1859

Though the first game involving a team called Melbourne had been on September 25 1858 on Richmond Paddock against South Yarra (with Melbourne victorious) it wasn't until the next year when the club was formed.

What would soon become the football club played on Saturday, May 14 at Richmond Paddock. The teams were chosen by Messrs Thomas Smith and Jerry Bryant and was intended to be between members of the MCC only but due to the small numbers on hand, though, they were forced to allow others in.

Bryant's team won by two goals to nil. There were issues with interference from spectators and with bystanders who "lounge about inside the bounds".

A meeting of 51 members subsequently proposed to ask the Cricket Club for use of their ground on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. At the same meeting a commitee was appointed to run the club, and they were to meet and draw up a code of rules.

Sides chosen by Bruce and Bryant met again on Saturday, May 28th. The result was one goal apiece until darkness stopped the match. The match was originally meant to be against South Yarra but the game didn't take place.

They played another 1-1 draw on the 6th of June.
"The lately published rules, which appear to give general satisfaction, were as closely adhered to as the limited knowledge possessed of them by some of the players admitted".

On the 13th of June the sides were chosen by Thomas Smith and William Hammersley. The result is not reported.

On 25 June the MFC played an intra-club match with Hammersley's side beating Bruce's by two goals to one. There was talk of a match against St Kilda but the two sides couldn't agree on Rule #7 of the Melbourne club which allowed 'tripping' but not 'hacking'.

On 2 July, Hammersley's side beat Thompsons team 2-0 after a "long and interesting struggle". The committee then met to amend the rules, making tripping, hacking and holding illegal. The two team captains were appointed 'umpires' in the absence of any other officials.

Much of the year was spent trying to organise a game with the South Yarra side, but the vast differences in the rules played by the two teams caused trouble. The match was finally set for the 9th of July after the amended Melbourne rules were accepted by South Yarra with the only changed required being that a "free kick shall be allowed when the ball is caught directly from the foot of one of the opposing players".

In a final warmup match sides chosen by Wills and Smith clashed on July 2nd. No goals were scored after a titanic struggle.

The two teams were made up of 25 a side, and the MCG was roped off for the occasion. South Yarra played in Blue and Melbourne in White. The team was

Henry Harrison, Tom Wills, Bruce, Smith, Thompson, Butterworth, Hammersley (c), Petrie, Morrison, Byrne, Russell, Woolley, Richard Wardill (misspelt in the press as Wardells), Kenworthy, W. Webb, Wray, McPherson, McKenzie, Ogilvie, Grut, Henderson, May, Shephard, Jacomb, A. McCrae

Cameron, Montgomery, Murray, Abbott and Sewell were invited to be on hand in case another player couldn't make the match.

A heavy shower fell during the afternoon and Melbourne kicked off into the wind after losing the toss. South Yarra went with their opponents for the first 15 minutes but superior fitness won out thereafter. Wray scored first for the "Whites". It was the only score of the match, but South Yarra had aquitted themselves well despite being a player short.

Melbourne and South Yarra clashed again at the MCG on Saturday 23 July. Melbourne won with their second goal after about an hour. The two sides then decided to play to three, and Melbourne scored the winning goal for a second time. Mr. Wray goalled again.

The first clash with St. Kilda occured the next week - 30 July. The MCG was unavailable due to rains, so a ground was marked off on Richmond Paddock. As in earlier games the players were inconvenienced by spectators spilling onto the ground.

Petrie opened the scoring for Melbourne after an hour. The match continued until it was too dark to play and the two sides agreed to adjourn for two weeks while St. Kilda took on South Yarra.

A match against South Yarra was organised Saturday 27 August, but when they didn't show Hammersley and Smith picked teams for an intra-club match. Hammersley's side had the best of the early going, but it was Team Smith that triumphed. After that game ended another was started, but there was no result by the time a heavy shower ended the match.

A match against the 40th Regiment was proposed for September 5th, but when it didn't happen a scratch match was started between Harrison and Thompson's selected side. Thompson's team won with two goals in an hour.

J.B Thompson was the honourary secretary.

Media
The Argus - 27/09/1858
The Argus - 14/05/1859
The Argus - 16/05/1859
The Argus - 21/05/1859
The Argus - 06/06/1859
The Argus - 13/06/1859
The Argus - 05/07/1859
Bell's Life - 25/06/1859
The Argus - 11/07/1859
The Argus - 25/07/1859
The Argus - 29/08/1859