Challenge Cup (Australia)

Challenge Cup (Australia)

The Challenge Cup was a football competition played in Melbourne, Australia between 1862 and the 1870s under a number of different club rules including the Melbourne Rules (later known as Australian rules football).

The Cup is notable as it is the earliest known senior football championship and trophy in the world.

The Cup has a history that continued through to the 1870s, however the informal format was blamed for increasing bitterness between clubs. It was this resentment and expansion of the game outside of its suburban roots into regional areas that eventually led to the first governing body and competition, the Victorian Football Association in 1877.

History

The inaugural Caledonian Challenge Cup was donated by the Royal Caledonian Society of Melbourne in 1861 for a "grand football-match" advertised in The Argus, however the football match did not proceed that year due to the unavailability of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

In 1862, however, the match did go ahead. Invited to compete were two early clubs - Melbourne Football Club and Melbourne University Football Club. University won with a solitary goal by James Smith to take the first ever trophy in front of a crowd of 6,000. Melbourne's captain was Thomas H. Smith and Tom Wills was notably absent from the side.

In 1863, Geelong's George Reynolds Rippon kicked the winning goal to defeat Melbourne to take the cup. Melbourne extracted revenge in 1864, taking the title over both Geelong and the Ballarat Football Club

In 1865, the Caledonian Society and the Athletic Sports Society took naming rights to the trophy, becoming the Athletic Sports Society Challenge Cup. It is likely that Tom Wills played for Geelong Football Club in the match against Melbourne.[1]

1866 was the first season in which the participants accepted the Melbourne Football Club's rules (also known as the Victorian Rules). Many of the Challenge Cup matches of the time were played at Royal Park.

The South Yarra Football Club won the trophy in 1867.

The Challenge Cup trophy may have been dormant for a time before re-appearing as the South Yarra Challenge Cup in 1870. Four now defunct clubs contributed to the purchase of the trophy - Richmond (not related to the present Richmond Football Club), Collingwood (not related to the current Collingwood Football Club), East Melbourne and Southern. The rules had changed from a tournament format to award the cup to any team that wins three consecutive matches.

Carlton won the 1871 cup in the club's first appearance in their now traditional dark navy blue jumpers.

During the 1870s, the Cup became a two horse race, with two main competitors - Melbourne and Carlton - dominating the competition. Matches between these two clubs were blockbusters, attracting crowds in the tens of thousands.

Despite the dominance of Melbourne and Carlton, an explosion of new clubs occurred in 1873. However few of the new suburban clubs were competitive against the traditional powerhouses and another competition, the Second Twenties was set up allowing a more even playing field.

At the end of the 1876 season, focus of the then much larger number of clubs was on the newly formed Victorian Football Association providing a more formal structure for football in the state and the much maligned Challenge Cup was consigned to the history books.

Results

Challenge Cup
Year Premiers Runner-up 3rd Place Other Teams that participated
1862 University Melbourne
1863 Geelong Melbourne
1864 Melbourne Ballarat Geelong
1865 South Yarra Melbourne University Carlton, Geelong, Royal Park
1866 South Yarra Melbourne Carlton University or Royal Park
1867 South Yarra Geelong Carlton Melbourne
1868 Melbourne Carlton Geelong Regiment, University
1869 Carlton Geelong University Melbourne
1870 Melbourne Albert Park Carlton
1871 Carlton Melbourne Albert Park South Yarra
1872 Melbourne Carlton Albert Park
1873 Carlton Melbourne Geelong Albert Park, Collingwood, East Melbourne, Essendon, Hawthorn, Richmond, St Kilda, Southern, South Yarra, Studley Park
1874 Carlton Melbourne St Kilda North Melbourne
1875 Carlton Melbourne Carlton Imperial
1876 Melbourne Carlton Albert Park

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Challenge Cup (disambiguation) — Challenge Cup is a knock out competition for European rugby league clubs. Challenge Cup may also refer to: Contents 1 Australian football 2 Figure skating …   Wikipedia

  • Challenge Cup — For other competitions featuring a Challenge Cup, see Challenge Cup (disambiguation). Challenge Cup Current season or competition: 2011 Challenge Cup …   Wikipedia

  • Double Sculls Challenge Cup — The Double Sculls Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men s double sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley on Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs. Two clubs may combine to… …   Wikipedia

  • European Challenge Cup — Infobox sports league caption=Competition logo pixels=140px sport=Rugby union founded=1996 teams=20 country=ENG FRA flag|Ireland|rugby ITA POR ROM ESP WAL SCO (formerly) champion= flagicon|England BathThe European Challenge Cup in rugby union,… …   Wikipedia

  • Grand Challenge Cup — The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men s eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley on Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing …   Wikipedia

  • Disher Challenge Cup — The Disher Challenge Cup is awarded to the winner of an annual eight oar rowing boat race held over a distance of approximately 3 miles at a regatta between three tertiary institutions in the Australian Capital Territory: the Royal Military… …   Wikipedia

  • 2008 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup — The 2008 A League Pre Season Challenge Cup competition is scheduled to be held in July and August 2008, in the lead up to the start of the A League 2008 09 season. All eight A League clubs will be competing and have been drawn into two groups of… …   Wikipedia

  • Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup — The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup is a rowing event at Henley Royal Regatta open to school 1st VIIIs.HistoryThe event was instituted in 1946 for public schools in the United Kingdom. It was opened to entries from overseas in 1964, and that… …   Wikipedia

  • 2007 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup — The 2007 A League Pre Season Challenge Cup competition was held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the A League 2007 08 season. The opening round started on July 14 2007. The competition featured a group stage, with three regular… …   Wikipedia

  • 2006 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup — The 2006 A League Pre Season Challenge Cup was a series in the Australian A League football competition held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the main season. The opening round was 15 July 2006. The competition featured a group… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”