Victorian Amateur Football Association

The Victorian Amateur Football Association is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia consisting purely of amateur players. Unlike the Victorian Football League and the VFL/AFL, the VAFA has always been strictly a purely amateur league and has affiliations with both AFL Victoria and the Australian Amateur Football Council.

The league is the largest amateur league in Australia and consists of seven senior divisions (with each club fielding a firsts and reserves team) and multiple Under 19 divisions.

The league's administration base is at Elsternwick Park, a former Victorian Football Association stadium in suburban Elsternwick, Victoria, that was home to the now defunct Brighton Football Club. It has a small grandstand and capacity for around 15,000 spectators.

In addition there are also three Club XVIII divisions, primarily made up of either clubs only able to field one team, or clubs from higher divisions that can field a third team after their seniors and reserves. The league operates a promotion and relegation system between divisions with various rules dictating which division clubs can play in.

Many of the clubs are private school based where school old boys play.

The reigning premiers for the A Section are Old Xaverians.

As of 2010, the Victorian Amateur Football Association to live telecasts will covering games on C31 Melbourne.

Contents

History

The Victorian Amateur Football Association was founded in 1892 as the Metropolitan Junior Football Association.In 1912 the MJFA became the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association. In 1933 it changed its name to the Victorian Amateur Football Association.[1]

The foundation clubs were;[1]

Movement in and out of senior competition since inception

From a history of the VAFA [1]

Inter-league and Inter-state games

In June 1925 a MAFA Representative XVIII defeated the South Australian 21.22 to 8.10 at the MCG in the first amateur Interstate representative game.[1]

In 1956 a VAFA XVIII beat the combined VFL/VFA Amateurs in an Olympic demonstration game, 12.9.81 to 8.7.55. In 1971 a VAFA Representative side beat a VFA XVIII for the inaugural Victorian Football Cup 23.12 to 19.17.[1]

Of note, the VAFA v SA Amateurs clash in 1957 was the first uninterrupted telecast of an Australian rules football game.[1]

Growth

The inaugural season of the then MJFA comprised fixtures between 8 teams. By 1922 the association divided into 2 sections of 8. Only 4 years later three sections were established; Section A with 10 clubs and Section B and C with 8 clubs each.[1]

Competition was ceased for the Second World War (as it had after the Great War). Restarting in 1946 with 27 clubs in three sections, by 1947 34 clubs were competing over three sections. 1948 saw 35 clubs spread over four sections. In 1954 the MAFA established a fifth section for its 48 senior clubs.[1]

1960 saw 74 clubs over 7 sections. The league dwindled and lost two sections. Section F was reintroduced in 1971. Section G was introduced in 1986. By 1987 there were 68 clubs over 8 sections.[1]

A major indicator of the growth and quality of the association led to poaching of VAFA players to the VFL in 1961.[1]

Premiers

From the VAFA Website [2]

Year A Section B Section C Section D1 Section D2 Section D3 Section D4 Section
2011 Collegians Caufield Grammarians Ajax Parkdale Vultures St Johns Prahran/Assumption St Francis Xaiver
2010 Old Xaverians Old Carey Beaumaris Werribee AFC Banyule La Trobe Uni Monash Gryphons
2009 Old Xaverians Old Melburnians MHSOB Rupertswood Williamstown CYMS Bentleigh La Trobe Uni
2008 St Bede's-Mentone Tigers Marcellin Old Collegians Ormond Bulleen-Templestowe Werribee AFC Williamstown CYMS West Brunswick
2007 Old Xaverians St Bede's-Mentone Tigers Old Camberwell Grammarians Oakleigh South Melbourne Dist. Old Westbourne UHS-VU
2006 Old Haileyburians Collegians St Bede's-Mentone Tigers Old Carey Oakleigh South Melbourne Dist. Powerhouse
2005 Old Xaverians Old Ivanhoe Grammarians University Blacks Fitzroy Reds Old Geelong Grammarians St Johns Old Collegians Elsternwick
2004 University Blues St Kevins Old Boys MHSOB University Blacks Bulleen-Templestowe Oakleigh Old Westbourne
2003 Old Xaverians De La Salle Old Collegians Beaumaris Monash Blues Fitzroy Reds Swinburne University UHS-VU
2002 St Bernard's Old Collegians Old Melburnians Whitefriars Old Collegians St Leo's Emmaus WP Yarra Valley Old Boys West Brunswick Rupertswood
2001 Marcellin Old Collegians Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Hampton Rovers Old Camberwell Grammarians Mentone Amateurs Fitzroy Reds Syndal Tally Ho
2000 Old Xaverians Mazenod Old Collegians Therry Penola Caufield Grammarians University Blacks Powerhouse South Melbourne Dist.
Year A Section B Section C Section D Section
1999 Old Xaverians Old Trinity Whitefriars Old Collegians A.J.A.X.
1998 Old Xaverians Marcellin Old Collegians Hampton Rovers Whitefriars Old Collegians
1997 Old Xaverians Old Brighton Marcellin Old Collegians Beaumaris
1996 Old Xaverians Old Trinity St Kevin's Old Boys Monash Blues
1995 Old Xaverians Old Haileyburians Old Ivanhoe Hampton Rovers
1994 Old Melbournians Old Trinity Grammarians St Kilda South Caulfield Old Ivanhoe Grammarians
1993 Collegians Old Melburnians Mazenod Old Collegians St Bede's Mentone Tigers
1992 Collegians Old Trinity Grammarians Fawkner Mazenod Old Collegians
1991 De La Salle O.C. St Bernard's Old Collegians Whitefriars Old Collegians MHSOB

