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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