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Australian rules football in the United States

January 01, 1970

Australian rules football in the United States (most commonly referred to simply as "Footy" but sometimes "Aussie Rules" or AFL) is a team and spectator sport which has grown rapidly since the late 1990s.

Australian rules football in the United States
CountryUnited States
Governing bodyUSAFL
National team(s)Men's
Women's
First played1906
Registered players2,000 (total)
1,000 (recreational)
Clubs49[1]
National competitions
Audience records
Single match14,787 (1990)
Melbourne v West Coast (Civic Stadium, Portland)

Australian rules football has been continuously played in the United States of America (USA) since 1996.[2] The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) is the governing body, with various clubs and leagues around the country. It also benefits from an active fan based organization, the Australian Football Association of North America.

It was originally introduced in 1906 and by 1910 "field ball" or "fieldball", as it was then called in San Francisco Bay area schools, filled a niche later occupied by soccer. By 1911 with the rapid expansion to schools and colleges in three major cities the U.S. overtook New Zealand to become the second largest Australian football playing nation in the world and there were three reciprocal tours with international matches played at junior level between 1909 and 1919. However availability of officials, large fields, squads of sufficient size and difficulty in differentiating it from rugby as well as a lack of support from the game's administrators in Australia stunted its growth and it went into permanent recess at the end of the 1920s. It was rekindled in the 1980s through interest generated mainly from television highlights from Australia. Prior to this, it has been confused with rugby football which is less popular than American football in the U.S. The USAFL's founding president Paul O'Keefe made efforts to differentiate it through promotion of the moniker "footy".[3] The world governing body, the AFL Commission has also made efforts to differentiate it, producing educational videos such as "What is AFL?" aimed at a North American audience.[4]

Today there are numerous leagues around the country. The USAFL National Championships is currently the largest club tournament in the world with 41 teams competing across 6 divisions in 2022. The national men's team - the USA Revolution - debuted in 1999, its best result is bronze the 2005 Australian Football International Cup and has won the 49th Parallel Cup 10 out of 11 times. The national women's team, the USA Freedom - debuted in 2007 and reached bronze in the 2011 Australian Football International Cup. A national youth team has also been established and participation is growing in women's teams, junior teams and in modified and non-contact variations such as Metro Footy and Footy 7s.

AFL clubs began taking interest in converting American athletes, particularly college basketball players into professional Australian rules football players from 2010 through the AFL International Combine. While many moved to Australia to further their careers, only two have made the grade: Jason Holmes and Mason Cox, with the latter's success in the AFL contributing to a boom in American interest since 2016.

History edit

 
Australian-American footballer Pat O'Dea helped introduce Australian Rules into Californian schools in 1908

Australian rules football was virtually unheard of in the United States in the 19th Century. American Football, soccer and Rugby Football were all established sports and Americans had limited awareness of the Australian game. Even Gaelic football had been introduced to the United States by 1892.[5]

Australian football player Pat O'Dea moved to America in 1898[6] to visit his brother in Wisconsin and quickly became a legendary gridiron punter.[7] O'Dea made headlines as the "Kangaroo Kicker" in the late 1890s. Yet rarely any received any mention of developing his kicking prowess through the Australian game, let alone his previous career in Australia with the Melbourne Football Club.[8]

A 1905 VFL Report made mention of a request from parties including president Theodore Roosevelt in the U.S. in obtaining copies of the Laws of the Game. The enquiry was due to a spike in deaths and injuries in American Football, and inquiries into ways to make its football games safer. In response, the VFL enthusiastically wrote to 69 American universities and colleges insisting that they adopt the VFL's laws and affiliate with the newly formed Australasian Football Council (AFC) which it led.[9] According to De Moore (2021) this overconfidence of the VFL in the superiority of its league competition backfired spectacularly in that it inadvertently led to the introduction of intercollegiate rugby into the United States, a 1912 Australia rugby union tour of Canada and the United States and the establishment of rugby union in the United States, effectively denying Australian Football the opportunity to become established.[10] Furthermore, American players did not adopt any of the VFL's laws, however their investigations eventually led to legalizing the forward pass to open up the field of play a distinctive feature of the game today.

Following the VFL's failed attempt to convert the colleges, and its underestimation of the pull of global rugby, the league resolved not to respond to any further requests for copies of the game's laws.[11] It successfully lobbied the AFC not to support the game being played outside Australasia, much to the frustration of proponents such as West Australian Football League secretary John J Simons.[12]

Simons, while organizing a promotional Australian Football tour of England, had sought to include the U.S. and wrote to various football groups including expatriate Australians in North America to express interest in fielding teams against the Australians. He initially wrote to Con Hickey, chairman of the VFL for assistance, proposing the league send a touring side and provide funding, however Hickey replied that the VFL would not support the initiative believing it would be a failure.[13] While the tour never went ahead, Simons was instrumental in the formation of teams in Vancouver and several Australians in America also answered the call.

First introduction: 1906–1909 edit

In 1906 Pat O'Dea along with his older brother and kicking mentor Andrew (of the Wisconsin University Athletic Club and its American Football coach)[14] were able to attain a copy of the Victorian Football Association's rules (as this league was not affiliated with the AFC)[15] and had begun training college students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Another expatriate Victorian cricketer A Warne, working with the Philadelphia City Council introduced the game in Pennsylvania along with cricket.[16] But it was ex-Fremantle WAFL player Charles Lynan, then working at the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in San Francisco who had the most success training students, most of whom were basketballers and rugby players, at Columbia Park Grammar School.[17] The VFL in 1908 through Hickey had begun to promote universal football as a preferred alternative to Australian rules for North Americans to play and compete against Australia, anticipating the league to adopt the rectangular field over the traditional oval field.[18] Lynan seeing the trend away from American Football as a major opportunity, and in response to a burgeoning local rugby community initially sought to convince the newly formed San Francisco Barbarians Rugby Club and also Stanford's newly formed rugby team, who had been actively seeking less violent alternatives to American Football, to try Australian Football.[19] Though he garnered their support, including a financial commitment, the fanfare of the Australian rugby team's tour and matches against the two clubs in 1909 saw them lose interest in the venture. Following the tour, "Australian football" had to Americans, become synonymous with rugby.

Lynan decided that teaching younger players would be more effective to differentiate it and engaged O'Dea (following his move to San Francisco to practice law[20]) to assist him to popularize it.[21] By January 1909, they had trained more than 450 junior athletes to choose the best to form a squad.[22] Having gained the support of the Public Schools Athletic Association of San Francisco president and founder of the Columbia Park Boys' Club Major Sidney Piexotto, Lynan and O'Dea, in correspondence with Australian football organizations including the WAFL and Young Australia League (YAFL) (who earlier had donated two footballs to the school) organized a cross-cultural excursion, feeling that their American boys were ready to take on Australia.

Simons once again applied to the VFL to provide a week's board, to which the league telegraphed that it was "totally opposed to the scheme" and refused any support.[23] Undeterred, Simons as chairman of both the WAFL and YAFL, arranged for these leagues to fully fund the American's travel and board, providing £3,000 for an exchange visit.[24] A management committee was formed consisting of: Lynan, B. Free, L. Resleur, R. Buchanan, William McCann and T. Wood with a coaching panel consisting of Pat O'Dea, Lynan, Buchanan and Price.[25] The 40 selected schoolboys, most of them also baseball players set sail on the SS Mariposa on May 21, 1909.[26]

First schoolboys tour of Australia: 1909 edit

 
First American schoolboys team to tour Australia. San Francisco. April, 1909

The initial tour was ambitious, and intended to visit many nations of the Commonwealth including all Australian states and play football matches, however in addition to the WAFL and YAFL reply invitations were received only from the New South Wales Football Association in Sydney and VFA in Melbourne, Victoria. The football side consisted of: Henry Behre (captain); Edward Burke (vice captain); James Caveney; Frank B. Cliff; John Costello; Charles Day; Frank Danis; Edward Firestone; Harris Fraser; Michael Glaser; E. Griswold; Robert Hayes; Emil Hastings; Garnet Holme; A. Johnson; Benjamin Katz; James Kerrigan; Harvey Loy; G. Locke; C. Meinhart; H. Meanwell; Adolph Muheim; Charles Nagel; Edward Nelson; Charles Norton; Roy O'Connell; Alfred Peterson; William Prang; Hyman Raphael; Sidney Rosenthal; Edward Ryan; IA. Schmoll; A. Schmulowitz; Theo Steffens; E.Stern; Frank Trachsler; A. Truhler; Lee Waymire; Peter Weber; Claude Weinhart; George Wihr; Edward Wilson; Sheridan Williams; George White; and, Leon Wing.

From a football perspective, the tour was an outstanding success. The team won an impressive 25 of the total 38 matches scheduled. The young side learned quickly and returned very keen to introduce the game to the States.[27] Following the tour, NSWAFL patron and Sydney Football Club president Sydney lawyer R.A Munro King sponsored a competition to send an Australian schoolboy to America to help teach Americans Australian rules. The winner, decided based on the student who could give the best lecture on the game, its history and development was a Sydney (Fort Street Public School) schoolboy and surf lifesaving champion Eric Cullen-Ward[28] who received a £200 traveling scholarship for his lecture and returned with the team to San Francisco.[29]

New Zealand edit

En route via Tahiti, the Americans visited New Zealand,[30] both north island at Wellington on May 12 where they were asked why they did not play rugby, but trained with local players at the Basin Reserve.[31] An invitation to visit and play against the Auckland Australian Football League was left unfulfilled.[32][33] The Americans also visited the south island including Invercargill[34] though no football games were organized by the local leagues.

New South Wales edit

The Americans arrived in Sydney in July and played against Sydney Public Schools on the 7 July.[35] Their first match was against Sydney combined schools which had won the most recent Australian schoolboys championship. The Sydney tour did not have the desired promotional effect in Sydney with the rugby dominated media, unaware of Australian rules being played in the United States, mistakenly describing them as a touring American football, or rugby team.

Tour Date Location Result
7 July 1909 Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales U.S. 6.7 (43) def. by Sydney combined schools 13.15 (93)[36]
11 July 1909 Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales U.S. 2.6 (18) def. by Sydney combined schools 11.18 (84)[36]
12 July 1909 Moore Park, New South Wales U.S. 20 def Sydney YMCA 8[36][37]

Victoria edit

 
American team in Benalla Victoria August, 1909

En route to Melbourne the Americans were scheduled to visit towns along the way including Goulburn, Wangaratta, Victoria, Benalla and Beechworth to play against local representative sides.[38][39] They arrived in Melbourne in late July.[40] The tour however was much to the dissatisfaction of the Australasian Football Council's Con Hickey[11] who was refusing to endorse it and warned the Americans not to attempt to engage with the VFA either. The AFC had insisted that touring players stay in Melbourne and affiliate with the AFC and the Victorian Football League. When the visitors arrived in Melbourne the AFC offered a VFL contribution of £70 to the tour, along with a £130 contribution from the South Australian Football League however the AFC revoked this stating the tour was not returning the profits it had expected.[41] Hickey had offered to pay for the return fare to San Francisco, but only if they committed to canceling their West Australian tour. The young players being amateurs, most of them had paid their own way, declined out of respect for the Western Australian hosts.[42] As a result, they weren't able to play against any AFC affiliated league clubs but were able to play against the country clubs and schools.

Tour Date Location Result
Wangaratta, Victoria U.S. 4.7 (31) def. by Wangaratta 3.7 (33)
Benalla, Victoria U.S. 7.13 (55) def Benalla 7.3 (45)
Beechworth, Victoria U.S. 7.9 (51) def Beechworth 1.4 (10)
27 July 1909 Melbourne Cricket Ground U.S. 4.6 (30) def Melbourne north combined schools 0.9 (9)[43]
U.S. 3.5 (23) def. by Melbourne south combined schools 5.6 (36)
Christian Brothers U.S. 7.10 (52) def Christian Brothers 4.3 (27)
Ballarat, Victoria U.S. 2.2 (14) def. by Ballarat 4.2 (26)
Geelong, Victoria U.S. 14.9 (93) def Geelong 1.2 (26)

The Americans shocked Melbourne with an embarrassing win in front of a sizeable crowd, in which the visitors kept them goal-less.[44] Instead of playing football, the VFL organized for the Americans to watch a VFL match at the Lake Oval between South Melbourne and Fitzroy, this was criticized after the match was marred by melees and the sort of heavy on-field violence that the Americans schools sought to avoid. The VFL's football boycott of the American tour was highly criticized by the West Australian media, accusing the Victorians of being sore losers and putting profits before the promotion of the game.[45][46]

Western Australia edit

The troupe arrived in Fremantle on the TSS Kanowna for the West Australian leg of the tour.[47] The generous interest and media coverage in Western Australia was a stark contrast to the cold receptions received by the Americans in Sydney and Melbourne. In West Australia, they visited areas where Australian rules was very strong including Perth, Fremantle and the Goldfields in September 1909 where they honed their skills against local sides in some and were spectators of West Australian Football League matches.[42] John Simons, WAFA secretary acted as dedicated tour manager.[48] By the time had left Perth, the game hardened outfit were faced with regional teams. The young Americans notched together an impressive strings of successive wins, losing only to the large towns and cities. The skill level, physicality and pace of the Americans shocked many local sides, with several local sides demanding rematches and rally preparing a stronger side,[49] in such cases however the local media would typically only report details when the local side won though a full record of the tour was kept by the organizers.

Tour Date Location Result
23 August 1909 Fremantle Oval U.S. 7.10 (52) def Fremantle 2.2 (14)[50]
25 August 1909 Subiaco Oval, Perth U.S. 6.6 (42) def. by Perth 12.12 (84)[50]
26 August 1909 Midland Junction U.S. 8.3 (51) def. by Midland Junction 11.11 (77) [51][52]
28 August 1909 Bunbury U.S. 8.11 (59) def. by Bunbury 13.26 (83)[53]
Collie U.S. 7.9 (51) def Collie 6.9 (45)
31 August 1909 Collie USA 6.3 (42) def. by Collie 10.19 (63)[54]
3 September 1909 Narrogin U.S. 7.10 (52) def Narrogin 3.3 (21) [55][49]
Narrogin U.S. 3.11 (29) def Narrogin 0.4 (4)
Pingelly U.S. 7.1 (43) def Pingelly 4.10 (34)
Beverley U.S. 3.9 (27) def Beverley 2.5 (17)
9 September 1909 Beverley U.S. 3.7 (25) def. by Beverley 6.10 (46) [55]
Northam U.S. 6.10 (46) def Northam 4.4 (28)
Toodyay, Western Australia[56] U.S. 4.5 (29) def. by Newcastle 6.12 (48)
Southern Cross U.S. 6.10 (46) def Southern Cross 6.6 (42)
18 September 1909 Coolgardie U.S. 7.11 (43) def Coolgardie 1.4 (10) [55]
Christian Brothers, Kalgoorlie U.S. 5.10 (40) def Christian Brothers 1.1 (7)
Boulder U.S. 7.9 (51) def Boulder 5.3 (33)
Kalgoorlie U.S. 7.12 (54) def Kalgoorlie 3.4 (22)
Christian Brothers, Kalgoorlie U.S. 3.4 (22) def. by Christian Brothers 4.6 (30)

South Australia edit

The Americans arrived in Port Adelaide on the Kyarra in October 1909 for the start of their South Australian tour.[57] With the South Australian Football Association aligning with the VFL and the AFC, beyond a lukewarm reception upon the visitors initial arrival, interest and media coverage in Adelaide was virtually nonexistent. Despite this, the Americans won the majority of their matches against the South Australians.

