141-703: Representative matches in Australian rules football are matches between representative teams played under the Australian rules , most notably of the colonies and later Australian states and territories . Senior intercolonial representative matches took place from 1879 to the turn of the 20th century. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition in Australia meant that interstate matches were regarded as important events. Interstate matches were, in most cases, sanctioned and coordinated by
282-427: A VFA match between Essendon and South Melbourne in 1891, the record attendance for a match at that time. The VFL record was 20,181 for the 1900 Grand Final, with the record for a VFL home and away match being 18,000, set twice in 1921 . Occasionally, soccer was played at the oval. The best known use for the sport were the interstate representative matches between the colonies of Victoria and New South Wales in
423-638: A dominion , leagues were also established in the major cities. This renewed popularity helped encourage the formation of the Australasian Football Council , which in 1908 in Melbourne staged the first national interstate competition, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival , with teams representing each state and New Zealand. The game was also established early on in the new territories. In
564-596: A 12-year winning streak against Western Australia and an 18-year winning streak against South Australia. Neil Kerley and Graham Cornes were of significance in the rivalry between Victoria and South Australia, who played for and coached the South Australia team during this period. Neil Kerley when coaching the South Australian team would engender a hatred for Victoria, telling his players that all Victorian umpires and players cheated. Graham Cornes, who
705-412: A central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind"). During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move the ball. The primary methods are kicking , handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with the ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on
846-517: A century. State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990. The term " Barassi Line ", named after VFL star Ron Barassi ,
987-478: A convincing win, and "If we can't beat Tasmania, we ought to give the game away ,. The Tasmanians stormed home in the final moments to win the game by two points. With the game notable, for thousands screaming onto the ground after the final siren. In 1974 the Northern Territory first participated in the concept, with a win over Queensland. By the 1970s, VFL clubs were signing up an increasing number of
1128-493: A crowd of 26,063 in rainy conditions; it would prove to be the last state of origin game. The match dropped from the 2000 season because the season's compressed schedule – which saw it played a month earlier than usual to accommodate the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney – did not allow for the week's break; but state of origin never returned to the calendar thereafter. There have been two once-off representative matches played during
1269-479: A few exceptions. In most carnivals following World War II, the stronger states competed separately from the minor states; and on many occasions the stronger states and minor states carnivals were held in separate locations or years. At the peak of its popularity, the carnival was known symbolically as " the Ashes " of Australian rules football. Victoria (VFL) continued its dominance in interstate football by winning 17 of
1410-618: A free week in the fixture, and introducing a new composite team to be known as the Allies to represent all states outside Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and be more competitive against them. Before a large crowd in 1995, between the Victoria and South Australia game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Ted Whitten, promoter of Victoria and State of Origin, was terminally ill with prostate cancer, and
1551-469: A free weekend in the AFL season each year between 1995 and 1998, and they featured the same four teams: the Allies, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia – but aside from 1997 when a Victoria and South Australia game got a large crowd, low crowds and an annual $ 800,000 cost to stage the series persisted. Only one match was played in 1999, with Victoria 17.19 (121) defeating South Australia 10.7 (67) before
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#17327868975421692-419: A game for either medical or tactical reasons. Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area". In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing side. While there
1833-646: A game more suited to adults and Australian conditions, the Melbourne Football Club published the first laws of Australian football in May 1859. Australian football has the highest spectator attendance and television viewership of all sports in Australia, while the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's only fully professional competition, is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final , held annually at
1974-588: A huge reversal of the results in most previous games. In the words of football historian John Devaney: Games involving each of the other states soon followed. Western Australia and South Australia began to win more games against Victoria . A full interstate carnival under state-of-origin selection was held with success in October 1979 in Perth. A second carnival was held the following October in Adelaide, but it
2115-602: A loss, the carnival concept was considered near finished. With sponsorship from Carlton and United Breweries and the support of South Australia, the Commission organised for a blockbuster match in 1989, the first between South Australia and Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since 1971. A record State of Origin crowd of 91,960 at the match (significantly exceeding the VFL's prediction of 70,000) signalled
2256-455: A major part of the representative football's appeal disappeared. The last interstate series recognised as a carnival was played in 1993 ; as a once-off, the AFL season was shortened from 22 rounds to 20 to accommodate the carnival, and two new composite teams QLD/NT and NSW/ACT were introduced. However, from 1992 until 1994, unusual timeslots and high ticket prices made the games inaccessible to many spectators. In 1994, Graham Cornes criticised
2397-399: A mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in
