.The 2024 AFL Grand Final is most certainly an extensive one carrying the big however even more casual TV audiences of Brisbane and Sydney along for the ride can make it the most-watched flag decider in footy history.Though it'll absolutely have a larger reader than the last opportunity these clubs, in previous semblances, challenged in the Grand Final. Since television really did not exist yet.While relocations and mergings indicate the Swans and also Lions may not be exactly the same clubs which helped found the VFL, our team should not ignore their shared pasts which go back more than a century.South Melbourne and Fitzroy assisted produce the Victorian Regulation football Game, besides, and also it's 125 years because they - at that point called the Bloods as well as Maroons - challenged in the second-ever Grand Final.Grand FinalIMAGINE WHAT YOU CAN BE BUYING AS AN ALTERNATIVE. Totally free and also private support call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or go to gamblinghelponline.org.au.It's risk-free to point out footy was actually a little various in 1899. Watch the most ideal build-up to the 2024 AFL Grand Final, with pro review, the Grand Final March and full Grand Final time coverage, on Fox Footy using Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your cost-free trial today > VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIERS FOR 1899.-- THE FITZROY TEAM AND SUPPORTERS. FIRST ROW. -A. Roberts, A. M'Cormick (Personal Trainer), E. Melling (Coach), W. Baird (Aide Fitness Instructor), A. Moses, 1 1 (Trainer), E. Melllng (Fitness Instructor), W. Baird (Aide Coach), A. Moses, J. Kerrigan, A. Middleton. L. Z. Delsarte. SECOND ROW.-- Councillor R. Barr, T. W. Andrew (Committee), W. H. 1 1 HlED Roto heeler, Councillor Total (Mayor) Hon. R W. Top (President), T. F. Power (Vice-presideDt), Dr F. J. Owen. (Hon. Physsian), C. M. Hickey (Hon. Assistant), W. Park (Hon. Treasurer), T. Banks II' G- Nolan, W. Dalton, G Moriarty W. Potter P. Descrimes, J. Grace, F. Fontaine. H. Clark. A. Mulcahy, W. Thompson, A. Beecham. 4TH ROW.-- E. Drohan, W. Cleary, P. Hickey, W. M'Speerin ice-captain), A. B. Sloan (Captain) M. Style, A. E. Sharp, H. G. M'Ewen, J. Deas. 5TH ROW.-- A. M Dougall, E. Jenkins, J. Dalton, K. Robinson, C. Kiernan.Source: SuppliedAT LEAST YOU CARRIED OUTN'T HAVE TO REST OUTSIDE THE MCG FOR TICKETSBy a distance, the 1899 VFL Grand Final included the smallest interrupt the activity's background - as well as the equal-smallest scope, with Fitzroy's 3.9 (27) beating South Melbourne's 3.8 (26 ). But horrific climate, as well as a distinct site, lagged the small participation of 4823. Unmerciful rain as well as wind brought in situations tough for gamers and viewers equally, with all 6 targets for the time booted along with the wind at the player's spine." It drizzled for eleven hrs just before the game," the Nerve Manual of VFL Finals discussed, with South Melbourne asking for the game to become held off yet Fitzroy pleased to play.Writing for The Grow older, 'Fan' stated: "The convening of regarding 4000 fans in the undesirable circumstances indicated accurately that, if the weather condition had always kept penalty, the appearance would possess been actually substantial." As it was actually, those existing shown keen rate of interest in the game, every noteworthy little bit of good play being heartily cheered. Amongst the sightseers were actually a lot of aficionados from Geelong, that arised by unique learn." McShane possessed the ground in splendid order until the rainfall happened, and also after the steadydownpour, crossing a lot of hrs, it participated in quite, much better than might possess been assumed, demonstrating wonderful credit report on the seasoned and skil-ful conservator. Both edges were actually firmly worked with, but Fitzroy lacked the assistance of their ingenious little forward gamer, Kiernan, whose spot was actually taken by the expert Cleary." Almost never has such a fine game of soccer been actually participated in under such disadvantages, and after a mag-nificent fight, the interest through which never flagged for a