VFA/VFL/AFL International Matches

 

International matches involving VFA/VFL/AFL clubs have been held since 1888, although with significant gaps in between. Matches have been played in such diverse countries as the USA, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

Port Adelaide is the only AFL club not to have participated in an international match. The most successful club is Melbourne, which has played in nine matches and won them all.

 

The early years

On 16 June, 1888 the first international Australian football match was played at the MCG in front of 29,355 excited fans. To capitalise on the codes of football played in each colony, the touring Englishmen, mostly rugby union players from northern England, agreed to play rugby in New South Wales (and New Zealand), and Australian football in Victoria and South Australia.

Immaculately attired in red, white and blue, the Englishmen made a great impression. But they preferred not to mark the ball and Carlton, the reigning VFL premiers, won easily, 14.17 (101) to England 2.7 (19).

The tour had been initiated by the enthusiastic Henry Harrison, who, on a visit to England four years previously with the 1884 Australian cricket team, attempted to stir up interest in what he considered 'the universal game'.

The Englishmen played a total of 25 games of Australian football, winning 14 and losing 11.

"At the end of the tour it was decided to send a team to England for return matches. However, the VFA decided that the move was too big for immediate confirmation and postponed final arrangements. Those arrangements were never finalized and football lost its greatest ever chance of becoming international. The English were impressed with the game, played it extremely well and were keen to take its cause to the home of the Empire. Unfortunately, they got precious little help from the men who claimed to be developing the game." (Australian Rules Football, An Illustrated History)

 

The Great War

The first significant overseas demonstration of Australian football occurred during the first World War at the Queen's Club in West Kensington, London, on 28 October 1916, played between teams of Australian soldiers representing the Third Division and the Combined Training Units serving in England at the time. This game had it all, an exotic location, champion players, royalty as spectators and a decent crowd of 3,000 people.

The Australian soldiers who took part in the game included many fine former and recent Victorian Football League players, some Victorian Football Association players and interstate representatives from the leading leagues of Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.

London newspaper opinion was favorable to the code. One paper said: "One thing is clearly apparent. An enormous amount of skill is required and physical fitness is also essential. It is undoubtedly a game of high value from an athletic point of view, and there is much to say in its favour as a spectacle. The fluctuations are rapid, due to the nimbleness, versatility, and dexterity of the players."

The Weekly Despatch said: "Australian football, owing to the absence of the puzzling off-side rule, and the infrequency of checks, proved its possibilities as a game to draw large crowds."

Final Scores - Third Division 6.16 (52) d. Training Units 4.12 (36)

Former Collingwood player and, at that time, Carlton coach Dan Minouge, played for the Third Division team. He noted that "not only was our Australian game received well in London, but the American troops, who witnessed games in France, were very impressed, and considered it likely that the game would be received favourably in America".

A popular portrayal of the game as played during the war is contained in Peter Weir's film, Gallipoli, which includes a scene in which a game of Australian Rules is played beneath the great pyramids. The incongruity of the game's setting, as well as the men's passion, is highlighted by a conversation between one of the heroes, Frank, and his mate, Bill. Gazing at the pyramids, Bill is moved to comment on the magnitude of the Pharaohs' attempts to beat death. His observation is lost on Frank who replies: 'Thanks Professor. Look, can you get your mind back on the game. Let's think about the West Australians' first attempt to beat the bloody Vics'.

Soldiers played the Australian code in many locations during the Great War, in Egypt, South Africa and Palestine. Australian and New Zealand soldiers on active service in France organised matches under Australian football rules, and most games were played near camps with grounds having flags or posts as boundaries and home-made goal posts.

However, considerable time would elapse before another Australian football match would be played overseas. It would not be until the Second World War that a match was played at Hyde Park between the RAAF and HMAS Shropshire. This game was organised by former Collingwood wingman and Australian National Football Council stalwart, Bruce Andrews (then with RAAF). A game in Egypt, played at the Alexandria Sporting Club in 1943, also involved several VFL players.

