.The 2024 AFL Grand Final is most certainly a huge one taking the large but much more laid-back television readers of Brisbane and also Sydney along for the experience could create it the most-watched flag decider in footy history.Though it'll definitely have a greater audience than the last time these clubs, in previous guises, faced off in the Grand Final. Due to the fact that TV really did not exist yet.While relocations and mergings suggest the Swans and Lions may not be precisely the exact same groups which assisted discovered the VFL, our team should not overlook their shared histories which date back more than a century.South Melbourne and also Fitzroy helped produce the Victorian Football League, besides, and it is actually 125 years considering that they - at that point known as the Bloods and Maroons - challenged in the second-ever Grand Final.Grand FinalIMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD BE ACQUIRING RATHER. Completely free and also confidential help call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or even check out gamblinghelponline.org.au.It's safe to say footy was a little bit various in 1899. View the best buildup to the 2024 AFL Grand Final, along with pro analysis, the Grand Final Procession and total Grand Final day protection, on Fox Footy via Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free test today > VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIERS FOR 1899.-- THE FITZROY GROUP AS WELL AS SUPPORTERS. FIRST ROW. -A. Roberts, A. M'Cormick (Instructor), E. Melling (Coach), W. Baird (Associate Coach), A. Moses, 1 1 (Personal Trainer), E. Melllng (Trainer), W. Baird (Aide Personal Trainer), 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 (Head Of State), T. F. Electrical Power (Vice-presideDt), Dr F. J. Owen. (Hon. Physsian), C. M. Hickey (Hon. Secretary), W. Park (Hon. Treasurer), T. Banks II' G- Nolan, W. Dalton, G Moriarty W. Potter P. Descrimes, J. Style, F. Fontaine. H. Clark. A. Mulcahy, W. Thompson, A. Beecham. FOURTH ROW.-- E. Drohan, W. Cleary, P. Hickey, W. M'Speerin ice-captain), A. B. Sloan (Captain) M. Elegance, A. E. Sharp, H. G. M'Ewen, J. Deas. FIFTH ROW.-- A. M Dougall, E. Jenkins, J. Dalton, K. Robinson, C. Kiernan.Source: SuppliedAT LEAST YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SLEEP OUTSIDE THE MCG FOR TICKETSBy a proximity, the 1899 VFL Grand Final included the littlest enter the activity's record - as well as the equal-smallest frame, along with Fitzroy's 3.9 (27) beating South Melbourne's 3.8 (26 ). But loathsome climate, as well as a distinct location, were behind the small presence of 4823. Severe storm and also wind made situations challenging for players and also observers equally, along with all six goals for the day kicked along with the wind at the gamer's back." It rained for eleven hours before the activity," the Nerve Manual of VFL Finals described, along with South Melbourne calling for the activity to be delayed yet Fitzroy delighted to play.Writing for The Age, 'Fan' said: "The assembling of regarding 4000 viewers in the bad instances suggested accurately that, if the weather had actually always kept great, the appearance would have been huge." As it was actually, those found evinced keen passion in the activity, every remarkable little bit of great play being actually heartily cheered. Amongst the sightseers were actually a variety of lovers from Geelong, who arised by special train." McShane had the ground in magnificent order up until the storm came, and also also after the steadydownpour, extending over several hrs, it participated in really, better than might have been actually assumed, mirroring fantastic credit score on the expert and skil-ful conservator. Each edges were highly embodied, yet Fitzroy were without the aid of their ingenious little bit of aggressive player, Kiernan, whose place was taken due to the pro Cleary." Rarely possesses such a great game of football been participated in under such drawbacks, and also after a mag-nificent war, the enthusiasm in which never ever hailed momentarily, Fitzroy, winning by a single score, left behind the ground, as they carried out at the termination of their match with Essendon in 2015, victors of the desired premiership." Although the sturdy south doddle regulated in the direction of the shut of the afternoon, it possessed consistently a marked impact on the play, 6 objectives thirteen behinds being actually racked up at the north end and simply 4 behinds at the south side during the mid-day." Dunkley deja vu in front of Swans rematch|03:03 The choice of site itself, St Kilda's Joint Oval, was actually a very early sign that funds would certainly confirm a crucial factor in where the league's Grand Final is actually played in the future.The MCG, along with a capacity at that time of virtually 60,000, was actually not made use of until 1902 as well as crowds at the modern-day home of Grand Finals would certainly not reach over 50,000 up until 1908. There were require the video game to become played at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground - in between contemporary Jolimont Road and the railway leading into Flinders Road Station, and also for a substantial period the host of VFA finals - but that would've cost the VFL more money.The EMCG wished to take thirty three per cent of eviction, while Joint Oval taken merely 10 per cent certainly not that this mattered as much in any case when unsatisfactory weather severely limited the group." In decid-ing on the ground for the ultimate match the league authorities were actually helped solely by financial con-siderations, as well as, in disregarding the claims of a central ground like East Melbourne in favour of a country reserve, everyone advantage was, undeniably, given up because a handful of extra pounds," 'Old Kid' filled in The Argus.St Kilda instruction at Junction Oval in 2014. Resource: Information Corp AustraliaSOUTH PROBABLY MUSTN'T HAVE EVEN BEEN THEREThe present day