Final answer:
Tom Wills is credited with creating the game that evolved into Australian Rules football, laying the foundation for the sport in 1859.
Step-by-step explanation:
The game that later turned into Australian Rules football was created by Tom Wills. In 1859, he sought to develop a sport to keep cricketers fit during the offseason, leading to the codification of a new set of rules that laid the foundation for what is now known as Australian Rules football. Although his compatriots and fellow founders, such as Henry Harrison, John Wilson, and James Thompson, were instrumental in its development, it is Tom Wills who is most commonly credited with the creation of the game.