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FOOTBALL (Sport)

FOOTBALL (Sport)

See Also Jubilee History Text, 1911: Chapter IX, Football.
See Also Centenary History Text, 1961: Chapter 12, Football.
See Also Footballers VFL/AFL (Australian Rules) Post-1897 for VFL and AFL players list 1897 onwards.
See Also Footballers VFA (Australian Rules) Pre-1897 for former VFA player list 1860-1896.
See Also In Search of the Blue and White for an Ad Astra article about the early history of football at Geelong College.

According to the Jubilee History, the Geelong College fielded its first Football Team in 1861, the foundation year of the School, and games between boarders and day students were a regular, if tough, competition within the early School. So much so that one student of the 1860s suggested that 'though the more numerous day boys could beat the boarders they found it far more discreet to play a losing game’.

Early accounts of games are rare though the Geelong Advertiser on 19 August and 20 August 1864 announced a forthcoming football game between Geelong College and Geelong Grammar on the ground adjoining the Argyle Hotel. The account listed the two teams of 15 players each. This was probably the first game between the two schools. On the 22 August the Geelong Advertiser returned to the game: 'A football match was played on Saturday on the ground adjoining the Argyle Hotel between the Geelong College and Grammar School clubs. The ball was kicked off at 11 o'clock, and after some good play on both sides, the first goal was kicked by Knott, of the College. Two other goals were afterwards kicked by Greenwood, one of the Collegians, but as these were disputed, play was continued for some time, and resulted in Reid kicking the concluding goal for the College club, which thereby gained the victory 'It was not until 1868 that the College Annual Reports mentioned the College versus Grammar football games.

The year 1868, was significant for Football. For the first time, the results of the Annual Athletics Sports together with football and cricket matches played against other schools and teams that year, were recorded in the Annual Report.

The Annual Report listed 3 football matches in 1868. These were with; Geelong Grammar which College won 2 goals to nil, Scotch College, a drawn match with 1 goal each, and a combined Grammar-College match against the Geelong Football Club which the combined Schools team won 2 goals to nil.

The College did not possess sports fields and games were initially played on a common in South Geelong before moving to the now vanished Argyle Ground near the corner of Pakington and Aberdeen Streets. The victory in 1868 against the Geelong Club and the presence of many Grammar and College players in the Geelong Football Club led to graduation to the Corio Oval, East Geelong for many years.

In 1872 the Geelong Advertiser reported: 'Geelong Grammar School and College teams played a football match on the Chilwell Flat. The result was a draw. They played for 2 1/2 hours, and neither team scored a goal. When time-up was called, both teams were nearly knocked up. Great praise is due to the three umpires for the way they performed the thankless task of deciding all disputes.'

In 1873, the Annual Report discloses the first indication of a football award with a silver cup awarded to Thomas W Thomson of South Yarra as the best football player for the 1873 season. The cup was donated by George Hope of Darriwill.

By the 1880s, the bi-annual games between the Geelong College and Geelong Grammar were among the most popular and well-attended sporting contests in Geelong. So popular, that even in the 1920s, admission charges were levied as a community fund raising event - often for the Red Cross. Games have always been characterized by excitement and verve though not always with skill. As one commentator of a very low-scoring game in 1910 politely alluded, 'obviously it was difficult for the players to keep their feet, and apparently they were forced to clutch at their opponents for support' .

Up until the 1890s, points were not scored, being merely an indication of the accuracy of kicking, and as a consequence draws were not uncommon. The intense rivalry between the College and Geelong Grammar was sometimes punctuated by these unresolved contests and 1878 was notable for the need to play a further 3 successive games to resolve that year’s dominance.

The introduction of the Public Schools Athletic Regulations in 1891 signalled a transition to a more uniform playing code for school sporting competition from which the contest we know today has emerged.

The photograph of the 1878 College Team attired in look-alike Geelong Football Club colours is the earliest known image of a College football team.

Further information about College football may be found in both the Jubilee History, 1911 and the Centenary History, 1961.

Catch a Glimpse of Geelong College Football, and if you are quick, the Aphrasia St Tram, circa 1947. (Black and White; No Sound; 16 Seconds; Lo Res.)

In 2020 the Geelong College fielded its first APS Girls 1st XVIII team. On 27 July 2020 the inaugural team received their jumpers in a presentation ceremony. The girls’ team joined the APS competition and have started training in early March under the expert guidance of their two coaches - Geelong Cats AFL players Olivia Purcell and Millie Brown. Jane Utting served as their team manager.