AFL is currently looking in the direction of broadening the finals device, likely when the league broadens, but since time populate it has been actually experimenting with different formats.In the VFL's first time of 1897 there was actually no Grand Final, with the top 4 as an alternative playing a three-week round-robin, with points getting back at extra complicated for the following three years along with the overview of 'sectionals'. It goes without saying eight teams played 14 ready a dual round-robin, the game was actually split in to pair of groups of 4, along with first, third, 5th and also 7th all playing each other once more, and also second, 4th, 6th and also 8th performing the same.This definitely unbalanced system - which offered the small premier a harder collection of enemies - meant winless St Kilda included in the 1899 post-season, shedding its 3 activities through a bundled 329 points.This additionally allowed South Melbourne, who finished sixth with a 5-9 report, to distress second-placed Geelong by 3 aspects as well as fourth-placed Essendon through 15 points as well as get the second-ever VFL Grand Final. (Dipping into the same opportunity as South vs Essendon, Geelong performed its own absolute best to build percent in the conditions of a Bloods reduction, defeating St Kilda 162 to 1.) The minute that let the Cats down|00:59 Yet that wasn't also the best questionable aspect, given that this was back in the days of the Difficulty Rule.This allowed the minor premier to request a rematch with the team that succeeded the Grand Final, even when that crew failed to create what would certainly possess or else been the Grand Final. For instance in 1900, Fitzroy was actually minor premier but really did not produce it away from the sectionals, instead watching Melbourne trump Essendon in the post-season ending, before shedding to Melbourne a week later on in the Grand Final.This is actually one explanation credited for the label of the 'Preliminary Finals', since the outcome was preparatory depending on who succeeded it if the minor premier won, that video game was the Grand Final, yet if the slight premier shed, it was not.Indeed in some situations a crew benefited by relaxing gamers as well as thereby losing the 'Preliminary Ultimate' so it was at full-strength for its ensured Grand Final. (Ross Lyon will've possessed an industry time.) Some conspiracy theory theorists even advised staffs conspired so that the slight premier would certainly shed the 'Initial Ultimate' to make certain yet another sizable gateway for the Grand Final." That Fitzroy deserved their victory appears, however what a farce it would certainly have been had actually the Maroons been hammered for the premiership by South Melbourne," 'Outdated Child' wrote." From a gateway loan perspective (it) might be okay, but, as a test of stamina in a set of games, it is of no value whatever." Warwick Armstrong leads his group onto the area for the initial test at Trent Link, Australia vs England, in 1921. England dropped by 10 wickets.Source: Information Corp AustraliaAT LEAST THE GAME ITSELF WAS CLOSEWe has to first note the greatest label in the video game - that eventually found prominence throughout the summertime, rather than the winter.Warwick Armstrong was actually simply 20 years aged when the resulting leader of the Australian cricket team, called 'The Significant Ship' because of his large 191cm framework, ran out in the rear pocket for the Bloods.Armstrong happened to participate in fifty Tests for Australia as an all-rounder, debuting in 1902 as well as leading the nation to a 5-0 whitewash over the exploring English in the summer season of 1920-21. Armstrong's Bloods had their chances to gain the activity, yet our company can merely visualize the breakdown coming from the professionals coming from On The Mahogany Stools of the overdue oversights through his colleague Harry Lampe." South's failure to rack up more than one aspect versus the wind plus a number of poor overlooks with it in the third one-fourth carried out certainly not aid them and they decreased in a breathtaking surface by one aspect," the Tenacity Publication of VFL Finals said." Billy McSpeerin of Fitzroy scored what confirmed to be the gaining target fifteen moments in to the final one-fourth. This left South still along with opportunity to get up but Lampe kicked extremely for an overdue and then prior to the alarm kicked even more inadequately and also completely failed to credit rating." Fitzroy, having said that, on the day and also on the year's efficiencies were a better side and also they will most likely have been unfortunate to drop as two 'signboards' were featured in their credit rating." The bravely called umpire Holly 'Ivo' Crapp, currently a Venue of Famer, was actually complimented for his efforts through 'Fan' - with the deliberate out-of-bounds rule confirming important to the result." South Melbourne, possessing a lead of 1 target, set to operate to maintain it by intentionally evicting of bounds at every chance. After overlooking two or even three such offences, Crapp endeavoured to examine them through penalisation," he composed." The peacemaker's activity, as might be actually imagined, was actually no sinecure yet Crapp amounted to the event, moderating the play im-partially and also properly, however, customarily on such an affair, the fans of first one side and afterwards the other managed to reveal 'peering mis-takes,' although they were only looking at the video game 'with one eye'." Warwick Armstrong bowling in the early 1900s. Resource: Updates Corporation Australia1899 VFL GRAND FINALMatch summary using The Courage Book 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 picked "but fell short to show up" South MelbourneB: F.O' Hara, Adamson (c), ArmstrongHB: Trimm, Goding, DavidsonC: J.O' Hara, Windley, Cannabis HowsonHF: James, Lampe, JeanerettF: Fraser, Colgan, HenleyR: Pleass, Garbutt, BryceAttendance: 4823 at Joint OvalUmpire: Crapp.