Australian football at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Australian football was one of two demonstration sports at the 1956 Summer Olympics
held in Melbourne, Australia. The rules stated that the hosts must organize both a native game and a sport foreign to the organizing country as "demonstration sports".
Australian rules football
was chosen as the native sport, and baseball
, an American sport, as the foreign sport.
Australian rules football
To an outsider, the game features elements of soccer, gaelic football, and rugby.
At the time of the Olympic Games, it was played on a grass surface with an oval ball; in four 25-minute quarters.
Also, a the time of the Olympic Games, a team consisted of eighteen players and two reserve players (each of whom could substitute for a player on the field; with the substituted player being unable to resume their place on the field under any circumstances).
The goal consisted of an inner and outer pair of posts.
The scoring was six points for a goal and one point for a behind.
).
It started at 4:10 pm on Friday, 7 December 1956, immediately after the "bronze medal" soccer match between Bulgaria and India had finished (Bulgaria won 3-0).
One of the competing teams represented the Victorian Amateur Football Association
; the other team was a combined team composed of amateur players from both the Victorian Football League
and the Victorian Football Association (professional players from these leagues were unable to compete).
Throughout the entire game, a running commentary attempted to explain the umpires' decisions to the audience; and those who were not used to the game found it extremely useful.
The goal-kickers for the VAFA were Fenton-Smith (4), Pettigrove (4); Anderson (3), and Rochow (1); whilst those for the combined VFL & VFA team were Dunin (3), Turner (1), Woolnough (1), Plunkett (1), Tobin (1), and Allsop (1).
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
held in Melbourne, Australia. The rules stated that the hosts must organize both a native game and a sport foreign to the organizing country as "demonstration sports".
Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
was chosen as the native sport, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, an American sport, as the foreign sport.
Australian rules footballAustralian rules footballAustralian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
To an outsider, the game features elements of soccer, gaelic football, and rugby.At the time of the Olympic Games, it was played on a grass surface with an oval ball; in four 25-minute quarters.
Also, a the time of the Olympic Games, a team consisted of eighteen players and two reserve players (each of whom could substitute for a player on the field; with the substituted player being unable to resume their place on the field under any circumstances).
The goal consisted of an inner and outer pair of posts.
The scoring was six points for a goal and one point for a behind.
Demonstration match
The single demonstration match was played on the Main Stadium of the Olympic Games (the Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
).
It started at 4:10 pm on Friday, 7 December 1956, immediately after the "bronze medal" soccer match between Bulgaria and India had finished (Bulgaria won 3-0).
One of the competing teams represented the Victorian Amateur Football Association
Victorian Amateur Football Association
The Victorian Amateur Football Association is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia consisting purely of amateur players. Unlike the Victorian Football League and the VFL/AFL, the VAFA has always been strictly a purely amateur league and has affiliations with both AFL Victoria...
; the other team was a combined team composed of amateur players from both the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and the Victorian Football Association (professional players from these leagues were unable to compete).
Throughout the entire game, a running commentary attempted to explain the umpires' decisions to the audience; and those who were not used to the game found it extremely useful.
VAFA team
White shorts. white socks. Guernsey: White, with emerald green trim, and large olympic rings across diaphragm.- Coach: J.W. Kelly (coach)
- Players:
- CollegiansCollegians Football ClubCollegians Football Club is the oldest club in the VAFA, formed in 1891. Their home ground is the Harry Trott Oval in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park....
: Geoff Hibbins (Captain)http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/G/Geoff_Hibbins.html - Old Melburnians: Murray Mitchell (Vice-captain), Duncan Anderson, J.N. Hannan, W.B. Thomas
- University BlacksMelbourne University Football ClubMelbourne University Football Club, often known simply as University is an Australian rules football club.The club achieved prominence by being a member of the game's most elite competition in the early 20th century, the Victorian Football League between 1908 and 1914.Although there are no records...
: A.G. (P) Capes, G.J. Gill - University BluesMelbourne University Football ClubMelbourne University Football Club, often known simply as University is an Australian rules football club.The club achieved prominence by being a member of the game's most elite competition in the early 20th century, the Victorian Football League between 1908 and 1914.Although there are no records...