Tour Date Location Result
Port Adelaide U.S. 14.22 (106) def Port Adelaide 6.6 (42)
Adelaide U.S. 7.12 (51) def Adelaide 6.13 (49)
Peterborough[56] U.S. 5.8 (38) def Petersburg 1.4 (10)
Broken Hill[58] U.S. 6.6 (42) def Broken Hill 2.11 (23)
Broken Hill[58] U.S. 0.4 (4) def. by Broken Hill 4.4 (28)
Port Pirie U.S. 6.10 (40) def. by Port Pirie 5.11 (41)
Kadina U.S. 6.15 (51) def Kadina 3.3 (21)
Moonta U.S. 6.12 (48) def Kadina 4.4 (28)

The tourists finally reached Brisbane and Queensland on 19 January 1910, for a rushed, low key visit and were, by that time, too exhausted from the oppressive outback heat to play any further football matches in Australia.[59] The also visited Tasmania before returning to San Francisco on the Makura on January 17, 1910.[60]

"Field Ball" takes off in American schools: 1910–1914 edit

 
Schools Field Ball match: Crocker Grammar vs. Columbia Park Grammar. August, 1910

The return of Columbia Park boys and the arrival of Cullen-Ward from Sydney who traveled along with them[61] (along with YMCA instructor C.F Martin)[62] helped the game, first known locally as "bouncing football" and "field ball", spread to San Francisco public grammar schools in early-mid 1910.[63] It was one of four football codes to be played including American, Association and Rugby football[64] however the parents at these 35 Californian schools had decided not to permit their children to play either American or Rugby football and Pexiotto was keen to see Australian rules adopted spruiking its key benefits as being safer and more appealing to spectators.[65] Cullen Ward conducted several clinics, including one at Mission High School, Everett Grammar School and Crocker Grammar School.[66] The first game, played at Golden Gate Park, between squads of up to 25 players consisting mostly of rugby players under Australian Rules was promoted among local schools, with many of the local schools invited to watch.[67] After seeing the Australian "Field Ball" (as it was then promoted), an excited Fremont Boys from Riverside expressed interest in starting a team to join a new competition in May,[68] but Pacific Heights Grammar School was the second and regular matches were played between the two schools.[69][70] Lowell Grammar School and Crocker Grammar later joined the competition with a substantial number of rugby players making the switch.[71] Hancock Grammar school joined in with regular practice against Crocker Grammar.

Reference to Australia in the name was disfavored and grammar schools had decided to call it "Field Ball" in an effort to distance it from rugby and give it more local appeal and the name stuck.[71] Cullen Ward was to go on to teach, coach, play and officiate field ball at several dozen schools across the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver in June 1911 and went on to coach an All-American team against visiting sides. He married an American in 1912 and intended to settle permanently in California.[72]

Field Ball, now being promoted as "the ideal game for grammar school students" was played by Hancock against Crocker schools in front of a crowd of around 4,000 students[73][74][75] A call went out to expatriate Australians familiar with the "Victorian Rules" to help organize senior matches being played under the banner of the Barbarians (Rugby Club).[76] The Hancock side was coached by a teacher of Stockton Grammar School who had been taught by Cullen and also introduced the game there.[77] Roosevelt Grammar School adopted the code later in the year[78] along with Franklin Grammar School.[79]

Chicago and Philadelphia schools were also adopting the code[80] and in 1911 calls were made for Australian coaches to facilitate representative sides.[81] Representatives from the University of California met to formalize governing body for a San Francisco vs. Chicago representative match, to introduce Field Ball into colleges and to send a team to tour Australia.[82][83] The new body secured a dedicated training and match facility and head office at Ocean Shore grounds.[84] An editorial in the San Francisco Call noted that local school children much preferred Field ball over the American sports and it had become highly popular despite their parents preferring that they play American national sports like American Football, Baseball and Basketball.[85] In San Francisco, the league expanded to include Everett Grammar School, Monroe Grammar School and YMCA Oakland[86] (where Australian C.F. Martin had been appointed physical director).

Young Australia League tour of North America: 1910–1911 edit

 
International fieldball: USA Schoolboys vs. Young Australia. Presidio of San Francisco. October 1, 1911

Plans for a Young Australia League reciprocal tour of the U.S. to play against an American side began as early as April 1910, Simons originally proposed that the team be represented by players from all states of Australia,[87] but without support from the Eastern States the proposed interstate quota was dropped to 10.[88] As it became obvious that AFC affiliated states were not coming to the party, a contingency plan was set in place for it to be Western Australia only, consisting of a balance of half city and half country players.[86] In the end an agreement was reached with the governing bodies of the eastern states that the final team would feature 40 West Australians, one South Australian and one Victorian and the touring party was to detour to Adelaide and Melbourne prior to departure at the tour manager's expense to receive the two interstate players.[89][90]

Three matches with the Young Australian League were set for September at the Presidio of San Francisco[91] Cullen-Ward was appointed head coach of the national team.[92] The Australian team arrived on the Matai. They were received with much fanfare with a full page photo of the Australian team featuring in the papers,[93] along with the local boys captained by Henry Behre.[94] The Australian team guernsey was a variation of the West Australian Black Swan emblem acknowledging the West Australian contribution to the tour but featuring a map of Australia to also acknowledge the national nature of the side, while the American team wore the colors and monogram of the Columbia Park Athletic Club. The match was won 95 to 44 at Lincoln Park in front of a crowd of 5,000 including most of the school children in the city and photos of gameplay were featured in The San Francisco Call.[95] In the second match, the Americans took it up to the Australians with the match decided by just 8 points Australia 9.16 (70) to San Francisco 8.14 (62).[96] The match also stimulated interest in the Australian expatriate community, and a third match was played between a combined residents side and the visitors which the visitors won convincingly 125 to 30.[97] The showcase attracted the attention of The New York Times which featured it in an article "Australian Game of Football is the Best".[98]

Tour Date Location Result Attendance
24 September 1911 Lincoln Park, San Francisco U.S. 44 def. by Young Australia 95 5,000
24 September 1911 Lincoln Park, San Francisco U.S. 8.14 (62) def. by Young Australia 9.16 (70)
24 September 1911 Lincoln Park, San Francisco San Francisco residents 30 def. by Australia 125

Senior competition established: 1911–1913 edit

Following the success of the Young Australia League tour, four clubs were formed to give maturing students and expatriate men an opportunity to play open age football in a championship competition including a proposed expatriate Australian club with two teams.[99][100] The game was also played on Stanford University campus with the aim of establishing a club there.[101] On December 5, 1911, the Public Schools Athletic League endorsed Field Ball as an official school sport, establishing an all-schools tournament.[102]

By August 1911, the game was proving so popular that there weren't enough officials to support its growth.[103] Cullen Ward and the Columbia Park Club had departed for Vancouver in Canada where schools had also been taking it up in recent years.[104] En route to Vancouver the party visited Portland, Oregon and played an exhibition match at the University of Oregon.[105] The touring party helped ready Canadian players from Fort Vancouver High School to compete against a touring Young Australian League.[106][107] This tour was highly successful and plans were begun for a second tour of Australia in 1914, with a request made to the Australasian Football Council for a senior Australian team to tour the U.S.[108]

The popular schools competition in 1913 had grown to 150 boys with new teams including Laguna Honda; State Normal; Washington; Bay View; and James Lick.[109][110] Many of the original juniors had grown and a colleges team was planning to represent the U.S. in Australian Rules team to tour Australia to play matches against Australian high school teams starting in Perth, Western Australia from June, 1914[111] however this was later brought forward.

 
James Caveney was one of the pioneers of American fieldball as both junior player and coach before pursuing a Major League Baseball career in 1914

Australia withdraws support & second schoolboys tour: 1913–1914 edit

In 1913, the Americans once again toured with a new group, and had planned a series of around 40 matches, however with funding for only 12 in the touring party, there was not enough of them to field a full team of 22.[112] This time they visited Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.[113] The Young Australia League once again hosted the American side, however the WAFL, facing backlash from the AFC, began to distance itself from the venture and withdrew financial commitment to the tour.[114] Though media interest for the tour was scant, they did play matches against local sides, including one in Broken Hill,[115] and at Norwood Oval in Adelaide.[116] In November, 1913, they arrived in Melbourne on the Loongana. When asked of how the game in America was faring, the group cited the biggest challenges to its survival being access to fields and funding.[117]

Tour Date Location Result
16 July 1913 WACA Ground Young Australia League 3.1 (19) def U.S. 1.1 (7) [118]

The YAL and Columbia Club began to organise a third tour for 1915 with plans for reciprocal tours every 3 years.[119]

In response to the Americans' 1912 request, a proposal was debated in 1914 by the Australasian Football Council to send a team the U.S., however a decision was deferred until after the war.[120] The council never approved the motion.

The Young Australia League, did send 32 boys to tour the U.S. and Canada in 1915, playing football matches.[121]

World War I and third schoolboys tour: 1914–1919 edit

Following news of his father's death[122] Cullen Ward returned to Sydney via the U.S. during the war.[123] O'Dea disappeared completely from the public eye in 1917.[20]

In 1915 Harry Bromley visited America in 1915 to promote the idea of a "national football" code, a hybrid version of Australian football played on American gridiron fields which allowed throwing of the ball. He wished to capitalize on the growing popularity of Gaelic football, Australian football and American football in the States and gained the support of Irish American Athletic Club member James Sullivan to help promote it.[124] However America's entry to the war put an end to the plans.

A third schoolboys tour to Australia was organized in 1919 following the war and managed by E.D Grace, with many of the original team members now of high school age. However except when in Western Australia, Australian Football was now rarely part of the visitors program. In Western Australia, however they defeated a team from the new Northam Senior High School by 3 points,[125] also played a game at Beverley who won by one point[126] and one in Katanning.[127]

Recess and revival attempts: 1920–1947 edit

Commentators in Australia however noted that by the 1920s it was in dire trouble with soccer now being adopted by most of the junior schools, it had better access to fields and required less players to hold a match. These were the last reports of it being played both in schools and at senior level.

In 1926 the Australian Football Council's Con Hickey received a letter inviting Australian teams to play test matches against visiting Kerry county football team (Gaelic Football) in California, noting Gaelic Football's growing popularity in the U.S. since the war.[128][129]

 
Sketch of Carji Greeves (1930) who attempted to reintroduce the game at Stanford University while coaching American Football at UCLA

With growth of American football in the colleges causing rugby popularity to wane, attempting to establish Australian Football in high schools and colleges seemed like a better option. Hopes were pinned on Carji Greeves (1924 Brownlow Medal winner) arrival to California to resurrect it.[130] Greeves was appointed kicking coach at UCLA in 1928.[131] He would study at Stanford University, where he delivered on his promise to coach students there in Australian Rules.[20][132] However it continued to be confused with rugby and as such did not set down firm roots in the colleges.

Speaking in 1929 on its status, the Australian Football Council's Con Hickey mused that efforts to establish it there had failed but cited Gaelic Football's rapid growth in the U.S. in the 1920s as an example of how Australian Football might one day carve a niche, though reiterated that the council had no interest in promoting it and was sufficiently pleased so long as its popularity continued to grow in Australia.[133]

In 1932, a tour by two Australian teams was proposed supported by former VFL players living in the U.S.[131] including Carji Greeves.[134] The idea was boosted when a touring Young American League in Melbourne commented that it would be ideal for high schools and proposed that the VFL invest in promoting the game.[135] Melbourne Councillor Beaurepaire visiting the USA also urged the Australian Football Council to consider sending teams to America to play either Australian rules or the increasingly popular Gaelic code.[136] Former Port Adelaide player Gordon Inkster also got behind the idea.[137] The VFL, however showed little interest, and the AFC lacked support for the idea and the game faded into obscurity.

In 1934, the Los Angeles Daily News published photos of Geelong and South Melbourne Football Club VFL players flying in a pack marking contest mistakenly labelling it a game of "soccer".[138]

In 1938, a proposal was put to the Australian National Football Council to send teams to California for an exhibition match to stimulate grassroots interest in the game, however Victorian president Bob Rush refused to take the idea seriously citing access to suitable grounds and that he would not endorse funding the venture.[139]

In 1939, the VFL signed on to the Californian Universities International Kicking Competition to be held at Stanford University. However the league caused significant embarrassment when it backed out of their contract blaming the Australian National Football Council for its withdrawal.[140] The VFL had been required to send footballs to UCLA Berkely, but failed to. When the Americans invited the VFA to participate, the ANFC blocked the invitation. Seen as a major opportunity to promote the code in the U.S. instead it left the colleges extremely unsatisfied with the Australian code.

In response to a gridiron exhibition match in Melbourne in 1943, Harry Dyke the president of the Richmond VFL Club proposed a scheme which would coach the Americans in Australian Rules.[141]

 
Ern Cowley's Austus sport program in 1943 featuring American serviceman William Jost performing a Forward pass on an Australian Football oval.

In 1943, 40 years after the AFC promoted the hybrid code of Universal Football, Melbourne Sports Globe sports writer Ern Cowley invented the game of Austus, a compromise game between gridiron and Australian rules were played in Australia between servicemen of both countries in the Australian city of Geelong. The visiting Americans were reported to be excited by the Australian game.[142] Despite a series of popular matches which attracted U.S. media attention, and an award for its inventor, the hybrid code did not take off outside of the military.

Date Location Result Attendance
1943, 18 July Punt Road Oval Australian Explosives Factory 5.8 (38) def by U.S. Marines 8.4 (52) [143]
1943, 2 August Punt Road Oval Victorian Football League 17.23 (125) def US Marines 8.1 (49) [144] Archival footage: Video on YouTube
U.S. marines 69 def Geelong 38 40,000
U.S. marines 115 def Australian All-Stars 78 6,000
U.S. marines 75 def Australian Army 52 8,000

Push into the colleges and proposed tour: 1948–1959 edit

A major shift in attitude from the governing body in Australia occurred under the West Australian presidency of Wally Stooke. In 1948 when Carl K. Dellmuth, Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania after seen the game in Melbourne[145] requested assistance from the governing body to introduce it to colleges[146][147] citing the spectator appeal, the transferrable skills and the low entry cost of equipment.[148] He succeeded in starting teams in his college.[149] and in gaining cooperation from the Australian Football Council which responded by sending footballs, rule books and a wealth of promotional items. NSW association and AFC secretary K. G. Ferguson extolled that with its introduction into the college system the United States would be capable of sending a national team to Australia within 5 years. The AFC debated sending a touring side for an exhibition match at its national conference in Adelaide.[150] Once again, Western Australia was in support of the idea and had formalized plans to send teams and budgeted £40,000 for the initiative to send a squad of 50 players consisting of contributions from all states (though with the majority of non-Victorians from West and South Australia).[151] For the first time in decades, South Australia also voted in favor, however they could not garner the support of the VFL and other states so opted not to. This was not helped by the media in Australia which argued that it was destined to fail and that the league was better of spending the money at home.[152] As a result of the lack of support from Australia, the proposed Swarthmore College - Haverford College clash was first postponed to 1949, then never went ahead. Enthusiasm in American colleges soon waned.

