Leslie Massey
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne, Australia, in the late 1850s. The first documented match was played between Melbourne Grammar School Football Club and Scotch College in 1858, and the first formal rules were written down and agreed upon in 1859. The game was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football and was an amalgamation of various football rules in use at English public schools.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of origin | Late 1850s, specifically 1858 |
| Place of origin | Melbourne, Australia |
| Originators | Cricketers, sports enthusiasts, school students, Tom Wills, William Hammersley, Tom Smith, James Thompson, Jerry Bryant |
| Purpose | To create a game for cricketers to play during the winter |
| Rules | Codified in 1859; revised in 1865, 1866, and 1880s |
| Early clubs | Melbourne Football Club, Geelong Football Club, Melbourne Grammar School Football Club, Scotch College |
| Early leagues | Victorian Football Association (VFA), South Australian Football Association (SAFA), South Tasmania Football Association, Queensland Football Association, New South Wales Football Association, West Australian Football Association |
| Growth | Rapid expansion in the 1870s and 1880s; by the early 20th century, it was the dominant winter sport in several Australian states |
| Evolution | From "football" to Australian Rules Football, then VFL, and now Australian Football League (AFL) |
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What You'll Learn
- Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne in the 1850s
- Early football games in Australia were influenced by British, European, and Irish football
- The game was codified by members of the Melbourne Football Club in 1859
- The game expanded rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s
- The Victorian Football Association was formed in 1877
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne in the 1850s
The rules of Australian rules football were codified in 1859 by a committee appointed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, which included Tom Wills, who is often credited as the "father of Australian Rules Football". These rules were a compromise between those of several English public schools, including Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby. Players were allowed to handle the ball but not to run farther than necessary to kick it. The rules also allowed for a free kick if a player caught, or "marked," a ball cleanly in the air.
The game expanded rapidly during the 1870s and 1880s, with matches between the Melbourne and Carlton football clubs attracting as many as 10,000 spectators. In 1877, the Victorian Football Association (VFA) was formed for the "promotion and extension of football throughout the colony" and the organization of intercolonial matches. By the early 20th century, Australian rules football had become the dominant winter sport in several Australian states.
The large, flat, and clear tracts of land around the early settlements of Melbourne, provided by the Yarra River flats, also contributed to the origins of Australian Football. These spaces allowed for a fast-paced and fluid game, with opportunities for running, throwing, and kicking the ball. The temperate climate and quick-growing grass also provided ideal conditions for outdoor games throughout most of the year.
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Early football games in Australia were influenced by British, European, and Irish football
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, in the late 1850s. The game was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football and was influenced by various football rules in use at English public (independent) schools.
The rules of Australian football were codified in 1859 by four members of the newly formed Melbourne Football Club. The rules were a compromise between those of several English public schools, notably Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby. Players were allowed to handle the ball but not run farther than necessary to kick it.
There is documentary evidence of "foot-ball" being played in Australia as early as the 1820s. These games were poorly documented and appear to have been informal, one-off affairs. In the 1840s and 1850s, football was commonly played in the early settlements of Hobart and Richmond in southern Tasmania as well as in Melbourne and Sydney. These early games were influenced by the British, European, and Irish football games that were popular at the time.
Immigrants from England brought with them knowledge of Rugby football, Eton football, Harrow football, Cambridge rules, and a variety of other games. Accounts from the Colony of Tasmania in the 1850s indicate that matches were played under mostly English public school football game rules, particularly those of Rugby, Eton, and Harrow.
In addition to British influences, there were also Irish influences on early Australian football games. Irish sports such as hurling and Gaelic football were played in Australia as early as the 1840s and may have influenced the development of Australian rules football. The absence of an offside rule in both Gaelic football and Australian rules football is one example of a shared element between the two sports.
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The game was codified by members of the Melbourne Football Club in 1859
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne, Victoria, in the late 1850s. The game was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football and was influenced by various football rules in use at English public schools.
The game was first played in 1858, but it was in 1859 that four members of the newly formed Melbourne Football Club codified the laws from which Australian rules football evolved. On 17 May 1859, William Hammersley, Tom Wills, Thomas Smith, and James Thompson gathered at Jerry Bryant's Hotel in East Melbourne and wrote the 10 rules that formed the basis of what has become today's game. These rules were a compromise between those of several English public schools, including Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby.