2538-427: A one-sided contest. The record crowd of 91,960 in Melbourne in 1989 came after South Australia had beaten Victoria three years in a row, demonstrating that Victorian fans were willing to embrace interstate football when the rivalry and contests were closely fought. Additionally, differences in supporter culture between the states meant that club football and club parochialism had much greater importance in Victoria than in
2679-656: A partial-origin match against Victoria in 1990. New South Wales was allowed to be represented by players of New South Welsh origin and any player who had played for the Sydney Swans and Queensland was allowed to be represented by players of Queensland origin and any player who had played for the Brisbane Bears / Lions . Changes made in 1990 set a player's state of origin based on his registered state at age 15. Roger Merrett has played for and captained both Victoria (1984) and Queensland (1991). Greg Champion wrote
2820-443: A pep talk and go to the races , Kerley opened the match by putting down two Victorians with heavy bumps, and South Australia went on to win by seven points. In the first half of the 1970s, there were some important games played: in 1970 Western Australia played Victoria in Melbourne, with the home side winning by six points. The match was notable because of a native born Western Australian player, playing for Victoria, being involved in
2961-428: A player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone. As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply. East Melbourne Cricket Ground The East Melbourne Cricket Ground was a grass oval sports venue located at
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#17327868975423102-566: A proposed hybrid code of Australian football and rugby league , the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success. In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. The WAFL lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. The Anzac Day match ,
3243-888: A pupil at Rugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant , posted an advertisement for a scratch match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club , including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley and J. B. Thompson . Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in
3384-506: A rivalry with Tasmania against whom it had a number of close results on both sides. In 1959, Victoria beat Western Australia by 178 points, with the loss in Western Australia being taken so badly that it had been reported as potentially being the end of interstate football in the state. Tasmania finished of the decade strongly, with two surprise carnival upsets over South Australia in 1956 and 1958 and Western Australia in 1958. In
3525-456: A second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annual International Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players. In
3666-464: A select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called a handball )—deemed a correct disposal. Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in a free kick to the opposing team. If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through
3807-499: A similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs, West Coast and Brisbane , joined the league in 1987 generating more than $ 8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive. In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because
3948-509: A single host city, although some – particularly those played in the 1980s – were based on the results of matches played in different cities throughout the year. Between 1937 and 1988, the player judged the best at each of these carnivals was awarded the Tassie Medal ; and between 1953 and 1988, the selection of All Australian Teams was based on the player's performance during Australian Football Carnivals, and
4089-498: A slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879. The South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's first governing body , formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month. Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the first intercolonial match took place in Melbourne between Victoria and South Australia . To standardise
4230-508: A song, "Don't Let The Big V Down", about the traditional navy blue jumper with a large white V used to represent Victoria in state games. The song is about a young man who is about to play his first state game and is approached by another man, who is Ted Whitten , and tells him to not let the Big V down. Champion also wrote another song, "Came From Adelaide", about two people watching a game between South Australia and Victoria. One of them turns to
4371-448: A strong return. The minor-states carnival continued in 1989, although the Northern Territory withdrew due to financial reasons and because the carnival was played outside its conventional summer season timing. The AFL later gained formal affiliations with these states and territories signalling the end of the NFL's involvement in interstate football. The AFL Commission, taking over the role from
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4512-406: A technique known shepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball. If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within
4653-725: A two-game series in Brisbane in 1884; the result of the series was a one-all draw. Tasmania played its first game, against Victoria, in 1887. New Zealand (Maori) entered the competition with a draw against New South Wales in Sydney, on 29 June 1889. Victoria's long-term dominance briefly faltered in the 1890s, when other Colonies recorded their first-ever wins over the Victoria: South Australia in Adelaide in 1890 and 1891 and Tasmania in Hobart in 1893 (twice). In 1897,
4794-427: A uniform code known as "Victorian rules". In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", the running bounce , was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired by H. C. A. Harrison , an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin. The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match
4935-405: Is analogous to a basketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage. In the event
5076-481: Is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support a causal link with Australian football. In Melbourne , in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed " public schools " in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired by precedents at English public schools . The earliest match, held on 15 June,