In the 1950s, the AFC's focus would increasingly shift toward to the idea of touring teams playing Gaelic Football in New York instead, due partly to the growth of the Gaelic code there, but also due primarily to the available fields and reduced investment of sending a much smaller side.[153] The idea of a US tour was revived by council members in 1954 but with a reduction in the size of the playing lists to 14 to reduce costs.[154] This idea eventually manifest into the Australian Football World Tour with a focus on capitalizing on Gaelic Football's growth in the U.S.

First VFL exhibition matches and Australian football world tour: 1960–1978 edit

From the 1960s, having negotiated its first television broadcast rights the VFL and its clubs began to take an interest in the U.S. as a means of further growing its audience (even a small television audience in the U.S. could have been worth more than the league made out of the entire state of Victoria). Both Melbourne and Geelong had taken an interest in the American market and in 1963 the first VFL exhibition games were played in major U.S. cities to test its potential international audience. The matches were very low key and were not successful in terms of attention or publicity.

Date Location Stadium Teams/Score Crowd
Oct. 20, 1963 Honolulu Honolulu Stadium Geelong 15.21 (111) v Melbourne 17.21 (123) 1,500[155]
Oct. 26, 1963 San Francisco Kezar Stadium Geelong 9.12 (66) v Melbourne 10.11 (71) 3,500[156]

On October 27, Geelong also played an extra intraclub exhibition match at "Big Rec" Golden Gate Park.[157]

In 1965, former Victorian Football League player Colin Ridgeway was recruited by the Dallas Cowboys and played a total of 3 games as a punter. Although he was the first Australian to make such a transition he did not have much of an impact in the NFL.

The Australian Football World Tour visited New York on Sunday, 5 November 1967 with the Australian Galahs playing International Rules at Gaelic Park against the New York GAA at Gaelic Park, New York City. The Galahs lost the match 4-8 (20) to 0-5 (5), the visitors not managing a score after half time.[158] There were many brawls during the match, with the Galahs coming off second best in all of them. Hassa Mann, sucker punched behind the play, had his jaw broken in three places. Playing coach Ron Barassi had his nose broken by a giant New York narcotics detective (Brendan Tumulty), who broke his own thumb in the process of hitting Barassi.[159] An exhibition match of Australian Football was played in addition to Gaelic Football.

Television, ESPN and the AFL: 1979–1990 edit

Television was the biggest breakthrough for Australian football in the United States. In late 1979, the brand new ESPN cable network signed its first international TV contract with the Victorian Football League (in 1990, it became the Australian Football League). Coverage began with the 1980 season with matches airing on late Friday and Saturday nights, sometimes live but usually one or two week tape delayed to up to 2.5 million subscribers.[160] At the time, reports indicated ESPN paid the VFL nearly $100,000 (the VFL's Australian TV rights deal at the time was just $600,000[161]). The 1983 VFL Grand Final was the first time in history that the Grand Final was broadcast live into the U.S.[162] The VFL wasn't the only Australian rules on American screens. The South Australian National Football League also had a broadcast rights deal with American cable television and by 1984 was attracting around 40 million viewers to its weekly 1 hour highlights segment.[163]

VFL coverage continued on ESPN until 1986, when it was dropped. This exposure on ESPN is credited with creating a generation of fans in the United States (and providing the foundation for the formation of AFANA and the USAFL in 1996). The founding of AFANA led to the first organized fan group outside Australia and lobbying for television coverage was part of the efforts to grow it from the beginning. The core of the initial players for the USAFL included many who first saw the matches on ESPN a decade or more earlier.

In 1987 an ambitious $10 million proposal from Perth magnate Errol Marron was put forward for a VFL expansion club based partly in Los Angeles named the Los Angeles Crocodiles with profits from increased television rights to fund a local league. Stadiums in the proposal included the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In October 1987 Ross Oakley announced that the VFL had rejected the bid.[164][165][166]

Despite the rejected bid, the VFL showed a renewed interest in rekindling its U.S. broadcast deal and scheduled more exhibition matches to grow the audience. The locations played at were largely the product of the available venues more than anything. VFL and club promoters hyped their predictions of the crowds of more than 20,000, sending star players Darren Millane and Damian Bourke to promote the games,[167] however the final attendance and interest fell way short of expectations. It wasn't until the league rebranded as the national AFL in 1990 and featured capital city branded teams from the Australian East and West coast that the league attracted a respectable attendance and interest.

Date Location Stadium Teams/Score Crowd
Oct. 8, 1988 Miami, Florida Joe Robbie Stadium Collingwood 18.16 (124) v Geelong 10.18 (78) 7,500
Oct. 14, 1989 Miami, Florida Joe Robbie Stadium Essendon 18.16 (124) v Hawthorn 15.20 (110) 10,069
Oct. 12, 1990 Portland, Oregon Civic Stadium Melbourne 24.16 (160) v West Coast 11.13 (79) 14,787

The first American born player in the AFL, Don Pyke (who moved to Western Australia in his youth) debuted for the West Coast Eagles in 1989 and later that year, the first African-American born player Sanford Wheeler debuted for the Sydney Swans. However, despite the investment into the market and the birth of the national AFL competition no U.S. TV deal was forthcoming.

Punt into America: 1991–1995 edit

In 1995, Darren Bennett – former Melbourne Football Club player was recruited by the San Diego Chargers. He went on to become one of the most successful punters in the history of the NFL. His popularity as an ex-Australian also considerably increased the awareness of Australian Rules in the U.S., as excerpts of him kicking goals in the AFL were sometimes shown on American television. Since Bennett, other Australian rules players have followed, having a small effect of exposing the Australian game to Americans.

Against the flow, Essendon Football Club coach Kevin Sheedy enticed former Oakland Raiders National Football League player Dwayne Armstrong to switch codes to Australian rules.[168] The experiment was largely unsuccessful, with Armstrong not debuting at senior level, but nevertheless created media interest in Australia about the possibility of American athletes playing the Australian game.

U.S. local games and National League: 1996–1998 edit

The first match between two local U.S. clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville.[169] In the first year the Mid American Australian Football League was formed. Many of the local players had found out about the game in the 1980s on television and ESPN. Although the local game grew, ESPN no longer broadcast AFL matches, and in response the lobby group AFANA was formed.

In 1997, the first club national championships were held in Cincinnati. Nashville hosted the first Australian Grand Final Festival in the same year. The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) was formed in 1997 to govern the code in the country.

In the early years prior to affiliating with the AFL, the USAFL chose to brand the game as "Footy" to differentiate it from rugby and was the governing body promoted itself by the informal name "US Footy", this is what many players and the media also refer to it as.[170]

Steady growth: 1999–2015 edit

 
Action from U.S. vs China International Cup match in 2008

A national team, the Revolution, formed in 1999 to compete in a European event, the Atlantic Alliance Cup before concentrating on events closer to home. The U.S. turned to competing against nearby Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup and was for a time coached by AFL legend Paul Roos. This Cup is an annual and keenly contested international event which both countries use as a guide to their progress and as preparation for the International Cup, the world cup of Australian Football.

In the same year, a record crowd of 1,000 attended an MAAFL match between the Nashville Kangaroos and Chicago Swans at Nashville in Tennessee.[citation needed]

In 1999, the first U.S. college Australian rules football clubs formed in North Carolina when the UNC-Chapel Hill club is organized in the spring semester and the NC State club is established the following fall.[171] These two clubs established a rivalry that lasted for over a decade.

In 2001, the first college Australian rules football club outside of North Carolina began at Vanderbilt University. In the following years, several new clubs emerged in universities across the state, many of them affiliated with USAFL clubs.

The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup with an All-American side and finished fifth out of eleven countries.

In 2002, the Australian Football League began to recognize the potential of the U.S. as a pool of talent and began providing a small amount of international funding to the USAFL. An offshoot was the US Footy Kids junior program, with strong similarities to AFL Auskick. The Australian Defence Force formed a relationship with the USAFL for Australian personnel on US postings to help make up the 30% of Australians allowed for a USAFL roster.[172]

In 2003, clear weather at a Nashville home game against the St. Louis Blues and Kangaroos saw the match set a new league crowd record.[173]

In 2004, Vanderbilt University hosted the first US College Invitational. This tournament was held in Nashville and was attended by representatives of Arizona State University, Belmont University, Middle Tennessee State University, North Carolina State University, University of Missouri - Kansas City, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilty University. The Tar Heels of UNC were crowned the first collegiate National Champions.[174]

In 2005, the Revolution attended the 2005 International Cup finishing third out of ten countries.

In 2005, the USAFL struck a deal with the ASTN television station for rights to the game, however although the station has filmed local matches, they have not been televised.

Also in that year former Geelong Football Club player Ben Graham joined the New York Jets, bringing media exposure for the Australian sport. On a multimillion-dollar NFL contract, Graham joined with the local New York Magpies club in fundraising activities.

In January 2006, an AFL promotional pre-season match was played in Los Angeles at UCLA between the Kangaroos and league premiers the Sydney Swans, it attracted a crowd of 3,200.

Jan. 15, 2006 Los Angeles Intramural Field, UCLA North Melbourne 13.8 (86) v Sydney 6.2 (38) 3,200

Saverio Rocca debuted in the NFL in 2007 as a punter, bringing media exposure for the Australian game.[175]

Kevin Sheedy and Stephen Silvagni visited in 2007 on a tour of North America as AFL ambassador, attending the USAFL Nationals.[176]

In 2008, a second US College Invitational was hosted by Vanderbilt University. St. John's University at Minnesota were premiers, with UNC-Chapel Hill as runner-up, and Vanderbilt University placing third. These were the only three sides attending the tournament.[177]

In 2014, the USAFL organized a collegiate tournament in Texas featuring only Texas colleges. Teams representing Texas A&M, Texas Tech, University of Houston, and University of Texas-Austin took part in the event. Texas A&M and Texas Tech both won two matches and drew the game between them. Texas Tech had the better percentage on the day.[178]

Mason Cox era: 2016–present edit

In 2016 former Texan basketball player Mason Cox, known literally as the biggest in the game, made a spectacular AFL debut and in the Anzac Day match in front of 80,000 fans asserted dominance within the first 80 seconds of the match, taking his first mark and with it scoring the game's first goal with his first kick in the AFL.[179] He instantly became America's most notable export in the game and captured the imagination of the Australian sporting public earning the nickname "Coxzilla" for his on field and off-field presence.[180] The big American's impact on the Australian sport could not be understated, with visiting celebrities including president to be Joe Biden in 2016 and Tiger Woods in 2019 meeting with the home grown product and with ESPN increasing its coverage in response.[181] Cox played in a losing AFL Grand Final in 2018.[182] Cox has received more media attention in the United States than almost any other AFL player[183] and has expressed a keen interest in promoting the game at the grassroots in the U.S., visiting the U.S. to support his brother Nolan Cox who played for the Austin Crows in back to back USAFL National Championships.[184]

Exposure generated by Cox increased media interest from American broadcasters and celebrities. In particular Conan O'Brien in 2019 featured a segment featuring the Sydney Swans with Conan learning how to play the game on his popular show which was viewed by millions.[185] Former American football player Pat McAfee announced a new found passion for Australian rules during the COVID pandemic in 2020, interviewing Mason Cox on his popular channel and adopting Mason Cox's club Collingwood as a supporter.[186]

In 2020 the AFL signed a broadcasting rights deal with ESPN via ESPN2 and ESPN3. The move was a big hit.[187] In 2022 American streaming companies Amazon, Paramount+ and YouTube expressed interest in bidding for the U.S. broadcasting rights for the AFL beyond 2024.[188]

In April 2023, Mason Cox appeared in a 60 minutes interview in the United States which was watched by millions.[189] In the interview, Cox explained how sections of the Collingwood crowd would chant "USA USA" whenever he had possession of the ball.[189]

Players edit

Players with connections to the United States
Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list
Player Connection to United States AFL Years* AFL Matches* AFL Goals* Notes
Brodie Kemp Parent[190] 2022– 23 1
Elliott Himmelberg Father[191] 2018– 41 41 American family from New York
Tim Taranto Father[192] 2017– 137 67 American family from Texas
Conor Nash Parent[193] 2017– 73 16
Harry Himmelberg Father, lived in New York[191] 2016– 152 161 Also spent some of his childhood living in New York City with his father
Brandon Kaufman Born and raised to U.S. parents 2016–2017 - Former NFL wide receiver from Colorado contracted as international rookie for Gold Coast Suns[194] Played for USAFL club Denver Bulldogs on return to the U.S.
Touk Miller Father(African-American)[195] 2015– 173 51 American family from Ohio
Kyle Langford Parent[196] 2015– 130 128
Mason Cox Born and raised to age of 23 by U.S. parents 2015– 113 117 Former NCAA Division I basketball player, taken #60 Rookie 2014 by Collingwood Football Club. American family from Texas
Matt Korcheck Born and raised in U.S. 2015–2017 - Former Arizona Wildcats basketball player taken #37 Rookie 2015 by the Carlton Football Club.[197] from Tucson, Arizona
Archie Smith Father (African-American) 2014–2021 16 4 Son of NBA basketball player Andre Moore
Jason Holmes Born and raised to U.S. parents 2014–2017 5 0 Former NCAA Division I basketball player taken #36 Rookie 2013 by St Kilda Football Club.
Patrick Mitchell Born and raised to age of 24 by U.S. parents 2013–2014 - Former NCAA Division I basketball player with University of North Dakota taken #45 Rookie 2013 by Sydney Swans. From Des Moines, Iowa[198]
Alex Starling Born and raised to U.S. parents 2012–2014 - Former NCAA Division I basketball player, recruited on Sydney Swans International scholarship, turned down an offer from Port Adelaide Power to play basketball with the NBL1 Central
Eric Wallace Born and raised to U.S. parents 2012–2015 - Former NCAA Division I basketball player, recruited on North Melbourne Football Club International scholarship, played VFL, went on to become tight end at Carolina Panthers (NFL)
Shae McNamara Born and raised to U.S. parents 2010–2012 - Former NCAA Division I basketball player, taken #47 Rookie 2009 by Collingwood Football Club in VFL (AFL reserves) and pre-season competition
Zac Clarke Father (African-American)[199] 2009–2019 110 46 Former NBL1 South basketball player[200]
Dwayne Armstrong Born and raised to U.S. parents 1996–1997 - Former NFL practice squad player recruited by Essendon Football Club, played at reserves (VFL) level
Peter Bell Father (Indigenous American Navajo)[201] 1995–2008 286 250 Australian Football Hall of Famer
Sanford Wheeler Born, African-American mother 1989–1994 43 7 Moved to Australia at age 5, played with the Sydney Swans. Died 2020. Debuted in Round 6, 1989
Don Pyke Born, to Australian parents 1989–1996 132 97 Moved to Australia at age 4, played with the West Coast Eagles, 2 time AFL Premiership player. Debuted in Round 1, 1989
Tom Banks Father (African-American) 1897 8 0
Currently on an AFLW senior or rookie list
Player Connection to United States Years* AFLW Matches* AFLW Goals* Notes
Katrina Stone Born and raised 2021 - Western Bulldogs, Carlton Football Club (VFLW) from North London Lions (AFL London)
Danielle Marshall Born and raised to US parents, played there 2020–2023 23 4 Western Bulldogs (AFLW), Essendon Football Club (AFLW). From Arizona Hawks (USAFL)[202]
April Lewis Born and raised, played there 2019 - Essendon Football Club (VFLW) from Seattle Grizzlies (USAFL)
Jessica Blecher Born and raised, played there 2019 - Collingwood Football Club (VFLW) from Portland Sockeyes (USAFL), currently with San Francisco Iron Maidens (USAFL)
Erin McLaughlin Born and raised 2019 - Darebin Falcons (VFLW)
Jessica Anderson Parent[196] 2017–2018 6 1 Western Bulldogs (AFLW)
Katie Klatt Born and raised, played there 2017 - Melbourne University Football Club (VFLW) from Sacramento Suns (USAFL), currently with San Francisco Iron Maidens (USAFL)

Administration and governing body edit

The governing body for Australian Rules in the United States is the USAFL. The USAFL coordinates the national club competition, the USAFL Nationals and the national Revolution team selection, manages player registration and transfers and distributes funds to local clubs and competitions.

