The 1886 Tasmanian Football Season Pictorial Record

The 1886 program was highlighted for the first time when two VFA Clubs: Essendon and Melbourne both visited Tasmania during the season. The North team defeated Essendon in a highly successful result and was later defeated by Melbourne. The Southern team had its greatest success in Intercolonial matches with a win and draw against Essendon and a win and a loss against Melbourne. It was a very impressive improvement. The usual prominence in the program was given to the Intracolonial matches between the North and South of Tasmania. Wet weather prevented one match from being played. The South team won convincingly in Hobart. The Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA), based around Launceston, revived in 1886 on April 16. The 1883 Association had failed to continue in the 1884 and 1885 seasons. The conduct of the newly configured Association was of great benefit to the competition, the clubs and the players. The season was considered to be fairly successful. The NTFA adopted red and black colours for the Association. NTFA Clubs adopted the use of uniforms. In Launceston, the City Club returned to the premiership after its back to back premierships in 1883 and 1884. The dominance of the City Club over the Launceston Club throughout the season had a negative impact on the number of spectators at these matches. The number of Tasmanian Football Association (TFA) clubs reduced to just three. The disbanding of the Cricketers Club was a loss to the competition. The TFA undertook a bold initiative as a result of the difficulties of revenue from the grounds shared by the Tasmanian Cricket Association. The STFA Purchased a new ground for football at Risdon ground for 650 pounds very close to the Railway Station. The train took people from Hobart to New Town and attendances remained at high levels. The move was a highly successful achievement for the STFA. A number of improvements were made to the ground during the season and the transport arrangements with the use of train proved highly successful. The City Club was successful in taking out the premiership. Over 90 photographs and 150 player profiles make this the most pictorial record of the 1886 Tasmanian Football Season published to date. This publication is a part of a series that provides details of the season of the Tasmanian Football Association from its inception in 1879 through the colonial seasons. The early years of Association football in Tasmania have been little published. They should b