: J.R. Hayes, M. Keogh - M.H.S.O.B.Melbourne High School Old Boys AssociationThe Melbourne High School Old Boys Association, also known as the MHSOBA, is an organization run primarily by alumni of Melbourne High School...
: R. Collins - Commonwealth Bank: G.W. Empey
- OrmondOrmond Amateur Football ClubOrmond Amateur Football Club is the second oldest suburban club in the VAFA.The club is located 14 km south east of Melbourne in the suburb of Ormond.In 2008 Ormond welcomed back recently retired AFL player Matthew Robbins as player and assistant coach...
: Dick Fenton-SmithDick Fenton-SmithRichard "Dick" Fenton-Smith is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League during the late 1950s.... - Old Scotch Collegians: P.K. Harkness
- Coburg Amateurs: I. Merrick, R.F. Pettigrove, P. Rochow
- Old Paradians: L. J. Wakeling
- Ivanhoe Amateurs: L.E. Williams
- Reserves:
- Powerhouse L. Grant
- Old Scotch Collegians: R. Tindale
- Emergencies:
- State Savings Bank: D. Douglas
- OrmondOrmond Amateur Football ClubOrmond Amateur Football Club is the second oldest suburban club in the VAFA.The club is located 14 km south east of Melbourne in the suburb of Ormond.In 2008 Ormond welcomed back recently retired AFL player Matthew Robbins as player and assistant coach...
: J. Byrne - Old Scotch Collegians: P. Craw
VFL and VFA combined team
Black shorts. Socks emerald green with white tops. Guernsey: Emerald green with white trim, and large olympic rings across diaphragm.- Coach: Bruce AndrewBruce AndrewCyril Bruce Andrew was an Australian rules footballer, who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League before becoming a football administrator and television commentator....
- Players:
- CollingwoodCollingwood Football ClubThe Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
(VFL): Ray GabelichRay GabelichRay Gabelich was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League .He came to Collingwood from Western Australia as a centre half-forward in 1954 too late to be listed...
, Brian GrayBrian GrayBrian Gray is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League during the late 1950s and early 1960s....
, Ken TurnerKen Turner (Australian rules footballer)Ken Turner is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the VFL. He is the father of Australian Rules footballer Jamie Turner, who also played with Collingwood. He is a cousin of former test cricketer Graham Yallop, and was a cousin of murdered lawyer Keith William... - FootscrayWestern BulldogsThe Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
(VFL): John Westacott - HawthornHawthorn Football ClubThe Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
(VFL): Brendan EdwardsBrendan EdwardsBrendan Edwards Brendan Edwards Brendan Edwards (Born 18 March 1936 is a former Australian rules football footballer who played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League VFL from 1956 to 1961 and again in the 1963 season. He won their best and fairest award in 1960 and represented Victoria at... - MelbourneMelbourne Football ClubThe Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
(VFL): Denis CordnerDenis CordnerGeorge Denis Pruen Cordner was an Australian rules football player. His brothers Don, John and Ted were also notable sportsmen.Denis Cordner played in the ruck in the Melbourne premiership teams in the 1948, 1955 and 1956....
(Captain), Brian Collopy, Vic Naismith - North MelbourneNorth Melbourne Football ClubThe North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
(VFL): Laurie DwyerLaurie DwyerLaurie Dwyer is a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne during the 1960s.Dwyer came close to winning a Brownlow Medal on a few occasions, finishing second in 1961 and again in 1967 as well as placing third in 1960...
, Des Tobin - RichmondRichmond Football ClubThe Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
(VFL): Ray AllsopRay AllsopRay Allsop is a former Australian rules football player who played the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League from 1955 to 1959. Allsop played as a rover and was known for reading the ball well off packs. Allsop represented Victoria in 1957...
, Frank Dunin - South MelbourneSydney SwansThe Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
(VFL): Neil McNeill - St Kilda (VFL): Brian Walsh
- Box Hill (VFA): Dave Plunkett
- Coburg (VFA): Jack Sassella
- NorthcoteNorthcote Football ClubNorthcote Football Club, nicknamed The Dragons, was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA from 1908 until 1987. The club's colours were green and yellow and it was based in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote...