The USAFL Umpires Association (USAFLUA) represents the field of umpiring and the interpretation of the laws of the game.USAFL Umpires Association

National team edit

The national teams are the USA Revolution and USA Freedom. Both are the sole national teams for Australian football in the United States and are administered by the United States Australian Football League.

Major tournaments edit

Domestic representative tournaments edit

Participation edit

There are currently 49 active clubs across the country, 32 of which participated in the USAFL Nationals in 2018.[203]

In 2004, there were 855 senior players in 38 active clubs.[204] By 2006, the league had grown to 40 affiliated clubs, with 1,048 registered USAFL players and 340 USAFL sanctioned matches were played. Of the 709 players who competed at the USAFL National Championships, 77.4% were non-Australian, and over 60% were American.[205]

The 2007 AFL International Census did not indicate any growth to these figures over 2006.[206] The club numbers decreased to 32 in 2011, but player registrations remained at approximately 1,000.[207]

Leagues edit

Men's edit

Women's edit

See also Metro Footy Leagues

Former leagues edit

Audience edit

Television edit

Since 2020, the AFL has been shown on ESPN via ESPN2 and ESPN3.[187]

Since 2006, due to growing demand and lobbying by AFANA, Australian rules began playing live matches on television in the United States on the new Setanta Sports USA network. Coverage in 2015 is on Fox Sports 2 and Fox Soccer Plus.

Australian rules has a nominal but growing international audience. According to Roy Morgan Polls 7,496,000 North Americans watch Australian rules football at least occasionally on television.[208] This number is twice as many as watch it on television in Australia, but small by US standards.[citation needed]

Notable attendances edit

Local competitions edit

Exhibition matches edit

See also edit

Books edit

  1. de Moore, Greg; Hess, Rob; Nicholson, Matthew; Stewart, Bob (2021). Australia's Game: The History of Australian Football. Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 9781-74379-657-3.

