 An initial difficulty in fielding teams led SC Croatia to recruit players from various suburbs across Melbourne, as well as from outside the city in Geelong and even the Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre in north-eastern Victoria.The club went as far as to meet arriving boats of immigrants at ports in Melbourne and Geelong to recruit players.Despite these initial difficulties the club quickly became successful, making its playing debut on 10 April 1953 (The date the Axis powers establish the Nazi puppet Independent State of Croatia).