 

Football Behind Bamboo

After the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942 the Australian prisoners in Changi organised a competition which consisted of six teams named after VFL clubs. The season lasted nine months and was run under similar lines to the VFL. They had clearances, tribunals and even their own Brownlow Medal. The climax of the season was the final game between 'Victoria' and the 'Rest of Australia', which attracted 10,000 spectators.

Les Green spent four years in Changi and was one of the organisers of the competition.

"For the first six months we were more or less confined to barracks in Changi. Then the Japanese allowed us to play sport. By that time the football season in Melbourne was underway so we decided to run our own.

One of the men behind the Changi matches was 'Chicken' Smallhorn, who won a Brownlow Medal playing with Fitzroy in 1933. Names chosen for the teams were Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong, St. Kilda, Essendon and Richmond.

The Japanese guards would watch our games. They would laugh at us, and think we were silly to be bashing ourselves.

For each match the umpires cast votes for the best and fairest player award, which was called the Changi Brownlow Medal. The eventual winner was Peter Chitty, who had played for St. Kilda in the VFL. The medal itself was made in Changi, probably in part from a wrecked aeroplane.

Between Selerang and the Hospital Area in Changi was what we called 'No Man's Land'. It was there that we built our padang (oval). We put a lot of work into it. The goal and behind posts were cut from rubber trees.

We got a couple of footballs from the Chinese and made some ourselves, using old boot leather and bladders from wild pigs some of the blokes sneaked into the jungle and killed. But that was too risky. We lost five chaps in one night doing that." ("Football Behind Bamboo", Football Life, September 1969)

 

1963: Geelong v. Melbourne - Honolulu

Twenty years would pass before the next international demonstration of Australian football. In 1963 Geelong and Melbourne played two exhibition matches against each other in Honolulu and San Francisco.

More than 1500 cheering Americans saw Melbourne snatch a close win over Geelong in the first match in Honolulu, which was played at night. Many of the Geelong players were still tired after their flight from Australia and suffering from sore arms caused by vaccinations.

Melbourne players, who had spent a week in Honolulu, started fresher and faster and opened a big lead in the first quarter. But the VFL premiers fought back. They took the lead briefly after half time, and matched Melbourne in a torrid final quarter before Melbourne clinched the game.

Australian Rules football received a tumultuous reception in its Hawaiian debut. The performance of both 15-man teams had the crowd screaming encouragement.

Final Scores - Melbourne 17.21 (123) d. Geelong 15.21 (111)

The local people did not know all the rules, but they delighted in the high marking, the long kicking and the fiery physical clashes of the two teams.

There was a special cheer for Geelong's "Polly" Farmer when he displayed his handball technique. Australians who saw the match said it was "magnificent".

"One of the great matches of all times", one Victorian said. Players who did not participate said that from the stands it was a tremendous game to watch.

One official said: "This display will make it easy for any future visiting teams to put on an Australian Rules match in Honolulu. It was a great exhibition of the game".

 

Geelong v. Melbourne - San Francisco

Melbourne came from behind to defeat Geelong before an excited crowd of Americans watching the first Australian football match on the US mainland. More than 3,500 spectators saw Melbourne take out the match 10.11 (71) to 9.12 (66).

The Demons were outclassed in the first half, trailing 3.4 (22) to Geelong's 7.7 (49). The non-partisan crowd cheered the underdog Demons.

Reaction to the fast-moving Australian football play was favourable. One spectator said it was more versatile than American football. Another said it was the most exciting game of football he had seen.

"It requires more stamina than ours", he said. "Even the referee must be in excellent shape".

 

1972: Carlton v. Orlando All-Stars

After winning the VFL Premiership in 1972 Carlton were rewarded with a world trip. They played three matches in London, Athens and Singapore against the Orlando "All-Stars", who were selected from other League teams and interstate players. The match in London was played on The Oval and was watched by Prince Charles, who met all the players. Sir Robert Menzies, in his role as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, arranged a reception for them at Dover Castle.

