Australian rules football (‘Aussie rules’) was first organised in the Australian state of Victoria in the late 1850s, mostly in the city of Melbourne. Vast tracts of land were available to play the game and it was generally played on existing oval-shaped cricket grounds. However, the game did not have an organised league structure until 1897, when the Victorian Football League (VFL) was founded as an eight-team competition.
By the end of the nineteenth century Aussie rules was the major winter sport in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania, where the favourable climate encourages outdoor activity. Along the eastern coast of Australia, including Brisbane, rugby union is more popular, and Australia’s largest city, Sydney, is a rugby league stronghold.
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