History of Australian rules football

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Australian rules football began its evolution in Melbourne, Australia about 1858.^[1] The origins of Australian football before 1858 are still the subject of much debate, as there were a multitude of football games in Britain, Europe, Ireland and Australia whose rules influenced the early football games played in Melbourne.

The first match that the AFL Commission has identified as a direct precursor to the codification of Australian football was organised and umpired by Tom Wills and contested between Melbourne Grammar School Football Club^[2] and Scotch College, on 31 July 1858 at the Richmond Paddock, adjacent to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A follow-up match was played on 11 August 1858.^[3] A match announced for 14 August 1858 did not take place; a scratch match was played instead.^[4] The oldest surviving set of rules of Australian rules football were drawn up on 17 May 1859, three days after the re-formation of the Melbourne Football Club for the 1859 season. These rules were based on school football rules, but made simpler.

The earliest official formal leagues were the South Australian National Football League, originally called the South Australian Football Association, and the Victorian Football Association, both formed in 1877. The first intercolonial matches were played in 1879. The game was first known as Melbourne rules football. As it spread throughout the country, the game became known as Victorian rules football, and then Australian rules football. The game was shaped in the early years through feedback from clubs, players and spectators.

By Federation in 1901, Australian rules football was the main winter sport in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, with the Victorian Football League(VFL), South Australian National Football League and the West Australian Football League operating as separate competitions. The game was played in New South Wales and Queensland but was second in popularity to rugby union as the main winter sport.

In the 1990s, the VFL became the Australian Football League, a national body and the premier league in Australia, and was established as the de facto world governing body for the sport.