Corrupt Socceristas impose Association Football on Tasmanian Cricketers

Well not really. But the origins of organised soccer in Tasmania go back to a meeting in which the knowledge of standing orders seemed as important as the desire of the members. A fascinating look at one moment in the 1879 Hobart code war, when one football club chose to play soccer. The piece was published in the Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston) 7 May 1879.

Cricketers Football Club - A meeting of members of the Cricketers Football Club was held at the Queen's Battery, Hobart Town, on Monday, the Mercury says, (a key of the pavilion not forthcoming). About fifteen gentlemen were present. Mr G.S. Chapman (mounted on a gun carriage) presided. The secretary, Mr H.B. Smith, read a draft of general rules which the committee had drawn up for the approval of the club. The only amendments made related to the number to form a quorum of a general meeting, which was fixed at twelve, the number of requisitionists required to call a special meeting fixed at ten, and the notice to be given of such meeting, which was reduced from ten to four days. The chief discussion took place upon the choice of rules under which the club should play. The chairman said the club had to choose between the genuine English game of football and the Victoria game, in which there was a large admixture of handball. The two styles were totally dissimilar, and the Victorian game was the roughest of the two. Captain Boddam moved that the English Association rules be adopted. The Victorian rules had been tried at home and discarded, being provocative of endless disputes. The Association game was easily learned, being comprised in but few rules, and it was a much more showy game than the Victorian, which was not football but more the handball played by girls at school. There was much more satisfaction in playing the Association game than the Victorian game, which was merely a succession of long drop kicks and runs with the ball. For himself he would prefer to play the Rugby rules but the rules were too numerous and intricate to be readily learned, besides demanding the highest physical training and stamina. Other local clubs may have adopted the Victorian rules, but nevertheless the Cricketers Club should make a stand, and try to have the Association rules uniformly accepted. Mr Smith, on seconding the resolution, expressed a preference for the Rugby game, which he had played in England, but as it comprised of some 60 rules it would be too elaborate to introduce here. The Association club should lead instead of being led in the matter of rules, and if a Football Association were to be formed, as was very desirable, it would only be right that it should play under the rules of the English body of that name. Mr T. Crisp moved an amendment that the Victorian rules be adopted. He said Tasmanian players were accustomed to similar rules, and the clubs which had adopted them would keep to them. The amendment was not seconded, and on the motion being put, it was carried by 10 votes to 9. Some doubt, however, existed as to the validity of the voting, as several High School pupils took part in it who had not been elected members of the club.