Player details from the mid-1880s

Between 1875 and 1881 a journal called The Footballer produced stats about Victorian clubs and footballers and included brief accounts of players that referred to their particular skills and playing styles. Once The Footballer folded it is rare to find similar accounts in later times, but when Victorian teams toured Adelaide in the mid-1880s, newspapers like The South Australian Register provided player profiles to acquaint their readers with the visiting teams. I have come across two. The first is the touring Hotham side in 1885, and the second refers to the great Geelong premiership side of 1886. I can provide Christian names and more details for some of these players if anyone is interested.

Hotham players 1885

A. Anderson – A good wing player and a sure mark.
H. Alessio – Also plays on the wing; good kick and mark.
A. Buncle – Splendid back player on the right wing, also follows well.
G. Bailey – Very fast on the wing
J. Cherry – Forward wing player.
B. Flowers – Good follower and pretty sure.
H. Hems – Follows well, always being on the ball.
R. Houston – A good man anywhere. Generally is goal sneak; very sure.
W.A. Johnston – One of the best back players in Victoria.
W.M. Johnston – Wingman, and also good follower.
A. Ley – Can hold his own in any part of the field.
J. Morris – Follower; fastest man in the twenty.
J. McCracken – Very fast; plays half-back.
E. Nairn – Wing player and good follower; splendid kick.
A. Neely – Good mark and kick; plays in the centre or forward.
P. O’Brien – Good anywhere.
H. Perkins – A first rate follower.
D. Peters – Forward player, also good follower.
J. Rae – Best wing player in the team; very fast.
A. Riley – Follower, fair mark and kick.
G. Sykes – Good forward man.
J. Tankard – Best follower in the team.
A. Todd – Splendid kick.
H. Todd – One of the best forward men in Victoria, really good mark, and kicks well.

Geelong Players 1886

S. Boyd – A recruit from the juniors, and one of the best in the team either back or forward; splendid kick.
A. Boyd – From the Geelong College. Very cool, fine mark, and wonderful kick.
C. Blunt – One of the second twenty. Plays a safe back game; very sure.
J. Eldridge – Follower, strong and determined, always on the ball.
W. Foote – Very unassuming player, but the most useful; plays equally well back or following.
J. Galbraith – A follower, with plenty of weight and dash; fine mark and kick.
F. Goddard – Plays on the wing, has a very pretty style, and runs fast.
D. Hickinbotham – (Captain) As a centre player is unequalled, running and dodging well; possesses the confidence of the team, which he handles very successfully.
J. Julien – A very fast and pretty player, handles the ball well, and kicks some wonderful goals.
J.F. Kerley – Has lost none of his brilliancy; runs, marks, and kicks in fine style, and always plays for the ball.
T. Kearney – A useful player, runs well, and can play either back or forward; fine mark and kick.
T. Mullens – Very fast, plays on the wing; a young player who gives great promise of being a clinker
J. McShane – A fine player who does an immense amount of work roving; plays with great judgment and always gets rid of the ball to advantage
P. McShane – The best goalsneak in Victoria, shows wonderful judgment; has kicked 25 goals already this season.
T. McShane – Another of the football family and a fine young player; marks and kicks excellently.
H. McLean – Well known to South Australian footballers. Dodges, kicks, and marks as well as ever.
E. & N. McArthur – Geelong College boys, who play in fine style. Very fast and wonderful kicks.
A. Robertson – The safest little player in the team; gets through a crowd in a wonderful manner, and always has his kick.
M. Ross – Captain of the second twenty, very fast, and good kick; with more weight would be unsurpassed.
A. Scrivenger – A fine strong back player, splendid mark and kick, and keeps cool.
R. Talbot (Vice Captain) – The most popular player in the team; plays a very hard game, very plucky; has met with accidents this season, which has prevented his playing every match.