Australian Rules Football

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AFL History

The first game

A match between Scotch and Melbourne Grammar schools was held on August 7, 1858. This is generally considered the first game of what we now call AFL (Australian Rules Football), though the rules for this match would have been rather crude. There may have been earlier games of 'football' as the colonial Australians meshed their knowledge of Gaelic Football, Rugby and Soccer. The AFL rules evolved gradually over the early matches, probably over a few beers at the local.

Victorian Football Association (VFA)

The game developed rapidly, drawing large crowds and taking up pages in the paper with discussion of upcoming games and results. The Victorian Football Association was formed in 1877. The original clubs were Hotham (North Melbourne), Melbourne, Geelong, Carlton, Albert Park (South Melbourne), St Kilda, Essendon and East Melbourne.

The first International

An English team toured Australia in 1888. After some coaching in England, and more after they arrived, they went on to play 25 matches in which they won 14. A return tour by Australian players was planned but did not eventuate. Thus the international expansion of the game died out and it it went on to become a unique game to Australia.

Victorian Football League (VFL)

The game continued to develop and new teams were included in the VFA. In 1897, some of the stronger teams from the VFA formed a breakaway league, which became known as the Victorian Football League (VFL). The original clubs of the newly formed VFL were Collingwood, South Melbourne, Essendon, Melbourne, Fitzroy, Geelong, St. Kilda and Carlton. They played their first matches on May 18, 1897.

Australian Football League (AFL)

Australian Rules Football is now a national sport. With the inclusion of interstate clubs such as the West Coast Eagles, Adelaide, Fremantle, Sydney, Port Adelaide and Brisbane to league could not called VFL and the name was changed to the AFL (Australian Football League).