1.
Norwood Football Club
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Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club competing in the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia. Its home ground is Coopers Stadium, which referred to as The Parade. It is one of the two traditional powerhouse clubs of the SANFL, the other being Port Adelaide, who together have won half of all SANFL premierships. The Norwood Football Club was formed at a meeting held at the Norfolk Arms Hotel in Rundle Street, Norwoods first home ground was in the east Park Lands near the tramway and opposite the Kent Town Brewery. Norwood played their first match at Adelaide Oval on 16 May 1878 against South Adelaide, Norwood went on to win the match 1 goal to nil, with Test cricketer George Giffen kicking Norwoods goal. During this match the players donned distinctive red stockings which gave rise to the nickname Redlegs, Norwood won a premiership in its first year of existence and then followed with five more in a row. Only Port Adelaide in the 1950s has managed to repeat the feat of winning 6 premierships in a row, Norwood eventually won 11 pennants between 1878 and 1899 and was the most successful team of the 1800s. In 1883, after winning the pennant for the successive year, Norwood became the first South Australian club to record a win over a Victorian team. In 1888, Norwood were proclaimed Premiers of Australia when they defeated South Melbourne in three matches at Kensington Oval, Norwood and Port Adelaide became famous rivals after a particularly tough qualifying finals match in 1894. Dalys goal tally would not be surpassed for another 37 years and his tally of 23 goals in one match has ever been equalled by the great North Adelaide goal shooter. Daly was widely regarded as the greatest South Australian footballer from 1877 to the close of the nineteenth century, the 1904 Grand Final was a memorable one for Norwood who were down by 35 points at three-quarter time against traditional rival Port Adelaide. Norwood was only two points down with a minute remaining, tommy Gibbons held a mark on a seemingly impossible angle. His kick sailed through the posts to give Norwood a four-point victory 9.8 to 8.10. Norwood would beat Carlton again in 1921, but on this occasion both clubs were runners up in their respective competitions. For his brief coaching stint, Thomas Leahy proved remarkably successful, leading the Redlegs to back to back premierships in 1922 and 1923, a feat that would not be repeated for 90 years. Walter Scott was captain-coach of the Norwood Football Club for five years, over a coaching stint of 12 years, Jack Oatey led the Redlegs to three premierships in 1946,1948,1950. The period spanning the 1951 and 1973 seasons, totalling twenty three years, was the clubs longest without a premiership, robert Hammond would lead the Redlegs to two premierships, one in 1975 and the other in 1978. In 1977, Norwood defeated East Perth for the NFL night series premiership, both of these clubs would later make bids to enter the VFL, East Perth in 1980 and Norwood in 1986
2.
Championship of Australia
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The Championship took place three times in the 19th century and then from 1907 to 1914 with the exception of 1912 and every year from 1968 to 1975. All but two of the Championships were played in Adelaide and all of them occurred after the league seasons had ended. The 1975 Championship of Australia was the last edition of the competition with the 1976 NFL Championship replacing the format, port Adelaide were champions a record four times during this period. The inaugural Championship was a best of three game series but all future tournaments were decided by a Grand Final, both states premiers joined the tournament from 1972 onwards to make it a four club championship. VFL clubs won every Championship from 1968, except in 1972 when South Australias North Adelaide Football Club upset Victorias Carlton Football Club to win by a point, in 1976, the National Football League abandoned the post-season Championship of Australia concept by establishing the NFL Night Series. It is sometimes seen as a extension of the Championship of Australia. * During the 1890s behinds, although recorded, were not added to a score as whoever kicked more goals won the game. ^1896 championship was played in June 1897 owing to the unavailability of the Adelaide Oval in the year prior
3.
Australian rules football
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The main way to score points is by kicking the oval-shaped ball between the two tall goal posts. The team with the score by the end of the match wins unless a draw is declared. During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field, the primary methods are kicking, handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled, for example, throwing the ball is not allowed and players must not get caught holding the ball. A distinctive feature of the game is the mark, where players anywhere on the field who catch a ball from a kick are awarded possession, possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark is paid. Players can tackle using their hands or use their body to obstruct opponents. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking, fast movement of players and the ball and high scoring. The sports origins can be traced to matches played in Melbourne, Victoria in 1858. Its annual Grand Final is the highest attended club championship event in the world, the sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations. The games rules are governed by the AFL Commission with the advice of the AFLs Laws of the Game Committee, there is evidence of football being played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. The earliest such match, held in St Kilda on 15 June, was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football whilst a pupil at Rugby School in England and his letter is regarded by many historians as giving impetus for the development of a new code of football today known as Australian football. Two weeks later, Wills friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant, posted an advertisement for a match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This was the first of several kickabouts held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club, including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley, trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in the British Isles. Another significant milestone in 1858 was a match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College, held at the Richmond Paddock. This 40-a-side contest, umpired by Wills and Scotch College teacher John Macadam, began on 7 August and it is commemorated with a statue outside the MCG, and the two schools have competed annually ever since in the Cordner-Eggleston Cup, the worlds oldest continuous football competition. Since the early 20th century, it has suggested that Australian football was derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football
4.
Australian Football League
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The Australian Football League is the pre-eminent professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the governing body. The league was founded as the Victorian Football League as a breakaway from the previous Victorian Football Association, the league currently consists of 18 teams spread over five of Australias six states. Matches have been played in all states and territories of Australia. The AFL season currently consists of a competition, followed by a 23-round regular season. The top eight teams play off in a four-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final. The winning team in the Grand Final is termed the premiers, the current premiers are the Western Bulldogs. The six clubs invited two more VFA clubs – Carlton and St Kilda – to join the league for its season in 1897. In 1908, the league expanded to ten teams, with Richmond crossing from the VFA, Port Adelaide was the most successful club of the competition winning three titles during the period along with an earlier victory. In 1925, the VFL expanded from nine teams to twelve, with Footscray, Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Hawthorn remained very weak in the VFL for a very long period. Between the years of 1927 and 1930, Collingwood became the first, in 1952, the VFL hosted National Day, when all six matches were played outside of Melbourne. Matches were played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Brisbane Exhibition Ground, North Hobart Oval, Albury Sports Ground and Victorian country towns Yallourn, Footscray became the first of the 1925 expansion teams to win the premiership in 1954. Melbourne became a powerhouse during the 1950s and early 1960s under coach Norm Smith, the club contested seven consecutive grand finals from 1954 to 1960, winning five premierships, including three in a row from 1955 to 1957. Television coverage began in 1957, with telecasts of the final quarter permitted. At first, several channels competed through broadcasting different games, however, when the VFL found that television was reducing crowds, it decided that no coverage was to be allowed for 1960. In 1961, replays were introduced although direct telecasts were rarely permitted in Melbourne, in 1959, the VFL planned the first purpose built mega-stadium, VFL Park, to give it some independence from the Melbourne Cricket Club, which managed the Melbourne Cricket Ground. VFL Park was planned to hold 155,000 spectators, which would have made it one of the largest stadiums in the world – although it would ultimately be built with a capacity of 78,000. Land for the stadium was purchased at Mulgrave, then farmland, the VFL Premiership Trophy was first awarded in addition to a pennant flag in 1959, essentially the same trophy design has been in use since
5.