Football Captains:

1864 Rout, J.
1865 Murray, A. M.
1866 Murray, A. M.
1867 Adams, R. H.
1868 Robertson, J.
1869 Landon, E.
1870 Mack, J.
1871 Murray, C. J.
1872 Murray, C. J.
1873 Thompson, T. W.
1874 Dowling, J. W.
1875 Osborne, J.
1876 Gibb, A.
1877 Boyd, W.
1878 Boyd, W.
1879 Robertson, A. S.
1880 Morrison, R. H.
1881 Morrison, R. H.
1882 Boyd, J
1883 Simson, A. M.
1884 McQueen, W.
1885 Reid, W. L.
1886 MacArthur, E.
1887 Jarrett, A.
1888 Reid, R.
1889 Reid, R.
1890 Reid, R.
1891 Kearney, A. D.
1892 Timms, A. B.
1893 McFarland, R. P.
1894 Braham, A. C.
1895 McRae, J.
1896 McFarland, F. A.
1897 Greeves, E. G.
1898 Greeves, E.G.
1899 Moodie, W. C.
1900 Strickland, L.
1901 Officer, R.
1902 Gatehouse, J.
1902 Kearney, G. B.
1903 Kearney, G. B.
1904 McFarland, E. A.
1905 Crawford, F. B.
1906 Crawford, F. B.
1907 Mackenzie, J. R. P.
1908 McCulloch, W. B.
1909 Doig, K. McK.
1910 Reid, G. C. D.
1911 Reid, G. C. D.
1911 Webber, E. C. S.
1912 Reid, W. J.
1913 Reid, W.J.
1914 Reid, W.J.
1915 Birnie, J. I.
1916 McLennan, A. R.
1917 Hawkes, T. B.
1918 Riggall, E. G. M.
1919 Morton, L.
1920 Brooke, L. P. W.
1921 Bell, C. C.
1922 McArthur, C. E.
1923 McGann, E. W.
1924 McKenzie, D. M.
1925 McKenzie, D. M.
1926 McGregor, A. H.
1927 McGregor, A. H.
1928 Matheson, E. E.
1929 Whiting, R. J.
1930 Hassett, A. L.
1931 Hassett, A. L.
1932 Hassett, A. L.
1933 Coulstock, T. R.
1934 Piper, A. E.
1935 Steele, H. C. C
1936 Hicks, G. G.
1937 Inglis, T. G.
1938 McPherson, I. H.
1939 Cooper, J. R.
1940 Cartwright, L. A.
1941 Souter, M. I.
1942 McBean, L. W.
1943 Salmon, J. R.
1944 Marshall, D. G.
1945 Burleigh, R. M.
1946 Hocking, D. R.
1947 Cameron, I. W.
1948 McLeod, J. K. A.
1949 Currie, C. D.
1950 McColl, J. C.
1951 Wallace Smith, G. H.
1952 Henderson, B. J.
1953 Merriman, R. F.
1954 Cook, W. T.
1955 Vines, R. G. G.
1956 Hinchcliffe, D. A.
1957 Howden, R. B.
1958 Gawith, D. A. T.
1959 Neely, D. M.
1960 Bromell, H. T.
1961 Davies, J. E.
1962 Davies, J. E.
1963 Paton, J. McM.
1964 Sheahan, A. P.
1965 Gardner, J. B.
1966 Bell, A. D.
1967 Torode, I P.
1968 Taylor, G. McD.
1969 Collins, C. N.
1970 Clarke, D. E.
1971 Lindquist, G. J.
1972 Durnan, D. N.
1973 Bransgrove, C. E.
1974 Rooney, P. D.
1975 Nelson, P. J.
1976 Morrison, A. G.
1977 Morrison, D. G.
1978 Gubbins, J. H.
1979 Allen, G. R.
1980 Rossiter, P.
1981 Longden, M. F.
1982 Pearson, D. G.
1983 Smith, C. K. G.
1984 Callan, A. P.
1985 Callan, A. P.
1986 Brown, A. J.
1987 Kellett, N. M.
1988 Hay, D. W.
1989 Wilson, M. E.
1990 Foley, J.
1991 Lockhead, G.
1992 McCorkell, L.
1993 Richardson, E.
1994 Jarman, N.
1995 Spurling, T.
1996 Broad, B.
........ Lockwood, B.
1997 Templeton, N.
1998 McCallum, L.
1999 Casboult, N.
2000 Clarke, T
2001 Fairbairn, C.
2002 Betts, N.
2003 Deppeler, J.
2004 Mountjoy, T.
2005 Weddell, E.
2006 Rockefeller, M.
2007 Weddell, A.
2008 Cordy, A.
2009 Johnstone, H.
2010 Langham, R
......... Taylor, J.
2011 Ratcliffe, E.
2012 Simson, J.
2013 Atkins, T.
......... Russell, S.
2014 Maishman, J.
2015 Seller, X.
2016 Witherden, A.
2017 Brownless, O.

2018 McHenry, E.
2019 Conway, N.
........ Nagle, J.
2020 Lever, N.
2021 Conway, T.
........ Newman, C.
2022 Cubillo, T.
........ Lazarro, A.
........ Sinnott, A.
2023 Mason, C.
........ Hetherington, R.
........ Grigsby, J.
........ Reid, K.






Sources: Geelong Advertiser 19 August 1864 p2; 20 August 1864 p2; Redmond, G McLeod. Geelong College: History, Register and Records Jubilee, 1911 p89; Pegasus Magazine.