1885 Season

The Richmond Football Club was formed on February 20th 1885.
Below are their results from their first season- which was in the VFA.
All information gathered here is from The Argus newspaper reports throughout 1885, unless otherwise stated.

Please note,

• Behinds were not counted in the final score tally. If teams finished a game on the same number of goals (ie: 2 goals it, the match was considered a draw).
• The game would start with a player 'kicking off' from the centre of the ground.
• Matches were played in halves, rather than quarters.

1885 Overview:
Richmond Won 4, Lost 12, Drew 2 - Finished 9th (out of 10)

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Notes:
Richmond's first ever unofficial match in the VFA.
Played on the Richmond Cricket Ground against 23 players of the Cremorne Football Club.
The 'Tigerland' history book incorrectly states that 'historians gathered for the match omitted to record the score.' when infact the scores were recorded in The Argus.
Richmond 2.12 def Cremorne 1.4

Team:

Notes:
Richmond's first official match in the VFA , was played at the Williamstown Football Ground
Crohan's name was incorrectly spelt in The Argus for the squad as 'Crowan'.
Richmond travelled to the match by the 2pm train from Spencer Street Station.
Williamstown win the toss and kicked with the wind.
In the first half they kick 12 behinds. Richmond fail to score.
In the second half (with the wind), Richmond kicked 5 behinds. Williamstown kicked a further 1 goal 5 behinds.
For the first time ever, Richmond failed to score a goal for the entire game, although it is recorded 'Richmond played a spirited game throughout'
Umpire was Mr E Hart.
Williamstown: 1.17 def Richmond: 0.5

Team:
The team was selected from:
Adams, Conlon, Batters, Wookey, Mullaly, Purcell, Leighton, Wells, Syle, Souter, Smith, Graham, Stewart, Hill, Howarth, Rushton, Stephens, Crohan, Searle, Watkins, Owen, Smart, Shand.


Notes:
Richmond's first ever match against University.

Team


Notes:
Richmond's first ever match against Geelong in the VFA

Teams

Notes
Richmond's first ever match against Melbourne in the VFA
Played on the Richmond Cricket Ground, the Umpire was Mr Jao.
George Smith captained Richmond.
Richmond won the toss and kicked with the breeze.
Conlon is incorrectly listed as 'Coulson' in the match report.
Rushton left the ground with a dislocated shoulder.
Richmond 3.13 def Melbourne 1.20
Best players for Richmond were Searle, Wookey, Lyle, Stewart, Hill, Duffield , Smith.
(N.B Lyle may be a typing error and may actually be Syle)

Team:


Notes
Richmond's first ever match against Fitzroy in the VFA

Team
The team was selected from:
Boyd, Conlan, Duffield, Elder, Graham (vice captain), Hill, Howarth, Leighton, Mullaly, Purcell , Stewart, Short, Shand, Stephens, Syle, Smith (captain), Searle, Taylor, Wells, Wookey.
Emergencies: Duncan, Good.

Notes
Match was to be held on the Hotham Recreational Reserve however was cancelled due to the wet state of the ground.
It is the first time ever a match involving Richmond was cancelled in the VFA.


Notes:
Richmond's first ever match against Carlton in the VFA

Team
The team was selected from:
Boyd, Brandt, Conlon, Elder, Graham, Howarth, Hill, Leighton, Mullaly, Purcell, Searle, Stewart, Syle, Shand, Taylor, Smith, Wookey, W.Wells, Harper, Kelso, Crohan, Wells, Whelan

Notes
The Richmond team met on the corner of Punt and Bridge road at 2pm to travel to the match
Played under inclement weather in front of 3,000 @ the South Melbourne Cricket Ground which was in a 'sloppy state'.
Richmond scored only 4 behinds for the entire match and for the first time ever are held goalless.
H. Wilson was umpire.
This is the first time Richmond and South Melbourne played in the Association.
Sth 9.19 def R: 0.4

Team
The team was selected from:
S Boyd, Conlon, Elder, Graham, Graham, Howarth, Hill, Harper, Leighton, Mullaly, Purcell, Searle, Stewart, Syle, Shand, Smith, Taylor, Wookey, Owens, Kelso, Wells, Cronan, Whelan, W.Boyd


Notes
Played on a fine day at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, despite reports from the bureau of 'unsettled and showery weather'.
This is the first time Richmond and Essendon played in the Association.
George Smith captained the team. Richmond won the toss and kicked towards the railway end goal.
Richmond was goalless up to halftime.
At times the crowd expressed 'angry expressions of dissent' towards umpire Dunne regarding several holding the ball decisions in the first half.
Essendon: 8.16 def Richmond: 2.6

Team
The team was selected from:
Conlon, Elder, Graham, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Hill , Leighton, Mullaly, Owen , Purcell, Stewart, Searle, Syle, Smith, Taylor , Wookey, Wells, Stephens, Ryan, Whelan, Shand, Kelso.


