1879 TFA season

1879 TFA season
Teams	3
Premiers	City
1880  →

The 1879 TFA season was the inaugural season of the Tasmanian Football Association (TFA), an Australian rules football competition in southern Tasmania. ^[1]

In 1879, a "rules war" emerged in Hobart, with rugby, soccer and local football codes played by clubs. ^{[2] [3]} On 12 June 1879, the TFA was officially formed (giving it some claim to the title of the third-oldest club football league in the world), with the decision to play "Victorian rules" passed by 1 vote at a meeting. ^{[4] [5]} Two soccer clubs (City and Cricketers) and three local code clubs (New Town, Railway and Richmond) were part of the meeting. ^{[2] [6]}

Three clubs of those five clubs − City, Cricketers and Railway − competed in the inaugural season. ^{[2] [7]} City was awarded the TFA premiership at the end of the season, without a grand final being played. ^{[8] [9]}

Former (and future) Tasmanian premier William Giblin served as the first chairman of the TFA, while L. Y. Prior served as secretary. ^{[10] [11]}

References

1. Prior, L. Y. (28 August 1879). "THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION". The Mercury. p. 3. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
2. Syson, Ian (28 February 2011). "How Lost Was My Archive?". The Footy Almanac. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
3. Syson, Ian (11 July 2011). "North Melbourne and the "Grand old English game of football" in Hobart". The Footy Almanac. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
4. "THE ASSOCIATION". The Mercury. 23 June 1879. p. 3. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
5. "Back to where it all began – the 1870's". bigfooty.com. 12 January 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
6. "THE ASSOCIATION". The Mercury. 16 June 1879. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
7. "Glenorchy Football Club". Prepare Like a Pro. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
8. "South - Tasmania". Tasmania Football History. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
9. "TASMANIA" (PDF). AFL.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
10. "THE ASSOCIATION". The Mercury. 30 June 1879. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
11. Alomes, Stephen. "Australian Football". University of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024. The game's heroes included administrators such as the first president of the TFL, WR Giblin, politician and premier

Further reading

• Gyss, Trevor (1 May 2024) "1879 Tasmanian Football Association Pictorial Record"