Australian rules football in England

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Australian rules football in England
Cambridgeoxfordfootball.jpg
Englands two oldest clubs Cambridge and Oxford Universities (1921) contest centre bounce in 2008
CountryEngland
Governing bodyAFL England
National team(s)England
First played1888, London
Registered players3,600 (total)
600 (adult)
3,000 (junior)
Clubs49
Club competitions
Audience records
Single match18,884 (2005). West Coast v. Fremantle (The Oval, London)

Australian rules football in England is a team sport and spectator sport with a long history. The current competitions originated in 1989 and have grown to a number of local and regional leagues coordinated by AFL England. In 2018, these regional divisions were the AFL London, AFL Central & Northern England and Southern England AFL.

The sport's origins are said to be in England, specifically public school football games. Several of the sport's founders were born and educated there including J. B. Thompson and William Hammersley, while Tom Wills held by many as the sport's founder, was educated at and played rugby with the Rugby School. The sport however struggled for decades to establish roots given the dominance of traditional football codes in rugby football and the growing popularity of soccer. Nevertheless, it was one of the first countries outside of Australia to commence regular competition.

Australian Football League exhibition matches were held in London semi-annually between 1986 and 2006 (the last standalone event was held in 2012) and were well attended with attendances ranging from 4,500 to a record of 18,884 in 2005.

England rarely competes in a standalone team, and is typically represented along with Scotland and Wales as the Great Britain team at the Australian Football International Cup (best result 6th) and AFL Europe Championship (2 titles). However, an English side has competed in several standalone tests and has been successful at the Euro Cup with 5 titles. Nevertheless, London has hosted several internationals, including the 2001 Atlantic Alliance Cup, 2005 and 2015 EU Cups and the 2016 and 2019 AFL Europe Championships.

History of Australian rules football in England

English involvement in the game's establishment in Australia

Daguerreotype of Tom Wills, founder of Australian Football, from his years at the Rugby School
Tom Wills, founder of Australian Football, was singled out in the national press for his prowess on the football field at the Rugby School in the 1850s.

According to the AFL, the sport's origins were in England with public school football games being adopted by Australians in the 1850s leading to the creation of what is now known as Australian Football in Melbourne in 1859.[1] Several of the sport's founders were English including J. B. Thompson and William Hammersley, with Tom Wills having been educated at and played rugby football with the Rugby School.

Writing to Wills in 1871, Thompson recalled that "the Rugby, Eton, Harrow, and Winchester rules at that time (I think in 1859) came under our consideration, ... we all but unanimously agreed that regulations which suited schoolboys ... would not be patiently tolerated by grown men."[2] The hardness of the playing fields around Melbourne also influenced their thinking. Even Wills, who favoured many rules of Rugby School football, saw the need for compromise.[3] He wrote to his brother Horace: "Rugby was not a game for us, we wanted a winter pastime but men could be harmed if thrown on the ground so we thought differently."[3]

While the game was exported to Ireland in the 1870s and there was also some awareness in England of the popularity of the game in Australia, it was not established locally until much later. This is primarily due to the growing popularity of locally developing football codes including rugby football and later British Association (soccer) which, like Australian Football, were also developing from from public school football games.

Early efforts at introduction to England

A Lancashire paper from 1881 mentions a local initiative to introduce "Victorian Rules Football" to England as an alternative to rugby and Association football.[4]

In 1883, during a visit to Australia, English journalist and rugby player Richard Twopeny wrote of the game:

A good football match in Melbourne is one of the sights of the world... The quality of the play... is much superior to anything the best English clubs can produce... there is much more 'style' about the play.[5]

In 1884 H C A Harrison then known as the "father of Australian Football" visited London where he proposed unifying Australian rules with Rugby under a set of hybrid rules and suggested that rugby clubs adopt some of the Victorian Rules. English football officials expressed their insult at the suggestion that they "abandon their rules to oblige an Antipodean game".[6]

Nevertheless, it was played in England as early as 1888 when Australians studying at Edinburgh University and London University formed teams and competed in London.[7]

British tours to Australia (1888–1914)

The touring British Lions in 1888 before a match against the South Melbourne Football Club.

Australian rules football was played by a British representative rugby team which toured Australia in 1888. The team arrived in Hobart, Tasmania on 18 April.[8] They attended a social function with the Southern Tasmanian Football Association, before going to New Zealand for a series of rugby matches.

