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1878 The Intercolonials |
"AGREEMENT between Members of a Football Team to go and play matches in Victoria"
"We, the undersigned members of a Football Team known as "the Victorians" who are to start for Melbourne on or about Augst. 6th. 1878 to play four Football matches in Victoria hereby agree to keep ourselves in sober condition during our stay in the said colony, and unless prevented by illness or accident to be ready and willing for play on any four days when called upon by our captain."
"We further agree to pay to Mr. W. N. Pratt the sum of two pounds, ten shillings on or before Aug 5th. the same to be forfeited if we fail to put in an appearance on board the Steamer 'Aldinga' at Port Adelaide on the day before mentioned and before the time of the steamer sailing."
"Also should any one of us be unfit through any of the above causes after our arrival in Victoria to play in any of the above matches, we hereby agree that the defrayal of expenses shall be stopped from the time of such breech."
(Declaration
signed by the 21 visiting members of the Victorians Club of Adelaide
prior to their departure to Victoria)
One of the prime objectives of the new Victorian Football Association when it was formed in 1877 was the introduction of inter-colonial football between what are now the states of Australia.
Challenges were issued to New South Wales clubs before the season commenced, but there was little response, the controlling Southern Rugby Football Union claiming that their game was too dissimilar from "Melbourne Rules" as our game was then known.
It was left to individual clubs to play the first inter-colonial games. Carlton visited Sydney to play the Waratah Club, and after negotiations with the South Australian Football Association broke down, both Melbourne and St. Kilda travelled to Adelaide.
In 1878, it was Melbourne's turn to host the interstate clubs.
The Waratah club from Sydney (who were advocating changes to the rubgy rules of the day), accepted an invitation from Carlton to visit Melbourne and two games were arranged - the first match under the Rugby Union code with 15 players and the second under the Victorian code.
The two teams played on June 29 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground under the Rugby Union code and a second match on July 1 using the local rules. The Rugby match was awarded to Waratah (in red and blue stripes) one goal to nil, although Carlton claimed a draw.
Carlton won the second game two goals to none, but suffered the misfortune to lose their captain, George McGill, with a broken leg after he collided with teammate, George Robertson.
The two games attracted around 15,000 spectators, but "The Australasian" decided the Rugby game did not impress the local spectators or commentators.
"the general opinion prevalent here, after seeing the Rugby game, is that football would soon cease if those rules were adopted here; the play being dull and monotonous to spectators and rough and dangerous to players"
The Australian, October 11, 1878
Clubs in South Australia had adopted the Victorian code in 1877 afetr several years of squabbling over rules, although evidence suggests that they may have initially used a round ball rather than an oval one. Contemporary reports speak of the "Adelaide ball being used in the first half and the Melbourne ball in the latter" and the ball in use appears to have had a significant impact on the fate of the game.
The new Victorian Football Association achieved part of its fondest dream when The Victorians Club of Adelaide became the first Australian code team to play in the colony. Melbourne had played The Victorians in Adelaide the previou year.
The South Australian footballers set sail from Port Adelaide on their first interstate trip to Victoria and every player had to sign the pledge of temperance and guarantee his arrival prior to the departure for Melbourne.
The team played two games against Melbourne on August 17 and 19 at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. Melbourne won the first game two goals to none, and the second by the only goal of the day. The Victorians Club also lost to Geelong at Geelong by five goals to nil, but registered what was described as a close but lucky win over Ballarat on the journey home.