The 1895 Victorian Football Season Pictorial Record

What was once considered and identified as the “Forgotten Years” of Victorian Football have recently become the “controversial years” of Victorian Football. Discussion and debate as to the nature and recognition of the premierships won in these seasons, prompted by the publication of Colin Carter’s publication on the topic, has continued within the ranks of the Australian Football League (AFL). The focus of this publication is a pictorial record of the 1895 season by drawing on a range of available resources to collate and present photographs and images of the VFA, the clubs, the teams, the matches, the grounds and the players. This publication includes an introduction and overview of the season with relevant photographs. Each club is presented with relevant images and a summary for the season. Team photos are included for each club. All match results are included with a photograph of the uniform designs for the two competing clubs. A personal profile for every player for each club is included. A photograph of every player is included where it has been identified. This series of VFA Seasons Pictorial Records cover the era when the Victorian Football Association was the elite football competition in Melbourne. It was a revealing exercise as this research highlighted the trajectory of the development of the major football competition in Melbourne and the path towards the breakaway of the major participating clubs to form the Victorian Football League in 1897.