Carlton Football Club
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The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1864 in Carlton, an suburb of Melbourne, the club competes in the Australian Football League. Its nickname comes from the blue colour of its playing uniform. The club has fielded a team in the AFL Womens league since its establishment in 2017. Carlton has had a long and successful history, together with fierce rivals Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon, Carlton was considered historically to be one of the leagues Big Four clubs, and enjoys a healthy rivalry with all three others. The Carlton Football Club was formed in July 1864, in the early days, Carlton became particularly strong and having grown a large supporter base. It became a rival to the Melbourne Football Club in early competition, including the South Yarra Challenge Cup. Carlton won four premierships during the era in the 1870s. In 1877, Carlton became one of the clubs of the Victorian Football Association. He died of tuberculosis in 1883, aged 27, in spite of this, the club was invited to join the breakaway Victorian Football League competition in 1897. The club continued to struggle in early seasons of the new competition, Carltons fortunes improved significantly in 1902. The Board elected the highly respected former Fitzroy footballer and Australian test cricketer Jack Worrall, then the secretary of the Carlton Cricket Club, to the same position at the football club. As secretary, Worrall slowly took over the managing of the players, under Worralls guidance in the latter part of the 1902 season, Carltons on-field performances improved, and in 1903 he led Carlton to the finals for the first time. Carlton built a reputation and financial position, and was able to convince many great players to shift to the club from other clubs. Worrall led the club to its first three VFL premierships, won consecutively, in 1906,1907 and 1908, some players had become frustrated by low payments and hard training standards, and responded by refusing to train or even play matches. The club removed Worrall from the role, and after significant changes at board level after the 1909 season. Many players who had supported Worrall left the club at the end of the season, then, in 1910, several players were suspected of having taken bribes to fix matches, with two players both found guilty and suspended for 99 matches. Despite this backdrop, Carlton continued its strong form, reaching the 1909 and 1910 Grand Finals
6.
South Australian National Football League
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The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL, is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia. Consisting of a single competition, the season is an 18-round home-and-away season from April to September. The top five teams play-off in a final series culminating in the final for the Thomas Seymour Hill Premiership Trophy. The league is responsible for the management of all levels of football in the state. This includes junior football, country football, amateur football and specific programs rolled out across schools, indigenous communities, the SANFL owns the 51,240 seat AAMI Stadium, formerly the largest stadium in South Australia. The stadium, which opened in 1974, was used for Australian Football League matches up until 2013. The stadium was the headquarters for the league from 1974–2013, the SANFL competition is the second highest attended Australian rules football league behind the AFL. The earliest recorded football club in South Australia was Adelaide Football Club, the early years of football were poorly organised and dogged by argument over which set of rules to adopt. In fact, after a match between Port Adelaide and Kensington in 1873, it was remarked that neither side understood the rules clearly, however, as the years progressed, there became a growing push for uniformity and structure in South Australian football. In 1877,12 of South Australias football clubs met to develop a set of rules. The inaugural 1877 season was contested by 8 clubs, South Park, Willunga, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, North Adelaide, Gawler, Bankers, Woodville, South Adelaide, Norwood joined the Association the following season in 1878, and went on to win the next six premierships. Norwood, South Adelaide and Port Adelaide together won 23 of the first 24 premierships, South Park, Willunga, North Adelaide, Prince Alfred College, Gawler, Kapunda, Bankers, Woodville, and Victorian all left the Association within the first 10 years. By 1886, the Association had been reduced from 12 to four clubs, the Association experienced a resurgence in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The addition of North Adelaide, West Adelaide and West Torrens and only the demise of Adelaide, in 1898, the Magarey Medal was awarded to the fairest and most brilliant player for the first time. Sturt joined the Association in 1901, but performed poorly initially, in 1902, Port Adelaide adopted its now famous black and white colours. In 1907, the Association changed its name to the South Australian Football League, Norwood and Port Adelaide continued their domination of the league, and were joined by West Adelaide and North Adelaide, between them, the four clubs won all premierships between 1901 and 1913. West Adelaide followed three straight wooden spoons from 1904–06 with four out of the five premierships from 1908–1912, the most successful period in West Adelaides history, Sturt won the first premiership of the post-World War I era, beating North Adelaide in the Challenge Final replay
7.
Adelaide Oval
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Adelaide Oval is a stadium in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The stadium is used for cricket and Australian rules football, but also plays host to rugby league, rugby union, soccer. The Oval has been headquarters to the South Australian Cricket Association since 1871, the stadium is managed by the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority. Redevelopments between 2008 and 2014, costing $575 million, increased the seating capacity from 34,000 to 53,583. The Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs also returned to the stadium, in 2010, Austadiums. com called the Adelaide Oval one of the most picturesque Test cricket grounds in Australia, if not the world. In December 2009 South Australian Premier Mike Rann announced a $450 million government commitment to redevelop Adelaide Oval to enable AFL Football to be played there, in May 2011 Treasurer Kevin Foley announced an increase in government funding to $535 million. 1871 - The ground was established in 1871 after the formation of SACA, among those responsible for the original construction were John Pickering and Henry Sparks. 1877 - The first South Australian Football Association match that took place on the ground was between Adelaide Football Club and the Bankers, Adelaide won the match 4 goals to 1. 1877 – The first first-class cricket match played at the ground between South Australia and Tasmania on 10 and 12 November 1877, South Australia was victorious, winning by an innings and 13 runs. 1878 – The first century was scored by John Hill on 30 January 1878, John was the father of the great Clem Hill. 1884 – The first Test match played at the Oval was held from 12–16 December 1884, England beat Australia by eight wickets. 1885 – The first football game lit by light was conducted on the evening of 1 July 1885. 1889 – The first Grand Final in a major Australian rules football competition was played between Norwood and Port Adelaide, Norwood won the game 7.4 to 5.9. 1894 – In 1894–95 Albert Trott collected 8/43 on debut against England,1900 – The picket fence was put up surrounding the Oval in 1900. 1911 – From 5–12 August 1911 the Australian Football Council Carnival was played at the ground, the competing sides were SA, VFL, VFA, Western Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales. 1911 – The Adelaide Oval scoreboard, designed by architect Kenneth Milne, the clock was added in 1912 and the windvane in the 1930s. 1914 - The Port Adelaide Football Club defeated the Carlton Football Club for their fourth Championship of Australia title defeating the Victorian side by 34 points,9.16 to 5.6. 1931 – In 1931–32 Donald Bradman scored the highest score ever at the ground in Test Cricket, in the same game, Clarrie Grimmett collected fourteen wickets, the most ever taken in a Test match at the ground by a bowler
8.
