Activities by year

During the early convict period in Van Diemens Land, some work gangs played a form of ‘Football’ on almost a daily basis. For example, Samuel Snow, an American prisoner transported after the Canadian Rebellion of 1839, played a game of ‘Ball’ with British convicts on his road gang, during the 1840s and 1850s. Football was often among the activities included in public holiday sports meetings. Generally, scratch teams played these games and rules were likely to have been minimal (H. T. Courier 23rd Dec. 1848 – Colonial Times 20th Dec. 1850).

Messrs, William Hammersley, Tom Smith, James Thompson, Tom Wills and Jerry Bryant Wills, called for a game to keep cricketers fit during the winter months of 1858. During the same time on August 7th. Melbourne Grammar began a ‘football’ contest against Scotch College, that took three Saturdays to complete.

An article appeared in the Tasmanian Telegraph Newspaper on Wednesday 16th March 1859 that referred to a game of football to be played on the following day: ‘St. Patrick's Day’:

There will be a grand Football Match between two elevens; selected by T. G. Gregson and John Stokell, Esquires for 10 Pounds ($20.00), some private matches and a hack race etc. For the convenience of the inhabitants of Hobart Town, Guy’s Stage Coach will leave the Rock Hotel on the morning of Thursday and Friday at 8.00am. Returning each evening at 7 O’clock.

Fares if booked throughout: 10 shillings, and single fares 5 shillings, the former available for Friday if required.

It was on 17th May, 1859, when Hammersley, Smith, Thompson and Wills, met at Bryant’s Hotel in East Melbourne. They penned at set of basic rules which was the beginning of a game we know today.

The first South Australian club formed.

A club by the name of New Town was formed in 1864, albeit somewhat dubious as a ‘so called’ club. These were basically groups of men that made up teams that would in turn challenge each other to a game.

On 21st April 1866, 11 members of New Town Football Club played a team of 14 boys from the Hutchins School. The match was the first reported game by the Mercury Newspaper on Tuesday 24th April. The eleven played well considering their want of practice, and for the School, E. Nairn (captain) and J. Buckland, distinguished themselves in all points of the game, while the forward play of Nicholas, a little man, but a ‘big’ player, Fisher, Butler and O’Connor were worthy of mention.

The first newspaper report on an organised game played was when the Mercury gave a short account of a game played between New Town and the Hobart Town Football Club, on Saturday, 26th May 1866 at the Battery Ground in Hobart. The game was conducted over two Saturday’s with the match finishing in a tie, one goal apiece, and a Mr. G. Wright was New Town’s goal scorer. It was a rudimentary affair with each team providing voluntary people to act as umpires and there were no boundary umpires, so when the ball went ‘out-of-bounds’ the closest player to the ball would be deemed the person to throw the ball back into play. Sometimes it would be kicked into play.

New clubs were formed, Stowell team, playing in a paddock near Battery Point, took the field about 1866, and a club with the magnificent name of Break O’Day appeared.

The first Queensland club formed.

The inaugural competition formed in 1877 was known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA).

The six foundation senior clubs were, Albert Park (South Melbourne), Carlton, Geelong, Hotham (North Melbourne), Melbourne, and St. Kilda.

South Australian Football Association established (eight clubs including current day South Adelaide Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club).

Norwood Football Club formed and joined SAFA (current SANFL club).

The first organised senior football competition in Hobart, known as the Southern Tasmanian Football Association (STFA) was established on 21st June, 1879. the association adopted Melbourne rules and matches were played on upper and lower cricket grounds and on the old battery ground. other clubs to join the new competition were: Holebrook, Cricketers, Railway and City.

City Football Club and New Town Football Club played the very first official game in 1879, under the banner of the STFA. The match took place on 21st June.

In the first season of the STFA there were only six roster matches played, with 15 players per team and New Town had a total of just 27 players to represent the club over the course of the season.

Where there is a reference to ‘No grand-final played’ applied to rules of the game at that time. Where a team with a substantial points lead at the conclusion of roster matches, was declared the Premier.