References edit

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  3. ^ A Man with a Vision from USAFL 8 March 2007
  4. ^ What is AFL? Aussie Rules Explained, retrieved September 12, 2022
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  9. ^ de Moore et al. 2021, p. 247.
  10. ^ de Moore et al. 2021, p. 248.
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  37. ^ Match halted due to poor weather
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January 01, 1970
australian, rules, football, united, states, most, commonly, referred, simply, footy, sometimes, aussie, rules, team, spectator, sport, which, grown, rapidly, since, late, 1990s, countryunited, statesgoverning, bodyusaflnational, team, swomen, sfirst, played19. Australian rules football in the United States most commonly referred to simply as Footy but sometimes Aussie Rules or AFL is a team and spectator sport which has grown rapidly since the late 1990s Australian rules football in the United StatesCountryUnited StatesGoverning bodyUSAFLNational team s Men sWomen sFirst played1906Registered players2 000 total 1 000 recreational Clubs49 1 National competitionsUSAFLAudience recordsSingle match14 787 1990 Melbourne v West Coast Civic Stadium Portland Australian rules football has been continuously played in the United States of America USA since 1996 2 The United States Australian Football League USAFL is the governing body with various clubs and leagues around the country It also benefits from an active fan based organization the Australian Football Association of North America It was originally introduced in 1906 and by 1910 field ball or fieldball as it was then called in San Francisco Bay area schools filled a niche later occupied by soccer By 1911 with the rapid expansion to schools and colleges in three major cities the U S overtook New Zealand to become the second largest Australian football playing nation in the world and there were three reciprocal tours with international matches played at junior level between 1909 and 1919 However availability of officials large fields squads of sufficient size and difficulty in differentiating it from rugby as well as a lack of support from the game s administrators in Australia stunted its growth and it went into permanent recess at the end of the 1920s It was rekindled in the 1980s through interest generated mainly from television highlights from Australia Prior to this it has been confused with rugby football which is less popular than American football in the U S The USAFL s founding president Paul O Keefe made efforts to differentiate it through promotion of the moniker footy 3 The world governing body the AFL Commission has also made efforts to differentiate it producing educational videos such as What is AFL aimed at a North American audience 4 Today there are numerous leagues around the country The USAFL National Championships is currently the largest club tournament in the world with 41 teams competing across 6 divisions in 2022 The national men s team the USA Revolution debuted in 1999 its best result is bronze the 2005 Australian Football International Cup and has won the 49th Parallel Cup 10 out of 11 times The national women s team the USA Freedom debuted in 2007 and reached bronze in the 2011 Australian Football International Cup A national youth team has also been established and participation is growing in women s teams junior teams and in modified and non contact variations such as Metro Footy and Footy 7s AFL clubs began taking interest in converting American athletes particularly college basketball players into professional Australian rules football players from 2010 through the AFL International Combine While many moved to Australia to further their careers only two have made the grade Jason Holmes and Mason Cox with the latter s success in the AFL contributing to a boom in American interest since 2016 Contents 1 History 1 1 First introduction 1906 1909 1 2 First schoolboys tour of Australia 1909 1 2 1 New Zealand 1 2 2 New South Wales 1 2 3 Victoria 1 2 4 Western Australia 1 2 5 South Australia 1 3 Field Ball takes off in American schools 1910 1914 1 4 Young Australia League tour of North America 1910 1911 1 5 Senior competition established 1911 1913 1 6 Australia withdraws support amp second schoolboys tour 1913 1914 1 7 World War I and third schoolboys tour 1914 1919 1 8 Recess and revival attempts 1920 1947 1 9 Push into the colleges and proposed tour 1948 1959 1 10 First VFL exhibition matches and Australian football world tour 1960 1978 1 11 Television ESPN and the AFL 1979 1990 1 12 Punt into America 1991 1995 1 13 U S local games and National League 1996 1998 1 14 Steady growth 1999 2015 1 15 Mason Cox era 2016 present 2 Players 3 Administration and governing body 4 National team 4 1 Major tournaments 5 Domestic representative tournaments 6 Participation 7 Leagues 7 1 Men s 7 2 Women s 8 Former leagues 9 Audience 9 1 Television 9 2 Notable attendances 9 2 1 Local competitions 9 2 2 Exhibition matches 10 See also 11 Books 12 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Australian American footballer Pat O Dea helped introduce Australian Rules into Californian schools in 1908 Australian rules football was virtually unheard of in the United States in the 19th Century American Football soccer and Rugby Football were all established sports and Americans had limited awareness of the Australian game Even Gaelic football had been introduced to the United States by 1892 5 Australian football player Pat O Dea moved to America in 1898 6 to visit his brother in Wisconsin and quickly became a legendary gridiron punter 7 O Dea made headlines as the Kangaroo Kicker in the late 1890s Yet rarely any received any mention of developing his kicking prowess through the Australian game let alone his previous career in Australia with the Melbourne Football Club 8 A 1905 VFL Report made mention of a request from parties including president Theodore Roosevelt in the U S in obtaining copies of the Laws of the Game The enquiry was due to a spike in deaths and injuries in American Football and inquiries into ways to make its football games safer In response the VFL enthusiastically wrote to 69 American universities and colleges insisting that they adopt the VFL s laws and affiliate with the newly formed Australasian Football Council AFC which it led 9 According to De Moore 2021 this overconfidence of the VFL in the superiority of its league competition backfired spectacularly in that it inadvertently led to the introduction of intercollegiate rugby into the United States a 1912 Australia rugby union tour of Canada and the United States and the establishment of rugby union in the United States effectively denying Australian Football the opportunity to become established 10 Furthermore American players did not adopt any of the VFL s laws however their investigations eventually led to legalizing the forward pass to open up the field of play a distinctive feature of the game today Following the VFL s failed attempt to convert the colleges and its underestimation of the pull of global rugby the league resolved not to respond to any further requests for copies of the game s laws 11 It successfully lobbied the AFC not to support the game being played outside Australasia much to the frustration of proponents such as West Australian Football League secretary John J Simons 12 Simons while organizing a promotional Australian Football tour of England had sought to include the U S and wrote to various football groups including expatriate Australians in North America to express interest in fielding teams against the Australians He initially wrote to Con Hickey chairman of the VFL for assistance proposing the league send a touring side and provide funding however Hickey replied that the VFL would not support the initiative believing it would be a failure 13 While the tour never went ahead Simons was instrumental in the formation of teams in Vancouver and several Australians in America also answered the call First introduction 1906 1909 edit In 1906 Pat O Dea along with his older brother and kicking mentor Andrew of the Wisconsin University Athletic Club and its American Football coach 14 were able to attain a copy of the Victorian Football Association s rules as this league was not affiliated with the AFC 15 and had begun training college students at the University of Wisconsin Madison Another expatriate Victorian cricketer A Warne working with the Philadelphia City Council introduced the game in Pennsylvania along with cricket 16 But it was ex Fremantle WAFL player Charles Lynan then working at the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in San Francisco who had the most success training students most of whom were basketballers and rugby players at Columbia Park Grammar School 17 The VFL in 1908 through Hickey had begun to promote universal football as a preferred alternative to Australian rules for North Americans to play and compete against Australia anticipating the league to adopt the rectangular field over the traditional oval field 18 Lynan seeing the trend away from American Football as a major opportunity and in response to a burgeoning local rugby community initially sought to convince the newly formed San Francisco Barbarians Rugby Club and also Stanford s newly formed rugby team who had been actively seeking less violent alternatives to American Football to try Australian Football 19 Though he garnered their support including a financial commitment the fanfare of the Australian rugby team s tour and matches against the two clubs in 1909 saw them lose interest in the venture Following the tour Australian football had to Americans become synonymous with rugby Lynan decided that teaching younger players would be more effective to differentiate it and engaged O Dea following his move to San Francisco to practice law 20 to assist him to popularize it 21 By January 1909 they had trained more than 450 junior athletes to choose the best to form a squad 22 Having gained the support of the Public Schools Athletic Association of San Francisco president and founder of the Columbia Park Boys Club Major Sidney Piexotto Lynan and O Dea in correspondence with Australian football organizations including the WAFL and Young Australia League YAFL who earlier had donated two footballs to the school organized a cross cultural excursion feeling that their American boys were ready to take on Australia Simons once again applied to the VFL to provide a week s board to which the league telegraphed that it was totally opposed to the scheme and refused any support 23 Undeterred Simons as chairman of both the WAFL and YAFL arranged for these leagues to fully fund the American s travel and board providing 3 000 for an exchange visit 24 A management committee was formed consisting of Lynan B Free L Resleur R Buchanan William McCann and T Wood with a coaching panel consisting of Pat O Dea Lynan Buchanan and Price 25 The 40 selected schoolboys most of them also baseball players set sail on the SS Mariposa on May 21 1909 26 First schoolboys tour of Australia 1909 edit nbsp First American schoolboys team to tour Australia San Francisco April 1909 The initial tour was ambitious and intended to visit many nations of the Commonwealth including all Australian states and play football matches however in addition to the WAFL and YAFL reply invitations were received only from the New South Wales Football Association in Sydney and VFA in Melbourne Victoria The football side consisted of Henry Behre captain Edward Burke vice captain James Caveney Frank B Cliff John Costello Charles Day Frank Danis Edward Firestone Harris Fraser Michael Glaser E Griswold Robert Hayes Emil Hastings Garnet Holme A Johnson Benjamin Katz James Kerrigan Harvey Loy G Locke C Meinhart H Meanwell Adolph Muheim Charles Nagel Edward Nelson Charles Norton Roy O Connell Alfred Peterson William Prang Hyman Raphael Sidney Rosenthal Edward Ryan IA Schmoll A Schmulowitz Theo Steffens E Stern Frank Trachsler A Truhler Lee Waymire Peter Weber Claude Weinhart George Wihr Edward Wilson Sheridan Williams George White and Leon Wing From a football perspective the tour was an outstanding success The team won an impressive 25 of the total 38 matches scheduled The young side learned quickly and returned very keen to introduce the game to the States 27 Following the tour NSWAFL patron and Sydney Football Club president Sydney lawyer R A Munro King sponsored a competition to send an Australian schoolboy to America to help teach Americans Australian rules The winner decided based on the student who could give the best lecture on the game its history and development was a Sydney Fort Street Public School schoolboy and surf lifesaving champion Eric Cullen Ward 28 who received a 200 traveling scholarship for his lecture and returned with the team to San Francisco 29 New Zealand edit En route via Tahiti the Americans visited New Zealand 30 both north island at Wellington on May 12 where they were asked why they did not play rugby but trained with local players at the Basin Reserve 31 An invitation to visit and play against the Auckland Australian Football League was left unfulfilled 32 33 The Americans also visited the south island including Invercargill 34 though no football games were organized by the local leagues New South Wales edit The Americans arrived in Sydney in July and played against Sydney Public Schools on the 7 July 35 Their first match was against Sydney combined schools which had won the most recent Australian schoolboys championship The Sydney tour did not have the desired promotional effect in Sydney with the rugby dominated media unaware of Australian rules being played in the United States mistakenly describing them as a touring American football or rugby team Tour Date Location Result 7 July 1909 Sydney Cricket Ground New South Wales U S 6 7 43 def by Sydney combined schools 13 15 93 36 11 July 1909 Sydney Cricket Ground New South Wales U S 2 6 18 def by Sydney combined schools 11 18 84 36 12 July 1909 Moore Park New South Wales U S 20 def Sydney YMCA 8 36 37 Victoria edit nbsp American team in Benalla Victoria August 1909 En route to Melbourne the Americans were scheduled to visit towns along the way including Goulburn Wangaratta Victoria Benalla and Beechworth to play against local representative sides 38 39 They arrived in Melbourne in late July 40 The tour however was much to the dissatisfaction of the Australasian Football Council s Con Hickey 11 who was refusing to endorse it and warned the Americans not to attempt to engage with the VFA either The AFC had insisted that touring players stay in Melbourne and affiliate with the AFC and the Victorian Football League When the visitors arrived in Melbourne the AFC offered a VFL contribution of 70 to the tour along with a 130 contribution from the South Australian Football League however the AFC revoked this stating the tour was not returning the profits it had expected 41 Hickey had offered to pay for the return fare to San Francisco but only if they committed to canceling their West Australian tour The young players being amateurs most of them had paid their own way declined out of respect for the Western Australian hosts 42 As a result they weren t able to play against any AFC affiliated league clubs but were able to play against the country clubs and schools Tour Date Location Result Wangaratta Victoria U S 4 7 31 def by Wangaratta 3 7 33 Benalla Victoria U S 7 13 55 def Benalla 7 3 45 Beechworth Victoria U S 7 9 51 def Beechworth 1 4 10 27 July 1909 Melbourne Cricket Ground U S 4 6 30 def Melbourne north combined schools 0 9 9 43 U S 3 5 23 def by Melbourne south combined schools 5 6 36 Christian Brothers U S 7 10 52 def Christian Brothers 4 3 27 Ballarat Victoria U S 2 2 14 def by Ballarat 4 2 26 Geelong Victoria U S 14 9 93 def Geelong 1 2 26 The Americans shocked Melbourne with an embarrassing win in front of a sizeable crowd in which the visitors kept them goal less 44 Instead of playing football the VFL organized for the Americans to watch a VFL match at the Lake Oval between South Melbourne and Fitzroy this was criticized after the match was marred by melees and the sort of heavy on field violence that the Americans schools sought to avoid The VFL s football boycott of the American tour was highly criticized by the West Australian media accusing the Victorians of being sore losers and putting profits before the promotion of the game 45 46 Western Australia edit The troupe arrived in Fremantle on the TSS Kanowna for the West Australian leg of the tour 47 The generous interest and media coverage in Western Australia was a stark contrast to the cold receptions received by the Americans in Sydney and Melbourne In West Australia they visited areas where Australian rules was very strong including Perth Fremantle and the Goldfields in September 1909 where they honed their skills against local sides in some and were spectators of West Australian Football League matches 42 John Simons WAFA secretary acted as dedicated tour manager 48 By the time had left Perth the game hardened outfit were faced with regional teams The young Americans notched together an impressive strings of successive wins losing only to the large towns and cities The skill level physicality and pace of the Americans shocked many local sides with several local sides demanding rematches and rally preparing a stronger side 49 in such cases however the local media would typically only report details when the local side won though a full record of the tour was kept by the organizers Tour Date Location Result 23 August 1909 Fremantle Oval U S 7 10 52 def Fremantle 2 2 14 50 25 August 1909 Subiaco Oval Perth U S 6 6 42 def by Perth 12 12 84 50 26 August 1909 Midland Junction U S 8 3 51 def by Midland Junction 11 11 77 51 52 28 August 1909 Bunbury U S 8 11 59 def by Bunbury 13 26 83 53 Collie U S 7 9 51 def Collie 6 9 45 31 August 1909 Collie USA 6 3 42 def by Collie 10 19 63 54 3 September 1909 Narrogin U S 7 10 52 def Narrogin 3 3 21 55 49 Narrogin U S 3 11 29 def Narrogin 0 4 4 Pingelly U S 7 1 43 def Pingelly 4 10 34 Beverley U S 3 9 27 def Beverley 2 5 17 9 September 1909 Beverley U S 3 7 25 def by Beverley 6 10 46 55 Northam U S 6 10 46 def Northam 4 4 28 Toodyay Western Australia 56 U S 4 5 29 def by Newcastle 6 12 48 Southern Cross U S 6 10 46 def Southern Cross 6 6 42 18 September 1909 Coolgardie U S 7 11 43 def Coolgardie 1 4 10 55 Christian Brothers Kalgoorlie U S 5 10 40 def Christian Brothers 1 1 7 Boulder U S 7 9 51 def Boulder 5 3 33 Kalgoorlie U S 7 12 54 def Kalgoorlie 3 4 22 Christian Brothers Kalgoorlie U S 3 4 22 def by Christian Brothers 4 6 30 South Australia edit The Americans arrived in Port Adelaide on the Kyarra in October 1909 for the start of their South Australian tour 57 With the South Australian Football Association aligning with the VFL and the AFC beyond a lukewarm reception upon the visitors initial arrival interest and media coverage in Adelaide was virtually nonexistent Despite this the Americans won the majority of their matches against the South Australians Tour Date Location Result Port Adelaide U S 14 22 106 def Port Adelaide 6 6 42 Adelaide U S 7 12 51 def Adelaide 6 13 49 Peterborough 56 U S 5 8 38 def Petersburg 1 4 10 Broken Hill 58 U S 6 6 42 def Broken Hill 2 11 23 Broken Hill 58 U S 0 4 4 def by Broken Hill 4 4 28 Port Pirie U S 6 10 40 def by Port Pirie 5 11 41 Kadina U S 6 15 51 def Kadina 3 3 21 Moonta U S 6 12 48 def Kadina 4 4 28 The tourists finally reached Brisbane and Queensland on 19 January 1910 for a rushed low key visit and were by that time too exhausted from the oppressive outback heat to play any further football matches in Australia 59 The also visited Tasmania before returning to San Francisco on the Makura on January 17 1910 60 Field Ball takes off in American schools 1910 1914 edit nbsp Schools Field Ball match Crocker Grammar vs Columbia Park Grammar August 1910 The return of Columbia Park boys and the arrival of Cullen Ward from Sydney who traveled along with them 61 along with YMCA instructor C F Martin 62 helped the game first known locally as bouncing football and field ball spread to San Francisco public grammar schools in early mid 1910 63 It was one of four football codes to be played including American Association and Rugby football 64 however the parents at these 35 Californian schools had decided not to permit their children to play either American or Rugby football and Pexiotto was keen to see Australian rules adopted spruiking its key benefits as being safer and more appealing to spectators 65 Cullen Ward conducted several clinics including one at Mission High School Everett Grammar