Current clubs

As of 2012, the 7 senior divisions were structured as follows:[3]

Premier

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
Caulfield Grammarians North Caulfield Glenhuntly Oval Steven Lawrence Official Site 1920 1920
Collegians Football Club Lions Albert Park Harry Trott Oval Chris Blumfield Simon Arnott/Mark Hibbins Official Site 1891 1892
De La Salle Old Collegians East Malvern Waverley Park David Lowe David Madigan Official Site 1955 1955
Old Carey Grammarians Panthers Bulleen Main Oval (Dunshea), Carey Sports Complex Cameron Matthews Official Site 1954 1954
Old Scotch Cardinals Camberwell Camberwell Sports Ground W.Lewis Peter Banfield Official Site 1921 1921
Old Trinity Grammarians Bulleen Daley Oval A.Cultera Brett Chandler Official site 1954 1954
Old Xaverians Old Xavs Armadale Toorak Park Matthew Ball Andy Gowers Official site 1926 1926
St Bedes/Mentone Tigers Football Club Tigers Mentone Mentone Reserve Patrick Tyquin Owen Lalor Official site 1972 1972
St Bernards Old Collegians West Essendon St Bernards College Chris Tankard Official Site 1963 1963
University Blues Blues Parkville Melbourne Uni, Main Oval Matthew Torney Fergus Watts Official Site 1928 1928

Premier B

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
AJAX Football Club Jackas St Kilda Gary Smorgon Oval Bernie Sheehy Official Site
Beaumaris Football Club Sharks Beaumaris Banksia Reserve Jason Mifsud Official Site 1962 1995
Oakleigh Amateur Football Club Krushers Oakleigh W.A. Scammell Reserve Michael Harold Martin Stillman Official Site 1991 1991
Old Brighton Grammarians Tonners Brighton Brighton Beach Oval A.Edge/J.Perrett/L.Hendra Paul McCormack Official Site 1957 1957
Old Haileyburians Bloods McKinnon McKinnon Reserve Tony Brown David Lappage Official Site 1961 1961
Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Ivanhoe Chelsworth Park B.Thompson Craig Hunter Official Site 1964 1964
Old Melburnians St Kilda Junction Oval Russell Morris Official Site 1920 1920
St Kevins Old Boys Skevs Kooyong, Victoria T.H King Reserve Ben Dowd Stuart Powell Official Site 1947 1947
University Blacks Blacks Parkville Melbourne Uni, Main Oval Mark Woolnough Michael Rizio Official Site 1921 1921
Werribee Amateur Football Club Tigers Werribee Soldiers Reserve

Premier C

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
Banyule Amateur Football Club Bears Heidelberg R.J. Brockwell Oval Official Site 1980 1982
Fitzroy Football Club Lions Fitzroy Brunswick Street Oval Tim Bell Official Site 1883 2009
Hampton Rovers Football Club Rovers Hampton Boss James Reserve Gary Carr Russell Barnes Official Site 1918 1931
Marcellin Old Collegians Eagles Bulleen Oval 1, Marcellin College Steve MacPherson Official Site 1971 1971
Mazenod Old Collegians Nodders Glen Waverley Central Reserve, Glen Waverley Stu Inglis Paddy Steinfort Official Site
Monash Blues Blues Clayton Main Oval, Monash University Andrew McGregor Official Site
Old Camberwell Grammarians North Balwyn Gordon Barnard Reserve Anthony Allen Official Site
Old Essendon Grammarians East Keilor Penleigh & Essendon Grammar School Daniel Lynch Official Site 1968 1984
Parkdale Vultures Vultures Parkdale Gerry Green Reserve Steve Kennedy Official Site
Rupertswood Football Club Sunbury Salesian College Gavin Kerr Official Site 1999 1999