Adelaide
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Adelaide is the capital city of the state of South Australia, and the fifth-most populous city of Australia. In June 2016, Adelaide had a resident population of 1,326,354 million. South Australia, with a total of 1, the demonym Adelaidean is used in reference to the city and its residents. Adelaide is north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, on the Adelaide Plains between the Gulf St Vincent and the low-lying Mount Lofty Ranges which surround the city. Adelaide stretches 20 km from the coast to the foothills, and 94 to 104 km from Gawler at its northern extent to Sellicks Beach in the south. Named in honour of Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, queen consort to King William IV, Colonel William Light, one of Adelaides founding fathers, designed the city and chose its location close to the River Torrens, in the area originally inhabited by the Kaurna people. Lights design set out Adelaide in a layout, interspaced by wide boulevards and large public squares. Early Adelaide was shaped by prosperity and wealth—until the Second World War, it was Australias third-largest city and it has been noted for early examples of religious freedom, a commitment to political progressivism and civil liberties. It has been known as the City of Churches since the mid-19th century, as South Australias seat of government and commercial centre, Adelaide is the site of many governmental and financial institutions. Most of these are concentrated in the city centre along the boulevard of North Terrace, King William Street. Today, Adelaide is noted for its festivals and sporting events, its food and wine, its long beachfronts. It ranks highly in terms of liveability, being listed in the Top 10 of The Economist Intelligence Units Worlds Most Liveable Cities index in 2010,2011,2012 and 2015. It was also ranked the most liveable city in Australia by the Property Council of Australia in 2011,2012 and 2013, prior to its proclamation as a British settlement in 1836, the area around Adelaide was inhabited by the indigenous Kaurna Aboriginal nation. Kaurna culture and language was almost completely destroyed within a few decades of the European settlement of South Australia in 1836, however, extensive documentation by early missionaries and other researchers has enabled a modern revival of both language and culture. South Australia was officially proclaimed as a new British colony on 28 December 1836, the event is commemorated in South Australia as Proclamation Day. The site of the capital was surveyed and laid out by Colonel William Light. Adelaide was established as a colony of free immigrants, promising civil liberties and freedom from religious persecution. Wakefields idea was for the Government to survey and sell the land at a rate that would maintain land values high enough to be unaffordable for labourers and journeymen
9.
South Australia
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South Australia is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country, with a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres, it is the fourth-largest of Australias states and territories. Other population centres in the state are relatively small, the state comprises less than 8 percent of the Australian population and ranks fifth in population among the six states and two territories. The majority of its people reside in Adelaide, most of the remainder are settled in fertile areas along the south-eastern coast and River Murray. The states colonial origins are unique in Australia as a settled, planned British province. Official settlement began on 28 December 1836, when the colony was proclaimed at the Old Gum Tree by Governor John Hindmarsh, as with the rest of the continent, the region had been long occupied by Aboriginal peoples, who were organised into numerous tribes and languages. The first British settlement to be established was Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, on 26 July 1836, the guiding principle behind settlement was that of systematic colonisation, a theory espoused by Edward Gibbon Wakefield that was later employed by the New Zealand Company. The goal was to establish the province as a centre of civilisation for free immigrants, promising civil liberties, although its history is marked by economic hardship, South Australia has remained politically innovative and culturally vibrant. Today, it is known for its wine and numerous cultural festivals. The states economy is dominated by the agricultural, manufacturing and mining industries, the state has an increasingly significant finance sector as well. Evidence of human activity in South Australia dates back as far as 20,000 years, with flint mining activity, in addition wooden spears and tools were made in an area now covered in peat bog in the South East. Kangaroo Island was inhabited long before the island was cut off by rising sea levels, thijssen named his discovery Pieter Nuyts Land, after the highest ranking individual on board. The complete coastline of South Australia was first mapped by Matthew Flinders, the land which now forms the state of South Australia was claimed for Britain in 1788 as part of the colony of New South Wales. Although the new colony included almost two-thirds of the continent, early settlements were all on the eastern coast and it took more than forty years before any serious proposal to establish settlements in the south-western portion of New South Wales were put forward. In 1834, the British Parliament passed the South Australia Act 1834, the act stated that 802,511 square kilometres would be allotted to the colony and it would be convict-free. In contrast to the rest of Australia, terra nullius did not apply to the new province, although the patent guaranteed land rights under force of law for the indigenous inhabitants it was ignored by the South Australian Company authorities and squatters. Settlement of seven vessels and 636 people was made at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island. The first immigrants arrived at Holdfast Bay in November 1836, the Colonisation Commissioners intended to establish a police service as soon as misconduct within the increasing population warranted it
10.
Premier of South Australia
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The Premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature, the current Premier is Jay Weatherill, the Leader of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party. Weatherill replaced Mike Rann on 21 October 2011, after Rann resigned as Premier, before the 1890s when there was no formal party system in South Australia, MPs tended to have historical liberal or conservative beliefs. The liberals dominated government from the 1893 election to 1905 election with the support of the South Australian United Labor Party, Labor took government with the support of eight dissident liberals in 1905 when Labor won the most seats for the first time. The rise of Labor saw non-Labor politics start to merge into various party incarnations, Labor formed South Australias first majority government after winning the 1910 state election, triggering the merger. The 1910 election came two weeks after federal Labor formed Australias first elected majority government at the 1910 federal election, no Country or rural conservative parties emerged as serious long-term forces in South Australian state politics, often folding into the main non-Labor party. There are six living former premiers, the oldest being Steele Hall, the most recent premier to die was John Bannon on 13 December 2015. In the following timeline, the legend includes the Liberal and Democratic Union, the Liberal Union, the Liberal Party of Australia is represented as Liberal only. The grey area represents the duration of Playmander electoral malapportionment, beginning in 1936, in effect until the 1970 election
11.
Lionel Hill
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Lionel Laughton Hill was the thirtieth Premier of South Australia, representing the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party. This led to his appointment as the secretary-treasurer of the Boilermakers Assistants Union in 1901, Hill then gained Australian Labor Party pre-selection for the South Australian House of Assembly electorate of East Torrens, which he duly won at the 1915 election. In the wake of the split, Hill resigned his East Torrens seat in 1917 to unsuccessfully contest the Australian Senate elections as an anti-conscriptionist Labor candidate. Hill returned as Premier and treasurer but faced problems like unemployment, a formidable state debt, a shrinking economy. Hill continued to stagger from crisis to crisis as riots and protests rocked the state and this failed to materialise but Hill was appointed in 1936 by the federal government to chair the ACT Industrial Board. Hill returned to South Australia in 1958 and found the lure of politics too great, successfully standing for the Town of Kensington, any plans of further electoral success were stymied only by his death in 1963. Thirty years after his departure from the ALP, he was disliked by many Laborites with long memories. Ross McMullin, in his history of the Labor Party, The Light on the Hill, first Hill Ministry Australian Dictionary of Biography Norwood Football Club profile Parliament Profile
12.
