Australian rules football was heavily affected by both World War I and World War II. Hundreds of leading players served their country abroad, and many lost their lives. On the home front, competitions like the Victorian Football League (VFL) went ahead during these wars, but faced many restrictions.
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World War I
In March 1915, the VFL voted on whether or not to suspend the 1915 season, but voted in favour of playing by 13 votes to four. The season began on 24 April, the day before Australian troops landed at Gallipoli. Attendances were poor throughout the year.
St Kilda changed their club colours because their traditional red, white and black colours were the same as the German Empire. Their new colours of black, red and yellow were chosen as support to Australia's ally Belgium, where a group of St Kilda players were serving.
The 1916 season was heavily affected by the war. Only four clubs, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond, competed in the league. The other clubs withdrew from the competition, both out of Australian patriotism and as a result of player shortage. Despite finishing the home and away season in last place, Fitzroy won the Grand Final that year.
Both Geelong and South Melbourne returned to the league in 1917, while St Kilda and Essendon made their comeback in 1918. Melbourne spent the longest time out of the league, missing three seasons before rejoining the VFL in 1919.
The West Australian Football League (WAFL) continued to play throughout the war; however due to lack of players and extremely bad on-field records North Fremantle and Midland Junction were forced to disband after the 1915 and 1917 seasons respectively. Neither was to return after the war, though attempts to revive Midland Junction were made.
The South Australian Football League (SAFL) suspended play in favour of a “patriotic competition” between 1916 and 1918.
“Pioneer Exhibition Game” in London (1916)
On Saturday 28 October 1916, the former Olympic champion swimmer and the later Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Lieutenant Frank Beaurepaire, organised an Australian Rules football match between two teams of Australian servicemen in aid of the British and French Red Cross.
The match was promoted as the "Pioneer Exhibition Game of Australian Football in London". It was held at Queen's Club, West Kensington before an estimated crowd of 3,000, which included the (then) Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and King Manuel II of Portugal.
An Australian football match (an Australian Division v. Training Groups) will be played at Queen's Club, West Kensington, tomorrow, at 3 p.m., in aid of the British and French Red Cross Funds. The game, played by 18 players a side, will show how Australians have combined "Soccer" and Rugby. (The Times, Friday, 27 October 1916.)
The members of the competing teams, Australian Training Units and The Third Australian Divisional Team, were all highly skilled footballers, the majority of whom had already played senior football in their respective states.
A news film was taken at the match; see [3].
In order to celebrate the match Beaurepaire commissioned a set of team photographs that were inserted into a mounting board decorated with a British Union Jack and an Australian Red Ensign, that had "Australian Football in London. Pioneer Exhibition Game. At Queen's Club, West Kensington. Saturday 28 Oct. 1916" at its head, and "Organizer of Match & Donor of Photos to Club Lieut. Frank Beaurepaire" at its foot.
The names that follow are taken from the names of the team members and officials that appear beneath each of the photographs on the mounted set; some of the names have been corrected from VFL, A.I.F. records, etc.
Officials
The Field Umpires were Corporal Gray and G. Barry, the Boundary Umpires were Sinton Hewitt, and E.J. Watts, and the Goal Umpires were Lieutenant A. Olsson and S.M. Keen.
Australian Training Units Team
The team played in a red guernsey with a large white kangaroo on its left breast, and in black shorts.
The team's captain was Charlie Perry (Norwood).
The team members were: Jack Cooper (Fitzroy), eighth man (seventh player) from left, top row, Percy Trotter (East Fremantle), third from left (of five) in middle row, Clyde Donaldson (Essendon), sixth man (fifth player) from left, top row, Harry Kerley (Collingwood), John Hoskins (Melbourne), Harold Boyd (no club given), Stan Martin (University), ninth man (eighth player) from left, top row, A.C. Cesari (Association), Charlie Armstrong (Geelong and Melbourne), J. Scullin (South Fremantle), Malfield (Fremantle), Thomas Paine (Northam), George Bower (South Melbourne), second man (first player) from left, top row, McDonald (Essendon), Alfred Jackson (South Australia), and H. Moore (South Australia).
Third Australian Divisional Team
The team played in a blue guernsey with a large white map of Australia (minus Tasmania) on the centre of its front, and in white shorts.
The team's captain was Bruce Sloss (South Melbourne), seated at left of man with hat, middle row.
