Australian national team celebrates 98th anniversary

Wednesday marks the 98th anniversary since the Australian national team were formed as their first match took place on May 27, 1922 against Wanganui (New Zealand) at Cooks Gardens.

Australia’s first football match arrived on this day in 1922 as players from across New South Wales and Queensland came together to take part in an 14 match series in New Zealand.

Their tour of New Zealand began with a 3-1 win against Wanganui with an estimated 3,000 people flocking to the ground to watch the encounter.

It is also interesting to note that in their opener, their kit was light blue (to represent NSW) and maroon (to represent Queensland).

Australia proceeded to play another 13 matches throughout their time across the ditch as they travelled throughout the country to play a number of teams from the various regions across the nation.

Throughout their tour, Australia also played New Zealand in a three match test series.

Photo Credit at the top of the article: Wollongong City Library

Australia 1922
Australia's 1922 team. Source: Harry Hetherington collection

The first of those matches took place on June 17 and this can be recognised as the first time that Australia played a proper international side.

The Aussies fell to a 3-1 defeat in that first fixture on June 17 in Dunedin with William Maunder scoring Australia’s first ever international goal.

They followed that up with a 1-1 stalemate in Wellington on June 24 before New Zealand took out the series in Auckland on July 8 when they won 3-1.

Scroll down to see who was included in the 1922 tour squad!

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Australia 1922
Australia's 1922 team. Source: NSWSFA

 

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