 

1986: Aussie Bowl

The VFL began its international series in 1986 when Carlton organised an end-of-season match against North Melbourne at The Oval. Carlton also went to Japan that year to play Hawthorn in the first Aussie Bowl at Yokohama Stadium.

On November 3 a crowd of about 25,000 enthusiastic Japanese spectators saw Hawthorn repeat its 1986 premiership success over Carlton several weeks earlier, with a 53 point victory.

Because of the shorter playing field of Yokohama Stadium, each team was represented by 15 players, plus five interchange, with centreline players being deleted. Players were also provided with knee and elbow protective devices to guard against burning by the synthetic surface.

Supporters of both teams were able to watch a historic replay of the match on HSV7 later in the evening.

"The Japan match is indicative of growing overseas awareness of Australian football and further interest in staging exhibition matches in the United States has been expressed. Such matches will hopefully stimulate the promotion and development of Australian football and will certainly enhance the League's capacity to market overseas television of our game." (1986 VFL Annual Report)

The most valuable player award was a Nissan car and was won by Brownlow Medallist Robert DiPierdomenico with other prizes being won by Hawthorn's John Platten (bravest player) and Carlton's Justin Madden and Peter Motley.

The Aussie Bowl was sponsored by Fuji Television, which underwrote all costs of staging and managing the match.

Final scores - Hawthorn 22.17 (149) d. Carlton 13.18 (96)

 

1987: Aussie Bowl II

Hawthorn successfully defended its Aussie Bowl title in Tokyo on 25 October 1987.

The Hawks overpowered Essendon in an entertaining encounter on the artificial turf of Yokohama Stadium in front of an estimated 13,000 people.

The responsive crowd, which included a healthy number of expatriate Australians, was delighted by a first quarter which produced 16 goals, and a match-long display of the renowned marking talent of Essendon's Simon Madden, who won the most valuable player award of a jet ski.

Madden's teammate, Paul Salmon, won the mark-of-the-day award while Hawthorn pair John Platten and Gary Buckenara won the two other prizes (for most courageous and play-of-the-day) for their prominent part in the Hawks' convincing win.

Channel 10 provided a direct telecast of the match, with commentators Tony Banks and Eddie McGuire, and special comments from Essendon's injured centre half-back Kevin Walsh. Again, Fuji Television underwrote all costs of staging the Aussie Bowl.

Final scores - Hawthorn 20.14 (34) d. Essendon 11.9 (75)

 

1987: World Series

The VFL's foray into the North American market in 1987 was an immediate success when a crowd of 32,789 witnessed the first ever match of Australian Football to be played in an indoor stadium featuring a synthetic surface. The B.C. Place domed stadium located in downtown Vancouver, Canada hosted the first game in a World Series sponsored by Fosters.

On 10 October Melbourne defeated the Sydney Swans and the crowd reaction to the game was most enthusiastic.

Final Scores - Melbourne 20.19 (139) d. Sydney Swans 12.9 (81)

Originally it was intended that the winner of the Vancouver game would play the winner of the London game between Carlton and North Melbourne at the Los Angeles Coliseum on 17 October as the final of the Foster's World Series.

Unfortunately, it became necessary to cancel the Los Angeles match due to danger of earthquakes which occurred on a repeated basis in early October. The League was not prepared to risk the safety of either players or spectators.

The final was re-programmed in Vancouver with Melbourne again winning in classy fashion. A smaller crowd of 7,980 turned out for the match.

Final Scores - Melbourne 19.13 (127) d. North Melbourne 16.15 (111)

 

1988: Foster's Cup

In 1988 the VFL once more spread its wings internationally at the end of the domestic season, with two games in North America and one in London.

Four clubs - Hawthorn, Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong - contested the Foster's Cup, with Collingwood winning the title to give its long-starved supporters early-morning television joy back home in Melbourne.

HSV7 beamed the game back live to Melbourne and the Collingwood army of barrackers saw their side break away to a big lead and then withstand a solid Hawk comeback to win the game, and the Foster's Cup, in Toronto on 17 October by 14 points.

Earlier Collingwood had a big win over Geelong on 8 October at the Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, while a day later Hawthorn beat Carlton at The Oval in London.

