Victorian Football Club (SAFA)

The Victorian Football Club, "The Victorians", renamed the North Adelaide Football Club for the 1883 SAFA season, was an Australian rules football club based in North Adelaide, South Australia. The team wore an orange-and black guernsey and hose, with black knickerbockers, and were known to their supporters as "The Tigers."^[2]

The club's home ground was established in 1873 at the portion of the Park Lands at the foot of Strangways Terrace, North Adelaide.^[3]

The Victorian Football Club first recorded game was against a team called Young Clubs on Saturday 13 June 1874. The game resulted in a victory with the only goal kicked by H. Barry who played excellently all afternoon.^[4]

On 22 May 1875, a new home ground west of and at the foot of Montefiore Hill, North Adelaide^[5] was established and used for games until the end of the 1881 season.

At the 1875 annual dinner held at the Crown and Sceptre Hotel on Wednesday evening, 15 September the secretary, George Downs reported that the club had only lost the opening match out of nine matches played, and that they had obtained 23 goals in these matches to four goals scored against them.^[6]

The Victorian Football Club captained by G. Downs was the first to play a game against the newly formed South Adelaide Football Club on 20 May 1876 at Montefiore Hill which started at 3pm. After some hard work and several disputes over the rules of the game, it ceased two hours later after the home team the Victorians scored a goal by H. Barry.^[7]

The club finished second in the unofficial interclub competition in 1875 and won in 1876, becoming a founding member of the South Australian Football Association (SAFA) in 1877.^[8]

The Victorian club sent delegates and joined the newly formed South Australian Football Association on 30 April 1877. They were declared joint premiers with South Adelaide, in the inaugural SAFA season of 1877. In head to head clashes the Victorians had a scoreless draw and in the final game of the season on their home ground at foot of Montefiore Hill a win by scoring a single goal against the previously undefeated South Adelaides.^[9]

One notable game that the Victorian Football Club played was the first intercolonial match involving a South Australian club. The game was held on 11 August 1877 on the Adelaide Exhibition Grounds against the Melbourne Football Club, with the visitors winning 1 goal to nil.^[10]

At the Annual General Meeting held on Friday 16 March 1883 at Scotch Thistle Hotel, North Adelaide, with 40 members present, the club resolved to change its name to North Adelaide Football Club.^[11]

It was reported preseason that The Vics, by changing their name to the North Adelaides, seemed to have frightened all their men away, and the Club that once fought such tough battles with the premier Clubs will this season be absolutely last. They have gradually been coming down the tree, until they have now reached the bottom, and afraid they will find it difficult at times to raise a team. Their old friend Warren has still stuck to them, and tries hard to keep his men together in spite of all the difficulties he has had to contend with, he is a fine follower, but will be at a great loss this season in baring no one to back him. They hare lost Kirkpatrick, Bushby, Chandler, and Sharp, who have joined other teams, Colgan and Cock, who have left the colony, and A. Slight and Brown, who 1 believe do not intend to play. Their ranks have thus been badly thinned, and heard of no players of any prominence helping them out of their difficulty. They will still be strong forward with Taylor, Watson, and Presgrave, and Downs, Bagot, and Hubble will again assist them.^[12]

The club struggled to compete against the other senior clubs and in its final two seasons as North Adelaide and collected the wooden spoon on both occasions.^[13] The club's last game was at Kensington Oval vs Norwood on 27 Sep 1884, which was a loss. Two weeks earlier, the "Tigers" had their only win of the 1884 season, an upset victory over Norwood Football Club who had been SAFA premiers for the previous five seasons by 4 goals 4 behinds to 2 goals 10 behinds.

On Thursday evening 9 April 1885 the annual meeting of the North Adelaide Football Club was held at the Huntsman's Hotel, North Adelaide. There was a small attendance and Mr. G. Bickle presided. The secretary, Mr. K. Whitfield, read the annual report. The balance-sheet showed a debit balance of £5 17s 6d. It was decided that the ciub should continue its connection with the South Australian Football Association, and a committee was appointed to secure playing members. Mr. W. Osborne offered to contiibute £5 to the funds of the club with a view to furthering its interests, on condition that another contribution of a like amount was promised. The offer was received with applause, and £7 was raised in the room within a few minutes.

The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: — Patrons, Mr. E. W. Hawker. M.P., President, Mr. W. Osborne: vice presidents, Dr. Stirling, M.P., Dr. Jay, Mr. W. Gilbert, M.P., Mr. W. H. Beaglehole, M. P., Councillors Downs and Stevenson, Messrs. W. Stratton, J. Watkins, F. Downes, J. G. Osborne, G. Bickle, D. Braidwood, T. Meelin. W. Connell, W. F. Long, M. Middleston. E. G. Phillips, and Upton; treasurer, Mr. B. Furnell : secretary, W. Salsberg; association delegates, Messrs. R. Whitfield, B. Furnell, J. Braidwood, W. Salsberg, and T. Rees; general committee, the secretary, treasurer, captain, vice-captain, and Messrs. G. Downes, R. Whitfield, and T. Rees.^[14]

On Monday evening 20 April 1885, a special meeting of the club was held at the Oxford Hotel, North Adelaide.^[15]

On Tuesday evening 21 April 1885, the Club tendered its resignation to the South Australia Football Association, where it was accepted.^[16]

A number of the prominent players joined the newly formed senior Adelaide Club (formed from a merger of North Adelaide Junior and North Park Clubs) for the 1885 SAFA season and several of their other players joined the Hotham Club from the Adelaide and Suburban Association.^[17]

George Edward Downs was Captain of the Club and South Australia's First Captain. He also became a First Class Cricket Umpire and a Test Umpire for one test in 1892.^[18][19]

William Knill - described as a dashing back man whose play was rarely surpassed also played Cricket for South Australia.^[20]

Frank Marlow was a player who became a long-serving administrator as secretary of South Adelaide Football Club and of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL); most likely his brother Alf Marlow as well; both transferred to South Adelaide after moving house to Gilles Street, Adelaide.

• Interclub Competition (1): 1876
• List of SANFL premiers (1): 1877, Inaugural SAFA Club Champion shared with South Adelaide