Richard Townsend (sportsman)
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Richard James Bruce Townsend was an Australian sportsman who represented South Australia in both Australian rules football and cricket. He played for Norwood in the South Australian Football League and Sheffield Shield cricket for the South Australian cricket team, Townsend was in his mid 30s when he established a spot for himself in the state cricket team, by which time his football career had ended. He had been one of the best pre-war players in the SAFL, an interstate representative at the 1908 Melbourne Carnival, Townsend had one of his best league seasons in 1909 when he topped the SAFL goal-kicking list. In 1911 he was Norwoods leading goal-kicker for the second time and he continued playing after the war, by which time he was a veteran of the club and was rewarded with the captaincy in 1920, his final season. Norwood made it all the way to the final that year. With his football career almost over, Townsend was recalled to the South Australian cricket team in 1918/19 and he had previously, in 1907/08, played a Sheffield Shield match, where he didnt bowl yet batted far down the order at nine. His role this time was clear and in his return match, against Victoria, he took 5-27 in their second innings. Although he was an all-rounder, he once passed 50 in 17 first-class matches. That innings coincided with one of his best ever bowling performances and he took seven wickets in total for the match, five of them in the first innings, and put together scores of 46 and 117 with the bat. The 46 had equaled his highest first-class score and his century and his innings helped South Australia to a score of 406 but it wasnt enough for victory as they fell 17 runs short. He had nonetheless become just the third South Australian cricketer to take a five wicket haul, eight of the nine previous instances that feat had been achieved for South Australian were from Norwood footballer and Test cricketer George Giffen. After his last first-class match, in 1923/24, Townsend continued playing cricket for Sturt until his retirement in 1928
13.
Phil Newland
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Philip Mesmer Phil Newland was an Australian sportsman who excelled at Australian rules football, cricket and lacrosse. He played Sheffield Shield cricket for South Australia as a wicket-keeper and he was a member of the noted Newland family of South Australia. His father was author Simpson Newland and he was the brother of surgeon Henry Simpson Newland, Newland made his first-class and Sheffield Shield debut in 1899/00 but had to wait over two years to make his second appearance. He took part in every Shield campaign from 1902/03 to 1905/06 and his highest score of 77 was made on the Adelaide Oval, in a 106 run ninth wicket partnership with spinner Robert Rees. Up until 1904, when he retired from lacrosse, Newland represented South Australia in the sport and was earlier a leading player for Adelaide University and he was also an Australian rules footballer, playing with the Norwood Football Club in the South Australian Football Association. Newland captained Norwoods 1904 premiership team, which had come back from 35 points at the last change to win, Newland toured England in 1905 as a reserve wicket-keeper and understudy to Jim Kelly. While in the United Kingdom he played in 10 first-class matches with the Australian team and his disappointing performances may have been as a result of an eye injury he received during the trip over, which was bad enough that he had to see an oculist in London. He had earlier, in 1904/05, toured New Zealand and played two matches against the national team, at that stage, New Zealand werent a Test playing country so the matches had only first-class status
14.
Alex Lang
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Alex Bongo Lang was an Australian rules footballer who played with the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League. Despite being a three-time premiership player, Lang will be remembered by history as the joint record holder for the longest ban received from the tribunal, recruited by coach Jack Worrall in 1905, Lang debuted for Carlton in the opening round of the following season. He played as a rover, winning premierships in his first three years at the club and in 1909 was voted by The Australasian newspaper as the most Outstanding player in the VFL. During the 1910 final series he became involved in a match fixing scandal after being dropped from the side for their 2nd semi final against South Melbourne and it had been alleged that he had accepted a bribe to play poorly, along with teammates Doug Gillespie and Doug Fraser. Both Carlton and the VFL launched their own investigations and Lang admitted that an offer had been made to him and he claimed however that he did not intend on accepting it. Regardless of his plea of innocence he was found guilty along with Fraser, Doug Gillespie was exonerated and played in the clubs losing Grand Final. Lang returned to the game in 1916 and brought up his 100th game for Carlton and he retired the following season after playing only three games. Alex Langs statistics from AFL Tables Alex Langs profile from AustralianFootball. com Blueseum, Alex Lang
15.
Harvey Kelly
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Harvey Duff Kelly was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne and Carlton in the Victorian Football League. Western Australian Harvey Kelly played most of his games at centre forward and was noted for his long, accurate drop. He started out at South Melbourne in 1902 but after just one season returned home, a member of Easts 1904 premiership team, he crossed to rivals South Fremantle in 1905. His brothers Ernie and Otto, who both had VFL careers, played him at South Fremantle. While in Western Australia, Kelly played two first-class cricket matches for the state, as a bowler, Kelly went to Carlton in 1907 and participated in their premiership side that year. The following season Carlton won all of the 14 games that Kelly played in and added another premiership to their tally, also in 1908 he represented Victoria at the Melbourne Carnival. He kicked a career best 28 goals in 1909 and made his third successive Grand Final, in both 1910 and 1911, Kelly played his football in Tasmania for the Lefroy Football Club. He impressed enough to represent Tasmania at the 1911 Adelaide Carnival and he toured New Zealand in 1912, with the South Melbourne Cricket Club. Although Carlton refused to him initially, he was signed up by South Melbourne as coach for the 1913 season. Under Kelly the club finished the home and away season in position but struggled in the finals. His last game in the VFL was the 1914 Grand Final,1908 Melbourne Carnival Harvey Kellys statistics from AFL Tables CricketArchive, William Kelly Australian Football. com - Harvey Kelly Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim
16.