Division 1

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
Glen Eira Amateur Football Club Saints Carnegie Packer Reserve Justin Mills Justin Mills Official Site 1999
Melbourne High School Old Boys South Yarra Melbourne High School Lachlan Evans Trent Pitts Official Site 1928 1928
North Old Boys/St Pats Brunswick Alec Gillon Oval Terry Scanlon Official Site 1963
Old Geelong South Yarra Como Park Adrian Farrer Official Site
Old Mentonians Keysborough Mentone Grammar Playing Fields David Teasedale Russ Macquire Official Site
Ormond Amateur Football Club Monders Ormond E.E. Gunn Reserve Simon Keleher Russell Barnes Official Site 1931
Peninsula Old Boys Pirates Mount Eliza Peninsula School Mark Glenn Official site 1980 1980
St Johns Old Collegians Jocs Doveton Thomas Carroll Reserve Matt Jones
Whitefriars Old Collegians Friars Doncaster Whitefriars Oval Theo Vlahos Official Site 1986 1986
Williamstown CYMS Williamstown Fearon Reserve Official Site 1983

Division 2

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
Bulleen-Templestowe Football Club Bullants Bulleen Ted Ajani Reserve David Matthews Official Site 1975 1975
Eltham Old Collegians Turtles Research Eltham College John Galvin Alan Sutherland Official Site 1986 1986
Emmaus St Leo's Old Collegians Football Club Animals Burwood Bennettswood Sports Ground Ben Pilley Official Site 1992
La Trobe University Football Club Bundoora Main Oval La Trobe University Dean Sheldrick Official Site 1967 1970
Monash Gryphons Gryphons Caulfield East East Caulfield Reserve Dan Baxter Richard Osborne Official Site 1991 1991
Old Paradians Raiders Bundoora Garvey Oval, Parade College Dave Boundy Official site 1929 1929
Prahran/Assumption Football Club Two Blues Toorak Toorak Park Official site 1886
St Marys/Salesian Football Club Saints Glen Iris Ferndale Reserve Erwin Leydon Official Site 2008 2008
South Melbourne Districts Football Club Bloods Albert Park Lindsay Hassett Oval Anthony Quon Official Site 2000 2000
Therry Penola Old Boys Lions Oak Park JP Fawkner Reserve Dan Madden Official site 1978 1978

Division 3

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
Albert Park Football Club Falcons Albert Park Beaurepaire Pavilion Nathan Dallas Official Site 1954
Aquinas Old Collegians Ringwood Aquinas College John Le grand Official Site 1987
Elsternwick Football Club Wickers Elsternwick Oval No 2, Elsternwick Park Dennis Grace Official Site 1906
Hawthorn Amateur Football Club Hawks Hawthorn East Rathmines Road Reserve Mark Murray Official Site 1995
Ivanhoe Amateur Football Club Ivanhoe Ivanhoe Park Doni Valkanis Official Site 1934
Kew Football Club Bears Kew J.J. Higgins Reserve Ian Aitken Official Site 1949
Old Westbourne Warriors Truganina Westbourne School Ground C Lever Brett Connors Official site 1991 1991
Powerhouse Football Club St Kilda Ross Gregory Oval Martin Pike Official Site
Richmond Central Football Club Snakes Richmond Kevin Bartlet Reserve Shaun O'Connor Danny Hickey Official Site 1987 1987
St Francis Xavier Football Club Beaconsfield, St Francis Xavier College Chris Van Dam Official Site 2007 2007
University High School-Victoria University Football Club Vultures Parkville Brens Oval Lucas Gorringe David Wallace Official Site 1932 1933
Yarra Valley Old Boys Bushrangers Park Orchards Domeney Reserve Chris Beal Andrew Stone Official Site

Division 4

Club Nickname Location Home Ground Captain Coach Web Page Formed Joined League
Box Hill North Football Club Demons Box Hill North Elgar Park Daniel Penny Laurie Zaraffa Official Site 1983 2002
Chadstone Football Club Synners Chadstone Jordan Reserve Ross Bennett Official Site 1997 1997
Eley Park Football Club Sharks Box Hill Whitehorse Reserve C Cresswell Jason Broadbear Official Site 1955 1992
Manningham Amateur Football Club Cobras Bulleen Koonung Park Ben Cookson Anthony Pezzimenti Official Site 1996 1996
Mount Lilydale Old Collegians Football Club Mounties Lilydale Mt Lilydale Mercy College Sporting Ovals Nathan Pearce 1997 1997
North Brunswick Football Club Brunswick, Allard Park Christian Stagliano Official Site 1966 1971
Point Cook Football Club Bulldogs Point Cook Point Cook Oval Daniel Fraser Official Site 2010 2010
South Mornington Football Club Tigers Mount Martha Citation Oval A Hume Sein Clearihan 2006 2007
Swinburne University Football Club Razorbacks Hawthorn St. James Park A Hyman George Koumantatakis Official Site 1995 1995
West Brunswick Football Club Magpies Parkville McAlister Oval Damien Truslove Official Site 1936

Former clubs

This may consist of clubs that are currently playing in the Club XVIII section.

Club Formed Last Season

See also

External links

References