School and Crocker Grammar School 66 The first game played at Golden Gate Park between squads of up to 25 players consisting mostly of rugby players under Australian Rules was promoted among local schools with many of the local schools invited to watch 67 After seeing the Australian Field Ball as it was then promoted an excited Fremont Boys from Riverside expressed interest in starting a team to join a new competition in May 68 but Pacific Heights Grammar School was the second and regular matches were played between the two schools 69 70 Lowell Grammar School and Crocker Grammar later joined the competition with a substantial number of rugby players making the switch 71 Hancock Grammar school joined in with regular practice against Crocker Grammar Reference to Australia in the name was disfavored and grammar schools had decided to call it Field Ball in an effort to distance it from rugby and give it more local appeal and the name stuck 71 Cullen Ward was to go on to teach coach play and officiate field ball at several dozen schools across the San Francisco Bay Area Los Angeles San Diego Seattle Vancouver in June 1911 and went on to coach an All American team against visiting sides He married an American in 1912 and intended to settle permanently in California 72 Field Ball now being promoted as the ideal game for grammar school students was played by Hancock against Crocker schools in front of a crowd of around 4 000 students 73 74 75 A call went out to expatriate Australians familiar with the Victorian Rules to help organize senior matches being played under the banner of the Barbarians Rugby Club 76 The Hancock side was coached by a teacher of Stockton Grammar School who had been taught by Cullen and also introduced the game there 77 Roosevelt Grammar School adopted the code later in the year 78 along with Franklin Grammar School 79 Chicago and Philadelphia schools were also adopting the code 80 and in 1911 calls were made for Australian coaches to facilitate representative sides 81 Representatives from the University of California met to formalize governing body for a San Francisco vs Chicago representative match to introduce Field Ball into colleges and to send a team to tour Australia 82 83 The new body secured a dedicated training and match facility and head office at Ocean Shore grounds 84 An editorial in the San Francisco Call noted that local school children much preferred Field ball over the American sports and it had become highly popular despite their parents preferring that they play American national sports like American Football Baseball and Basketball 85 In San Francisco the league expanded to include Everett Grammar School Monroe Grammar School and YMCA Oakland 86 where Australian C F Martin had been appointed physical director Young Australia League tour of North America 1910 1911 edit nbsp International fieldball USA Schoolboys vs Young Australia Presidio of San Francisco October 1 1911 Plans for a Young Australia League reciprocal tour of the U S to play against an American side began as early as April 1910 Simons originally proposed that the team be represented by players from all states of Australia 87 but without support from the Eastern States the proposed interstate quota was dropped to 10 88 As it became obvious that AFC affiliated states were not coming to the party a contingency plan was set in place for it to be Western Australia only consisting of a balance of half city and half country players 86 In the end an agreement was reached with the governing bodies of the eastern states that the final team would feature 40 West Australians one South Australian and one Victorian and the touring party was to detour to Adelaide and Melbourne prior to departure at the tour manager s expense to receive the two interstate players 89 90 Three matches with the Young Australian League were set for September at the Presidio of San Francisco 91 Cullen Ward was appointed head coach of the national team 92 The Australian team arrived on the Matai They were received with much fanfare with a full page photo of the Australian team featuring in the papers 93 along with the local boys captained by Henry Behre 94 The Australian team guernsey was a variation of the West Australian Black Swan emblem acknowledging the West Australian contribution to the tour but featuring a map of Australia to also acknowledge the national nature of the side while the American team wore the colors and monogram of the Columbia Park Athletic Club The match was won 95 to 44 at Lincoln Park in front of a crowd of 5 000 including most of the school children in the city and photos of gameplay were featured in The San Francisco Call 95 In the second match the Americans took it up to the Australians with the match decided by just 8 points Australia 9 16 70 to San Francisco 8 14 62 96 The match also stimulated interest in the Australian expatriate community and a third match was played between a combined residents side and the visitors which the visitors won convincingly 125 to 30 97 The showcase attracted the attention of The New York Times which featured it in an article Australian Game of Football is the Best 98 Tour Date Location Result Attendance 24 September 1911 Lincoln Park San Francisco U S 44 def by Young Australia 95 5 000 24 September 1911 Lincoln Park San Francisco U S 8 14 62 def by Young Australia 9 16 70 24 September 1911 Lincoln Park San Francisco San Francisco residents 30 def by Australia 125 Senior competition established 1911 1913 edit Following the success of the Young Australia League tour four clubs were formed to give maturing students and expatriate men an opportunity to play open age football in a championship competition including a proposed expatriate Australian club with two teams 99 100 The game was also played on Stanford University campus with the aim of establishing a club there 101 On December 5 1911 the Public Schools Athletic League endorsed Field Ball as an official school sport establishing an all schools tournament 102 By August 1911 the game was proving so popular that there weren t enough officials to support its growth 103 Cullen Ward and the Columbia Park Club had departed for Vancouver in Canada where schools had also been taking it up in recent years 104 En route to Vancouver the party visited Portland Oregon and played an exhibition match at the University of Oregon 105 The touring party helped ready Canadian players from Fort Vancouver High School to compete against a touring Young Australian League 106 107 This tour was highly successful and plans were begun for a second tour of Australia in 1914 with a request made to the Australasian Football Council for a senior Australian team to tour the U S 108 The popular schools competition in 1913 had grown to 150 boys with new teams including Laguna Honda State Normal Washington Bay View and James Lick 109 110 Many of the original juniors had grown and a colleges team was planning to represent the U S in Australian Rules team to tour Australia to play matches against Australian high school teams starting in Perth Western Australia from June 1914 111 however this was later brought forward nbsp James Caveney was one of the pioneers of American fieldball as both junior player and coach before pursuing a Major League Baseball career in 1914 Australia withdraws support amp second schoolboys tour 1913 1914 edit In 1913 the Americans once again toured with a new group and had planned a series of around 40 matches however with funding for only 12 in the touring party there was not enough of them to field a full team of 22 112 This time they visited Western Australia South Australia Victoria and Tasmania 113 The Young Australia League once again hosted the American side however the WAFL facing backlash from the AFC began to distance itself from the venture and withdrew financial commitment to the tour 114 Though media interest for the tour was scant they did play matches against local sides including one in Broken Hill 115 and at Norwood Oval in Adelaide 116 In November 1913 they arrived in Melbourne on the Loongana When asked of how the game in America was faring the group cited the biggest challenges to its survival being access to fields and funding 117 Tour Date Location Result 16 July 1913 WACA Ground Young Australia League 3 1 19 def U S 1 1 7 118 The YAL and Columbia Club began to organise a third tour for 1915 with plans for reciprocal tours every 3 years 119 In response to the Americans 1912 request a proposal was debated in 1914 by the Australasian Football Council to send a team the U S however a decision was deferred until after the war 120 The council never approved the motion The Young Australia League did send 32 boys to tour the U S and Canada in 1915 playing football matches 121 World War I and third schoolboys tour 1914 1919 edit Following news of his father s death 122 Cullen Ward returned to Sydney via the U S during the war 123 O Dea disappeared completely from the public eye in 1917 20 In 1915 Harry Bromley visited America in 1915 to promote the idea of a national football code a hybrid version of Australian football played on American gridiron fields which allowed throwing of the ball He wished to capitalize on the growing popularity of Gaelic football Australian football and American football in the States and gained the support of Irish American Athletic Club member James Sullivan to help promote it 124 However America s entry to the war put an end to the plans A third schoolboys tour to Australia was organized in 1919 following the war and managed by E D Grace with many of the original team members now of high school age However except when in Western Australia Australian Football was now rarely part of the visitors program In Western Australia however they defeated a team from the new Northam Senior High School by 3 points 125 also played a game at Beverley who won by one point 126 and one in Katanning 127 Recess and revival attempts 1920 1947 edit Commentators in Australia however noted that by the 1920s it was in dire trouble with soccer now being adopted by most of the junior schools it had better access to fields and required less players to hold a match These were the last reports of it being played both in schools and at senior level In 1926 the Australian Football Council s Con Hickey received a letter inviting Australian teams to play test matches against visiting Kerry county football team Gaelic Football in California noting Gaelic Football s growing popularity in the U S since the war 128 129 nbsp Sketch of Carji Greeves 1930 who attempted to reintroduce the game at Stanford University while coaching American Football at UCLA With growth of American football in the colleges causing rugby popularity to wane attempting to establish Australian Football in high schools and colleges seemed like a better option Hopes were pinned on Carji Greeves 1924 Brownlow Medal winner arrival to California to resurrect it 130 Greeves was appointed kicking coach at UCLA in 1928 131 He would study at Stanford University where he delivered on his promise to coach students there in Australian Rules 20 132 However it continued to be confused with rugby and as such did not set down firm roots in the colleges Speaking in 1929 on its status the Australian Football Council s Con Hickey mused that efforts to establish it there had failed but cited Gaelic Football s rapid growth in the U S in the 1920s as an example of how Australian Football might one day carve a niche though reiterated that the council had no interest in promoting it and was sufficiently pleased so long as its popularity continued to grow in Australia 133 In 1932 a tour by two Australian teams was proposed supported by former VFL players living in the U S 131 including Carji Greeves 134 The idea was boosted when a touring Young American League in Melbourne commented that it would be ideal for high schools and proposed that the VFL invest in promoting the game 135 Melbourne Councillor Beaurepaire visiting the USA also urged the Australian Football Council to consider sending teams to America to play either Australian rules or the increasingly popular Gaelic code 136 Former Port Adelaide player Gordon Inkster also got behind the idea 137 The VFL however showed little interest and the AFC lacked support for the idea and the game faded into obscurity In 1934 the Los Angeles Daily News published photos of Geelong and South Melbourne Football Club VFL players flying in a pack marking contest mistakenly labelling it a game of soccer 138 In 1938 a proposal was put to the Australian National Football Council to send teams to California for an exhibition match to stimulate grassroots interest in the game however Victorian president Bob Rush refused to take the idea seriously citing access to suitable grounds and that he would not endorse funding the venture 139 In 1939 the VFL signed on to the Californian Universities International Kicking Competition to be held at Stanford University However the league caused significant embarrassment when it backed out of their contract blaming the Australian National Football Council for its withdrawal 140 The VFL had been required to send footballs to UCLA Berkely but failed to When the Americans invited the VFA to participate the ANFC blocked the invitation Seen as a major opportunity to promote the code in the U S instead it left the colleges extremely unsatisfied with the Australian code In response to a gridiron exhibition match in Melbourne in 1943 Harry Dyke the president of the Richmond VFL Club proposed a scheme which would coach the Americans in Australian Rules 141 nbsp Ern Cowley s Austus sport program in 1943 featuring American serviceman William Jost performing a Forward pass on an Australian Football oval In 1943 40 years after the AFC promoted the hybrid code of Universal Football Melbourne Sports Globe sports writer Ern Cowley invented the game of Austus a compromise game between gridiron and Australian rules were played in Australia between servicemen of both countries in the Australian city of Geelong The visiting Americans were reported to be excited by the Australian game 142 Despite a series of popular matches which attracted U S media attention and an award for its inventor the hybrid code did not take off outside of the military Date Location Result Attendance 1943 18 July Punt Road Oval Australian Explosives Factory 5 8 38 def by U S Marines 8 4 52 143 1943 2 August Punt Road Oval Victorian Football League 17 23 125 def US Marines 8 1 49 144 Archival footage Video on YouTube U S marines 69 def Geelong 38 40 000 U S marines 115 def Australian All Stars 78 6 000 U S marines 75 def Australian Army 52 8 000 Push into the colleges and proposed tour 1948 1959 edit A major shift in attitude from the governing body in Australia occurred under the West Australian presidency of Wally Stooke In 1948 when Carl K Dellmuth Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania after seen the game in Melbourne 145 requested assistance from the governing body to introduce it to colleges 146 147 citing the spectator appeal the transferrable skills and the low entry cost of equipment 148 He succeeded in starting teams in his college 149 and in gaining cooperation from the Australian Football Council which responded by sending footballs rule books and a wealth of promotional items NSW association and AFC secretary K G Ferguson extolled that with its introduction into the college system the United States would be capable of sending a national team to Australia within 5 years The AFC debated sending a touring side for an exhibition match at its national conference in Adelaide 150 Once again Western Australia was in support of the idea and had formalized plans to send teams and budgeted 40 000 for the initiative to send a squad of 50 players consisting of contributions from all states though with the majority of non Victorians from West and South Australia 151 For the first time in decades South Australia also voted in favor however they could not garner the support of the VFL and other states so opted not to This was not helped by the media in Australia which argued that it was destined to fail and that the league was better of spending the money at home 152 As a result of the lack of support from Australia the proposed Swarthmore College Haverford College clash was first postponed to 1949 then never went ahead Enthusiasm in American colleges soon waned In the 1950s the AFC s focus would increasingly shift toward to the idea of touring teams playing Gaelic Football in New York instead due partly to the growth of the Gaelic code there but also due primarily to the available fields and reduced investment of sending a much smaller side 153 The idea of a US tour was revived by council members in 1954 but with a reduction in the size of the playing lists to 14 to reduce costs 154 This idea eventually manifest into the Australian Football World Tour with a focus on capitalizing on Gaelic Football s growth in the U S First VFL exhibition matches and Australian football world tour 1960 1978 edit From the 1960s having negotiated its first television broadcast rights the VFL and its clubs began to take an interest in the U S as a means of further growing its audience even a small television audience in the U S could have been worth more than the league made out of the entire state of Victoria Both Melbourne and Geelong had taken an interest in the American market and in 1963 the first VFL exhibition games were played in major U S cities to test its potential international audience The matches were very low key and were not successful in terms of attention or publicity Date Location Stadium Teams Score Crowd Oct 20 1963 Honolulu Honolulu Stadium Geelong 15 21 111 v Melbourne 17 21 123 1 500 155 Oct 26 1963 San Francisco Kezar Stadium Geelong 9 12 66 v Melbourne 10 11 71 3 500 156 On October 27 Geelong also played an extra intraclub exhibition match at Big Rec Golden Gate Park 157 In 1965 former Victorian Football League player Colin Ridgeway was recruited by the Dallas Cowboys and played a total of 3 games as a punter Although he was the first Australian to make such a transition he did not have much of an impact in the NFL The Australian Football World Tour visited New York on Sunday 5 November 1967 with the Australian Galahs playing International Rules at Gaelic Park against the New York GAA at Gaelic Park New York City The Galahs lost the match 4 8 20 to 0 5 5 the visitors not managing a score after half time 158 There were many brawls during the match with the Galahs coming off second best in all of them Hassa Mann sucker punched behind the play had his jaw broken in three places Playing coach Ron Barassi had his nose broken by a giant New York narcotics detective Brendan Tumulty who broke his own thumb in the process of hitting Barassi 159 An exhibition match of Australian Football was played in addition to Gaelic Football Television ESPN and the AFL 1979 1990 edit Television was the biggest breakthrough for Australian football in the United States In late 1979 the brand new ESPN cable network signed its first international TV contract with the Victorian Football League in 1990 it became the Australian Football League Coverage began with the 1980 season with matches airing on late Friday and Saturday nights sometimes live but usually one or two week tape delayed to up to 2 5 million subscribers 160 At the time reports indicated ESPN paid the VFL nearly 100 000 the VFL s Australian TV rights deal at the time was just 600 000 161 The 1983 VFL Grand Final was the first time in history that the Grand Final was broadcast live into the U S 162 The VFL wasn t the only Australian rules on American screens The South Australian National Football League also had a broadcast rights deal with American cable television and by 1984 was attracting around 40 million viewers to its weekly 1 hour highlights segment 163 VFL coverage continued on ESPN until 1986 when it was dropped This exposure on ESPN is credited with creating a generation of fans in the United States and providing the foundation for the formation of AFANA and the USAFL in 1996 The founding of AFANA led to the first organized fan group outside Australia and lobbying for television coverage was part of the efforts to grow it from the beginning The core of the initial players for the USAFL included many who first saw the matches on ESPN a decade or more earlier In 1987 an ambitious 10 million proposal from Perth magnate Errol Marron was put forward for a VFL expansion club based partly in Los Angeles named the Los Angeles Crocodiles with profits from increased television rights to fund a local league Stadiums in the proposal included