The Advertiser (Adelaide)
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The Advertiser is a conservative, daily tabloid-format newspaper published in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. First published as a broadsheet named The South Australian Advertiser on 12 July 1858, a Sunday edition exists under the name of the Sunday Mail. The Advertiser is a publication of News Corp Australia, the head office of The Advertiser has relocated from a former premises in King William Street, to a new office complex, known as Keith Murdoch House at 31 Waymouth Street. The Adelaide Times ceased publication on May 9,1858, the South Australian Advertiser was published from 12 July 1858 to 22 March 1889. The original owners were Barrow and Charles Henry Goode, in 1863 the company started an afternoon newspaper The Express as a competitor to The Telegraph, an evening paper independent of both The Advertiser and The Register. The company was re-formed, effective 9 September 1864, with additional shareholders Philip Henry Burden, John Baker, Captain Scott, James Counsell, Thomas Graves and some others. Burden, secretary of the company, died in 1864, and Barrow, whose wife had died in 1856, married his widow in 1865, thus owning together a quarter of the company. In December,1866, the syndicate bought the afternoon Adelaide daily, the Telegraph, at auction, and incorporated it with The Express as The Express and Telegraph. It continued from 1889 as The Advertiser J. H. Barrow died on 22 August 1874, in 1879 a new firm was created, consisting of Thomas King, Fred Burden, and John Langdon Bonython. In July,1884, Thomas King dropped out, and the firm of Burden & Bonython was formed to run the paper, Burden retired, and sold his share to John Langdon Bonython, who from 1893 to 1929 was the sole proprietor of The Advertiser. As well as being a newspaper editor, he also supported the movement towards the Federation of Australia. The Canberra suburb of Bonython, and the now abolished South Australian electoral division of Bonython, were named in his honour, on Langdon Bonythons retirement, his son John Lavington Bonython, also Mayor and later Lord Mayor of Adelaide, became editor. The Herald and Weekly Times took a stake in The Advertiser in 1929. Through the 20th century, The Advertiser was the morning broadsheet, on the death of Sir Keith Murdoch in 1952, ownership of The News passed to his son Rupert, who subsequently established News Limited and News Corporation. In 1931 The Advertiser took over its competitor, the South Australian Register and The Chronicle. It is based upon a profound pride and belief in South Australia, on 24 October 1953 the company launched the Sunday Advertiser in direct competition to News Limiteds Sunday Mail, but failed to outreach its rival, though no doubt affecting its profitability. The Sunday Advertiser had introduced color graphics on the comics page and this was dropped shortly after joint publication commenced. When Murdoch acquired The Herald and Weekly Times in 1987, he acquired the remaining 48. 7% share of The Advertiser
17.
Australian National Football Council
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The Australian National Football Council was the national governing body for Australian rules football in Australia from 1906 until 1995. The council was a body of delegates representing each of the individual state leagues which controlled football in their states. The council was the owner of the laws of the game and managed interstate administrative and its function was superseded by the AFL Commission. Throughout its history, the ANFC was the top administrative body for the sport of Australian rules football. In this capacity, it served four main functions, It was the owner of the laws of Australian rules football. Any rule changes were discussed and approved within the council, and it established and supervised the processes of interstate player clearances and transfers. This included maintaining rules relating to qualifications for interstate clearances. It sought to develop and promote the game in markets where rugby football pre-dominated, including Sydney, country New South Wales, Queensland and it was responsible for the organisation of interstate matches, including the triennial Interstate Carnivals. The decision making process followed by the council was that delegates would meet, the council also elected an executive committee which managed the games administrative matters. Smaller leagues within each state would affiliate with the controlling body and this meant that leagues could face exclusion if they played representative matches against un-affiliated leagues or their clubs without permission. It also meant that players who broke the ANFCs transfer rules by switching to an un-affiliated league without a clearance would be banned from affiliated leagues, Australian rules football was first played in Melbourne, Victoria in 1858, and developed over the following decades. The game was spread to cities, but due to the large distances between cities in Australia, the game developed independently in each city. The first effort towards national administration of the game place in 1883. Western Australia, where Australian rules football was not prominent until the mid-to-late 1880s, was not involved at this early stage, in November 1892, the conference recommended the formation of a formal administrative body known as the Australasian Football Council which could make binding decisions. The Council was ostensibly formed, and continued to put out rules, the councils initial structure was that each state and New Zealand would have two delegates who would discuss and vote on matters. Several states could have adopted this approach, but only Western Australia did, the delegates were, Victoria, two delegates from Melbournes Victorian Football League. The VFA did not receive representation, South Australia, two delegates from Adelaides SAFA. Western Australia, one delegate from Perths West Australian Football Association, tasmania, two delegates from Hobarts Tasmanian Football League
18.
1914 Championship of Australia
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The 1914 Championship of Australia was an Australian rules football match that took place on 3 October 1914. The championship was contested by the premiers of the VFL, Carlton, the match was played at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, South Australia. The match, played in front of 5,000, was won by Port Adelaide by a margin of 34 points and this was the last Championship of Australia match to be held until 1968. Port Adelaide were without the services of Ashley, Dunn and Cocks with their places taken by Wisdom, Middleton
19.
Collingwood Football Club
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The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed the Magpies or less formally the Pies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. This spike in membership registration can mainly be attributed to the winning of the 2010 AFL Premiership and this record was again broken in 2013, with club reaching a new high of 80,000 members. Collingwood is regarded as one of Australias most popular clubs, being the highest attended, Collingwoods home guernsey consists of black and white stripes, matching the colours of an Australian magpie. Throughout its history, the club has developed rivalries with cross-town Melbourne based clubs Carlton, Richmond, Essendon, historically one of the most successful clubs in the league, Collingwood has won 15 VFL/AFL premierships, the third-most of any team. Collingwood has played in a record 43 grand finals, winning 15, the club fields a seconds team in the Victorian Football League and a womens team in the AFL Womens competition. It also owns and operates a team in the National Netball League. The Collingwood Football Club was established on 12 February 1892, Collingwood played its first game in the Victorian Football Association against Carlton on 7 May 1892. The club won the VFA Premiership in 1896, in 1897, Collingwood, along with fellow VFA clubs Fitzroy, Melbourne, St Kilda, Carlton, Essendon, South Melbourne and Geelong split from the VFA and formed the Victorian Football League. Collingwood won its first premiership in 1902, defeating Essendon by 33 points, Collingwood was the most successful club of the 1920s and 1930s, appearing in 13 out of a possible 20 Grand Finals during the period. Collingwood were premiers six times during this time, including four consecutive premierships between 1927 and 1930, a VFL/AFL record, and two premierships in 1935 and 1936. The clubs coach during this period was Jock McHale, who served as coach from 1912 to 1949, Collingwood lost two Grand Finals to Melbourne in this decade, but bounced back to win premierships in 1953 and 1958. Collingwoods 1958 premiership is much cherished by the club as it prevented Melbourne from equalling Collingwoods record four premierships in a row, the 1958 premiership was however to be Collingwoods last for 32 years, as the club was to suffer a string of Grand Final defeats in coming decades. A string of eight Grand Final losses, often by narrow margins, between 1960 and 1981 gave rise to a perception that the club was prone to choking, a phenomenon wittily dubbed Colliwobbles. Whether this perception is accurate remains a subject of debate, however, Lou Richards ceremoniously buried the Colliwobbles at Victoria Park after the clubs 1990 premiership. Collingwood made a return to the finals in 2006, but were defeated by the Western Bulldogs by 41 points, having earned a preliminary final against Geelong, the Pies challenged the eventual premiers, only to fall short by five points. Nathan Buckley would announce his retirement at seasons end after playing just five games in 2007 due to injury, Collingwood finished eighth in 2008 and were assigned an away final against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. After at one point trailing in the match, the Pies went on to end Adelaides season, having defeated the Saints in both their regular season meetings, the Pies lost convincingly, ending their 2008 season. The 2009 season saw Collingwood finish inside the top-four for the first time since 2003, but the season ended abruptly for the Magpies, with an 73-point loss to the Cats
20.