After they returned to Australia they again trained in Australian rules in Sydney, before leaving for Victoria in mid-June. The tour included 19 matches. They played against several of the stronger football clubs from Melbourne including the Carlton Football Club, South Melbourne Football Club, Essendon Football Club, Fitzroy Football Club and Port Melbourne Football Club. Additionally, they played against some strong regional Victorian clubs including two teams from the city of Ballarat: Ballarat Football Club and Ballarat Imperial Football Club, as well as two teams from the city of Bendigo: Bendigo Football Club and Sandhurst Football Club as well as playing against clubs from other regional towns including the Castlemaine Football Club, Maryborough Football Club, Horsham Football Club and Kyneton Football Club.

The team also played against several of the stronger South Australian teams including South Adelaide Football Club, Port Adelaide Football Club, Adelaide Football Club (no connection to the later Adelaide club), Norwood Football Club. The only club from outside of Victoria or South Australia which played against them was the Maitland Football Club (from the Hunter Region in New South Wales). The British team won six matches, including a win over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on 10 July 1888, and drew one.

The reigning Victorian premiers, Carlton defeated Great Britain at the MCG 14.17 to 3.8. At this stage goals and points were recorded but only goals counted in the score; for example, when Great Britain played Castlemaine under very heavy conditions they kicked 1 goal 2 points and the locals kicked 1 goal 4 points, but the match was declared a draw. Great Britain also played 35 games of rugby, making a total of 54 games in 21 weeks. A star of the team's Australian rules games was Andrew Stoddart, who captained the team for part of its tour and also captained England in cricket.

The 1888 tour had been organised by the English cricketer Arthur Shrewsbury but his involvement with Australian Rules football did not end there. He planned to have an Australian team sent to the United Kingdom to play a series of demonstration matches and to that end he looked to Scotland where he had identified possible opponents. Shrewsbury's plans are outlined in his correspondence with Alfred Shaw and Turner, the Nottingham Cricket Club Secretary.[9]

First Competitions

Between 1870 and World War I many overseas students studied medicine in Scotland, and some went down to England to play the Australian Rules teams in that country. A scratch match between the Edinburgh Australians against the University of London was planned and then postponed to be held at Balham on 14 April 1888.[10] The match drew considerable praise in UK newspapers such as the Times and the Scotsman.[citation needed]

Shrewsbury suggested that the 'Edinburgh Australians' team at Edinburgh University should travel down to England to meet the Australian team in a series of demonstration matches in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Unfortunately his bold plan did not eventuate as the authorities in Australia[who?] aborted the venture[citation needed] and a possible expansion of Australian Rules in the UK was lost.

There were reports from Australia that the game was being played in England between two clubs in 1903[11] and in 1904.[12] By 1906 there were three clubs holding regular competition two of which were in London.[13]

World War I

Action from the Pioneer Exhibition Game in London.
(From Excelsior, 20 November 1916.)

In 1916, a match was held at the Queen's Club in London between Australian Army teams, representing the Combined Training Units and the 3rd Division, in which many senior Australian rules footballers from all over Australia took part. However, the end of World War I put an end to organised Australian rules competition in England.

Varsity matches between Oxford and Cambridge

Cambridge and Oxford Universities contest centre bounce

After the war, in 1921, the annual Oxford UniversityCambridge University Varsity match was played for the first time between expatriate Australian students.[14] This game is still played,[15] and is the longest running Australian rules fixture outside Australia.[16][17] The match is an official Varsity competition.[citation needed] Over the years, some distinguished Australians to have played in the match include Mike Fitzpatrick, Chris Maxwell, Joe Santamaria, Sir Rod Eddington and Andrew Michelmore.[18]

