The birth of Carnival football
1908 - The Birth of carnival football
OUR Australian game may be said to have reached its maturity both in technique and prestige by 1908, when the first Australasian Football Jubilee Carnival was staged in Melbourne. This gathering of footballers from all six States and New Zealand was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the game in 1858. Victoria easily won the first and only Australasian championship. No other side could get within eight goals of the Victorians.
Two years earlier, in 1906, the Australasian Football Council - forerunner of the present Australian National Football Council was formed. Mr. Con Hickey was first president, and the council included Mr. E. L. McKeon as New Zealand delegate. New Zealand, however, did not take part in any carnival after that of 1908.
Straw boaters were worn
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With the arrival of the competing teams a new color note appeared in Melbourne traffic tides as players and officials moved around. All wore white straw boaters, with bands in the colors of their uniforms. Victoria's color, as now, was dark blue, and New South Wales players wore royal blue.
Tasmanians appeared in myrtle green, with vivid yellow braces; Queensland wore maroon, and West Australians then pranced on the field in emerald green and gold. They have since changed to orange and black. South Australia in 1908 wore brown and light blue instead of the red and yellow of today.
Queensland then had been playing the Australian game for only four years.¹ Tasmanians had known no other style of football since their childhood.
Newspaper writers of the period let their pens go in covering the story of the teams' march past before the then Victorian Governor, Sir Thomas Gibson Carmichael. They told how -
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The New Zealanders startled the Governor with a Maori war cry, and the Queenslanders followed with an equally blood-thirsty aborigine battle cry.
Competitors for the Australasian championship were divided into two sections. The first comprised Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia, representing the States where the game was strongest. The second group included Queensland, New South Wales. Tasmania, and New Zealand.
Only 8,000 fans saw the opening day's play, and 15,500 watched the final game. Those crowds were small by present standards, but in 1908 the record League crowds were between 30,000 and 35,000.
An elaborate souvenir booklet was prepared for the occasion. It included brief histories of all the Victorian League teams, and of the valions inter-state sides and leading clubs in other States.
New Zealand's success
First surprise was the excellent form shown by the New Zealanders in their first game of League football on Australian soil. They met N.S.W., and trailed 26 points at half-time. Then, playing a hurricane last quarter, they snatched a one-point victory on the last kick of the match - 9-9 to 8-14.
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The second game saw the setting of a pattern which for more than 30 years tended to dull the interest of fans in these games. Tasmania piled up 22-22 against 2-2 by the inexperienced Queenslanders. It was the first of a long list of one-sided interstate matches which have not helped the game.
Worse was to follow. Victoria, a powerful side selected on a basis free from club inhibitions, overwhelmed the chirpy New Zealanders. The State side, playing as if at practice, totted up 25-21 to 5-10. Dave McNamara and Dick Lee each kicked six goals.
Victoria's side that year included most of the League champions of the day. Five top-line players were selected from Carlton, premiers in 1906 and 1907; two from Fitzroy, South Melbourne, Essendon, and Collingwood, and one each from Geelong. Melbourne, Richmond, University, and St. Kilda. There were no reserves or emergencies.
Geelong stalwart Henry Young, was captain, and H. Purse, of Melbourne, vice-captain. Fitzroy provided "Tich" Bailes and "Boxer" Milne; Carlton, George Bruce, Rod McGregor, "Mallee" Johnson, Harvey Kelly, and Payne; Essendon, Pat Shea and W. Busbridge; South Melbourne, Bert Franks and Woods (sic)²; Collingwood, Dick Lee and A. Nash (sic)³; St. Kilda, Dave McNamara; Richmond, Luff; and University, Ogilvie.
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Critics described the game between W.A., 8-11, and S.A., 8-5, as one of the greatest seen in Victoria up to that time. Kicking and marking of both sides was of high quality.
However, S.A. was not satisfied with the result of the game, and they asked for another. This was played on a sodden ground on September 1, 1908. W.A. again won, this time by 6-9 to 5-13.
Tasmania, undefeated winner in B grade, was promoted to A grade. It met S.A., but was defeated 16-20 to 7-7. Johns (S.A.) kicked 11 goals.
Best Victorian players in the A grade games were Henry Young, Bert Franks, "Mallee" Johnson, "Boxer" Milne, Rod McGregor, and "Tich" Bailes.
How the games were won
New Zealand, 9-9 d, New South Wales, 8-11.
Tasmania, 22-22 d. Queensland, 2-2.
Victoria, 25-21 d. New Zealand, 5-10.
Tasmania, 8-11 d. New South Wales, 1-11.
Western Australia, 8-11, d. South Australia. 8-5.
New Zealand, 6-12 d. Queensland, 1-11.
Western Australia, 17-12, d. New South Wales, 12-3.
Tasmania, 11-18 d. New Zealand, 1-12.
Victoria, 10-15 d. South Australia, 2-11.
New South Wales, 13-15 d. Queensland, 8.11.
South Australia, 16.20 d. Tasmania, 7-7.
Victoria, 13.22 d. Western Australia, 6-8.
Footnotes
1. Australian Rules football, or 'Melbourne Rules' as it was then known, was in fact played in Brisbane as far back as 1866, and matches were being played in northern Queensland soon after. The Queensland Football League (later the Queensland Australian Football League) was not, however, formed until 1904.
2. Phonse Wood
3. Robert Nash
Title: LET'S LOOK AT FOOTY with HUGH BUGGY: 1908 - Birth of carnival football
Author: Hugh Buggy
Publisher: Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)
Date: Tuesday 17 June 1952, page 8
Web: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23186361
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