moment, Fitzroy, succeeding through a singular score, left behind the ground, as they performed at the termination of their suit with Essendon last year, winners of the desired premiership." Although the sturdy south wind regulated towards the close of the afternoon, it possessed always a marked impact on the play, 6 goals 13 behinds being scored at the north end and also merely 4 behinds at the south conclusion in the course of the afternoon." Dunkley deja vu in advance of Swans rematch|03:03 The option of site on its own, Street Kilda's Joint Oval, was actually a very early sign that finances will confirm a necessary think about where the league's Grand Final is played in the future.The MCG, with a capability at the time of just about 60,000, was certainly not used till 1902 as well as crowds at the modern home of Grand Finals will not arrive at over 50,000 up until 1908. There were require the activity to be dipped into the East Melbourne Cricket Ground - in between modern-day Jolimont Street and also the train lines leading into Flinders Road Terminal, and also for an extended period the host of VFA finals - yet that will possess set you back the VFL much more money.The EMCG desired to take 33 percent of the gate, while Joint Egg-shaped allowed only 10 percent not that this mattered as much in any case when bad weather condition severely limited the group." In decid-ing on the ground for the final match the game authorities were actually assisted entirely through financial con-siderations, as well as, in paying no attention to the claims of a central ground like East Melbourne in favour of a suv book, everyone convenience was, most certainly, given up for the sake of a handful of pounds," 'Aged Boy' recorded The Argus.St Kilda training at Joint Oval in 2014. Resource: Updates Corp AustraliaSOUTH PROBABLY MUSTCERTAINLY NOT HAVE ALSO BEEN THEREThe contemporary AFL is actually already looking in the direction of growing the finals unit, likely when the league grows, however since time dot it has been experimenting with various formats.In the VFL's first time of 1897 there was actually no Grand Final, along with the leading 4 instead playing a three-week round-robin, along with traits evening the score much more complex for the next three years with the overview of 'sectionals'. It goes without saying eight intercourse 14 ready a dual round-robin, the organization was split right into two teams of 4, along with first, 3rd, 5th and 7th all playing one another once again, as well as second, fourth, sixth and also 8th carrying out the same.This clearly unbalanced unit - which offered the slight premier a more durable set of opponents - suggested winless Street Kilda featured in the 1899 post-season, dropping its three games by a mixed 329 points.This also allowed South Melbourne, who completed sixth with a 5-9 record, to disturb second-placed Geelong through 3 points as well as fourth-placed Essendon by 15 aspects and obtain the second-ever VFL Grand Final. (Dipping into the very same opportunity as South vs Essendon, Geelong did its own best to create amount in the circumstances of a Bloods loss, defeating St Kilda 162 to 1.) The instant that let the Cats down|00:59 However that wasn't even the best disputable element, since this was back thens of the Challenge Rule.This enabled the small premier to request for a rematch along with the team that gained the Grand Final, even when that crew didn't make what will've otherwise been actually the Grand Final. For example in 1900, Fitzroy was minor premier yet failed to make it out of the sectionals, instead seeing Melbourne defeat Essendon in the post-season finale, just before losing to Melbourne a week later on in the Grand Final.This is actually one reason credited for the label of the 'Preliminary Finals', due to the fact that the end result was preliminary depending on who gained it if the minor premier succeeded, that video game was actually the Grand Final, but if the slight premier lost, it was actually not.Indeed in some situations a crew benefited by resting players and also therefore dropping the 'Preliminary Final' so it was at