Men's Results
Year Winner Results Notes
1923 Oxford Oxford ?.? (80) d Cambridge ?.? (30) [19]
1925 Oxford Oxford 10.17 (77) d. Cambridge 1.11 (17) [20]
1926 Cambridge Cambridge 8.11 (59) d Oxford 8.7 (55) [21]
1927 Oxford Oxford 10.10 (70) d. Cambridge 5.10 (40) [22]
1928 Cambridge Cambridge 11.12 (78) d Oxford 5.10 (40) [23]
1929 Oxford Oxford 9.19 (73) d Cambridge 5.9 (39) [24]
1930 Oxford Oxford 4.4 (28) d Cambridge 4.2 (26) [25]
1931 Oxford Oxford 12.11 (83) d Cambridge 7.5 (47) [26]
1935 Oxford Oxford 9.8 (62) d Cambridge 1.4 (10) [27]
1949 Oxford Oxford 12.6 (78) d Cambridge 3.13 (31) [28]
1954 Oxford Oxford 12.10 (82) d Cambridge 8.10 (58) [29]
1983 Cambridge Cambridge 15.10 (100) d Oxford 7.9 (51) [30]
2003 Oxford Oxford 10.7 (67) d. Cambridge 0.5 (5)
2004 Cambridge Cambridge 3.4 (22) d. Oxford 2.6 (18)
2005 Oxford Oxford 14.15 (99) d. Cambridge 3.4 (22)
2006 Oxford Oxford 32 d. Cambridge 27
2007 Oxford Oxford 19.11 (125) d. Cambridge 3.10 (28) Highest ever score recorded
2008 Oxford Oxford 8.11 (59) def Cambridge 5.2 (32)
2009 Oxford Oxford 6.15 (51) d. Cambridge 1.1 (7)
2010 Oxford Oxford 17.16 (118) d. Cambridge 9.12 (66) Highest scoring match to date
2013 Oxford Oxford 10.6 (66) d. Cambridge 3.6 (24)
2014 Oxford Oxford 14.6 (90) d. Cambridge 2.2 (14)
2015 Cambridge Cambridge 7.13 (55) d. Oxford 3.4 (22)
2016 Oxford Oxford 9.4 (58) d. Cambridge 7.10 (52)
2017 Oxford Oxford 12.8 (80) d. Cambridge 4.4 (28)
2018 Cambridge Cambridge 4.10 (34) d. Oxford 4.4 (28)
2022 Oxford Oxford (59) d. Cambridge (49)

In 2018, amid the growth of the sport in England, there was the first ever women's Australian Rules Football Varsity, ending in a tie.

Women's Results
Year Winner Results Notes
2018 Tie Oxford 1.1 (7) drew with Cambridge 1.1 (7) First tie in Australian rules football Varsity history.
2022 Oxford Oxford (43) d. Cambridge (34)

Second World War matches

Action from an Australian rules match facilitated by Rosslyn Park Rugby club featuring the HMAS Vengeance and the "Wombats" (in the stripes) at Old Deer Park in 1952

The AIF played a match in 1940 between the "Impossibles" and the "Improbables".[31]

RAAF (Sunderland) vs RAF Mount Batten was played in 1943 in Plymouth.[32] In November of the same year, a game was played in Sussex between No.11 Personnel despatch and Reception centre team based in Brighton vs RAAF Headquarters from London.[33]

Teams representing RAAF, Headquarters vs Sunderland, met in Hyde Park in 1944 in front of a sizeable crowd. Headquarters defeated Sunderland 12.7 (79) to 5.4 (34).[34]

In 1945, HMAS Australia defeated RAAF at Dulwich 11.12 to 10.5.[35]

In 1952, a match was played at Rosslyn Park F.C. in South West London between HMAS Vengeance and English-Australians ("the Wombats").[36][37] The Wombats also organised a match at Cambridge.[38]

The first local league

In 1967, Australian expatriates including Michael Cyril Hall and Ted Ford[39] attempted to organise Australian Football in London. Ted engaged high profile expatriate Australians including Rolf Harris, Alan Freeman, Barry Humphries, Neil Hawke, Keith Miller and former Australian prime minister Sir Robert Menzies to support the venture and raise publicity for it. Ford organised a charity match was played in Regent's Park in London, between local club Kensington Demons and established out of town club Oxford University. Athol Guy (who had played VFL reserves with St Kilda) also made a special appearance as a player. The match also featured England's first all-womens match between Aussie Girls and Wild Colonial Girls as a curtain raiser.[40] The match attracted a crowd of 1,000 spectators.[41] A follow up match between Earl's Court Magpies and Australian Dentists attracted 700 spectators.[41] By May 7 established local teams were ready to form a local league these teams included: Australian Dentists, Australian Navy, Oxford University, Cambridge University, Kensington Demons, Earls Court Magpies and London House.[42] In July, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel played against a combined side drawn from the Earls Court Magpies; Kensington Demons and Australian Dentists in front of a crowd of 1,200 at Regent's Park.[43] RAN personnel would go on to play against local school sides and local rugby clubs.