The Melbourne Football Club rule-making meeting of 1865 saw an unsuccessful motion to introduce a crossbar between the goalposts. The motion to limit the game field to a maximum of 200 yards by 100 yards also failed. Running with the ball was not prohibited, and tackling and hacking (kicking or tripping an opponent) were allowed, in line with Rugby School rules.
The Melbourne Football Club continued to refine the rules of the game, and in 1866, H.C.A. Harrison, a cousin of Wills, rewrote the rules. These new rules imposed no limit on the number of players, though 20 men per team became standard in the 1880s. The rules also banned hacking due to concerns about injuries on the hard Australian grounds.
The game expanded rapidly during the 1870s and 1880s, with matches between the Melbourne and Carlton football clubs attracting as many as 10,000 spectators. The formation of early leagues such as the South Australian National Football League and the Victorian Football Association in 1877 further contributed to the sport's growing popularity.
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The game expanded rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s
The game of Australian rules football expanded rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s, with the sport's popularity growing and the establishment of early leagues. In the 1870s, matches between the Melbourne and Carlton football clubs attracted large crowds of up to 10,000 spectators, who watched for free. The popularity of the sport led to the enclosure of grounds to facilitate play without spectator encroachment. The first facility dedicated to Australian football was built in 1876 on land leased by Carlton from Melbourne University, attracting 5,000 spectators to the first game.
The 1870s also saw the formation of football associations and the development of common rules. In 1871, an unofficial association was formed, featuring league divisions, a tribunal, a ladder, common rules, fixtures, and a grand final played for a cup. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) was established in 1877, along with the South Australian Football Association (SAFA). These associations operated as eight-team leagues, with the first inter-colony match played before the end of the 1870s.
By the mid-1880s, the sport's popularity had grown further, with crowds of up to 34,000 attending matches between leading clubs. During this decade, the number of players per team was standardised at 20, and tackling and hacking rules were modified due to concerns about injuries on hard Australian grounds. The game continued to evolve, with rule changes such as disallowing running with the ball and requiring players to bounce it off the turf regularly.
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The Victorian Football Association was formed in 1877
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, in the late 1850s. The game was initially known as Melbourne, or Victorian, rules football and was a combination of various football rules in use at English public schools. The Melbourne and Geelong football clubs, two of the oldest football clubs in the world, were established in 1858 and 1859, respectively. The rules were codified on May 17, 1859, by a committee appointed by the Melbourne Cricket Club.
The game rapidly gained popularity, leading to the formation of early leagues such as the South Australian National Football League (originally called the South Australian Football Association) and the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877. The VFA was formed on May 17, 1877, at Oliver's Cafe in Melbourne, with the aim of "promotion and extension of football throughout the colony" and the organisation of intercolonial matches. It was the second such body to be formed, following the South Australian Football Association, which was established 17 days earlier.
The VFA was established to provide a formal administrative structure to the governance of the sport, as prior to its formation, the laws of the game were agreed upon at an annual meeting of club secretaries, and the clubs remained entirely independent and unaffiliated. The association was made up of delegates representing the clubs, including one delegate from each senior metropolitan club and senior country clubs by proxy. The inaugural VFA premiership was won by the Carlton Football Club, which played twenty-one matches during the year, winning fourteen and drawing four.
The VFA played a significant role in the development of Australian rules football, introducing reforms such as counting behinds towards the score and abolishing the 'little mark'. It continued to operate until 1994, when it ceased to exist as an independent organisation, and control of its football competition was taken over by the AFL.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian rules football was invented in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, in the late 1850s. The first documented match was played between Melbourne Grammar School Football Club and Scotch College in 1858.
The first formal rules for an Australian football match were written down and agreed upon in 1859. Tom Wills, who was the convenor of this meeting, is often credited as being the 'father of Australian Rules Football'. Wills was the Chairman of the Melbourne Cricket Club and a renowned cricketer.
The rules of Australian football were a compromise between those of several English public schools, notably Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby. Players were allowed to handle the ball but not to run farther than necessary to kick it.