full-strength for its own ensured Grand Final. (Ross Lyon will possess had an industry time.) Some conspiracy theory thinkers also recommended teams colluded to ensure the minor premier would shed the 'Preparatory Ultimate' to make sure another large entrance for the Grand Final." That Fitzroy deserved their triumph appears, yet what a farce it would certainly have been had actually the Maroons been actually hammered for the premiership by South Melbourne," 'Outdated Boy' wrote." From a gateway amount of money perspective (it) may be all right, yet, as an examination of durability in a set of games, it is of no market value whatever." Warwick Armstrong leads his group onto the field for the first test at Trent Link, Australia vs England, in 1921. England shed through 10 wickets.Source: Headlines Corporation AustraliaAT LEAST THE GAME ITSELF WAS CLOSEWe has to first keep in mind the largest name in the activity - who at some point located popularity across the summer months, as opposed to the winter.Warwick Armstrong was actually merely twenty years old when the eventual captain of the Australian cricket crew, called 'The Significant Ship' due to his big 191cm structure, went out in the back wallet for the Bloods.Armstrong went on to play 50 Exams for Australia as an all-rounder, debuting in 1902 and leading the nation to a 5-0 whitewash over the touring English in the summer months of 1920-21. Armstrong's Bloods possessed their odds to succeed the game, however our team can merely imagine the failure from the pros coming from On The Mahogany Stools of the late mistakes by his teammate Harry Lampe." South's breakdown to rack up much more than one point versus the wind plus a number of bad skips with it in the third one-fourth did certainly not assist them as well as they dropped in a heart-stopping appearance by one factor," the Guts Book of VFL Finals claimed." Billy McSpeerin of Fitzroy scored what proved to become the winning target fifteen minutes into the final one-fourth. This left South still along with time to get out of bed however Lampe kicked extremely for a behind and after that just before the alarm stopped even more improperly and totally fell short to score." Fitzroy, nevertheless, on the time and on the year's efficiencies were a much better edge and they will perhaps have actually been actually unlucky to drop as 2 'signboards' were consisted of in their score." The bravely called moderator Holly 'Ivo' Crapp, currently a Venue of Famer, was praised for his attempts by 'Follower' - with the intentional out-of-bounds rule confirming vital to the outcome." South Melbourne, possessing a top of 1 goal, set to work to maintain it by purposely kicking out of bounds at every opportunity. After skipping pair of or three such misdemeanors, Crapp endeavoured to inspect all of them by penalisation," he wrote." The peacemaker's activity, as may be actually visualized, was no sinecure however Crapp amounted to the affair, controling the play im-partially and also effectively, however, as usual on such an affair, the promoters of very first one side and after that the various other had the ability to explain 'peering mis-takes,' although they were actually only looking at the activity 'along with one eye'." Warwick Armstrong bowling in the early 1900s. Source: Information Corp Australia1899 VFL GRAND FINALMatch rundown by means of The Nerve Publication of VFL FinalsFITZROY 0.1 2.4 2.6 3.9 (27 )South Melbourne 2.3 2.3 3.7 3.8 (26 )BestFitzroy: Hickey, Clark, Deas, Jenkins, McEwan, Drohan, Robinson, SloanSouth: Howson, Trimm, Davidson, Garbutt, Lampe, PleassGoalsFitzroy: McSpeerin, M.Grace, FontaineSouth: Lampe 2, ColganLine-upsFitzroyB: McEwen, G.Moriarty, JenkinsHB: Deas, Hickey, Sloan (c) C: Drohan, Clarke, RobinsonHF: Decrimes, Fontaine, W.DaltonF: McDougall, J.Grace, ClearyR: M.Grace, Potter, McSpeerin * C.Kiernan decided on "yet failed to turn up" South MelbourneB: F.O' Hara, Adamson (c), ArmstrongHB: Trimm, Goding, DavidsonC: J.O' Hara, Windley, Natural Herb HowsonHF: James, Lampe, JeanerettF: Fraser, Colgan, HenleyR: Pleass, Garbutt, BryceAttendance: 4823 at Joint OvalUmpire: Crapp.