The Oval is famous as an English cricket ground while the other two venues are also of powerful significance.

The Joe Robbie Stadium is the home of the Miami Dolphins and was at the time the most up-to-date stadium in the American National Football League (NFL). A crowd of more than 18,000 saw Collingwood beat Hawthorn at the Varsity Stadium in the final. It is on campus at the University of Toronto.

In the two North American games the teams consisted of 15 players and there was an interchange squad of five. In London, Carlton and Hawthorn each fielded 18 players, with an interchange of four.

The series, sponsored by Carlton and United Breweries, provided prizemoney of $135,000 - $30,000 to the winner of each game and $15,000 to the losers.

Final Scores

Miami, USA - Collingwood 18.16 (124) d. Geelong 10.18 (78)
Crowd - 7,500

London, UK - Hawthorn 9.14 (68) d. Carlton 6.11 (47)
Crowd - 10,000

Toronto, Canada - Collingwood 18.11 (119) d. Hawthorn 15.15 (105)
Crowd - 18,500

 

1989: World Champions

Melbourne tagged itself the "World Champions" after winning the 1989 International Series.

The Demons defeated Essendon in the final at The Oval, in London, to win the Foster's Cup series before a crowd of 12,000. Many disappointed long-distance followers of the Australian game had to be turned away at the gates.

The 1989 international series consisted of three games played between Melbourne, Essendon, Hawthorn and Geelong. The games were played in October in Toronto, Miami and London.

A team of officials, including the chairman of the Commission, Ross Oakley, and executive commissioner, Alan Schwab, accompanied the teams overseas.

The series was totally funded by Carlton and United Breweries and the games were televised back to Australia by the Australian Television Network.

Australian Football was played for the first time at the Toronto Skydome on 13 October, one of the world's leading sports venues. On this ground Melbourne qualified for the final by defeating Geelong by 13 points.

A big crowd of 24,639 saw the game and the Canadians were most enthusiastic about the speed and vigor of the game.

There were even scalpers standing outside making profits from people not prepared to stand in queue.

The following day at the Joe Robbie Stadium, in Miami, Essendon scored a 14 point win over Hawthorn in hot and humid conditions.

The final, at The Oval on 22 October, again attracted much interest among the locals and the big contingent of Australians living in London. Melbourne emerged the victor - and won its second Foster's Cup in three years.

 

Final Scores

Toronto, Canada - Melbourne 14.19 (103) d. Geelong 13.12 (90)
Crowd - 24,639

Miami, USA - Essendon 18.16 (124) d. Hawthorn 15.20 (110)
Crowd - 10,069

London, UK - Melbourne 12.10 (82) d. Essendon 6.10 (46)
Crowd - 12,000

 

1990: Aussie Football Week

The Melbourne Football Club maintained its outstanding record in International matches in October 1990 when it comfortably defeated the West Coast Eagles in the first of that year's Foster's Cup matches, played overseas.

The match was played on 12 October at the Civic Stadium in Portland, Oregon USA which is normally the home of the Portland "Beavers" in baseball season and the Portland State College Football Team.

A record crowd for a Foster's Cup match played in the United States of 15,000 spectators were in attendance and were very enthusiastic in their appreciation of the skills of Australian football on display. It was apparent that the crowd was well versed in Australian football, having had the opportunity to view matches weekly throughout the year on the Prime Cable Network in North West America.

Although the game was played on a synthetic surface, the players of both sides were prepared to entertain the crowd with vigorous tackling, spectacular high marking and long kicking and spectators surveyed after the match were keen in their praise for Australian football as a spectacle.

The Mayor of the City of Portland proclaimed the week of October 7-13 1990 to be "Aussie Football Week" and a special commemorative proclamation certificate was provided to members of the official party at City Hall by the Mayor. The AFL reciprocated this gesture by providing the Mayor and his fellow Councillors with AFL club guernseys and footballs which interestingly were the subject of presentation on the Mayor's own cable television channel which reaches the homes of all cable subscribers in the state.

