SJ
Premium Platinum
Hi there, does anyone know if there will be anything made of this milestone next year?
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Query 2018 - 160 years of Australian football
- Thread starter SJ
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Also last year the two oldest Australian Football comps the VFA(now VFL) and Sanfl were 140 years years old and the VFL/AFL was 120 years old
Supermercado
The straw that stirs the drink
Melbourne is doing a commemorative/cash grab jumper in Round 23 for the anniversary of the club*
* though I'm on the losing end of the battle that argues the football club proper wasn't formed until 1859.
* though I'm on the losing end of the battle that argues the football club proper wasn't formed until 1859.
You are right - the club (along with the first codified rules of Australian Football) was formed in May 1859. However that means that this year is it's 160th year of competing (just count every year from 1859 to 2018). I note that Melbourne celebrated 150 years in 2008, not 2009.
But FWIW the club won't actually be 160 years old until May next year - still the oldest surviving football club of any code in the world, unless a very dubious claim from Bradford is accepted.
blueycarlton
Team Captain
What is Bradford's claim? Haven't heard of that one.
I thought Sheffield was 6 months or so older than Melbourne. They played a game called Sheffield Rules which was incompatable with the Football Association rules in the 1860s. Sheffield later changed to Assocation rules and I believe are still around in minor competitions. But Melbourne would be the oldest playing the same "code" except for when they went into recess during the Wars. Would Carlton be the oldest continuous playing club?
