THE 150 YEAR OLD HOAX: AFL'S FIRST GAME WAS RUGBY

[Flamethrower]

THE 150 YEAR OLD HOAX: AFL'S FIRST GAME WAS RUGBY

CLAIMS that Australian football was born of a single match played in 1858 are nonsensical, writes rugby league historian Sean Fagan

You've got to admire Australian rules - they will use any excuse for a party.

On top of the seemingly never ending themes given to market regular weekend rounds, there are the yearly milestones. In 1996 it was the centenary of the VFL/AFL. Then in 1999 it was 10 seasons of the AFL. In 2008 the AFL will “celebrate 150 years since the first game of what is now known as Australian football on August 7, 1858.”

Australian rules lore tells us the code began with a match in 1858.

What the "Australian rulers'' don't choose to mention is that it was played between school-boys (Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar) and they used rugby rules on a rectangular field.

Full article: AFL 1858 - Tom Wills

[jargan83]

lets see Andrew Demetriou explain this
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[jono]

we always suspected it...
now they owe rugby the credit it deserves!
the WAFC can start by not being knobs over the stadium issue

[jargan83]

with knobs like Neale Fong in charge?? Unlikely
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[KenyaQuin]

Its a losing battle and not worthy of a fight. Its not sexy enough and the numbers are against us. In any case, an admission from the AFL that they've got it wrong will not see a demise of the game nor will it stop them from seeking total dominance.

[force addict]

HA HA HA weoohooo

[AndyS]

You can see the games origins in it's records:

THURGOOD, ALBERT JOHN (1874-1927), Australian Rules footballer, was born on 11 January 1874 in North Melbourne......In an era of long kicking Thurgood became famous as the longest kick of all: he could regularly punt-kick over 80 yards (73 m) and drop-kick over 90 yards (82 m). One of his place-kicks (1899, with slight wind assistance) was measured at 107 yards 2 ft 1 in. (98.48 m) and is still regarded as the record.

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online - Read more