flags went up for South Australia. Rowley got possession close in a moment after, but with his damaged leg could do nothing with the ball and it was the last chance the visitors had. Adams got it, and made the run of the day, pretty well from one end to the other, but his success was in a large measure due to the admirable way in which Fox guarded him. The rally closed with McKay getting another goal for Victoria, and as the bell sounded the final score stood:
Victoria, 13 goals 8 behinds, South Australia, 6 goals 5 behinds.
After the first half there never was any doubt as to which was the better team. Briefly the Victorians outplayed their opponents in every department of the game. They were in much better condition, too, and the impression left by the match was that the game is faster and altogether more keen in Victoria than in the neighbouring colony at the present time. Traitt umpired the game in his usual perfect form, making it fast as an inter-colonial match should be, but his position was a pleasant one, for the game was played in the best possible spirit, and there were few breaches of the rules.
The following are the results of inter-colonial matches between Victoria and South Australia:
June 28, 1879 at Melbourne: Victoria, 7 goals 14 behinds; South Australia, 8 behinds.
July 5, 1879 at Melbourne: Victoria, 4 goals 9 behinds; South Australia, 1 goal 4 behinds.
August 14, 1880 at Adelaide: Victoria, 5 goals 13 behinds; South Australia, 2 goals 7 behinds.
August 21, 1880 at Adelaide: Victoria, 3 goals 21 behinds; South Australia, 6 behinds.
August 20, 1881 at Melbourne: Victoria, 9 goals 22 behinds; South Australia, 1 goal 8 behinds.
August 24, 1881 at Melbourne: Victoria, 4 goals 13 behinds; South Australia, 1 goal 5 behinds.
July 5, 1890 at Melbourne: Victoria, 13 goals 3 behinds; South Australia, 6 goals 6 behinds.
Footnotes
Title: The Inter-colonial football match. Victoria v. South Australia. A win for Victoria. Author: Argus Staff Writer Publisher: The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria, 1848 - 1957) Date: Monday, 7 July 1890, p.7 (Article) Web: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/8415097
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