Essendon Football Club
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The Essendon Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League, the sports premier competition. Formed in 1871 as a club and playing as a senior club since 1878. It is historically associated with Essendon, a suburb in the north-west of Melbourne, dyson Heppell is the current team captain. A founding member club of both the Victorian Football Association, in 1877, and the Victorian Football League, in 1896, the club claims to have over at least one million supporters Australia wide. Essendon has won 16 VFL/AFL premierships which, along with Carlton, is the most of any club in the competition, the club was founded by members of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Melbourne Hunt Club and the Victorian Woolbrokers. The Essendon Football Club is thought to have formed in 1872 at a meeting it the home of a well-known brewery family, the McCrackens, whose Ascot Vale property hosted a team of local junior players. Robert McCracken, the owner of several city hotels, was the founder and first president of the Essendon club and his son, Alex, Alex would later become president of the newly formed VFL. Alexs cousin, Collier, who had played with Melbourne, was the teams first captain. The club played its first recorded match against the Carlton second twenty on 7 June 1873, Essendon played 13 matches in its first season, winning seven, with four draws and losing two. The club was one of the junior members of the Victorian Football Association in 1877. During its early years in the Association, Essendon played its matches at Flemington Hill. In 1878, Essendon played in the first match on what would be considered by modern standards to be a field at Flemington Hill. In 1879 Essendon played Melbourne in one of the earliest night matches recorded when the ball was painted white, in 1883 the team played four matches in Adelaide. In 1891 Essendon won their first VFA premiership, which they repeated in 1892,1893 and 1894, one of the clubs greatest players, Albert Thurgood played for the club during this period. Essendon was undefeated in the 1893 season, at the end of the 1896 season Essendon along with seven other clubs formed the Victorian Football League. Essendons first VFL game was in 1897 was against Geelong at Corio Oval in Geelong, Essendon won its first VFL premiership by winning the 1897 VFL finals series. Essendon again won the premiership in 1901, defeating Collingwood in the Grand Final, the club won successive premierships in 1911 and 1912 over Collingwood and South Melbourne respectively. The nickname first appeared in print in the local North Melbourne Advertiser in 1889 and it was known firstly as Essendon Town and, after 1905, as Essendon
21.
Hawthorn Football Club
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The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL and has won thirteen VFL/AFL premierships and it is renowned as the only club having won premierships in each decade of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. The team play in brown and gold vertically striped guernseys, the clubs Latin motto is spectemur agendo, the English translation being By our deeds let us be known. The Hawks origins are in the inner-eastern Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn and also at Glenferrie Oval, matches, however, have not been played there since 1973. In 2006, Hawthorns training and administration facilities were relocated to Waverley Park in the middle of the major supporter base in Melbournes outer-eastern region. Hawthorns current Victorian Football League affiliate team is the Box Hill Hawks Football Club, the official club history books and many supporters strongly believe that the clubs origins date back to its founding in 1873 at a meeting at the Hawthorne Hotel. Although a Hawthorn Football Club did indeed form at this time – and it is likely that today’s club is actually the third club to carry the name ‘Hawthorn Football Club’. In The Daily Telegraph of 12 May 1883 it is stated that “The Hawthorn Club having disbanded and this club also ceased in 1890. No Hawthorn club existed from 1890 to 1892, a new representative club, called the ‘Hawthorn Football Club’, was formed in 1893. It competed in the Victorian Junior Football Association until 1898, without a ground to play on, however, the club was disbanded in 1899. In March 1902, Alf Kosky formed a club from the various clubs under the banner of Hawthorn Football Club to compete in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association. The club merged with Boroondara in 1905 and adopted Boroondaras colours of a black guernsey with red sash, in 1906 Hawthorn merged with successful junior club the Hawthorn Rovers to form the Hawthorn City Football Club as a result of Glenferrie Oval opening. The club was reformed in 1912, changing to a gold guernsey with a blue V, the council then applied to the Victorian Football Association for inclusion which was granted in 1914 when Hawthorn replaced the disbanded Melbourne City club. The first task for the club was to decide on club colours, their jumper of blue, at a Special General Meeting held on 17 February 1914, a Mr J. Brain proposed brown and gold as the new colours and the motion was carried. The Mayblooms won three games and a draw in their first season in the VFA, the effect of World War I with players enlisting caused the club to finish last in 1915. The VFA then went into recess in 1916 and 1917, upon Hawthorn’s resumption in 1919 it was more competitive winning eight games and finishing sixth out of ten teams. Hawthorn dropped to eighth in 1920 but in 1921 they won seven games, bill Walton was appointed captain-coach of Hawthorn in 1922. He was however refused a clearance by Port Melbourne and as a result spent the season playing for them, twice that season, he had the unusual situation of playing a VFA game against the club that he coached
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North Adelaide Football Club
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The North Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the Roosters, is an Australian rules football club currently affiliated with the South Australian National Football League. The club plays its games at Prospect Oval, located in Prospect. The club was formed in 1888 as the Medindie Football Club, North Adelaides first premiership was won in 1900, and the club has won a total of thirteen senior premierships during its time in the league, most recently in 1991. Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide and it is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL. Although several other early clubs used the name of North Adelaide, North Adelaide started playing at Prospect Oval in 1922 and it has remained their home ground ever since. Ken Farmer – The Bradman of Goalkickers kicked 105 goals in 1930 to become the first SA League player to kick 100 goals in a league state and he was a prolific goalkicker, kicking 100 goals in a season in 11 consecutive seasons. Farmer also holds the record for the most goals in an SANFL match –23 against West Torrens at Prospect on 6 July 1940. Farmer scored ten or more goals in matches, and 1,419 goals in total over his career. North Adelaide’s other iconic player, Barrie Robran, played 201 League games for the Roosters and 10 State games and he won 3 Magarey Medals and is the only SANFL Legend in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. North Adelaide competed in the first match played at Football Park in round 5,1974, the match was won by Central District. The longest serving coach for the club is Michael Nunan –12 seasons from 1981 to 1992, the Captains record is held by Ian McKay, captaining the team for 8 years from 1948–1955. All contain the lyrics, but have been changed rhythm wise to keep up with the times. The lyrics and tune, by well known Australian singer/songwriter Johnny Mac, are the only completely written in the league. The most recent version was brought in during the early 2000s and its a great, great club, And the club we love, Were the good old red and whites. The mighty Roosters were called, All for one, one for all, each member provided a list of candidates for each position and the Committee then set about the arduous task of selecting the final team. The selected team was announced at a gala dinner held on 7 October 2000. The North Adelaide Football Club has named two of their past champions as Icons and they are, Ken Farmer - All-time leading SANFL goal kicker with 1,419 from 1929-41. Permiership player in 1930 and 1931, premiership coach in 1949 and 1952