the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum In October 1987 Ross Oakley announced that the VFL had rejected the bid 164 165 166 Despite the rejected bid the VFL showed a renewed interest in rekindling its U S broadcast deal and scheduled more exhibition matches to grow the audience The locations played at were largely the product of the available venues more than anything VFL and club promoters hyped their predictions of the crowds of more than 20 000 sending star players Darren Millane and Damian Bourke to promote the games 167 however the final attendance and interest fell way short of expectations It wasn t until the league rebranded as the national AFL in 1990 and featured capital city branded teams from the Australian East and West coast that the league attracted a respectable attendance and interest Date Location Stadium Teams Score Crowd Oct 8 1988 Miami Florida Joe Robbie Stadium Collingwood 18 16 124 v Geelong 10 18 78 7 500 Oct 14 1989 Miami Florida Joe Robbie Stadium Essendon 18 16 124 v Hawthorn 15 20 110 10 069 Oct 12 1990 Portland Oregon Civic Stadium Melbourne 24 16 160 v West Coast 11 13 79 14 787 The first American born player in the AFL Don Pyke who moved to Western Australia in his youth debuted for the West Coast Eagles in 1989 and later that year the first African American born player Sanford Wheeler debuted for the Sydney Swans However despite the investment into the market and the birth of the national AFL competition no U S TV deal was forthcoming Punt into America 1991 1995 edit In 1995 Darren Bennett former Melbourne Football Club player was recruited by the San Diego Chargers He went on to become one of the most successful punters in the history of the NFL His popularity as an ex Australian also considerably increased the awareness of Australian Rules in the U S as excerpts of him kicking goals in the AFL were sometimes shown on American television Since Bennett other Australian rules players have followed having a small effect of exposing the Australian game to Americans Against the flow Essendon Football Club coach Kevin Sheedy enticed former Oakland Raiders National Football League player Dwayne Armstrong to switch codes to Australian rules 168 The experiment was largely unsuccessful with Armstrong not debuting at senior level but nevertheless created media interest in Australia about the possibility of American athletes playing the Australian game U S local games and National League 1996 1998 edit The first match between two local U S clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville 169 In the first year the Mid American Australian Football League was formed Many of the local players had found out about the game in the 1980s on television and ESPN Although the local game grew ESPN no longer broadcast AFL matches and in response the lobby group AFANA was formed In 1997 the first club national championships were held in Cincinnati Nashville hosted the first Australian Grand Final Festival in the same year The United States Australian Football League USAFL was formed in 1997 to govern the code in the country In the early years prior to affiliating with the AFL the USAFL chose to brand the game as Footy to differentiate it from rugby and was the governing body promoted itself by the informal name US Footy this is what many players and the media also refer to it as 170 Steady growth 1999 2015 edit nbsp Action from U S vs China International Cup match in 2008 A national team the Revolution formed in 1999 to compete in a European event the Atlantic Alliance Cup before concentrating on events closer to home The U S turned to competing against nearby Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup and was for a time coached by AFL legend Paul Roos This Cup is an annual and keenly contested international event which both countries use as a guide to their progress and as preparation for the International Cup the world cup of Australian Football In the same year a record crowd of 1 000 attended an MAAFL match between the Nashville Kangaroos and Chicago Swans at Nashville in Tennessee citation needed In 1999 the first U S college Australian rules football clubs formed in North Carolina when the UNC Chapel Hill club is organized in the spring semester and the NC State club is established the following fall 171 These two clubs established a rivalry that lasted for over a decade In 2001 the first college Australian rules football club outside of North Carolina began at Vanderbilt University In the following years several new clubs emerged in universities across the state many of them affiliated with USAFL clubs The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup with an All American side and finished fifth out of eleven countries In 2002 the Australian Football League began to recognize the potential of the U S as a pool of talent and began providing a small amount of international funding to the USAFL An offshoot was the US Footy Kids junior program with strong similarities to AFL Auskick The Australian Defence Force formed a relationship with the USAFL for Australian personnel on US postings to help make up the 30 of Australians allowed for a USAFL roster 172 In 2003 clear weather at a Nashville home game against the St Louis Blues and Kangaroos saw the match set a new league crowd record 173 In 2004 Vanderbilt University hosted the first US College Invitational This tournament was held in Nashville and was attended by representatives of Arizona State University Belmont University Middle Tennessee State University North Carolina State University University of Missouri Kansas City University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Vanderbilty University The Tar Heels of UNC were crowned the first collegiate National Champions 174 In 2005 the Revolution attended the 2005 International Cup finishing third out of ten countries In 2005 the USAFL struck a deal with the ASTN television station for rights to the game however although the station has filmed local matches they have not been televised Also in that year former Geelong Football Club player Ben Graham joined the New York Jets bringing media exposure for the Australian sport On a multimillion dollar NFL contract Graham joined with the local New York Magpies club in fundraising activities In January 2006 an AFL promotional pre season match was played in Los Angeles at UCLA between the Kangaroos and league premiers the Sydney Swans it attracted a crowd of 3 200 Jan 15 2006 Los Angeles Intramural Field UCLA North Melbourne 13 8 86 v Sydney 6 2 38 3 200 Saverio Rocca debuted in the NFL in 2007 as a punter bringing media exposure for the Australian game 175 Kevin Sheedy and Stephen Silvagni visited in 2007 on a tour of North America as AFL ambassador attending the USAFL Nationals 176 In 2008 a second US College Invitational was hosted by Vanderbilt University St John s University at Minnesota were premiers with UNC Chapel Hill as runner up and Vanderbilt University placing third These were the only three sides attending the tournament 177 In 2014 the USAFL organized a collegiate tournament in Texas featuring only Texas colleges Teams representing Texas A amp M Texas Tech University of Houston and University of Texas Austin took part in the event Texas A amp M and Texas Tech both won two matches and drew the game between them Texas Tech had the better percentage on the day 178 Mason Cox era 2016 present edit In 2016 former Texan basketball player Mason Cox known literally as the biggest in the game made a spectacular AFL debut and in the Anzac Day match in front of 80 000 fans asserted dominance within the first 80 seconds of the match taking his first mark and with it scoring the game s first goal with his first kick in the AFL 179 He instantly became America s most notable export in the game and captured the imagination of the Australian sporting public earning the nickname Coxzilla for his on field and off field presence 180 The big American s impact on the Australian sport could not be understated with visiting celebrities including president to be Joe Biden in 2016 and Tiger Woods in 2019 meeting with the home grown product and with ESPN increasing its coverage in response 181 Cox played in a losing AFL Grand Final in 2018 182 Cox has received more media attention in the United States than almost any other AFL player 183 and has expressed a keen interest in promoting the game at the grassroots in the U S visiting the U S to support his brother Nolan Cox who played for the Austin Crows in back to back USAFL National Championships 184 Exposure generated by Cox increased media interest from American broadcasters and celebrities In particular Conan O Brien in 2019 featured a segment featuring the Sydney Swans with Conan learning how to play the game on his popular show which was viewed by millions 185 Former American football player Pat McAfee announced a new found passion for Australian rules during the COVID pandemic in 2020 interviewing Mason Cox on his popular channel and adopting Mason Cox s club Collingwood as a supporter 186 In 2020 the AFL signed a broadcasting rights deal with ESPN via ESPN2 and ESPN3 The move was a big hit 187 In 2022 American streaming companies Amazon Paramount and YouTube expressed interest in bidding for the U S broadcasting rights for the AFL beyond 2024 188 In April 2023 Mason Cox appeared in a 60 minutes interview in the United States which was watched by millions 189 In the interview Cox explained how sections of the Collingwood crowd would chant USA USA whenever he had possession of the ball 189 Players editPlayers with connections to the United States nbsp Tim Taranto playing for the Giants in 2017 nbsp Harry Himmelberg in 2017 as 6 ft 4 in 194 cm Giants forward nbsp Touk Miller All Australian and captain for the Gold Coast Suns nbsp Mason Cox in 2017 as 6 ft 11 in 211 5 cm Collingwood ruck forward Texas born and raised to the age of 23 nbsp Archie Smith in 2019 as 6 ft 8 in 202 cm Brisbane Lions ruck is the son of NBA basketball player Andre Moore nbsp Kyle Langford in 2018 playing for Essendon nbsp Zac Clarke in 2015 as 6 ft 8 in 203 cm Fremantle ruck nbsp Peter Bell in 2006 as 5 ft 9 in 175 cm Fremantle captain nbsp Don Pyke in 2017 as senior coach of the Adelaide U S born games record holder and first U S born AFL premiership player nbsp Tom Banks depicted in 1905 Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list Player Connection to United States AFL Years AFL Matches AFL Goals Notes Brodie Kemp Parent 190 2022 23 1 Elliott Himmelberg Father 191 2018 41 41 American family from New York Tim Taranto Father 192 2017 137 67 American family from Texas Conor Nash Parent 193 2017 73 16 Harry Himmelberg Father lived in New York 191 2016 152 161 Also spent some of his childhood living in New York City with his father Brandon Kaufman Born and raised to U S parents 2016 2017 Former NFL wide receiver from Colorado contracted as international rookie for Gold Coast Suns 194 Played for USAFL club Denver Bulldogs on return to the U S Touk Miller Father African American 195 2015 173 51 American family from Ohio Kyle Langford Parent 196 2015 130 128 Mason Cox Born and raised to age of 23 by U S parents 2015 113 117 Former NCAA Division I basketball player taken 60 Rookie 2014 by Collingwood Football Club American family from Texas Matt Korcheck Born and raised in U S 2015 2017 Former Arizona Wildcats basketball player taken 37 Rookie 2015 by the Carlton Football Club 197 from Tucson Arizona Archie Smith Father African American 2014 2021 16 4 Son of NBA basketball player Andre Moore Jason Holmes Born and raised to U S parents 2014 2017 5 0 Former NCAA Division I basketball player taken 36 Rookie 2013 by St Kilda Football Club Patrick Mitchell Born and raised to age of 24 by U S parents 2013 2014 Former NCAA Division I basketball player with University of North Dakota taken 45 Rookie 2013 by Sydney Swans From Des Moines Iowa 198 Alex Starling Born and raised to U S parents 2012 2014 Former NCAA Division I basketball player recruited on Sydney Swans International scholarship turned down an offer from Port Adelaide Power to play basketball with the NBL1 Central Eric Wallace Born and raised to U S parents 2012 2015 Former NCAA Division I basketball player recruited on North Melbourne Football Club International scholarship played VFL went on to become tight end at Carolina Panthers NFL Shae McNamara Born and raised to U S parents 2010 2012 Former NCAA Division I basketball player taken 47 Rookie 2009 by Collingwood Football Club in VFL AFL reserves and pre season competition Zac Clarke Father African American 199 2009 2019 110 46 Former NBL1 South basketball player 200 Dwayne Armstrong Born and raised to U S parents 1996 1997 Former NFL practice squad player recruited by Essendon Football Club played at reserves VFL level Peter Bell Father Indigenous American Navajo 201 1995 2008 286 250 Australian Football Hall of Famer Sanford Wheeler Born African American mother 1989 1994 43 7 Moved to Australia at age 5 played with the Sydney Swans Died 2020 Debuted in Round 6 1989 Don Pyke Born to Australian parents 1989 1996 132 97 Moved to Australia at age 4 played with the West Coast Eagles 2 time AFL Premiership player Debuted in Round 1 1989 Tom Banks Father African American 1897 8 0 nbsp Jessica Anderson Currently on an AFLW senior or rookie list Player Connection to United States Years AFLW Matches AFLW Goals Notes Katrina Stone Born and raised 2021 Western Bulldogs Carlton Football Club VFLW from North London Lions AFL London Danielle Marshall Born and raised to US parents played there 2020 2023 23 4 Western Bulldogs AFLW Essendon Football Club AFLW From Arizona Hawks USAFL 202 April Lewis Born and raised played there 2019 Essendon Football Club VFLW from Seattle Grizzlies USAFL Jessica Blecher Born and raised played there 2019 Collingwood Football Club VFLW from Portland Sockeyes USAFL currently with San Francisco Iron Maidens USAFL Erin McLaughlin Born and raised 2019 Darebin Falcons VFLW Jessica Anderson Parent 196 2017 2018 6 1 Western Bulldogs AFLW Katie Klatt Born and raised played there 2017 Melbourne University Football Club VFLW from Sacramento Suns USAFL currently with San Francisco Iron Maidens USAFL Administration and governing body editThe governing body for Australian Rules in the United States is the USAFL The USAFL coordinates the national club competition the USAFL Nationals and the national Revolution team selection manages player registration and transfers and distributes funds to local clubs and competitions The USAFL Umpires Association USAFLUA represents the field of umpiring and the interpretation of the laws of the game USAFL Umpires AssociationNational team editThe national teams are the USA Revolution and USA Freedom Both are the sole national teams for Australian football in the United States and are administered by the United States Australian Football League Major tournaments edit USAFL National Championships Held 2nd weekend of October every year 49th Parallel Cup Held each non International Cup year alternating between U S amp Canadian soil AFL International Cup Held every 3 years began 2002 Domestic representative tournaments editUSAFL National Championships USAFL East vs WestParticipation editThere are currently 49 active clubs across the country 32 of which participated in the USAFL Nationals in 2018 203 In 2004 there were 855 senior players in 38 active clubs 204 By 2006 the league had grown to 40 affiliated clubs with 1 048 registered USAFL players and 340 USAFL sanctioned matches were played Of the 709 players who competed at the USAFL National Championships 77 4 were non Australian and over 60 were American 205 The 2007 AFL International Census did not indicate any growth to these figures over 2006 206 The club numbers decreased to 32 in 2011 but player registrations remained at approximately 1 000 207 Leagues editMen s edit United States Australian Football League Mid American Australian Football League MAAFL Eastern Australian Football League Golden Gate Australian Football League Women s edit Women s Australian Football Association See also Metro Footy LeaguesFormer leagues editMany of the CAFL s clubs and former players still compete either in the SCAFL or GGAFL The SEAFL and NEAFL formed the EAFL Californian Australian Football League South East Australian Football League North East Australian Football LeagueAudience editTelevision edit Since 2020 the AFL has been shown on ESPN via ESPN2 and ESPN3 187 Since 2006 due to growing demand and lobbying by AFANA Australian rules began playing live matches on television in the United States on the new Setanta Sports USA network Coverage in 2015 is on Fox Sports 2 and Fox Soccer Plus Australian rules has a nominal but growing international audience According to Roy Morgan Polls 7 496 000 North Americans watch Australian rules football at least occasionally on television 208 This number is twice as many as watch it on television in Australia but small by US standards citation needed Notable attendances edit Local competitions edit 1 000 2004 Nashville Kangaroos v Chicago Swans Nashville Tennessee citation needed 5 000 1911 San Francisco v Young Australia League Lincoln Park San Francisco 95 Exhibition matches edit 14 787 1990 Melbourne v West Coast Civic Stadium Portland See also editUSAFL AFANABooks editde Moore Greg Hess Rob Nicholson Matthew Stewart Bob 2021 Australia s Game The History of Australian Football Hardie Grant Books ISBN 9781 74379 657 3 References edit USAFL Club List 2021 MAAFL History Mid American Australian Football League 2005 Archived from the original on July 14 2011 Retrieved September 30 2012 A Man with a Vision from USAFL 8 March 2007 What is AFL Aussie Rules Explained retrieved September 12 2022 San Francisco Call Volume 71 Number 111 21 March 1892 AN AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALLER IN AMERICA The Umpire Vol 3 no 21 Western Australia June 4 1898 p 3 Retrieved November 15 2021 via National Library of Australia GREATEST GOAL KICKER IN UNITED STATES The Evening News No 4072 Queensland Australia November 21 1934 p 16 Retrieved November 15 2021 via National Library of Australia PAT ODEA IS THE KING OF KICKERS San Francisco Call Volume 84 Number 178 25 November 1898 de Moore et al 2021 p 247 de Moore et al 2021 p 248 a b FOOTBALL The Daily News Vol XXVIII no 10 526 Western Australia February 26 1909 p 9 Retrieved October 8 2021 via National Library of Australia Young Australia League Sporting Life Dryblower s Journal Vol 2 no 60 Western Australia June 9 1906 p 4 Retrieved October 7 2021 via National Library of Australia The Province Vancouver British Columbia Canada 12 Apr 1909 Page 11 AUSTRALIANS ABROAD The Herald No 15673 Victoria Australia August 12 1927 p 13 Retrieved November 15 2021 via National Library of Australia The Game in America The Evening Mail No 752 Western Australia June 13 1906 p 4 Retrieved November 15 2021 via National Library of Australia AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL The Australian Star No 5726 New South Wales Australia June 21 1906 p 4 FIRST EDITION Retrieved October 27 2021 via National Library of Australia Little Brothers in America The Daily News Vol XXVIII no 10 503 Western Australia January 30 1909 p 2 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia UNIVERSAL FOOTBALL The Empire Vol II no 67 Western Australia August 29 1908 p 3 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia San Francisco Call Volume 103 Number 178 26 May 1908 a b c The forgotten story of Patrick O Dea TheGuardian com March 8 2014 by Adam Woolcock for The Guardian 8 Mar 2014 Touring Australians The Age No 16 813 Victoria Australia February 1 1909 p 5 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia PROPOSED WORLD S TOUR The Daily News Perth Western Australia Vol XXVIII no 10 482 Western Australia January 6 1909 p 8 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia FOOTBALL The Daily News Vol XXVIII no 10 526 Western Australia February 26 1909 p 9 Retrieved October 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Evening bulletin January 21 1910 3 30 Edition Page 7 Image 7 The Province Vancouver British Columbia Canada 13 Jun 1908 Page 11 40 Youngsters Will Sail for Australia San Francisco Call Volume 105 Number 125 4 April 1909 NEW FOOTBALL MAY REPLACE OLD GAME Columbia Park Boys Master the Victorian Style During Australian visit San Francisco Call Volume 107 Number 82 20 February 1910 Australian Football Barrier Miner Vol XXII no 6586 New South Wales Australia September 1 1909 p 5 Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Eric Cullen Ward The Sun No 18 New South Wales Australia July 21 1910 p 6 LATE