5217-460: Is known as the Goal Line. Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play. Other field markings include: The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. With each team permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in
5358-470: Is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks and boots, with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted. Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body. Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players. Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which
5499-493: Is officiated by at least five match officials, known as an umpire . These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position: At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed. An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in
5640-783: Is used. The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch). There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced by Sherrin using cowhide leather. While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews. Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide. At either end of
5781-517: The 1921 carnival , during the 1929 season , and at the 1937 carnival successively set records as Western Australia's highest-ever sports crowd; the crowd of 40,000 drawn to that 1937 match was more than 10,000 higher than any previous Western Australian crowd and almost double the record club grand final crowd at that time. Likewise in Tasmania, carnival fixtures in 1924 , 1947 and 1966 each set new Tasmanian state football attendance records, and
Representative matches in Australian rules football - Misplaced Pages Continue
5922-595: The Melbourne Cricket Ground , is the second-highest-attended club championship event in the world . The sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations . Its rules are governed by the AFL Commission with the advice of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee. Australian rules football is known by several nicknames, including Aussie rules, football and footy. In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular,
6063-622: The North Melbourne Recreation Reserve , resulting in a major off-field political struggle between the Essendon Association and North Melbourne Football Clubs, the VFL and the VFA. The former site of the ground has now been taken over by a housing estate, a feature of which is a semi-circular housing block with a tower obviously designed to look like an ersatz football pavilion. The remaining part of
6204-575: The Victorian Football League , was the dominant state in representative football, winning 16 of the 19 carnivals up until 1975. Competition was more even during the nine competitions held in the State of Origin selection era, with championships shared among Western Australia (4), South Australia (3) and Victoria (2). Victoria, the birthplace of Australian rules and, with contributing factors such as population and finances, dominated
6345-407: The field umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players. Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference. For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in)
6486-484: The (ANFC), which organised every national championship series from the first-ever national carnival, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival in 1908 with the exception of the last-ever series: the 1993 State of Origin Championships , which was run by the AFL Commission . The series took place on approximately three-yearly intervals between 1908 and 1993; these were usually a fortnight-long tournament staged in
6627-412: The 13 of October respectively. Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy , is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field , often a modified cricket ground . Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between
6768-598: The 1880s. Four matches were played between 1883 and 1887 with three taking place at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground with the other being played at the South Melbourne Cricket Ground that ended in a nil-all draw. The ground was occasionally used as a venue for lacrosse , and hosted Victoria's first intercolonial lacrosse match on 1 September 1888, against South Australia (the first intercolonial match in Australia
6909-507: The 1880s. While Queensland has shied away from competing in carnivals that include the stronger states, the neighbouring states have played, at times, annually. The gap narrowed until the 1970s, after which, on the few occasions they have met, Queensland has once again had the upper hand. State of origin matches between the two states in the 1980s were promoted to capitalise on the popularity of state of origin in Rugby League. For most of
7050-413: The 1897 and 1901 finals series and the 1900 Grand Final at the ground, while the VFA also held the 1896 premiership play-off match at the ground. As a venue for football, the East Melbourne Cricket Ground had an unusual quirk that the field sloped downhill towards the railway end, but was often affected by a strong wind which blew to the pavilion end. The record football crowd at the venue was 36,185 for
7191-501: The 1930s could sometimes fail to draw 10,000 spectators – less than the average home-and-away crowd – at a time when state record crowds were drawn to the matches elsewhere. Eventually, due to these lower levels of public interest, less interstate football came to be played in Victoria: for the majority of the 1980s, when State of Origin football was at its peak, the Victorian team did not play a single match at home. The primary reason for
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#17327868975427332-519: The 1966 carnival crowd of 23,764 remains the third-highest football attendance in Tasmania's history. State of Origin matches in the 1980s in South Australia and Western Australia regularly drew crowds between 30,000 and 50,000, on par with grand finals in those states during that era; and interstate matches in Tasmania consistently drew crowds which either exceeded or were second only to the Tasmanian league's grand final attendances. Interstate football
7473-418: The 20 carnivals held between the period 1908 to 1975, and usually winning the individual matches held every year. Some notable moments during this period were, the 1923 Victorian loss to South Australia, which was described as the state's worst ever defeat. The 1923 South Australian upset loss to an undermanned Tasmania. The championship-deciding game of the 1924 carnival, between Victoria and Western Australia,