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North Melbourne Football Club
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It is based at the Arden Street Oval in the inner Melbourne suburb of North Melbourne, Victoria, but plays its home matches at the nearby Docklands Stadium. The clubs mascot is a kangaroo, and its use dates from the middle of the 20th century. The club is also known as The Shinboners, a term which dates back to its 19th-century abattoir-worker origins. The clubs motto is Victoria amat curam, Latin for Victory Demands Dedication, in two aspects North Melbourne stands second to none. One is the loyalty of its supporters, the other is the determination to carry on, despite its disadvantages. In the face of adversity, which might well have broken the spirit of most men, North Melbourne Football Club originated in the year 1869, when a football team was formed for local cricketers desiring to keep fit over the winter months. Information on the clubs first ever match is limited, but it is known that it took place in Royal Park, the ball used in the match was purchased by a local resident called Tom Jacks, who sold some roofing iron to pay for it. James Henry Gardiner is considered the founder of the club and he continued an active role with North Melbourne until his death in 1921. Regular premiership matches of Australian Football commenced in Victoria in 1870, Although North Melbourne was a part of this, it was classed as a junior club. The Australasian noted them as being one of the best of junior clubs. The club continued to develop, graduating to senior ranks in 1874 finishing 4th, along with the promotion, the club adopted its first uniform of blue and white horizontal stripes. In 1877, the club was re-established as a club under the new name of Hotham. Football took a giant step forward in 1877, with the formation of Victorias first colonial football league, Hotham were prime movers in establishing this league and were afforded a place in light of their previous contributions to Australian Football. The 1880s marked the emergence of the identity we now associate with North today. In 1882, the club amalgamated with the Hotham Cricket Club and moved into the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve, the joint venture was aimed at affecting improvements at the Hotham Cricket Ground, which was the name of the Reserve at the time. Four years later the club adopted the uniform of blue and white vertical stripes at the insistence of the VFA. The third significant development occurred in 1888 with the returning to its original name of the North Melbourne Football Club. This followed the name of the local area reverting from Hotham to North Melbourne, the 1880s saw the club develop a penchant for inter-colonial travel with trips to Tasmania and South Australia
24.
Port Adelaide Football Club
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The Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, Port Adelaide, South Australia. The clubs senior team plays in the Australian Football League whilst its reserves, Port Adelaide is the oldest professional football club in South Australia and the fifth-oldest club in the AFL. Since the clubs first game on 24 May 1870, it has won 36 South Australian league premierships, the club also won the Champions of Australia competition on a record four occasions. In 1997, the joined the Australian Football League as the only pre-existing non-Victorian club—and subsequently added the 2004 AFL Premiership to its achievements. By the late 1860s Port Adelaides river traffic was growing significantly causing John Rann, Mr. Leicester, the Port Adelaide Football Club was established on 12 May 1870 as part of a joint Australian football and cricket club with the first training session taking place two days later. It played its first match against a team called the Young Australians on 24 May 1870 at inaugural club president John Harts family property in Glanville. Football in South Australia at this stage was yet to be organised by a single body, in 1877 Port Adelaide joined seven other clubs to form the South Australian Football Association, the first league of its type in Australia. It competed its first few seasons wearing magenta guernseys and white shorts, in 1878 the club hosted its first game against the recently established Norwood Football Club with the visitors winning 1-0. A rivalry between these clubs would soon develop into one of the fiercest in Australian sport, in 1880 the club moved to Alberton Oval. In 1881 the club played a team for the first time against Carlton at Adelaide Oval. Later that year the club travelled to Victoria and played its first game outside South Australia against Sale, during the 1882 season Port Adelaide overcame Norwood for the first time after nine previous attempts winning by 1 goal at Adelaide Oval. In 1884 Port Adelaide won its first SAFA premiership, ending Norwoods run of six premierships, on 25 May 1885, Port Adelaide played its first game at the MCG against South Melbourne, drawing with the eventual VFA premiers in front of 10,000 spectators. In 1887 immense interest led into the Round 8 meeting against Norwood as the two matches between the clubs resulted in draws. Norwood won in front of a then-record 11,000 spectators at Adelaide Oval, during 1889 the club played against the Richmond at Punt Road, with Port prevailing by a goal. The 1889 SAFA season ended with Port Adelaide and Norwood equal top, Norwood went on to defeat Port Adelaide by two goals. In 1890 Port Adelaide won its second SAFA premiership and would go on to be crowned Champions of Australia for the first time after defeating VFA premiers South Melbourne. During the 1890s Australia was affected by a depression and many players were forced to move interstate to find work translating into poor on field results. By 1896, the club was in crisis and finished last causing the clubs committee to meet with the aim of revitalising the club
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Richmond Football Club
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The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. The club has won ten premierships since joining the competition in 1908, the club is currently ranked sixth in the competition for premierships won. Prior to 1965 the club played games at Punt Road Oval. Based in a traditionally working-class area, Richmond has long-standing rivalries with cross-town Melbourne-based clubs, Collingwood, the club has been home to four AFL Hall of Fame Legends, Ian Stewart, Kevin Bartlett, Royce Hart and Jack Dyer. A team of playing as Richmond is mentioned by the newspapers in the first years of Australian football. Tom Wills, one of the founders, was the clubs inaugural secretary and captain. This loosely organised group has no continuity to the present club, a number of teams formed in the Richmond area during the games rapid expansion of the 1870s and early 1880s. However, all played at a level and it was considered an anomaly that Richmond, one of Melbournes biggest locales. The wait ended when the Richmond Football Club was officially formed at the Royal Hotel in Richmond on 20 February 1885, a successful application for immediate admission to the Victorian Football Association followed. The club shared the Punt Road Oval with the Richmond Cricket Club, at first the team wore a blue uniform. One of the most important features of a nineteenth-century footballers uniform was his headgear, and Richmond opted for yellow and black striped caps, after a couple of years, yellow and black stripes replaced blue as the colours of the teams guernseys. The team was called the Richmondites, the Wasps or, most commonly. During the late 1880s, the VFA expanded rapidly, a booming economy and large numbers of immigrants made Melbourne the largest city in the Australian colonies. The city was mad with football and many tried to get admission to the VFA. Richmond struggled to make an impression and after a promising season in 1888. As the local economy slipped into depression in the early 1890s and the crowds began to dwindle. Richmond were not considered part of elite group, who usually voted together as a block at VFA meetings. A lack of commitment and focused effort was holding the Tigers back, in 1896, Richmond walked off the field in a match with South Melbourne at half time when they were a long way behind on a very wet day to protest the umpiring. Later in the season, the Tigers had their score annulled against Essendon when it was discovered that they had too many men on the ground, in the closing three weeks of the season, Richmonds gate takings amounted to just five pounds
26.