Notes
Played on the Richmond Cricket Ground in front of a very small attendance.
Williamstown won the toss. Umpire was J.J Trait.
Syle kicks Richmond's only goal in the first quarter- and thus becomes the first Richmond player ever to kick a goal against Williamstown.
After halftime , Richmond failed to score.
Williamstown: 3.3 def Richmond: 1.1

Notes

Team

Notes

Team
The team was selected from:
Conlon, Christie, Elder, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Hill, Leighton, Owen, O'Shannassy, Ryan, Searle, Stewart, Syle, Smith, Taylor, Wookey, Whelan, Gregory, Purcell, Kelso, Stephen, J.Graham.


Notes
Played at Princes' Oval, under fine weather on a good ground in front of approx 7,000 people.
It was reported that 'the want of proper accomodation for ladies and press was noticeable'
Richmond started the game with just 19 men, with Harper not appearing. Shortly after, Crohan was his replacement on the field.
Carlton won the toss and kicked to a slight breeze.
Graham of Richmond 'kicked off for Richmond at a quarter past 3'
Richmond were goalless in the first half. Crohan kicked Richmond's only goal for the game, in the second half.
Carlton 3.7 def Richmond 1.8
Best players were: Graham, Crohan, Smith, Elder, Wookey, Conlan.
Umpire was Mr S Thewlis

Team
The team was selected from
Conlon, Christie, Elder, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Hill, Leighton, Owen , O'Shannassy, Searle, Stewart, Syle, Smith, Stephens, Wookey, Purcell, Shand, Kelso, Whelan, Gregory, Jackman, Crohan, Holden.

Notes
Played at the Richmond Cricket Ground, which was soft in some places.
George Smith captained the club.
Melbourne won the toss.
Conlan kicked Richmond's only goal in the first half.
Jackmann kicked two goals for Richmond in the second half
Richmond: 5.12 def Melbourne 2.10

Team

Notes
George Smith captains Richmond.
Played on Richmond Cricket Ground- Geelong had some of their best men unable to play.
Umpire was Mr J McKenzie
Geelong won toss and kicked with the breeze.
Richmond goalless in the first half, and with only 7 behinds to their name.
Elder kicked Richmond's only goal, during the second half.
Geelong 4.13 def Richmond 1.15

Team
The team was selected from
Crohan, Conlon, Elder, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Jackman, Leighton, O'Shannassy, Owen Purcell, Rushton, Stewart, Syle, Searle, Stephens, Shand, Smith, Taylor, Wookey, Christie, Kelso, Stephenson.

Notes
Played at the Richmond Cricket Ground.
Played on the Richmond Cricket Ground
Richmond captained by George Smith
Richmond won the toss and kicked with the strong wind.
They failed to score a goal int he first quarter, and Richmond failed to score anything after halftime.
For the first time ever against Fitzroy, Richmond failed to kick a goal in the match.
Fitzroy: 6.12 def Richmond : 0.7

Team
Crohan, Conlon. Elder, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Jackman, Leighton, O'Shannassy, Owen, Purcell, Rushton, Stewart, Syle, Searle, Stephens, Smith, Taylor, Wookey, Christie, Kelso, Stephenson, S. Taylor

Notes

Team
The team was selected from
Crohan, Conlon, Elder, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Jackman, Leighton, O'Shannassy, Purcell, Stephens, Syle, Searle, Stephens, Smith, Taylor, Wookey, Kelso, Wells, O'Shea, Owen, Cristie, S. Taylor

Notes
Played on the Richmond Cricket Ground.
University won the toss and kicked with the breeze.
Game ended in the draw with both teams kicking two goals
Richmond 2.12 drew University 2.3
Richmond had at least 5 different players who kicked behinds (Mullaly, Syle, Conlon, Howarth, Searle,)

Team

Notes
Played at the Friendly Society's Ground in front of a 'large gathering of spectators'.
South Melbourne won the toss and for first half kicked with a strong breeze.
Richmond kicked 1 behind in the first half, then 4 goals 7 behinds in the second half (with the breeze). They held South scoreless in the second half.
Best players were Leighton, Wells, and Nowell ('Nowell', listed in The Argus as a best player was not in the squad. Infact he appears nowhere in any previous team listings for the entire season. With that the case, it is quite possible that Nowell was a typing error by the Argus - and that it could be 'Purcell' )

Team
The team was selected from:
Conlon, Christie, Crohan, Elder, Graham, Howarth, Harper, Jackman, Kelso, Owen, Purcell, Stephens, Syle, Stewart, Smith, Taylor, Wookey, Wells, O'Shannassy, Eadie, Shand, Moss