7614-612: The 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand, followed by China. After several failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, the Tasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028. In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on
7755-459: The 2020 preseason to raise funds for the recovery after the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season . At its peak, interstate matches were among the most important events on the annual football calendar in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The crowds drawn to interstate matches in those states regularly dwarfed home-and-away crowds, and at times throughout history would match or exceed grand final attendances. In Perth, interstate matches at
7896-441: The 20th century, there was a national football carnival usually held every three to five years. Some of the carnivals the format consisted of qualification matches at the start of the tournament, with the winners playing off in a final. In some other carnivals the format was a round-robin format, with a points system in which the team with most points at the end of the tournament was declared the winner. The national football carnival
8037-531: The 21st century, each between Victoria and a single composite team representing the rest of Australia under state of origin selection rules. The first was the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match , held on a free weekend in 2008 as part of that season's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Australian rules football . The second was the State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match , a benefit match played during
8178-464: The AFL). The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play. "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football. Once
8319-472: The AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter. For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence
8460-641: The ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran a night series , which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated. With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of
8601-539: The British Isles, "others by no rules at all". Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College , held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacher John Macadam , it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal. It is commemorated with a statue outside
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#17327868975428742-576: The Commission for its poor promotion of State of Origin in comparison with its rugby league equivalent , while also noting the negative impact that the nationalisation of the AFL had on interstate football's prestige. In the AFL Commission's five-year plan released in August 1994, the Commission announced further plans to reinvigorate State of Origin, attempting to establish a competition to rival Rugby League's equivalent; this included setting aside
8883-786: The Hawthorn Cricket Club to form the Hawthorn-East Melbourne Cricket Club , and moved to Hawthorn's Glenferrie Oval . One of the wooden stands was moved from East Melbourne to Glenferrie Oval, where it stood until 1965, when it was replaced by the Dr A.S. Ferguson Stand. After the Essendon Football Club lost the use of the ground, it moved to the Essendon Recreation Reserve . It had initially tried to move to
9024-527: The Irish game evolved in a similar direction. Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up among Aboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game of Marn Grook , and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills
9165-752: The MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules: "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" . These are the laws from which Australian football evolved. The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men. In another significant departure from English public school football,
9306-503: The MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in the Cordner–Eggleston Cup , the world's oldest continuous football competition . Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football . However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before
9447-576: The Melbourne rules omitted any offside law . "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings. The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist. Following Melbourne's lead, Geelong and Melbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859. While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. A South Yarra club devised its own rules. To ensure
9588-486: The NFL in 1991 ruled out the minor states including Queensland and New South Wales from again playing the major states under State of Origin rules. Ad hoc matches continued to be scheduled between 1989 and 1992 without a carnival. With the expansion of the Australian Football League into Queensland and Western Australia in 1987 and South Australia in 1991, the top Victorian players were now playing football matches in those states every second week as part of club matches, and
9729-409: The SANFL's Port Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league. In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition: Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney . The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to
9870-481: The South Australian team, always spoke equally proudly of the experience of representing his state. John Platten , a highly decorated player, described a drought-breaking victory playing for South Australia, over Victoria, as one of his proudest football moments. Comments from other players included: The State of Origin eligibility rules varied from game to game, and matches during the 1980s were sometimes played under partial, rather than full, State of Origin rules. This
10011-619: The Victoria Football Association and the Australian Amateur Football Council each re-enter teams in carnival and interstate competitions. The Amateurs were frequent winners of the second division carnivals, and the VFA recorded an upset 8-point win against South Australia at the 1950 interstate carnival. The VFA overall had mixed results while readmitted back, with some wins over some of the main states, and large losses, and established