After some time finding its roots, the Australian National Football League (UK) was formed which by 1970 had six teams, Victorians; Rest of Australia; Portsmouth Naval Base; Plymouth Naval Base; London Gaelic Football Club and Hampstead Rugby Club with matches played in the summer.[44] The later inclusion of two English rugby sides was helping them keep fit in the off-season.[45] Later clubs to play in the league included the Kensington Demons, Earls Court Magpies, Oxford University Blues, Australian Dentists and Australian Navy (based in Portsmouth).[46]

In 1972, the first exhibition match of the VFL was played at The Oval in London as part of the Carlton Football Club 1972 preseason World Tour. The match attracted 9,000 in a carnival like atmosphere. However the arrival of the spectacle of elite level VFL also saw the end of the game at the grassroots in England with no further organised competition.

The VFL/AFL annual exhibition

Between 1987 and 2006, VFL/AFL exhibition matches had become an almost annual event, but the only game since then being in 2012. With a large number of ex-patriate Australians, interest in the game grew and small crowds of up to 10,000 were in attendance for the event in some years. Interest and crowds grew further with the change of the VFL to the Australian Football League. Highlights during this time included large crowds for the Australian Football League's West Coast Eagles v. Collingwood in 1997 with an attendance of 14,000 and the match between Richmond and Essendon in 2002 which drew 13,000.

The British Australian Rules Football League: 1989-Present

British Bulldogs player kicks despite a tackle from Nauruan opponent during the 2008 International Cup
International Rules hybrid match being played at the University of Birmingham 2014

In 1989 the British Australian rules football League (BARFL) was formed. Serious competition began. A schools program was launched in 1991.[47] One of the key people in the establishment of the competition was former professional Australian player Darren Ogier who helped introduce a rule that at least half of the club's players onfield must be non-Australian.[47] As the competition became more popular, results were reported in Australia.[48] From 1992, the AFL began contributing AUD $6,000 a year to the league, however withdrew its financial contributions in 1994, expressing a preference for grants to be spent on junior programs and school projects instead of the senior competition.[49][50] Despite the lack of AFL support, local BARFL Grand Finals become a large event attracting attendances in the thousands, including a record crowd of 1,500 in 1999.[citation needed]

In 2002 a national team represented Great Britain at the Australian Football International Cup for the first time, finishing the tournament in 6th place. 2005 saw the British Bulldogs again compete in the International Cup, again finishing 6th overall.

Following the 2005 International Cup, promising 22-year-old British Bulldog Luke Matias began playing with the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League.

Also in 2005, the first Western Derby to be played outside of Australia, the West Coast Eagles v. Fremantle game was played as a pre-season test at The Oval in London, drawing a record crowd of 18,884.

Emergence of Aussie rules UK

In 2005 the first junior development program, Aussie Rules Schools, commenced. The program, co-ordinated by the new development body Aussie Rules UK, part of Aussie Rules International was kicked off. This project has seen up to 10 English schools adopt Aussie Rules as part of the school curriculum to combat obesity. Juniors teams have competed at the London Youth Games.

2006 was a big year for Aussie Rules in England, with the admission of new clubs in Manchester, Middlesbrough and Thanet.

On 17 September 2006 history was made in Denmark when the England Dragonslayers took on the Denmark Vikings in Europe's first fully-fledged international junior Aussie Rules match. England claimed the King Canute Cup, with England 6.10(46) defeating Denmark 0.6(6).[51]

In July 2007, the AFL announced that the annual London exhibition match was likely to be abandoned for the year, after only the Western Bulldogs had expressed interest.

In a first in 2007, the GB Bulldogs including several past and future England players, soundly defeated Ireland in Dublin 11.15(81) to 2.9(21).

AFL Britain

In 2008, a resolution to the divide between the two competing leagues saw a single national body, AFL Britain form, which formally affiliated to the AFL. The BARFL was dissolved and became AFL London, while regional leagues including the Scottish Australian Rules Football League and the Welsh Australian Rules Football League affiliated with the new national body.

AFL England

In 2012, AFL England was formed as the national governing body for Australian rules football in England, separate to AFL Scotland and AFL Wales.

Participation

In 2004, there were a total of around 435 senior players across 18 clubs in England. The local league has a higher number of ex-patriate Australians compared to other countries that participate in the sport, however the league recently put in place caps on the number of expatriate players in certain divisions to improve the mix and encourage more local players.