Sydney Swans
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The Sydney Swans are a professional Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club has been based in Sydney since the South Melbourne Football Club was relocated to Sydney in 1982, Sydney was the first club in the competition to be based outside Victoria. The Swans have played their games at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1982. The South Melbourne Football Club was founded in 1874 and was strong through the 1880s and it won three premierships in 1909,1918 and 1933 before experiencing 72 years without a premiership, the longest premiership drought of any club. The club broke the drought in 2005 and won another premiership in 2012, the inauguration date of the club is officially 19 June 1874, and it adopted the name South Melbourne Football Club four weeks later, on 15 July. In 1880, South Melbourne amalgamated with the nearby Albert-park Football Club, following the amalgamation, the club retained the name South Melbourne, and adopted the clubs now familiar red and white colours from Albert-park. Nicknamed the Southerners, the team was more known as the Bloods. The colorful epithet the Bloodstained Angels was also in use, the club was based at Lake Oval, also home of the South Melbourne Cricket Club. The match took place on 3 October 1896 at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, Collingwood won the match, six goals to five, in front of an estimated crowd of 12,000. This Grand Final would be the last match South Melbourne would play in the VFA, the other clubs were St Kilda Football Club, Essendon Football Club, Fitzroy Football Club, Melbourne Football Club, Geelong Football Club, Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club. South Melbourne was one of the founding clubs of the Victorian Football League that was formed in 1897. The club had success and won three VFL premierships in 1909,1918 and 1933. Ironically, the driver was a South Melbourne supporter. It was during this period that the team known as the Swans. The name stuck, in due to the clubs association with nearby Albert Park and Lake. After several years only limited success, South Melbourne next reached the grand final in 1945. The match, played against Carlton, was to become known as the Bloodbath, courtesy of the brawl that overshadowed the match, Carlton won the match by 28 points, and from then on, South Melbourne struggled. In the following years, South Melbourne consistently struggled, as their traditional inner-city recruiting district largely emptied as a result of demographic shifts, the club missed the finals in 1946 and continued to fall such that by 1950 they were second-last on the ladder
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West Adelaide Football Club
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West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League. Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the home base is Richmond Oval. The Oval is located in Richmond, an suburb of Adelaide. The club has won nine SANFL premierships, the most recent coming in 2015 – breaking a thirty-two year premiership drought dating back to 1983, the second longest in the SANFL. West Adelaide was formed in 1892, adopting Magenta and White as their colours, the SAFA would subsequently become the SANFL. The club often struggled to field a team in its early years as clubs were then controlled by wealthy businessmen. West Adelaide was one of the clubs and consequently won only one of its first 31 matches. From the 1899 season the SAFA introduced district football in which players had to play for the club in the district where they lived, West Adelaide immediately gained the services of one of the best players of the time, Bunny Daly who threw himself into developing the club. Nonetheless, the club struggled and had won only twenty. James Sorry Tierney was the clubs first ever winner of the Magarey Medal in 1908, West Adelaide repeated as SANFL premiers in 1909 after defeating Port Adelaide by a goal in the Grand Final while Dick Head won the clubs second Magarey Medal. The club won its fourth premiership in five years in 1912 after again defeating Port Adelaide in the final before finishing their Golden Era with a third placing in 1913. After the SANFL resumed competition following World War I, West Adelaide would finish second in 1922, captain-Coach Bruce McGregor would not only lead his team to the premiership in 1927 but became the first West Adelaide player to win back to back Magarey Madals. Robert Snell, Jack Sexton and Ray McArthur also won the Magarey Medal while playing for the West Adelaide Football Club, an unexpected 112-point thrashing of North Adelaide in their last game of 1940, however, proved a true omen of what was to come in 1941. The Bloods carried all before them early in the season and after ten games had suffered only a draw, a slump ensued before the club required to finish third and beat Port Adelaide in the first semi before Sturt knocked the inexperienced Bloods out in the preliminary. Between 1942 and 1945 West Adelaide joined forced with Glenelg in a competition, finishing second, third. West Adelaide became one of the teams in the SANFL following the resumption of full-scale competition in 1945. The club finished third in 1946 before winning its sixth premiership in 1947 defeating Norwood 10.15 to 8.15. This was a reaction to a heavy but legal clash prior to the end of the half between Wests captain Brian Faehse and Ports Dave Boyd in which Boyd had come off second best
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Australian rules football in Australia
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Australian rules football originated in Melbourne in 1858. The national professional competition is the Australian Football League, which out of the former Victorian Football League. The AFL now governs the code nationally, Football is the most highly attended spectator sport in Australia. Government figures show more than 2.5 million people attended games in 1999. In 2005, a cumulative 6,283,788 people attended Australian Football League premiership matches, a further 307,181 attended NAB Cup pre-season matches and 117,552 attended Regional Challenge pre-season practice matches around the country. As of 2010, the AFL is one of five professional sports leagues with an average attendance of over 30,000 per game. As well as the AFL attendances, strong state and local competitions also draw crowds. The South Australian SANFL drew an attendance in 2008 of 362,209 with an average of 3,773 per game, while the Western Australian WAFL drew an attendance of 219,205 with an average of 2,332 per game. According to OzTAM, in recent years, the AFL Grand Final has reached the top five programs across the five biggest cities in 2002,2003,2004,2005 and 2006, Australian rules football has achieved a #1 rating in the sports category in both 2004 and 2005. A total of 1,404,176 registered participants are playing Australian football in 2016, placing it ahead of cricket,58,888 of all participants are from a non-English speaking origin. The most powerful organisation and competition within the game is the elite professional Australian Football League, the AFL is recognised by the Australian Sports Commission as being the National Sporting Organisation for Australian rules football. There are also seven state/territory-based organisations in Australia, most of which are affiliated to the AFL, most of these hold annual semi-professional club competitions while the others oversee more than one league. Local semi-professional or amateur organizations and competitions are affiliated to their state leagues, the last senior national carnival was held in 1993 and the last match between interstate senior sides was held in 1999. Senior interstate competition is no longer contested by players from the Australian Football League, a one-off exhibition match featuring Victoria and a Dream Team. However, the state continue to compete in inter-league matches. The AFL Under 18 Championships are the annual national Australian rules football championships for players aged 18 years or younger, the competition is monitored by AFL recruiters and frequently seen as the second biggest pathway for junior players to the fully professional Australian Football League. The competition is sponsored by the National Australia Bank. The competition receives an amount of coverage in the media