(VFA): Keith Woolnough (vice-captain) - PrahranPrahran Football ClubPrahran Football Club, nicknamed The Two Blues, is an Australian rules football club based at Toorak Park in Orrong Road between High Street and Malvern Road, Armadale, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 2007, the club has competed in D1 Section of the Victorian Amateur Football Association...
(VFA): Barry Gaze
- Reserves
- NorthcoteNorthcote Football ClubNorthcote Football Club, nicknamed The Dragons, was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA from 1908 until 1987. The club's colours were green and yellow and it was based in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote...
(VFA): T.J. Hussey - Sandringham (VFA): K.C. Marshall
- Emergencies
- OakleighOakleigh Football ClubOakleigh Football Club, nicknamed the Devils, was an Australian rules football club from Oakleigh which played in the VFA from 1929 until 1994...
(VFA): K. Anderson - PrahranPrahran Football ClubPrahran Football Club, nicknamed The Two Blues, is an Australian rules football club based at Toorak Park in Orrong Road between High Street and Malvern Road, Armadale, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 2007, the club has competed in D1 Section of the Victorian Amateur Football Association...
(VFA): Lindsay GazeLindsay GazeLindsay John Casson Gaze is an Australian basketball player and coach. He played for Australia in three Olympics between 1960 and 1968 and coached the Australian basketball team at four Olympics between 1972 and 1984... - CollingwoodCollingwood Football ClubThe Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
(VFL): Brian Turner
Positions
The following are the teams, as listed in the programme, in their selected positions, and their allocated guernsey numbers.| VAFA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Backs | R. Collins (6) | L.J. Wakeling (19) | G.W. Hibbins (1) (c) |
| H/Backs | L.E. Williams(20) | A.G. Capes (5) | P. Rochow (16) |
| Centre Line | C.W. Empey (7) | L. Merrick (14) | W.B. THomas (17) |
| H/Forwards | W.M. Mitchell (2) (v-c) | J.N. Hannan (10) | G.J. Gill (8) |
| Forwards | R.F. Pettigrove (15) | J.D. Anderson (3) | R.C. Fenton-Smith (4) |
| Rucks/Rover | P.K. Harkness (11) | J.R. Hayes (13) | M. Keogh (12) |
| Reserves | L. Grant (9) | R.W. Tindale (18) | |
| Coach | J.W. Kelly | ||
| Combined VFL & VFA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Backs | R.A. Gabelich (8) | V.H. Naismith (13) | B.J. Walsh (19) |
| H/Backs | J.S. Sassella (18) | J.B. Westacott (20) | B.T. Collopy (4) |
| Centre Line | L.J. Dwyer | B.J. Gaze (9) | B.C. Edwards (7) |
| H/Forwards | K.E. Turner (17) | N. McNeill (11) | B.J. Gray (10) |
| Forwards | D.X. Dunin (5) | D.J. Plunkett (14) | D.T. Tobin (16) |
| Rucks/Rover | D. Cordner (1) (c) | Woolnough (2) (v-c) | R.A. Allsop (3) |
| Reserves | K.C. Marshall (12) | T.J. Hussey (15) | |
| Coach | C.B. Andrew | ||
Results
The match ended with a convincing win for the amateur team, which had lead the professional combined team for the entire match, finally winning 12.9 (81) to 8.7 (55), although the professional team outscored the amateur team in the second and the last quarter.Score
| Team | 1 Qtr | 2 Qtr | 3 Qtr | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAFA | 6.1 (37) | 9.4 (58) | 11.8 (74) | 12.9 (81) |
| Comb. VFL & VFA | 1.0 (6) | 6.0 (36) | 6.2 (38) | 8.7 (55) |
Best players and goal-kickers
The best players for the VAFA were Hibbins, Fenton-Smith, Anderson, Thomas, and Pettigrove; whilst those for the combined VFL & VFA team were Edwards, Allsop, Westacott, Woolnough, Collopy and Sassella.The goal-kickers for the VAFA were Fenton-Smith (4), Pettigrove (4); Anderson (3), and Rochow (1); whilst those for the combined VFL & VFA team were Dunin (3), Turner (1), Woolnough (1), Plunkett (1), Tobin (1), and Allsop (1).