▁very ▁in ex per ien ced ▁Ess end on ▁side , ▁ 6 . 6 ▁( 4 2 ) ▁to ▁ 2 . 8 ▁( 2 0 ); ▁the ▁three - qu arter ▁time ▁score ▁had ▁been ▁ 5 . 5 ▁( 3 5 ) ▁to ▁ 1 . 3 ▁( 9 ). ▁▁ ▁Represent ative ▁team ▁( 1 8 9 7 ) ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁V . F . L . ▁competition , ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Football ▁League ▁arranged ▁a ▁match ▁between ▁a ▁combined ▁team ▁of ▁V . F . L . ▁players ▁and ▁a ▁combined ▁team ▁from ▁what ▁was , ▁perhaps , ▁the ▁second ▁strong est ▁competition ▁in ▁Australia ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁Ball ar at ▁Football ▁Association . ▁Wh ilst ▁the ▁selected ▁team ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁" M el bourne ", ▁and ▁the ▁match ▁spoken ▁of ▁as ▁the ▁Ball ar at ▁v . ▁Melbourne ▁match , ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁contemporary ▁newspaper ▁accounts ▁indicate ▁that ▁most ▁people ▁referred ▁to ▁them ▁as ▁" The ▁Metropol it ans " ▁( by ▁contrast ▁with ▁the ▁" Country " ▁team ▁from ▁Ball ar at ). ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁record ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁ever ▁being ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁either ▁the ▁" V ict or ian " ▁team ▁or ▁the ▁" V . F . L ." ▁team . ▁ ▁The ▁representative ▁match ▁was ▁originally ▁proposed ▁to ▁take ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound ▁on ▁Saturday , ▁ 1 2 ▁June