By the end of 2007, the game had experienced substantial growth due to the placement of permanent development officers. AFL International Census figures indicate over 3,600 participants[52]

Audience

Television

Australian rules football is regularly shown on BT Sport.

Attendance records

Local competitions

1,500 (1999). BARFL Grand Final. West London Wildcats vs Wandsworth Demons. London[53]

Exhibition match

18,884 (2005). West Coast v. Fremantle (The Oval, London)

National teams

AFL England currently manages four national teams. The Great Britain Bulldogs and Great Britain Swans compete every three years at the International Cup in Melbourne. The squad is made up of players mainly from the London clubs, however they are often joined by players competing in Australia. In 2017 the Bulldogs finished sixth, their joint-highest finish, while in their maiden year the Swans finished third, defeating the United States 5.2 (32) to 4.1 (25)

The English teams are known as the England Dragonslayers and the England Vixens. Both teams won the AFL Europe Euro Cup in 2017.[54] In 2018, the Vixens finished runners-up

Open

London

Club Years in competition Conference Team Social Team Previous names
Earls Court Kangaroos 1990–97 Esher Kangaroos (1992), Firkin Roos (1996–97)
North London Lions 1990- Regent's Park Lions Bounds Green
Putney Magpies 1999- Hammersmith Magpies Fulham Magpies London Gryphons (1999–2003), merged with London Collingwood Supporters' Group
Lea Valley Saints 1990–96
London Swans 1991- City Swans Sussex Swans (1991–2007), name still used for their ARUK Southern team
Thames Valley Magpies 1990–91
South East London Giants 2008- Dulwich Dragons (2008–2011)
Wandsworth Demons 1990- Clapham Demons South London Demons
West London Wildcats 1990- Shepherds Bush Raiders Ealing Emus
Wimbledon Hawks 1990- Fulham Hawks London Hawks (1990–94)

Regional England

Club Leagues competed in Other names
Birmingham Bears ARUK Central Division (2009)
Birmingham Crows BARFL (1993–94)
Bournemouth Demons ARUK Southern Division (2007–11)
Brighton Black Swans ARUK Southern Division (2007–08)
Bristol Dockers BARFL (1991–2002), BARFL Regional (2003–06), AFL London Social League (2007-) Bristol Bears (1991–96)
Chippenham Redbacks ARUK Southern Division (2008–09)
Doncaster Saints BARFL Regional (2003–04)
Durham Saints ARUK Northern Division (2007–09) Durham Swans (2007–08)
East Midland Eagles BARFL (1990–96)
Gateshead Miners ARUK Northern Division (2009)
Guildford Crows ARUK Southern Division (2011)
Hartlepool Dockers ARUK Northern Division (2007–09)
Huddersfield Rams ARUK Central Division (2009)
Leeds Bombers ARUK Central Division (2009)
Liverpool Blues BARFL (1993–94)
Liverpool Eagles ARUK Central Division (2009)
Manchester Mosquitoes BARFL Regional (2006), AFL London Social League (2007–09)
Middlesbrough Hawks SARFL (2006), ARUK Northern Division (2007–09)
Newcastle Centurions ARUK Northern Division (2007–09)
Nottingham Scorpions BARFL Regional (2004–06), AFL London Social League (2007–09)
Plymouth Lions Plymouth Seagulls (2011)
Portsmouth Pirates ARUK Southern Division (2009)
Reading Kangaroos BARFL Regional (2003–06), AFL London Social League (2007–09)
Sheffield Thunder ARUK Central Division (2009)
Southampton Titans ARUK Southern Division (2007–09)
St Helens Miners BARFL (2002–04) Northwestern Miners (2004)
Sussex Swans BARFL (1991-), ARUK Southern Division (2007–09)
Swindon Devils BARFL Regional (2004–06), WARFL (2007)
Thanet Bombers BARFL Regional (2006), ARUK Southern Division (2007) Thanet Bombardiers (2006)

Juniors

Players

Men's

Currently on an AFL senior list

[55]