10152-588: The annexure of the land by Victorian Railways to enable stabling and marshalling of trains as part of the electrification of Melbourne's metropolitan rail service. The ground was opened in 1860 and closed in 1921. It adjoined the Melbourne Cricket Ground and was not far from the Richmond Cricket Ground , all three grounds being sited in the area formerly known as Captain Lonsdale 's Cow Paddock, now Yarra Park . East Melbourne Cricket Club
10293-581: The annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community. The role of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived the Championship of Australia , a competition first held in 1888 between
10434-582: The back ), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties , or suspension for a certain number of matches depending on the severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking , fast movement of both players and the ball, and high scoring. The sport's origins can be traced to football matches played in Melbourne , Victoria , in 1858, inspired by English public school football games . Seeking to develop
10575-602: The best players from other states and Victoria dominated state games. Led by Leon Larkin , marketing manager of the Subiaco Football Club , Western Australia began to campaign for players to be selected according to state-of-origin rules. The (WAFL) negotiated with the (VFL) for two years before agreement was reached on the format. In the first such game, at Subiaco Oval in Perth , on 8 October 1977, Western Australia defeated Victoria , 23.13 (151) to 8.9 (57),
10716-442: The case of Sydney , denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth. In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs— Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne —met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition. Later joined by Collingwood and St Kilda ,
10857-435: The clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted. Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known as half-time . Each game
10998-426: The clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which held its inaugural season in 1897 . The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing the behind as a score. Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition of Hawthorn , Footscray and North Melbourne , it had become
11139-490: The code took hold during a series of gold rushes . Likewise, when New Zealand experienced a gold rush , the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal, attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game". Australian rules football reached Queensland and New South Wales as early as 1866;
11280-408: The credit it deserved, despite some of the best players of all time coming from the state. The Victorian and Western Australian rivalry was summarised in the early part of the 20th century as a friendly rivalry . In contrast with the Victoria vs South Australia rivalry which is based on hatred. This was evident in the first match between Victoria and Western Australia in Melbourne in 1904, where, before
11421-402: The difference in popularity between Victoria and the other states was the Victorian team's historical dominance in interstate football. Particularly during the pre–State of Origin era, the Victorian team was always expected to win and regularly won easily; therefore, Victorian spectators were disinclined to attend matches because there was little importance on offer for victory and a high chance of
11562-409: The field of play, it is deemed as a mark . To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent. Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When
11703-413: The field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts
11844-437: The first half of the 1960s saw a brief changing of the guard, with South Australia and Western Australia recording several wins over Victoria, and an upset win by Tasmania over Victoria in 1960, considered one of Tasmanian football's greatest moments. Also the 1963 Tasmanian victory over reigning interstate carnival champions Western Australia. Those were Victoria's last losses of the pre-origin selection era, and Victoria went on
11985-599: The first hundred years of inter colonial and interstate football. This was the case in the first-ever intercolonial representative match , held on Tuesday, 1 July 1879 (a public holiday), at East Melbourne Cricket Ground . The final score was Victoria (represented by the Victorian Football Association ) 7.14 to South Australia 0.3. The match was attended by more than 10,000 people. The third and fourth teams to commence intercolonial competition were New South Wales and Queensland, playing each other in
12126-627: The first match in Darwin . The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally. Both World War I and World War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian " diggers " in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,
12267-420: The first state game he played in South Australia that "when walking up the entrance and onto Football Park was an experience in itself. I quickly realised how much hatred existed towards Victorians and their football." There is also an intense rivalry between Victoria and Western Australia . Western Australia's rivalry likewise stemmed from the feeling in Western Australia that Victoria never gave their state
12408-536: The formation of the Adelaide Football Club , the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria. It devised its own rules, and, along with other Adelaide -based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneer Charles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules". Similarly, Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted
12549-626: The fully professional Australian Football League since 1999. Representatives matches continue to be played annually between teams representing the state or territorial leagues at the second tier or below. One senior women's State of Origin match was played in 2017 . Representative matches are played at underage level as part of the men's and women's Underage National Championships, notably the AFL Under-19 Championships and AFL Women's Under-18 Championships . Throughout its pre–State of Origin history, Victoria , as represented by
12690-428: The game, the home Victorians put on a function for the two sides as a welcome. The function was reported to be well received by both sides. This is in contrast to the previous year's Victoria vs South Australia game in Melbourne, where no such function was held. After the rivalry evolved from first to the latter half of the 20th century, when Victoria stated to lure many of Western Australia's best players because of money,
