1911

One of the most significant aspects of the 1911 season was the decision to allow clubs to pay players. The competition had been for amateur up until this point, but allegations existed that most clubs were paying players and hiding the fact. Now all teams had the ability to openly pay the players.

On the field it was an amazingly close start to the season for the Blues with a draw in both Round 1 and 2, and then a 2 point loss to Fitzroy in Round 3.

Despite winning 12 games for the season, and finishing third on the ladder, the Blues never seemed to hit top gear in 1911, dropping the odd games and scraping home in others. The exception to this was the 114 point flogging of St Kilda in Round 15.

Carlton faced Essendon in the Semi Final, but despite leading at every change, Essendon kicked away in the final quarter to finish our season and then went on to win the premiership a week later.

Teams officially wore numbers on their guernseys for the first time in the League during the 1911 final series. This was actually the second time for the Blues - the other was a game against a South Australian side in 1889.

Ladder

People of 1911

Captain and Coach: Fred Elliott
Vice Captain: Billy Payne
Leading Goal scorer: Vin Gardiner - 46 goals

Debuts

Round 15: John Gunter, Fen McDonald
Round 11: Fred Marriott
Round 9: Tommy Hughes, Bert Cowley
Round 6: Billy Dick, Henry Jane
Round 5: Gordon Green
Round 4: Herbert Cock
Round 2: Les Rowe, Viv Valentine
Round 1: Ned Bowen, Bruce Campbell, Tom Hanson, Harry Matheson and Charlie Taylor

Professionalism In Football

Carlton president, Jack T. McInerney proposed that the League adopt open professionalism. He compared the English system, and recommended the League and Association be combined and two divisions be formed.
To read his article click here> http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45127078

Practice Match

April 15
"Very Good" Valentine is a stocky built youth, is tricky and fast, and clever, with a fine kicking power with either foot. He is, infact, regarded as a highly finished footballer.His forte is roving. Shaw another Tasmanian with a lightning turn of speed. He plays on the wing a great place for a wingfooted man. Then Carroll from Bullenargook, near Macedon, a big follower and forward, has thrown in his lot with Carlton. He kicks well and marks nicely.
Last Saturday Ernie Walton and Fred Elliott captained sides for a match, in which Walton made his reappearance on the back line, and played with his old dash. Carrol was on his side and booted five goals of the nine goals that it gained. Elliott's men scored a goal less, by the way. Campbell, a fine mark and kickest, with good dash the quality in which Carlton specialises - has come from West Perth, and his fame is so wide that Fitzroy, Essendon (Association) and South Melbourne are eager to have in in their ranks. But Carlton have him. They also count upon playing Bamford, a centre from Bendigo, Bowen, a follower and half back from Port Melbourne Railway United. Cook (?) a Prahran forward of last year, and Mathieson, who played in two or three matches for St.Kilda last year. The brothers Millsom - one a rover, and the other a follower have arrived from Launceston, and shaped fairly well at the trials on Saturday. Taylor a 14st. follower from Hawthorn, has been running in the practices, as have Rowe, a sturdy little rover and Johnson who rapped up seventy goals last season for Carlton District for which team Rowe also played.
The critics prophesy championship honors bye and bye for Hansen as a forward from Grosvenor team. He kicks well left foot - straight and true, and over long distance and recalls memories of Gerald Brosnan in his best days. Malcolm, a captain of the Donald team, and a forward is spoken as a probable player for Carlton. He stands about 6ft 4in."
(Herald April 21 p2)

Blues vs Blue & Whites at Princes Park, April 22

V. G. Valentine (Devonport) and Leslie Rowe a Carlton junior, both rovers, clashed heads and both received cuts and bruises.
Blue team new men; Bamford, Carroll, Collins, Hanson, Hoare, Johnson, Marriot, Shaw, Taylor, Valentine, Wright
B & W new men; Campbell, Cock, Cooper, Hughes, Jose, Kirkpatrick, Mathieson, Millsom, Millsom, Page, Rowe

vs Fortress Juniors at Princes Park, April 24 Monday

Possible misprint could be Fortrose Juniors
No details

USA - Field Ball

May 26
"The following from 'The Referee's' American commisioner will be read with interest: -
The news that the boys from the Young Australia League, of Perth, Western Australia, are coming to this country has stirred up the school boys who are playing 'field-ball'. The Victorian style of football has been given the distinctive name to avoid confusion with the many other types of football played hereabouts, which includes American, Rugby, Association and Gaelic. Practice has started at all the schools which last year took up the game under the direction of Eric Cullen-Ward, the Sydney youngster, who came here to introduce the game. Ward was helped by Columbia Park Boy's Club members, many of whom picked up a good knowledge of 'field-ball' while on their tour of 1909." (Herald p2)
Further information on Australian Football in the USA can be found here, http://www.academia.edu/12937020/Australian_Football_in_the_United_States_1908-1913
The First Word War would soon put an end these first steps at internationalising the game. One part of Australian football does live on in American Football and that is their use of dividing the game into "quarters."

Footnote

Carlton were third this season on the list for football dividends. The Blues' share was £271.14s. ($543.40)
Collingwood headed the list with £289.16s.6d and Fitzroy were last with £245.17s.3d.