The team members were: Jack Brake (University and Melbourne), Dan Minogue (Collingwood), seated at right of man with hat, middle row, Carl Willis (University, South Melbourne), Leo Little (Melbourne), Bill Sewart (Essendon), James Pugh (City), H.M. Moyes (St Kilda), Percy Jory (St Kilda), Charlie Lilley (Melbourne), Les Lee (Richmond), fourth player from left, top row. Cyril Hoft (Perth), player at right of middle row with back row team mates' hands on his shoulders, Lionel Martin (University), Ned Alley (Williamstown, formerly South Melbourne), Hugh James (Richmond), fourth player from right, top row, Benjamin Mills (Brunswick), Jim Foy (East Perth), and Billy Orchard (Geelong), player at left, top row.
Result
The Third Australian Divisional Team beat the Australian Training Units Team 6.16 (52) to 4.12 (36).
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL.
NOVEL MATCH AT QUEEN'S CLUB.
Over 3,000 people watched a football match at Queen's Club on Saturday between team from an Australian Division and another representing Training Details. The game was played under Australian rules, and was a novelty to most of those present.
The ground is oval, running to 120 yards in width and 180 yards in length. The goal posts have no cross-bar, and as long as a ball is kicked through them the height does not matter. A penalty goal can be dropped, punted, or placed, and in passing the short kick is much used, the off-side rule being non-existent. All the rules are designed with the object of making the game a fast one, and it has certainly the look of being that. There are four-quarters of 20 (sic) minutes each, and after the first and third there is merely a quick change round and no interval.
The spectators were also treated to their first exhibition of Australian "barracking". This barracking is a cheerful running commentary, absolutely without prejudice, on the players, the spectators, the referee, the line umpires, and lastly the game itself. On Saturday it was mostly concerned with references to the military history of the teams engaged. When a catch was missed, for instance, a shrill and penetrating voice inquired of the abashed player, "D'you think, it's a bomb? It's not, it's a ball." On one side there was a colonel playing among the backs and the captain of the other side was a chaplain, and a popular one, to judge by the cheery advice that he got from the privates on the line and in the stand.
The men playing on Saturday were not used to each other, but though the teams thus lacked combination the game was fast, and there were some excellent displays of high marking and kicking for goal. The Division eventually won by six goals and 16 behinds (52 points) to four goals and 12 behinds (36 points). All the gate money and profits from programmes went to the funds of the British and French Red Cross Societies.
The Times, Monday, 30 October 1916.
World War II
Disputes over whether football should be played in wartime came up again in World War II. The VFL continued operation, but Geelong withdrew from the 1942 and 1943 VFL seasons when rail and road transport restrictions made it too difficult for supporters to attend games in Melbourne. Because the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Lake Oval were taken over by the United States Air Force as bases, Melbourne and South Melbourne had to play their home games elsewhere, whilst the Junction Oval for two seasons and the Western Oval for 1942 were also commandeered. The Western Australian National Football League restricted the competition to players under the age of 18 in 1942, and under 19 in 1943 and 1944. The eight SANFL clubs temporary merged into four combined clubs for a reduced competition between 1942 and 1944.
In 1940, both the SANFL and the VFL staged the first Australian football Lightning Carnivals as fundraising events. The carnivals featured every team in the league in a one-day knockout tournament, featuring shortened games. Several more of these carnivals were held by major and minor leagues as wartime fundraisers.
Australian rules football also played a significant part in the Australian forces during the war, with the first Australian assault in Libya commencing with the signal of a football being kicked into no-man's land.
Prisoners of War
Australian rules football was also played by Prisoners of War throughout World War II, with competitions held in Singapore and Germany. The Changi Football League, played at Changi Prison was held in 1942/43 and contested by teams called "Melbourne", "Richmond", "Essendon" and "Carlton", while a League was also set up at Stalag 383, near Nuremberg, contested by the "Kangaroos", "Emus", Kookaburras" and Wallabies".
The Changi Football League, run by Brownlow Medalist Wilfred Smallhorn, awarded its only Changi Brownlow for Best and Fairest to Peter Chitty, a former St Kilda footballer.
VFL players who died in active service
Many VFL players served in the armed services, and a number lost their lives, including Ron Barassi Sr., Bruce Sloss and Len Thomas.
Commemorations
Since 1995 a match between Collingwood and Essendon has taken place on Anzac Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as a tribute to those who died serving their country. Other games, including the Len Hall Game hosted by Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, and games in Wellington, New Zealand have also been held to commemorate past and present members of the armed forces. All games held on the weekend closest to ANZAC Day have a small memorial ceremony, and the Last Post, a minutes silence and The Rouse played before the game.