| Year: | 1879 |
| Competition: | Victoria v South Australia |
| Match Type: | Intercolonial Series |
| Home: | Victoria |
| Home Abbr: | VIC |
| Away: | South Australia |
| Away Abbr: | SA |
| Home Score: | 2 |
| Away Score: | 0 |
| Date: | 1 July 1879 – 5 July 1879 |
| Stadium: | East Melbourne Cricket Ground |
| Next: | 1880 |
The 1879 Victoria v South Australia involved a series of two matches with teams representing Victoria and South Australia. The matches were played in Victoria at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. These two matches are recognised as the first games of intercolonial Australian rules football.[1]
Some players selected in the initial squad for South Australia were unable to make the trip to Victoria for the series. These players included Thomas Smith from Port Adelaide, A. Mehrtens from South Adelaide, W.H.J. Dedman from Norwood. Conversely, W. Knill, W. Osborn, C.E. Warren were unable to play the game for the Victorians.[2]
| South Australia | ||||
| John Gardiner (captain) | Carlton | Alfred McMichael (captain) | Norwood | |
| George Coulthard | Carlton | Robert Absalom | South Adelaide | |
| Paddy Gunn | Carlton | Thomas Blinman | South Adelaide | |
| Millar | William Bracken | Norwood | ||
| Herbert Bryant | Essendon | Edward Colbey | Norwood | |
| William Goer | Carlton | Martin Considine | South Adelaide | |
| Robert Sillett | Melbourne | Richard Coonan | South Adelaide | |
| Frank Lording | Hotham | W. Davis | Victorians | |
| G.V. Cooke | George Downs | Victorians | ||
| Billy McLean | Hotham | George Giffen | Norwood | |
| Harry Downes | Melbourne | Thomas Green | Norwood | |
| Minchin | A.T. Harrison | Kensington | ||
| Jimmy Robertson | Hotham | W. Hughes | Old Adelaide | |
| Thomas | Kirk Kennedy | South Adelaide | ||
| J. Gibson | South Melbourne | A.M. Pettinger | South Park | |
| Arthur Ley | Hotham | Joseph Pollock | Norwood | |
| Young | South Melbourne | Louis Suhard | Norwood | |
| Murphy | Carlton | Joseph Traynor | Norwood | |
| Rannard | West Melbourne | Turner | Old Adelaide | |
| Mackenzie | Julian Woods | Norwood |
The second game was played under the rules of the South Australia Football Association which were almost identical to that of the Victorian Football Association but for the allowance of high tackles.
| South Australia[7] | ||||
| John Gardiner (captain) | Carlton | Alfred McMichael (captain) | Norwood | |
| George Coulthard | Carlton | Joseph Traynor | Norwood | |
| Murphy | Carlton | Joseph Pollock | Norwood | |
| Billy McLean | Hotham | Louis Suhard | Norwood | |
| Rannard | West Melbourne | A.T. Harrison | Kensington | |
| J. Gibson | South Melbourne | |||
| Harry Downes | Melbourne | |||
| G.V. Cooke | ||||
| Thomas | ||||
| Kirby | ||||
| McKenzie | ||||
| Cooper (IN) |