Item #122282 A vintage photograph of the Southern Team in the 'North v. South Annual Football Match. Played on Adelaide Oval, August 18, 1894'. Indigenous Australian Portraiture.
[Indigenous Australian Portraiture]

A vintage photograph of the Southern Team in the 'North v. South Annual Football Match. Played on Adelaide Oval, August 18, 1894'

Norwood, [Unknown Photographer], Muller St. 1894.

A gelatin silver photograph (maximum dimensions approximately 223 × 276 mm), on the original captioned mount (external dimensions approximately 350 × 420 mm).

The photograph is heavily chipped with some loss (confined almost exclusively to the margins) and a little stained along the right-hand side, with two sealed tears; the mount is stained and soiled, with a few sealed breaks and with some marginal loss (particularly to the bottom left-hand corner, removing with it the name of the photographer and the names of the five men on the extreme left of the image - three of them are players, two of whom are Indigenous); notwithstanding, a very rare item in passable condition, now loosely backed up with stiff card in a custom-made Mylar sleeve.

'Expansion of football into country areas was rapid and by the 1890s many country associations had been formed. Two of the biggest matches staged on Adelaide Oval during 1892 and 1893 were between combined country teams north and south of Adelaide. Clubs represented included Burra, Kapunda, Gawler, Peterborough, Angaston, Clare, Port Pirie, Auburn, and Truro for the Northerners, and Aldinga, Goolwa, Milang, Strathalbyn, Mt Gambier, Robe, Point Victor and Point Macleay for the South. Described as the "most important country match played in South Australia", the first game drew four thousand spectators and was won by the Southerners, nine goals to three.... The second match in 1893 was a disappointment with the North turning the tables to the tune of sixteen goals to four, their opponents being weakened by the absence of the Aborigines' (Bernard Whimpress: 'The South Australian Football Story', 1983). There are at least four Indigenous players in this photograph of the Southern Team for the match the following year; the losing margin was cut to a mere three points (South 3.7 v North 3.10). The Adelaide 'Advertiser', in its lengthy report of the match on Monday 20 August 1894, called it a 'drawn contest': 'The annual match between representatives of country teams situated north of the city and those from the south took place on the Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon. The attendance was hardly so large as the promoters expected despite the fine weather, but this no doubt can be attributed to the fact that races were being held on the Old Course. As it was, however, a finely-contested game resulted and at no time could the spectators complain that they were not treated to an exciting match. The rivalry between the two teams was keen and each member strove his hardest to win. The natives from Point Macleay soon became great favorites with the spectators, who fully appreciated their excellent play. They wore no boots, but this did not interfere with their kicking in the least, while they were very fast and agile, for when they received a tumble they were no sooner down than they were up and after the ball'. The article includes a list of all the players: those on the Southern team are 'H. Hewitt (rover), F. Wilson and F. Gollan (followers), and L. Cambell (left wing), Point Macleay; A.E. Jackson (half-centre back), Millicent; W. Waye (follower), T. Arthurs (forward left wing), and F. Aldam (half-forward left wing), Willunga; T. Fallon (centre-forward) and G. Halliday (right wing), Strathalbyn; W. Kenney (back left wing) and H. Morton (half back left wing), Happy Valley; J. Power (follower), Goolwa; W. Foote (centre back) and O.J. Caust (half-forward right wing), Gumeracha; W. Correll (centre), Woodside; L.B. Addison (back right wing), Mount Barker; G. Gunning (half-forward centre), Narracoorte; A.D. Banks (forward right wing), Robe; and W. Mardos (half-back right wing), Murray Bridge'.

Item #122282

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