Port Melbourne Football Club

The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

For most the nickname of the Borough may seem strange, but its origins lie way back when the team was based in what was known as the Borough of Port Melbourne. The name stuck, even after the area was upgraded to the status of town and eventually city.

The club is currently unlike most VFL clubs in that it is not aligned with any Australian Football League (AFL) club; Frankston is the only other club which lacks an AFL-affiliation.

Port Melbourne is traditionally considered one of the strongest, most successful and most supported Victorian clubs outside of the AFL due to its long and illustrious history in the competition formerly known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA).

History

The Borough joined the Victorian Football Association (now known as the VFL) in 1886 and has played in every season since then. In the late 1890s, the Port Melbourne Football Club was touted to join the breakaway VFL competition, but was denied membership. In their place, the St Kilda Football Club joined the VFL, an event still talked about to this day. The reason given was the Borough's reputation for poor behaviour by both its players and supporters. Port Melbourne went on to become one of the strongest clubs in the VFA, and today, still attracts some of the biggest crowds to its games. Traditionally the Borough's greatest rivals are the Williamstown Seagulls and the Sandringham Zebras. All three teams continue to play in the VFL to this day.

Since the AFL reserves competition merged with the Victorian Football League in 2000, Port Melbourne has been involved in two affiliations: with the Sydney Swans (2001–2002), and with the Kangaroos (2003–2005); however, since 2006, Port Melbourne has existed as a stand-alone VFL club.

Club Jumper

The Port Melbourne Football Club's guernsey is one of the most iconic images in the Melbourne football scene, due mostly to the fact that it hasn't changed since its inception into the VFA.

2011 season

In 2011, Port Melbourne completed a perfect season, winning all eighteen home-and-away games, then three finals matches, culminated in a 56-point win against Williamstown in the Grand Final.^[1] It was the first perfect season in the VFA/VFL first division since 1918.^[2]

Team of the Century

The Port Melbourne Football Club team of the century was chosen in 2003, combining all the clubs greats from across its long history.

Premierships

• 1897 – against North Melbourne F.C

• 1901 – against Richmond F.C

• 1922 – against Footscray F.C:

Port Melbourne 9.6.60 d Footscray 8.10.58
Crowd: 22,000

• 1940 – against Prahran F.C:

Port Melbourne 23.22.160 d Prahran 17.11.113
Crowd: 30,882

• 1941 – against Coburg Lions:

Port Melbourne 15.18.108 d Coburg 11.23.89
Crowd: 36,289

• 1947 – against Sandringham Zebras:

Port Melbourne 15.15.105 d Sandringham 11.8.74
Crowd: 24,000

• 1953 – against Yarraville Eagles:

Port Melbourne 21.15.141 d Yarraville 12.9.81
Crowd: 40,000

• 1964 – against Williamstown Seagulls:

Port Melbourne 14.17.101 d Williamstown 10.5.65
Crowd: 20,000

• 1966 – against Waverley Panthers:

Port Melbourne 13.12.90 d Waverley 6.11.47
Crowd: 20,000

• 1974 – against Oakleigh Devils

Port Melbourne 22.20.152 d Oakleigh 11.17.83
Crowd: 23,936

• 1976 – against Dandenong F.C:

Port Melbourne 19.18.132 d Dandenong 10.15.75
Crowd: 32,317

• 1977 – against Sandringham Zebras:

Port Melbourne 23.19.157 d Sandringham 7.15.57
Crowd: 29,664

• 1980 – against Coburg Lions:

Port Melbourne 11.15.81 d Coburg 10.10.70
Crowd: 22,010

• 1981 – against Preston Bullants:

Port Melbourne 32.19.211 d Preston 15.8.98
Crowd: 20,186

• 1982 – against Preston Bullants:

Port Melbourne 21.15.141 d Preston 20.14.134
Crowd: 20,732

• 2011 – against Williamstown Football Club:

Port Melbourne 22.12.144 d Williamstown 13.10.88
Crowd: 11,896

• Total Premierships – 16
• Total Grand Finals – 32

Post War Placings

Records

• League History: VFA/VFL 1886-15, 1918–41, 1945–

• Record Attendance: 36,289 v the Coburg Lions in 1941

• VFA Centenary Premiership: 1977

• Most Games: 253 by Fred Cook

• Most Goals: 1238 by Fred Cook

• Liston Medallists: E. Hyde (1930), W. Findlay (1946), F. Johnson (1952), V. Aanensen (1979,1981), S. Allender (1980), W. Swan (1982,1983), S. Harkins (1990), S. Valenti (2010, 2011)

• Highest Score: 43.29 (287) v the Sandringham Zebras in 1941

• Lowest Score: 0.2 (2) v Prahran F.C in 1902

• Longest Winning Run: 21* (2011)

• Longest Losing Run: 14 (1909)

Coaches

Further reading

• Terry Keenan. 2006. Unduly Rough Play – A History of the Port Melbourne Football Club, Volume 2 1918–1944. Albert Park: Eucalyptus Press

• Terry Keenan. 2004. Kicking Into the Wind – A History of the Formative Years of the Port Melbourne Football Club 1874–1917. Petersham: Walla Walla Press

• Terry Keenan. 1999. A Taste of Port. Albert Park: Eucalyptus Press

• Terry Keenan. A Family Feud. Port Melbourne: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society.

• Terry Keenan. Keeping Out the Riff-Raff. Port Melbourne: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society.

• Marc Fiddian. The VFA – A History of the Victorian Football Association 1877–1995.

References

External links

• Port Melbourne Football Club Official Site
• Full Points Footy Profile for Port Melbourne
• Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society