Where it all began....

[Leaping Lindner]

The following is an article from "The Register" May 1st 1877, describing the meeting that formed the South Australian Football Association (S.A.F.A), and the adoption of 'Victorian' rules.

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

On Monday Evening, April 30, a largely attended meeting of delegates from most of the Football Clubs of the colony was held in the Prince Alfred Hotel, Mr. Kennedy presiding.
The following Football Clubs were represented by two delegates each : - South Park, Willunga, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, North Adelaide, Prince Alfred College, Gawler, Kapunda, Bankers, Woodville, South Adelaide, Kensington, and Victorian.
Mr. Twopeny produced the By-laws of the Sydney Football Association, and the meeting proceeded to consider the principles of these By-laws with a view to adopting them or a modification of them. The rules were considered and adopted with modifications, it being further resolved to admit School Clubs into the Association. It was then decided to have one President and ten Vice-Presidents.
The Victorian playing rules were considered, and amongst others it was decided to have posts of unlimited height ; also, that each Club joining the Association should send five representatives to a special annual meeting. A discussion arose upon the question of running with the ball or bouncing it every five or six yards. Mr. Twopeny spoke very warmly in favour running with the ball, urging that it was a sine qua non of genuine football, and that, from English experience, he could vouch for there being no disputes when this rule was played ; whereas bouncing the ball had lead to endless rows here, and left a great deal too much to umpire. Mr. Kingston on the other hand, said that experienced Victorian players bore witness to there being no disputes with the bouncing rules, and he opposed Mr. Twopeny’s view. He thought that the Melbourne rules should as far as possible be adopted, and this rule was an essential to an intercolonial match.
The meeting finally adopted the Victorian rule as it stood, which allows of bouncing. The oval ball was adopted, and several other matters decided, the result of the meeting being that the Victorian playing rules were adopted almost in toto, though pushing behind was, after considerable discussion, forbidden.
Mr. Nowell Twopeny was unanimously elected Honorary Secretary, and Mr. J.R. Osborne Honorary Secretary. A Match Committee consisting of Messrs. Rudall, Edwards, Osborne, Atkinson, Sinclair, Kingston, Harris, Whitfield, Mouldes, Wells, and Twopeny, was appointed. Votes of thanks were passed to the chairman and Mr. Moulden, who acted as Secretary for the evening ; and all further proceedings were adjourned to a general meeting, which will have to confirm the proceedings of the meeting of delegates.

(From “The Register” May 1st 1877)

The first results I can find are from Saturday May 12th were Adelaide beat Bankers 4 goals to 1 on the "Old Adelaide Ground" , and Port Adelaide beat Kensington 3 goals to nil on Kensington Oval.

[am Bays]

Interesting stuff LL, I enjoy reading the articles you find from our league's embryonic years

[Leaping Lindner]

Cheers Tassie.I love the fact that they debated over the bouncing the ball rule.
How different things might have been. Gotta love Charlie Kingston's work.

[am Bays]

What i find interesting is that they discussed Sydney and Victorian rules, so like many things back in colonial Australia it was the debate between Sydney and Melbourne. Gold rushes, rail gauges and later where should the national capital be.

What it also suggests is that 130 years ago our native code was played in an embryonic form in Sydney. How did rugby and then later rugby league take hold? I know the answers given the public school systems supporting Rugby and then the Northern Rugby code was adopted in 1907 following the injury of of a prominant working class Union player so in 1908 League started.

The whole debate of estabishing a team in western Sydney may have been immaterial if the Sydney/Melbourne rivalry hadn't been so great and Australian Football survived to be the dominant code in sydney in the 1880s-1890s

[Magpiespower]

Apparently, the NSW/Victorian rivarly is behind Sydney private schools choosing rugby over Aussie Rules.

The reason?

Because it wasn't 'Victorian Rules.'

[Hondo]

It's interesting that topical issues back then remain very important today:

- rule changes
- umpire's interpretation of the rules
- influence of Victorian league on our own
- whether we should standardise rules across all states

I could list a current example or 3 for each issue

[oldtimer2]

Can anyone help

I have completed my research on the 1877 inaugural SAFA season but have been unable to identify umpires for the following matches.

May 12 Adelaide v Bankers, Port Adelaide v Kensington
May 19 South Park v Bankers
May 26 Kensington v South Park
June 2 South Adelaide v Kensington, Adelaide v South Park
June 23 South Adelaide v Adelaide
July 14 Kensington v Bankers
July 21 Adelaide v South Park, Woodville v Kensington
July 28 South Adelaide v Kensington
August 11 Adelaide v Kensington, South Park v Woodville
September 1 Port Adelaide v South Park

Many thanks in anticipation

[oldtimer2]

Newspaper reports in 1877 indicate that photographs were taken of the Adelaide and Victorian Football teams before their matches with Saint Kilda and Melbourne.

Does anyone know anything about the existence or whereabouts of these??

[Leaping Lindner]

Pretty sure one of my books has a photo of the St Kilda side. No joy with the Adelaide teams however. I'll see if I can dig it up.