A second Foster's Cup match was played on 14 October at The Oval, London and although a lower than expected crowd was in attendance, the match was again successful with the freshly crowned AFL Premiers Collingwood inflicting a further defeat on Essendon to complete a hat-trick of wins over the Bombers during the final series and then overseas.

Final Scores

Portland, USA - Melbourne 24.16 (160) d. West Coast 11.13 (79)
Crowd - 14,787

London, UK - Collingwood 19.9 (123) d. Essendon 13.12 (90)
Crowd - 9,000

 

1991: Australasian Rules

In October 1991 two matches were played overseas, including the first ever AFL match in New Zealand.

On October 5 Geelong played St. Kilda at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland and Hawthorn met the West Coast Eagles on October 13 at The Oval, in London.

Final Scores

Auckland, New Zealand - Geelong 12.11 (83) d. St. Kilda 10.10 (70)
Crowd - 8,500

London, UK - West Coast 14.12 (96) d. Hawthorn 10.6 (66)
Crowd - 10,000

 

1994: London Double-Header

Four AFL teams - Carlton, Richmond, Adelaide and the West Coast Eagles travelled overseas in October 1994 and staged two games at Foster's Oval in England.

About 6000 spectators, many of them expatriate Australians, saw Richmond defeat Carlton and the 1994 premiers, West Coast, win comfortably against Adelaide. It was the first time for three years that the AFL had played a match in England.

The West Coast-Adelaide game was a curtain-raiser to the Richmond-Carlton clash. AFL Chief Executive Officer, Ross Oakley, made the trip to watch the matches which were televised back to Australia by the Seven Network.

Final Scores

Richmond 14.20 (104) d. Carlton 13.5 (83)
West Coast 14.14 (98) d. Adelaide 8.8 (56)

 

1997: No premiership matches for London

The AFL ruled out playing matches in London for premiership points or the Ansett Cup despite a strong turnout for the October 12, 1997 exhibition game between Collingwood and West Coast at The Oval.

More than 11,500 mainly expatriate Australians watched the Eagles defeat the Magpies by 18 points, almost filling the 14,000 capacity south London ground.

AFL operations General Manager Ian Collins said the turnout was heartening, but the chill winds of a London winter, the time difference and the competing demands of county cricket meant it would stick to playing only exhibition matches.

"If we played the Ansett Cup games here in February we'd be rather concerned about daylight hours and the temperatures at that time," said Collins. "If it could be played under lights or we could be certain of the daylight time, we'd consider that."

The Oval, Surrey Cricket Club's home ground, has no lights and is one of the few grounds in Britain large enough to host Australian Rules.

The crowd was almost double the expectations of organisers, who targeted 6000 before the game, the first in London since 1994.

West Coast scored first and went on to dominate the game, leading at every change.

Final Scores - West Coast 11.7 (73) d. Collingwood 8.7 (55)

 

1998: Ansett Cup goes international

In 1998 the AFL organised two overseas matches. They were different from previous international matches in that they were not purely end-of-season exhibition matches. Both were played as part of the AFL's pre-season competition, the Ansett Cup.

The Brisbane Lions played Fremantle on 22 February in the first round of the Ansett Australia Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. Players from both clubs conducted coaching clinics in local townships; these followed similar work by the Australian Army during the previous year.

About 1500 children were brought to the game by bus as guests of the AFL and many participated in Little League games at half time of the Lions-Dockers match. The sheer delight on the face of Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the sight of young South African children running around the oval at half time was a highlight.

Final Scores- Brisbane 18.17 (125) d. Fremantle 16.7 (103)
Crowd - 10,123

The second Ansett Australia Cup match played overseas was between Melbourne and Sydney at the Basin Reserve on 1 March in Wellington, New Zealand, and supported the work of the New Zealand Australian Football Development Foundation to promote the game in schools throughout New Zealand and further develop an Australian football competition based around Auckland.

