▁St ▁K ilda ▁played ▁on ▁An z ac ▁Day . ▁ ▁History ▁of ▁Australian ▁rules ▁football ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁ ▁Begin nings ▁The ▁Christ ch urch ▁Football ▁club , ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁played ▁football ▁according ▁to ▁its ▁own ▁rules , ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁to ▁b ounce ▁the ▁ball ▁every ▁ 4 ▁yards , ▁very ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁modern ▁game ▁of ▁Australian ▁Football . ▁The ▁club ▁adopted ▁rugby ▁rules ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁ ▁Australian ▁Football ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁around ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁The ▁Nelson ▁Football ▁Club ▁was ▁formed ▁this ▁year ▁and ▁played ▁a ▁hy brid ▁version ▁of ▁Victor ian ▁and ▁Association ▁( s occer ) ▁rules ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁two ▁seasons . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s , ▁there ▁was ▁regular ▁trade ▁between ▁New ▁Zealand ▁ports ▁and ▁Melbourne , ▁and ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁( or ▁Melbourne ) ▁rules ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁known ▁by ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁imm igr ants . ▁The ▁Nelson ▁Club ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁club ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁to ▁adopt ▁Rugby ▁rules , ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁Well ington ▁Football ▁Club ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁May ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁The ▁club ▁initially ▁adopted ▁Melbourne ▁rules , ▁but ▁it ▁soon ▁switched ▁to ▁Rugby ▁rules ▁" pr inci p ally ▁for ▁the ▁reason ▁that ▁the ▁clubs ▁in ▁ad jo ining ▁provinces ▁play ▁under ▁those ▁rules , ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁club ▁cont em plate ▁playing ▁a ▁match