Melbourne and Geelong may have been first to celebrate their sesquicentenaries season, but few realise only Carlton can lay claim to having fielded teams most continuously through the 150 years of its existence.

History records that both Melbourne (established 1858) and Geelong (1859) were, for a period, in recess. Melbourne opted not to field teams through the 1916, ’17 and ’18 seasons due to World War I, while Geelong withdrew teams in 1916 and again in 1942 and ’43 – the dark days of World War II.

With no fewer than 16 of its own players would be lost in wartime, Carlton’s decision to field teams through conflict was not taken lightly - as evidenced in an article appearing in the 1915 Annual Report beneath a headline “Football and the War”.

“It was felt that the playing of football on Saturday afternoons had no adverse effect on recruiting, was a relaxation for the public from the serious problems of business and war, and that it would be unwise to deprive thousands of people of that source of recreation”.

“The Committee fervently hope that by the beginning of the next football season, or at any rate, during its currency, this terrible war will be brought to a successful conclusion, in a decisive victory for Great Britain and her Allies.”

For the record, only Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond fielded teams in the 1916 seasons, with the first-placed Blues regrettably losing to the last-placed Gorillas in the Grand Final of that year.

Albert Park, which was also formed in 1864, and 16 years later amalgamated with South Melbourne (later Sydney), was also in recess through 1916.

As for Williamstown, though the football club celebrated its 150th year on May 31, 2014, there appears to be some doubt surrounding the year of its founding.

According to “The Footballer”, published yearly between 1875 and 1881, and compiled by Thomas P. Power (Carlton’s pioneering player, committeeman, honorary secretary and treasurer, and later the VFA’s initial treasurer and Life Member), the ’Town was formed in 1870, based on information supplied by the football club itself but never corrected.

Williamstown later became an affiliate of the VFA (1884) but did not field teams in the 1916/17 and 1942/43 seasons due to the Association’s wartime recess.

Hugh Buggy and Harry Bell, in their tome “The Carlton Story” (published 1958), noted that Carlton met Williamstown in 1865.

To quote the authors;

“First clubs to enter for the Challenge Cup competition were Melbourne, Geelong, South Yarra, Carlton, Royal Park and University. The Athletic Sports Committee had the right to arrange the order in which challenges should be accepted, but clubs also played matches outside this competition. Carlton won one of these “outside” games at Williamstown, which they reached by a bush track to the Saltwater River, a punt trip across the river, and then a journey through what was known as the West Melbourne swamp”.

The Carlton Football club celebrates the 150^th anniversary of its founding at a black-tie function at The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, this Saturday, June 14.

More than 250 former Carlton senior footballers have confirmed their attendance for what shapes as an event like no other in the club’s history.

For tickets, please CLICK HERE.