Final Scores - Melbourne 15.15 (105) d. Sydney 14.9 (93)
Crowd - 7,820

For the second successive year, an end of season exhibition match was played between St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs at the Foster's Oval in London. The match attracted a crowd of more than 12,000 people, the third largest crowd to attend an event at The Oval during the previous 12 months.

Final Scores - Western Bulldogs 15.5 (95) d. St. Kilda 10.12 (72)
Crowd - 12,000

 

Recent Matches

Since 1998 further matches have been played in England and New Zealand. End of season exhibition matches were staged in London in 1999 and 2000, while Ansett Cup matches were played in Wellington in 2000 and 2001. A match was not played in London in 2001 owing to concerns regarding security following the September 11 attacks in New York.

 

SUMMARY OF VFA/VFL/AFL INTERNATIONAL MATCHES

YEAR	CITY	COUNTRY	TEAMS
1888	Melbourne	Australia	Carlton 14.7 (101) d. England 2.7 (19)
1916	London	England	Third Division 6.16 (52) d. Training Units 4.12 (36)
1963	Honolulu	USA	Melbourne 17.21 (123) d. Geelong 15.21 (111)
1963	San Francisco	USA	Melbourne 10.11 (71) d. Geelong 9.12 (66)
1968	Bucharest	Romania	Galahs A v Galahs B
1972	London	England	Carlton v. Orlando All-Stars
1972	Athens	Greece	Carlton v. Orlando All-Stars
1972	Singapore	Singapore	Carlton v. Orlando All-Stars
1986	Tokyo	Japan	Hawthorn 22.17 (149) d. Carlton 13.18 (96)
1986	London	England	North Melb 20.13 (133) d. Carlton 12.14 (86)
1987	Vancouver	Canada	Melbourne 20.19 (139) d. Sydney 12.9 (81)
1987	Vancouver	Canada	Melbourne 19.13 (127) d. North Melb 16.15 (111)
1987	London	England	North Melb 16.8 (104) d. Carlton 13.13 (91)
1987	Tokyo	Japan	Hawthorn 20.14 (134) d. Essendon 11.9 (75)
1988	Miami	USA	Collingwood 18.16 (124) d. Geelong 10.18 (78)
1988	London	England	Hawthorn 9.14 (68) d. Carlton 6.11 (47)
1988	Toronto	Canada	Collingwood 18.11 (119) d. Hawthorn 15.15 (105)
1989	Toronto	Canada	Melbourne 14.19 (103) d. Geelong 13.12 (90)
1989	Miami	USA	Essendon 18.16 (124) d. Hawthorn 15.20 (110)
1989	London	England	Melbourne 12.10 (82) d. Essendon 6.10 (46)
1990	Portland	USA	Melbourne 24.16 (160) d. West Coast 11.13 (79)
1990	London	England	Collingwood 19.9 (123) d. Essendon 13.12 (90)
1991	Auckland	New Zealand	Geelong 12.11 (83) d. St Kilda 10.10 (70)
1991	London	England	West Coast 14.12 (96) d. Hawthorn 10.6 (66)
1994	London	England	Richmond 14.20 (104) d. Carlton 13.5 (83)
1994	London	England	West Coast 14.14 (98) d. Adelaide 8.8 (56)
1997	London	England	West Coast 11.7 (73) d. Collingwood 8.7 (55)
1998	Wellington	New Zealand	Melbourne 15.15 (109) d. Sydney 14.9 (93)
1998	Cape Town	South Africa	Brisbane 18.17 (125) d. Fremantle 16.7 (103)
1998	London	England	Western Bulldogs 15.5 (95) d. St. Kilda 10.12 (72)
1999	London	England	Essendon 11.6 (72) d. Hawthorn 10.9 (69)
2000	Wellington	New Zealand	Western Bulldogs 13.7 (85) d. Hawthorn 4.14 (38)
2000	London	England	Melbourne 5.10 (40) d. Adelaide 3.3 (21)
2001	Wellington	New Zealand	Brisbane Lions 16.18 (114) d. Adelaide 10.13 (73)
2002	London	England	Richmond 12.7 (79) d. Essendon 7.6 (48)

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