EDITION Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Dominion Volume 2 Issue 476 7 April 1909 Page 4 Overseas Tour New Zealand Times Volume XXXIII issue 7887 24 August 1911 page 5 Auckland Star Volume XL issue 136 9 June 1909 page 7 Football Rugby Evening Post Volume LXXVII issue 145 21 June 1909 page 3 Southland Times issue 14092 26 April 1909 page 2 Australian Sydney Sportsman Vol VIII no 470 New South Wales Australia July 7 1909 p 8 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia a b c New South Wales Notes Referee No 1184 New South Wales Australia July 14 1909 p 10 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Match halted due to poor weather Visit of the California Boys Benalla Standard No 3407 Victoria Australia July 20 1909 p 3 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Next Saturday s Matches Sydney Sportsman Vol VIII no 471 New South Wales Australia July 14 1909 p 7 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys in Melbourne Southern Cross Vol XXI no 1045 South Australia August 13 1909 p 12 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia EVENING POST VOLUME LXXVIII ISSUE 39 14 AUGUST 1909 PAGE 6 a b Football The Daily News Vol XXVIII no 10 686 Western Australia September 3 1909 p 7 Third Edition Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys The Advertiser Vol LII no 15 844 South Australia July 29 1909 p 10 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Amusements The Ballarat Star Vol 55 no 16694 Victoria Australia November 27 1909 p 1 Retrieved October 5 2021 via National Library of Australia Football The Daily News Vol XXVIII no 10 662 Western Australia August 6 1909 p 7 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Football The West Australian Vol XXV no 7 297 Western Australia August 14 1909 p 13 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Columbia Park Boys The Daily Telegraph No 9424 New South Wales Australia August 12 1909 p 6 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Football The Mirror Vol 4 no 229 Western Australia September 10 1909 p 22 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia a b Football Referee No 1202 New South Wales Australia November 17 1909 p 11 Retrieved October 5 2021 via National Library of Australia a b AMERICAN BOYS WIN The Register Adelaide Vol LXXIV no 19 587 South Australia August 23 1909 p 5 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia American Boys Visit Kalgoorlie Miner Vol 15 no 4339 Western Australia August 26 1909 p 5 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys Visit Midland Junction Western Mail Vol XXIV no 1 238 Western Australia September 18 1909 p 30 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Columbia Park Boys Bunbury Herald Vol XIX no 3199 Western Australia August 31 1909 p 3 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia The Reception Collie Mail Vol 2 no 58 Western Australia September 4 1909 p 3 Paper format edition Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia a b c News and Notes The Daily News Vol XXVIII no 10 688 Western Australia September 6 1909 p 5 Third Edition Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia a b Town name has changed since THE AMERICAN BOYS The Express amp Telegraph Vol XLVI no 13 828 South Australia October 7 1909 p 1 Retrieved October 31 2021 via National Library of Australia a b Was part of South Australia at the time Major Peixotto and His American Boys The Brisbane Courier No 16 232 Queensland Australia January 20 1910 p 6 Retrieved October 5 2021 via National Library of Australia San Francisco Call 18 March 1910 page 3 The San Francisco call February 20 1910 Page 72 Image 72 GENERAL NEWS The Advertiser Vol LIII no 16 303 South Australia January 17 1911 p 6 Retrieved October 31 2021 via National Library of Australia What an Australian Schoolboy is doing in the city The San Francisco call May 29 1910 Page 3 Image 3 The San Francisco call July 17 1910 Page 48 Image 48 Australian Game The Daily Telegraph No 9686 New South Wales Australia June 14 1910 p 10 Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Australian Football The Star No 394 New South Wales Australia June 18 1910 p 2 Fintal Sporting Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Football The Daily News Vol XXIX no 11 030 Western Australia October 15 1910 p 9 Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia The San Francisco call April 23 1910 Page 1 Image 1 NEW FOOTBALL TO BE GIVEN TRYOUT San Francisco Call Volume 108 Number 68 7 August 1910 San Francisco Call Volume 108 Number 70 9 August 1910 a b The San Francisco call August 11 1910 Page 10 Image 10 New South Wales Notes Referee No 1340 New South Wales Australia July 10 1912 p 13 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia Hancock Victor at Field Ball The San Francisco call September 02 1910 Page 14 Image 14 The San Francisco call San Francisco Calif 1895 1913 September 01 1910 Image 7 Field Ball will be on Card Today The San Francisco call September 1 1910 Page 12 Image 12 The San Francisco Call San Francisco California 21 Aug 1910 Page 46 Local Field Ball Team to Visit Stockton The San Francisco call November 02 1910 Page 10 Image 10 The San Francisco call San Francisco Calif 1895 1913 December 11 1910 Image 53 The San Francisco call volume January 11 1911 Page 10 Image 10 Football The Daily News Vol XXX no 11 245 Western Australia June 30 1911 p 7 Third Edition Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia Field Ball will be adopted here The San Francisco call April 07 1911 Page 12 Image 12 Field Ball Due for a Boom The San Francisco call volume April 25 1911 Page 12 Image 12 Field Ball Will Get Fine Boost San Francisco Call Volume 109 Number 156 5 May 1911 Field Ball Gets Good Big Boost The San Francisco call May 27 1911 Page 17 Image 17 Playing In Order to Do Life s Work Well The San Francisco call June 04 1911 Image 5 a b The San Francisco call June 25 1911 Page 38 Image 38 YOUNG AUSTRALIA The Evening Star Vol 13 no 3730 Western Australia April 30 1910 p 3 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia AUSTRALIAN BOYS The Daily Telegraph No 9669 New South Wales Australia May 25 1910 p 11 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia Young Australia League The Beverley Times Vol VI no 303 Western Australia June 17 1911 p 5 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia YOUNG AUSTRALIA LEAGUE The Advertiser South Australia January 26 1912 p 12 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia Field Ball Players Are Getting In Trim The San Francisco call June 25 1911 Page 38 Image 38 Ward Appointed Coach The San Francisco call August 18 1911 Page 10 Image 10 The Hope of Australia 42 Picked Boys San Francisco Call Volume 110 Number 104 12 September 1911 Australian Boys Will Line Up Against Columbia Park Lads in Fieldball Game Youngsters From Antipodes Are All Experts in Sport Which Has Recently Been Introduced Here The San Francisco call September 24 1911 Page 38 Image 38 a b Australian Boys Give Local Team a Fine Lesson in Fieldball The San Francisco call September 25 1911 Page 9 Image 9 Fine Fieldball by Local Boys The San Francisco call volume October 01 1911 Image 51 Young Australians Beat Former Countrymen at Fieldball The San Francisco call October 02 1911 Page 8 Image 8 Australian Game of Football Is Best So Says Major Peixotto the Pacific Coast Amateur Athletic Union Leader PDF The New York Times October 23 1910 Retrieved October 29 2010 San Francisco Call Volume 110 Number 93 1 September 1911 Field Ball Games Being Arranged The San Francisco call October 03 1911 Page 12 Image 12 The San Francisco call September 27 1911 Image 18 Field Ball Now A School Sport San Francisco Call Volume 111 Number 6 6 December 1911 Fieldball gains favor among schools The San Francisco call August 24 1911 Page 13 Image 13 San Francisco Call Volume 115 Number 151 23 December 1913 Booming in America Evening News No 13 929 New South Wales Australia January 30 1912 p 9 Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Y A L Boys on Tour The Evening Star Vol 15 no 4316 Western Australia March 21 1912 p 1 Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia News of the World by Our Independent Cable Service The Sun No 560 New South Wales Australia April 16 1912 p 1 FINAL EXTRA Retrieved September 29 2021 via National Library of Australia Local and General The Narrogin Observer And Williams District Representative Vol 7 no 373 Western Australia June 1 1912 p 2 Retrieved October 1 2021 via National Library of Australia The Field Ball Championships San Francisco Call Volume 114 Number 142 28 October 1913 San Francisco Call Volume 114 Number 142 28 October 1913 Columbia Boys Will Show All The World The San Francisco call March 23 1913 Page 46 Image 46 American Boys The Advertiser Vol LVI no 17 118 South Australia August 27 1913 p 18 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys The Mercury Vol XCIX no 13 626 Tasmania Australia October 15 1913 p 5 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia FOOTBALL The West Australian Vol XXIX no 3 535 Western Australia August 12 1913 p 4 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia American Boys Barrier Miner Vol XXVI no 7836 New South Wales Australia September 20 1913 p 4 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys Southern Cross Vol XXV no 1255 South Australia September 19 1913 p 11 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys The Mail Adelaide Vol 2 no 72 South Australia September 13 1913 p 7 SEVENTH SECTION Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia THE AMERICAN BOYS The West Australian Vol XXIX no 3 513 Western Australia July 17 1913 p 7 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia THE AMERICANS The West Australian Vol XXIX no 3 557 Western Australia September 6 1913 p 11 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia Australian Rules Cairns Post No 12 877 Queensland Australia June 4 1943 p 6 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia Y A L The Daily News Vol XXXIV no 12 703 Western Australia October 23 1915 p 3 Retrieved October 13 2021 via National Library of Australia Death of W Cullen Ward The Sydney Morning Herald No 23 606 New South Wales Australia September 6 1913 p 19 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia Personal The Sydney Morning Herald No 24 994 New South Wales Australia February 13 1918 p 10 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia NEW FOOTBALL CODE The Daily News Vol XXXIV no 12 628 Western Australia August 3 1915 p 4 THIRD EDITION Retrieved January 13 2022 via National Library of Australia The American Boys Goomalling dowerin Mail Vol VIII no 854 Western Australia November 7 1919 p 3 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia The American Boys The Beverley Times Vol XV no 732 Western Australia November 1 1919 p 4 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia American Boys Great Southern Herald Vol 18 no 1 642 Western Australia October 8 1919 p 2 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia AUSTRALIAN AND GAELIC CODES The Australasian Vol CXXI no 4 048 Victoria Australia July 31 1926 p 41 METROPOLITAN EDITION Retrieved November 1 2021 via National Library of Australia ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR AMERICA The Daily News Vol XLV no 15 999 Western Australia August 6 1926 p 4 HOME FINAL EDITION Retrieved February 13 2023 via National Library of Australia FOOTBALL IN AMERICA The Daily News Vol XLVII no 16 601 Western Australia July 16 1928 p 1 HOME FINAL EDITION Retrieved February 13 2023 via National Library of Australia a b Teams for America Sporting Globe No 1014 Victoria Australia April 27 1932 p 8 Edition2 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia Our Game in America The Herald No 15 996 Victoria Australia August 24 1928 p 15 Retrieved October 6 2021 via National Library of Australia CON HICKEY TALKS ON AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL Call News pictorial No 296 Western Australia May 10 1929 p 19 Retrieved October 7 2021 via National Library of Australia Cargi Greeves Thinks Success Assured for American Tour Sporting Globe No 1027 Victoria Australia June 11 1932 p 6 FINALEDITION Retrieved February 13 2023 via National Library of Australia Grand Game Sporting Globe No 1046 Victoria Australia August 17 1932 p 10 Edition1 Retrieved September 30 2021 via National Library of Australia EXHIBITION GAME IN U S A The Daily News Vol LI no 17 776 Western Australia April 29 1932 p 2 HOME FINAL EDITION Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia TEAMS SHOULD GO TO AMERICA Sporting Globe No 1016 Victoria Australia May 4 1932 p 1 Edition1 Retrieved February 13 2023 via National Library of Australia Daily News Los Angeles Volume 11 Number 291 8 August 1934 FOOTBALL The Daily News Vol LVI no 19 743 Western Australia July 6 1938 p 8 CITY FINAL Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia Saving League s Face in U S A Sporting Globe No 1734 Victoria Australia February 8 1939 p 1 Edition1 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia Football The Age No 27431 Victoria Australia March 20 1943 p 3 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia The Tampa Tribune Tampa Florida 26 Mar 1944 Page 20 Football or not The Argus Melbourne VIC July 19 1943 p 9 Australia d Yanks The Age Melbourne VIC August 2 1943 p 4 DELLMUTH SAYS SOLID DRIVE NEEDED IN Sporting Globe No 2743 Victoria Australia October 2 1948 p 7 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia AUST FOOTBALL IN USA NOW POSSIBILITY North eastern Courier Vol 24 no 1310 Western Australia November 26 1948 p 8 MODERN WEEKLY News Magazine Retrieved November 13 2021 via National Library of Australia Popularising the Game Overseas The Age No 28944 Victoria Australia January 31 1948 p 3 Retrieved November 13 2021 via National Library of Australia AUSTRALIAN GAME IN AMERICA The West Australian Vol 64 no 19 260 Western Australia April 8 1948 p 16 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia Rules Teams For America The Daily Telegraph Vol XII no 274 New South Wales Australia February 9 1948 p 11 Retrieved November 13 2021 via National Library of Australia NAVY TEAM S CODE MATCH The Courier mail No 3346 Queensland Australia August 15 1947 p 3 SPORTING SUPPLEMENT Retrieved November 13 2021 via National Library of Australia AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL The West Australian Vol 64 no 19 227 Western Australia February 28 1948 p 9 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia COLD DOUCHE ON OUR FOOTBALL FOR AMERICA Sporting Globe No 2705 Victoria Australia May 22 1948 p 7 Retrieved November 15 2021 via National Library of Australia Chance for our footballers to play in America Sporting Globe No 2932 Victoria Australia July 22 1950 p 1 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia Overseas Tour Football Move The Age No 30950 Victoria Australia July 14 1954 p 14 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia Demonwiki 1963 Exhibition Match 1 vs Geelong Demonwiki org Access Date 2018 11 25 Demonwiki 1963 Exhibition Match 2 vs Geelong Demonwiki org Access Date 2018 11 25 Madera Tribune Volume 72 Number 96 27 September 1963 Corry Eoghan 2010 The History of Gaelic Football The Definitive History of Gaelic Football from 1873 Gill amp Macmillan Ltd ISBN 9780717163694 Retrieved March 21 2018 Burke 1998 p 15 Burke does not supply the match s final score except to say that the New York Irish were in front 11 5 at half time and that the Galahs were unable to add to their half time score For more on Barassi s injury and his later friendship with Brendan Tumulty see Reference at www ronbarassi com au VFL on American TV The Canberra Times Vol 54 no 16 267 Australian Capital Territory Australia April 9 1980 p 36 Retrieved November 14 2021 via National Library of Australia Timeline of VFL AFL Broadcast Rights Sports Industry AU AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL The Canberra Times Vol 57 no 17 485 Australian Capital Territory Australia August 13 1983 p 43 Retrieved December 17 2021 via National Library of Australia AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL SA matches for Chinese TV The Canberra Times Vol 58 no 17 770 Australian Capital Territory Australia May 24 1984 p 22 Retrieved April 27 2023 via National Library of Australia Reference at www heraldsun com au Reference at www heraldsun com au TimeS Sport Canberra link in move for Los Angeles VFL side The Canberra Times Vol 62 no 18 989 Australian Capital Territory Australia October 1 1987 p 18 Retrieved October 28 2021 via National Library of Australia Millane and Bourke sell VFL in US The Canberra Times Vol 63 no 19 358 Australian Capital Territory Australia October 6 1988 p 18 Retrieved May 2 2022 via National Library of Australia Linnell Stephen August 12 1996 League plan for foreign list The Age Retrieved November 5 2016 MAAFL League History Midfooty com Archived from the original on July 14 2011 Retrieved October 29 2010 US Footy News North Carolina State University at Raleigh Australian Rules Football Club Constitution PDF North Carolina State University October 28 1999 Retrieved February 25 2023 Aussie rules American style Air Force Vol 44 no 14 Australia Australia August 1 2002 p 23 Retrieved July 10 2022 via National Library of Australia MAAFL Mid American Australian Football League MAAFL History Midfooty com Archived from the original on July 14 2011 Retrieved October 29 2010 Northey Brett August 22 2004 2004 US National Collegiate Invitational World Footy News Retrieved February 25 2023 Adjusting to Eagles not easy for Rocca from delawareonline com Sheedy proves a hit in US News com au Adams Chris April 7 2008 New boys St John s are 2008 USFooty College Champs World Footy News Retrieved February 25 2023 Game Results USAFL com November 22 2014 Retrieved February 25 2023 Baldwin Adam April 25 2016 Collingwood s American import Mason Cox boots first goal with first kick on ANZAC Day Fox Sports Magpie Mason Cox s debut an American dream Apr 25 2016 Mason Cox Q amp A Surgery finals and Australian citizenship October 17 2016 ESPN 18 Oct 2016 American Pie Mason Cox and Magpies in AFL final Associated Press September 26 2018 AP News September 26 2018 Tang S B October 8 2018 How an American Basketball Player Became a Star in Australian Rules Football The New York Times S B Tang New York Times October 8 2018 Mason Cox and brother Nolan help Austin Crows win back to back flags at USAFL nationals October 26 2019 thewest com au 26 October 2019 US comedian Conan O Brien joins Sydney Swans training and definitely doesn t look ridiculous February 18 2019 Fox Sports February 19th 2019 Ex NFL star celebrates AFL return after one night stand with the sport June 6 2020 Fox Footy June 6th 2020 a b AFL signs U S broadcast deal with ESPN from ESPN Niall Seewang 14 Jun 2020 AFL Big Guns fly to US for discussions on Broadcast Rights from SEN com au 25th April 2022 a b Texas man becomes unlikely Australian rules football star mastering world s roughest sport by JON WERTHEIM 30 APRIL 2023 2020 Multicultural Map revealed AFLPA Retrieved October 6 2020 a b Greater Western Sydney youngster Harry Himmelberg faces a big test against St Kilda Emma Quayle Tim Taranto could be bigger than Texas in this year s draft The Age 22 November 2016 2020 Multicultural Map revealed AFLPA Retrieved October 6 2020 Gold Coast may have to call up players not ready for senior football because of injury crisis from the Gold Coast Bulletin May 17 2016 Touk Miller draws inspiration from marathon Mum a b AFLPA multicultural map The big American lands at Carlton By Danielle Balales Carlton Media on Jul 29 2015 Sydney Swans Sign Patrick Mitchell as International Rookie from USAFL on August 4 2013 Zac Clarke answers your questions Aug 26 2013 Where in the World Aflcommunityclub com au Retrieved November 17 2015 Peter Bell and the singular quest of Kyung Ae from ABC Broadcast 5 August 2019 Indescribable American Dani Marshall breaks AFLW ground The Age February 10 2020 Retrieved February 10 2020 AFL Annual Report 2020 PDF Brett World Footy Census 2004 North America Worldfootynews com Retrieved October 29 2010 2006 USAFL Annual Report PDF AFL International Census 2007 PDF Archived from the original PDF on May 24 2011 Retrieved October 29 2010 2011 USAFL Annual Report PDF Connecting The World Through International Single Source PDF Archived from the original PDF on December 24 2012 Retrieved December 6 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Australian rules football in the United States amp oldid 1211902208, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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