No grand-final played. City Football Club was declared Premier.

First inter-colony match (Victoria v South Australia).

No grand-final played. Cricketers Football Club was declared Premier.

Football on the North West Coast commenced when Formby and Latrobe clubs formed a 12 a side teams. Results of this first match: Latrobe 3.20 to Formby 0.15.

In July, Hotham (now North Melbourne) 4.18 (42) defeated a Northern Combined team 0.2 (2) in Launceston.

On Tuesday 5th July, Hotham came to Hobart to play a representative STFA team. The Association team was made-up of players selected from Country Teams namely, Oatlands and Richmond and Hobart based clubs North Hobart, Railway, Cricketers, City and New Town. The STFA won the match, its first win in an Inter-Colonial game 3.15 (33) to Hotham 2.16 (28).

No grand-final played. Railway Football Club was declared Premier.

Visiting VFA club Essendon, played four matches in Tasmania.

Match No. 1, Wednesday 23rd August 1882 Essendon played a Northern Tasmanian team, selected from Launceston clubs plus Ross and Longford clubs. The game was played on what was known as the 'Western Swamp'. Essendon scored 8 goals to Northern Tas. 2 goals.

Match No. 2, Saturday 26th August, Essendon played a combined STFA team in Hobart. Essendon won 6.15  (51) to STFA 2.18  (30).

Match No. 3, played 3rd September in Hobart (first ever Tasmanian team)  the team was chosen from the North, North West and South of the State Tasmania  v  Essendon. Scores Essendon 6.27  (63) to Tasmania 1.8  (14).

North v South games commenced on an official basis, and the first of these combined games was won by the South: 6.18 (54) defeated North: 1.10 (16).

Both the Southern Tasmanian Football Association and Northern Tasmanian Football Association introduced the waving of white flags to signal either a goal or point by goal umpires.

Latrobe club, on the North West Coast, played a team from Waratah in the first recorded game at Burnie, on the old Montello racecourse, now a housing development.

The STFA purchased the Risdon Ground for £650/-/- ($1300.00).

The Risdon ground was situated near the railway station adjacent to the old horse-racing track at New Town (Cornelian Bay grounds).

The NTFA emerged in 1886 to become one of three major competitions in Tasmania and reigned supreme in the North/North-East region of the State until 1986, when a State-wide competition commenced.

From within the centre of Launceston the NTFA was formed to create a strong competition with the following member clubs: Launceston, Fitzroy, North Launceston, Longford, Scottsdale, South Launceston, East Launceston, City, Essendon, Cornwell, City South, Deloraine and George Town.

Surveyed in 1826, Launceston was named after a town in the United Kingdom, the birth place of Philip Gidley King, third Governor of the Colony of New South Wales. In the 1830’s, Launceston was a whaling port and agricultural district. It was proclaimed a Municipality in 1852, a town in 1858 and a City in 1888. Launceston was the first city in Australia to have underground sewers, and the first City to be lit with hydroelectricity.

In 1887 a Tasmania team travelled to Victoria for the first time to play a series of matches in the Victorian capital. The team played six matches, won three, drew one and suffered two defeats.

No premiership played, but City was declared premiers based on heading the roster ladder. South Launceston were declared runners-up.

Norwood and South Melbourne played a three match series to determine the first Australian Club Championship of the respective SA/Vic. Premiers. Norwood won all three games.

No grand-final played. Railway Football Club was declared Premier.

A Tasmanian team visited New South Wales.

Port Adelaide defeats South Melbourne in National Championship game.

Norwood (SA) and Essendon (VIC) visited Tasmania.

No grand-final played. Holebrook Football Club was declared Premier.

West Perth joined the West Australian Football League.

Formed on 4th May 1891 at Latrobe, the Association operated for three seasons with the following member clubs: Brittania, Devonport, Latrobe Juniors, Latrobe Seniors, Railton, Sheffield and Ulverstone.

Latrobe club won the first two premierships in 1891 and 1892. Unfortunately, there is no information available as to which club won the last premiership played in 1893.