THE Port Adelaide Football Club heads to Clare this weekend to take on the Crows' state league side, but few would know the club's rich history features a number of games in the town as far back as 1879.
The Clare Football Club was formed in mid-April 1879 and within a few weeks Port Adelaide sent out a challenge to the newly formed club, which was accepted and set to take place on the Clare Football Ground at Inchiquin on Monday 26 May of that year.
A young Frank Coleman, who was a member of the Port Adelaide team but residing in Port Pirie at the time, set off for the ground aboard the Clare and Saddleworth Mail Coach on the Saturday before the game, with a view to catch up with friends in Auburn on the way.
However about two miles out of Auburn, Coleman lost his balance while lighting his pipe and fell between the wheels of the coach - knocking himself unconscious and badly grazing his legs and body.
He was then taken to the Rising Sun Inn at Auburn where he remained unconscious all night, but by Monday he had improved, was assured of no broken bones and that he would make a full recovery.
His teammates, captained by William Fletcher, made the journey to Clare and gave their opposition an advantage of having two extra players as the new club had yet to practice together.
Both teams - Port Adelaide wearing magenta and white - gathered in front of a large crowd at 2:30pm on a bitterly cold and showery day and William Atkinson, the Clare captain, won the toss and chose to kick towards the south end of the sloppy ground with the aid of a strong north-westerly wind.
After a brief speech the local mayor kicked off the ball and with the aid of the strong breeze the local team drove the ball towards Port’s goal and kept it in the area for a length of time.
Clare player Waterhouse looked as though he would score from right in front of the goals but failed and Port then got its act together and worked the ball towards the Church Hill end along the eastern wing.
Port player Tom Tulloch received a free kick within range but missed because of the strong breeze carrying the ball to the right of the goals.
After 45 minutes Port got another free kick and scored the first goal of the match.
The Clare team, backed by the cheers of the local crowd, then worked hard to respond but failed to score before half time.
Play resumed with heavy showers falling and Port now had the breeze, but the Clare team was far from giving up.
The ball was kept in the middle of the ground for over 30 minutes until Port received a succession of free kicks and worked the ball forward to secure another goal shortly before the end of the game and a two-nil victory.
Carter, Tulloch and Sidoli played well for Port, while Atkinson, Marshall, F. Hill, Scott and Leicester were among the best for Clare.
The following Port Adelaide players took part in the match: William Fletcher (captain), Henry Fletcher, Joseph Carter, Samuel McPherson, John McNeill, William Pyne, Edward LeMessurier, Alexander Ward, W. Kelly, C. Ireland, Jack Noel, John Sidoli, J. McKenzie, Ernest LeMessurier, George Gliddon, Thomas Smith, George Skinner, John Rann and Tom Tulloch.
Afterwards Port Adelaide was entertained at a dinner by Clare at Gray’s Hotel, at which the chairman of that club toasted the health of the Port Adelaide players and hoped on some future occasion to see the match played over again.
That next match would happen almost one year later, when Port Adelaide returned to Clare for another game on 24 May 1880.
Although the Clare team was the best country team, it was thought the task of beating Port Adelaide would be too much for them.
This time the Clare team played 22 men against Port's 16 as four players were unable to attend for the visitors and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the home side were victors.
A.W. Hill kicked both goals for Clare while Port Adelaide finished scoreless.
After 45 minutes Port got another free kick and scored the first goal of the match.
The Clare team, backed by the cheers of the local crowd, then worked hard to respond but failed to score before half time.
Play resumed with heavy showers falling and Port now had the breeze, but the Clare team was far from giving up.
The ball was kept in the middle of the ground for over 30 minutes until Port received a succession of free kicks and worked the ball forward to secure another goal shortly before the end of the game and a two-nil victory.
Carter, Tulloch and Sidoli played well for Port, while Atkinson, Marshall, F. Hill, Scott and Leicester were among the best for Clare.
The following Port Adelaide players took part in the match: William Fletcher (captain), Henry Fletcher, Joseph Carter, Samuel McPherson, John McNeill, William Pyne, Edward LeMessurier, Alexander Ward, W. Kelly, C. Ireland, Jack Noel, John Sidoli, J. McKenzie, Ernest LeMessurier, George Gliddon, Thomas Smith, George Skinner, John Rann and Tom Tulloch.
Afterwards Port Adelaide was entertained at a dinner by Clare at Gray’s Hotel, at which the chairman of that club toasted the health of the Port Adelaide players and hoped on some future occasion to see the match played over again.
That next match would happen almost one year later, when Port Adelaide returned to Clare for another game on 24 May 1880.
Although the Clare team was the best country team, it was thought the task of beating Port Adelaide would be too much for them.
This time the Clare team played 22 men against Port's 16 as four players were unable to attend for the visitors and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the home side were victors.
A.W. Hill kicked both goals for Clare while Port Adelaide finished scoreless.
For the victors, Leicester, Ruciack, Mortimer, Darwent, and Scott played well, while Carter, LeMessurier and Noel did the most work for Port.
One of the finest athletes produced by the Clare district and also a young champion footballer for the Clare Football Club was Arthur Maynard, who was well known for his ruck duels against Manoora's Big Bill 'Humpy' Slattery.
But his greatest claim to fame in the district was the World Wool Bailing record Arthur held with his brother Walter and two cousins Will and Stan Maynard.
Their combined speed, strength and accuracy was a wonderful sight in the local woolsheds of Clare.
Arthur Maynard was later snapped up by Port Adelaide and became one of the nation's finest ruckmen working in a ruck combination with Jack Ashley and was part of Port Adelaide's famous 1913 and 1914 SAFA Premiership and Australian Championship-winning teams.
Mark Giles is a member of the South Australian Historical Football Society researching Port Adelaide history. You can follow him on Twitter at @mgiles1870.
One of the finest athletes produced by the Clare district and also a young champion footballer for the Clare Football Club was Arthur Maynard, who was well known for his ruck duels against Manoora's Big Bill 'Humpy' Slattery.
But his greatest claim to fame in the district was the World Wool Bailing record Arthur held with his brother Walter and two cousins Will and Stan Maynard.
Their combined speed, strength and accuracy was a wonderful sight in the local woolsheds of Clare.
Arthur Maynard was later snapped up by Port Adelaide and became one of the nation's finest ruckmen working in a ruck combination with Jack Ashley and was part of Port Adelaide's famous 1913 and 1914 SAFA Premiership and Australian Championship-winning teams.
Mark Giles is a member of the South Australian Historical Football Society researching Port Adelaide history. You can follow him on Twitter at @mgiles1870.
