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In 1858, Tom Wills, one of the founders of Australian Football, returned to Australia after schooling in England where he was football captain of Rugby School and a brilliant cricketer. Initially, he advocated the winter game of football as a way of keeping cricketers fit during off-season.
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Aug 7: The year of the code's first recorded match between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School with no formal rules.
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Melbourne FC rules formulated.
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Field umpires introduced. Previously, rival captains had awarded free kicks.
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Team uniforms introduced. Previously, caps had been the only distinguishing feature.
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Oval shaped playing areas generally replaced the rectangular versions.
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The Victorian Football League was established in 1896 and the following year the League’s first games were played among the foundation clubs – Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and South Melbourne.
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Payments to players and staff cut in half because of the war.
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This line-up of 12 clubs would remain unchanged until 1987 when the competition expanded to include the West Coast Eagles and the Brisbane Bears. By 1997, the competition comprised 16 clubs after Adelaide (in 1991), Fremantle (in 1995), and Port Adelaide (in 1997) joined the now Australian Football League and foundation club Fitzroy merged with the Brisbane Bears to form the Brisbane Lions (after the 1996 season)
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In 2011 the Gold Coast Suns joined the competition, followed by the Greater Western Sydney Giants, creating the 18-team national competition we see today.