12831-435: The goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded. A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four-quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at the umpire 's discretion, e.g. for serious injury. Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as
12972-519: The ground . 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 the ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpeded 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 whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in
13113-567: The ground in the 1880s, including the Smokers v Non-Smokers match, in which the Non-Smokers made 803, at the time a world record innings score. The oval was used for Australian rules football games during the winter months from 1878. The ground also hosted the first-ever interstate representative football match , on 1 July 1879, between Victoria - represented by the Victorian Football Association (VFA) - and South Australia . The match
13254-412: The hardest and fiercest games fought in the history of the code . In 1928 Victoria and South Australia participated in the first drawn representative match: the visiting Victorians led for most of the match, with South Australia kicking three late goals to give the state the victory by a point; however, after the match, it was discovered that the scoreboard had failed to record one of Victoria's behinds, and
13395-424: The knees (a low tackle or a trip ) or above the shoulders (a high tackle ), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick. Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player. Additionally, players may perform
13536-483: The match was declared a draw. In the second game between South Australia and Victoria after war, the states participated in the second representative draw, in a high scoring affair with the side locked in at 123 to 123 at full time. In 1948, Victoria played Western Australia for the first time in ten years, which Western Australia went on to win by 38 points, in what was described as a memorable victory. The Australian National Football Council expanded in 1949, which saw
13677-426: The new Victorian Football League split from the VFA, and the two selected separate representative teams, further weakening Victoria in intercolonial competition, which became interstate competition following Federation of the six British colonies in Australia, in 1901. Western Australia played its first two interstate games in 1904, including a win over South Australia in Adelaide. The Australasian Football Council
13818-499: The new national capital Canberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911, Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes. Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with
13959-488: The organisation of the competition: Victoria (represented by the VFL), South Australia and Western Australia constituted "Section A", and Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand constituted "Section B". The VFA did not take part and the carnival was New Zealand's last appearance in representative football. Victoria went through the competition undefeated. The second carnival was played in 1911 , in Adelaide, which set
14100-575: The other and says that the Croweaters cannot play. The other replies that this is not true and that the South Australians are great. The rivalry between Victoria and South Australia was considered the strongest in state football. Although there is a bitter rivalry on both sides, the make-up of the rivalry is slightly different: for Victoria, being the most successful state in interstate football, it meant that protecting that reputation
14241-408: The other states. Amongst the competing states, the rivalry with Victoria was the strongest. Victoria's long-term dominance of interstate football created a culture of disdain towards it; as a result, the most popular games always involved Victoria, and beating Victoria was considered the pinnacle of interstate football in South Australia and Western Australia. South Australia's rivalry towards Victoria
14382-425: The pattern of a carnival every three years. South Australia went undefeated and Victoria won three of their four matches. At the Sydney carnival of 1914, Victoria was once again undefeated. Following the onset of World War I interstate matches went into a five-year hiatus. Throughout following decades, standalone interstate matches were held every year, and interstate carnivals were held usually every three years, with
14523-401: The phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television. In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans . In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and
14664-407: The player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes. Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which umpire sends the ball to commence play. Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins. They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role
14805-429: The player penalised for ' holding the ball ', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so. The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side. If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for a push in the back . If the opposition tackles the player with possession below
14946-436: The playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to four interchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game. Although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players. In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during
15087-609: The preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport. The time around the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901 saw Australian rules undergo a revival in New South Wales, New Zealand and Queensland. In 1903, both the Queensland Australian Football League and the NSW Australian Football Association were established, and in New Zealand, as it moved towards becoming
15228-481: The premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, with North Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987,
15369-501: The rivalry started to take on dislike from Western Australia's part. Some games widely regarded as some of the best in the history of Australian football were played between Victoria and Western Australia in the 1980s. Shane Parker , a former Western Australia player, said of the rivalry: "When I was a kid, the State of Origin games were the greatest ever. It was a really big thing to see the WA side play, particularly against Victoria." There
