The existence of workplace football, part of a wider phenomenon of industrial welfare, has been acknowledged, but little studied in Australia. This article examines the place of football teams in Victorian workplaces and how these were affected by the outbreak and continuance of World War 1. It argues that despite the patriotic pressure to end workplace football, some competitions continued under the guise of fundraising supported by companies that continued to value industrial welfare, while others were sustained due to working-class resistance to their suspension.
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