Player Club/s AFL Years* AFL Matches* AFL Goals* Connections to England, References
Connor Idun Greater Western Sydney 2019- 15 0 Born London, raised in Essex[56]
Pearce Hanley Brisbane/Gold Coast 2019-2020 169 60 Born, Welsh father, Irish mother[57]
Guy Walker Melbourne 2018-2018 - - Born Nottingham
Sam Draper Essendon 2017- 41 14 Raised in Brede, East Sussex[58][59]
Brandon Jack Sydney 2013-2017 28 16 Born Manchester[60]
Brad Moran Adelaide/North Melbourne 2006–2011 21 8 Born Solihull and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon by English parents[61]
Will Thursfield Richmond 2005–2011 77 0 Born Oxford[62]
Fergus Watts Adelaide/St Kilda 2004-2006 6 3 Born Whipps Cross, London[63]
Clive Waterhouse Fremantle 1996–2004 195 386 Born[64]
Colin Alexander Collingwood/Brisbane 1989–1991 29 30 Born[65]
Ian Dargie St Kilda/West Coast 1989–1991 11 1 Born [66][55]
Lawrence Bingham Hawthorn/St Kilda 1989–1990 25 0 Born[65]
Mark Bayliss Collingwood 1989 4 6 Born[citation needed]
Paul Harding Hawthorn/St Kilda/West Coast 1987–1994 116 14 Born Camborne, Cornwall[citation needed]
Andy Goodwin Richmond/Melbourne 1987–1991 73 9 Born[citation needed]
Richard Nixon Richmond 1987–1990 37 3 Born[citation needed]
Wayne Blackwell Carlton 1984–1990 110 80 Born[citation needed]
Chris Burton Footscray/Richmond 1980–1984 107 35 Born[67]
Mick Plant South Melbourne 1972 4 1 Born[citation needed]
Brian Mynott St Kilda 1964–1975 210 75 Born Southampton[68]
Fred Fairweather North Melbourne 1944–1946 54 14 Born[67]
Polly Perkins Richmond 1940–1949 148 0 Born Leicester[69]
Bernie Bignell Carlton 1940, 1945 6 0 Born Birmingham, Warwickshire[70]
Johnny Leonard South Melbourne 1932 12 17 Born Newcastle[71]
Ted Brewis Carlton 1925-1928 60 12 Born Bedlington[70]: 91 [72]
Johnny Davies Carlton 1922-1929 33 37 Born Wales[72]
George Renwick Carlton 1909 4 0 Tooting, London[70]: 696 [72]
Bill Eason Geelong 1902-1915 220 187 Born Liverpool[73]
Barney Lazarus Carlton 1902 7 0 Born London[70]: 477 [72]
Ralph Robertson St Kilda 1899-1900 14 1 Born Aylestone[74]

Women's

Currently on an AFLW senior list
Player Club/s AFLW Years* AFLW Matches* AFLW Goals* Connections to England, References
Cat Phillips Melbourne, St Kilda, Essendon 2019– 44 6 Born[75]
Jade Ellenger Brisbane 2019– 25 4 Born[75]
Katrina Stone Western Bulldogs, Carlton Football Club (VFLW) - - Recruited from the North London Lions (AFL London)
Katie Brennan Western Bulldogs, Richmond 2017– 35 44 Lived there[76]
Sabrina Frederick Brisbane, Richmond, Collingwood 2017– 38 24 Born, mother[77]

See also

External links

Books

  • Williamson, John (2003). Bucknell, Mar (ed.). Football's Forgotten Tour: The Story of the British Australian Rules Venture of 1888. Applegate. ISBN 9780958101806.

References

  1. ^ Hibbins, Gillian; Ruddell, Trevor (2009). ""A Code of Our Own": Celebrating 150 Years of the Rules of Australian Football" (PDF). The Yorker (39).
  2. ^ The Australian Cricketers' Guide 1870–1871, p. 114
  3. ^ a b de Moore, Greg. Tom Wills: His Spectacular Rise and Tragic Fall. Allen & Unwin, 2008. ISBN 174176548X, p. 94
  4. ^ Athletic News. 24 August 1881 Pg. 1
  5. ^ R. Twopenny, Townlife in Australia, Melbourne 1977 (1883), pp. 207–8
  6. ^ AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE 4533, 9 DECEMBER 1884, PAGE 2
  7. ^ Williamson 2003, pp. 138–140.
  8. ^ "THE MERCURY". The Mercury. Hobart, Tasmania. 19 April 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 14 July 2011 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Letter from Shrewbury to Alfred Shaw. 'Football's Forgotten Tour' (p50)
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  39. ^ 'The Footy World Magazine', Wednesday 5 July 1967, pp 12-13
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  51. ^ Aussie Rules - England defeat Denmark Archived 25 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  52. ^ AFL International Census 2007 Archived 24 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
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