15510-468: The southwest corner of Jolimont Road and Jolimont Parade (now known as Wellington Parade South) in East Melbourne, Victoria , Australia. The site is best known for playing host to many sporting events during the city of Melbourne 's early existence, consisting mainly of cricket and Australian rules football , although the ground occasionally hosted soccer matches. Its closure was predicated by
15651-467: The sport across Australia, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland met in 1883 and updated the code. New rules such as holding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking and high-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such as George Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise of professionalism , particularly in Victoria and Western Australia , where
15792-472: The sport experienced a period of dominance in the former, and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as the Riverina . However, by the late 1880s, rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration, regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In
15933-406: The sport is most often called AFL after the Australian Football League , while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas. Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared to cricket and horse racing , football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little
16074-732: The state of origin contests which took place during the 1980s constituted arguably the finest expositions of the game ever seen". Non-state representative matches sanctioned by the AFL feature AFL recognised teams including the Indigenous All-Stars (since 1983), International Rules Series (played under International Rules since 1984 featuring All-Australian selection from 1998-2004 and 2014-2017), Australian Football International Cup (since 2005), AFL National Academy (since 2007), AFL Oceania and AFL Asia (since 2008) and AFL Europe (since 2010). There have been no regular interstate representative matches featuring players from
16215-414: The substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL. To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive. The VFL changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 1990 season , and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry: Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and
16356-613: The supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first-club level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society's Challenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used. This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66. With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing
16497-460: The team was named after each carnival concluded. Until June 1977, interstate Australian rules football games were played by teams representing the major football leagues or organisations, with players representing the state or territory they were playing in at the time. From October, 1977 until May, 1999, players were selected for their states under partial or full State of Origin selection rules. Football historian John Devaney has argued that "some of
16638-401: The top achievements in South Australian football. Neil Kerley ranked beating Victoria above his club premierships. Victorian footballers have commented on the passion and hatred directed towards them in interstate games played in Adelaide. Garry Lyon described the fans as "hostile and maniacal" and "by the time the games came around they were whipped into a frenzy". Paul Roos commented about
16779-412: The usage of other means, such as punching. While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to either bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd). Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see
16920-528: The west as being the last straw . After the game Western Australia began to negotiate for games to be played under State of Origin criteria. Also in 1970 after a decade of surprise upsets, and large disappointing defeats, Tasmania recorded a memorable victory over Western Australia. In the lead up to the match, an over confident Western Australian captain Polly Farmer, announced to the media that That his side simply could not countenance anything other than
17061-410: The winning play. After the match with the result not taken well in the west, because of the observation that this had been a regular occurrence, it was first started being mentioned that games should be played on State of Origin criteria. Likewise in the 1974 game between the states, with the same result occurring, with again a Western Australia player being involved in the winning play, it was reported in
17202-410: The year, rather than in a standalone carnival, and with a points system and percentage used to declare the winner. Through this period, State of Origin football continued to be popular. However, after 1986, the concept began to wane in popularity in Western Australia, with the entrance of West Coast into the expanded Victorian Football League in 1987. When the 1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival ran at
17343-429: Was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School". A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858. The following year, on 14 May, the Melbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world's oldest football clubs . Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacher Thomas H. Smith met near
17484-556: Was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals. The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock ( Yarra Park ), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground. Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter, and, as early as 1859, football
17625-416: Was a financial disaster for the organisers, with only 28,245 people attending the four games. Following this series, the VFL decided to not participate in any future carnivals, which put the future of the carnival concept in doubt. Between 1983 and 1987 there was a new format introduced, with only Victoria , South Australia and Western Australia competing, where each team would play each other once during
17766-485: Was allowed on the MCG. However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day. Football became organised in South Australia in 1860 with
17907-462: Was an intense rivalry between Western Australia and South Australia , with fans at games between the states always vociferous and parochial. Queensland and New South Wales are the two states where rugby football is most popular, having a rivalry in Rugby League and Rugby Union which is reflected in their encounters in Australian rules, having been evenly matched since they first met in
18048-633: Was attended by more than 10,000 people. It also hosted the first intercollegiate football match in Melbourne, played on 21 July 1881 between teams from the University of Melbourne colleges Trinity and Ormond . Tenant football clubs of the ground included: The ground hosted 426 senior matches in the recognised top level of Victorian football - 201 matches in the VFA and 225 matches in the VFL/AFL - in 44 seasons of competition. It also held 30 VFA finals between 1903 and 1921. The VFL held one final in
18189-528: Was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. On 10 July 1858, the Melbourne-based Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter by Tom Wills , captain of the Victoria cricket team , calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football while
18330-422: Was characterised during the 1980s with the slogan "Kick a Vic". Players from all states, including Victoria, viewed selection and participation in interstate football with great importance. Ted Whitten , who was widely noted for his involvement in and passion for the Victorian team described how "the players would walk on broken glass to wear the Victorian jumper". Graham Cornes , well known for his involvement in
18471-452: Was coached by Kerley for South Australia and was later a coach and central figure in the promotion of interstate football in South Australia, later stated that his hatred for Victoria came from Neil Kerley, and in establishing the culture in South Australia of wanting to prove superiority over Victoria. In the 1963 game, after Victorian Jack Dyer was asked what he would do if he was coaching Victoria, and disrespectfully responded I'd give them
18612-435: Was coined by scholar Ian Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned. It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league. The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with
18753-469: Was established 1906, and it assumed administration for interstate football. The VFL's dominance within Victoria was established by the time an interstate carnival was held for the first time – in Melbourne in 1908 – to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of "Australasian football" (as it was known at the time). The widening gap between the three major footballing States/leagues and the others was shown in
18894-888: Was in large part so that neutral leagues were not disrupted by a stand-alone game between two other states; e.g. VFL clubs would not lose access to interstate origin players on the weekend of a game between South Australia and Western Australia. For example, in the stand-alone 1982 match between South Australia and Victoria, a quota of up to six VFL players of South Australian origin, and no more than one from any VFL club, could play for South Australia; but otherwise, all SANFL and VFL players were eligible to play for South Australia and Victoria respectively – indeed Victoria fielded five VFL players of Western Australian origin in that match, including their captain, Mike Fitzpatrick . Jason Dunstall and Terry Daniher , who were born in and recruited from Queensland and New South Wales respectively, both played several partial-origin matches for Victoria; and in
19035-450: Was less popular in Victoria than it was in the other states. One match in Victoria in 1989 against South Australia set the national interstate football record crowd of 91,960, with 10,000 people turned away at the gate, and other large crowds at interstate games in Victoria were between 60,000 and 70,000, on par with some large home-and-away games but lower than a typical finals attendance. But, at its lowest, interstate games in Victoria during
19176-436: Was of prominent importance; for South Australia, the rivalry stemmed from dislike, and the feeling that Victorians did not give the state the respect it deserved. Graham Cornes , who was heavily involved in South Australian state football, described the football culture in Victoria as insular and having a lack of regard for football outside the state which drove that feeling. Many footballers described beating Victoria as one of
19317-504: Was paraded around the ground prior to the match, with Mariah Carey 's Hero being played over the PA system, for his service to the concept and the game, in a moment which has been voted as the most memorable moment in the game's history. However, Tom Hafey noted an increase in clubs discouraging players from playing due to risk of injury, and an increasing reluctance from players themselves. There were two state of origin matches were played on
19458-485: Was played between Queensland and New South Wales a year earlier ). The match was not largely attended, due in part to the cold and showery weather on the day, with Victoria winning the match by 5 goals to 1. After the 1921 football season, the ground was closed and then demolished to make way for an extension of the Jolimont Yard railway sidings. The East Melbourne Cricket Club subsequently amalgamated with
19599-457: Was played under the State of Residence rules from 1908 to 1975, and then played under the State of Origin rules from 1979 to 1993. The team names in bold indicate the winning teams. The team names in bold indicate the winning teams Key - 1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival : Key - 1980 Adelaide State of Origin Carnival : Note - 1980: Double-headers on the 11th of October and on
19740-620: Was reported as being the roughest on record. Also in 1924 South Australia recorded the concepts highest winning score, winning by 268 points to defeat Queensland in Hobart. In the 1925 calendar year, Canberra played its first match against New South Wales. In 1923 & 1925 Victoria lost shock upsets to New South Wales. In 1927, in the Australia National Football Carnival Victoria beat Western Australia 11.10 to 10.12, in what has been described as one of
19881-713: Was the most successful member of the Victorian Cricket Association (VCA) during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, winning more than half of the VCA's Premierships during that period. The club was formed in 1857 as the Abbotsford Cricket Club but they soon changed their name as part of a push to use the East Melbourne ground. The team mainly consisted of Scotch College old boys. Four first-class cricket games were played at
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