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Vafa tragics 2016 e05
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.
Contents
- Vafa tragics 2016 e05
- History
- Movement in and out of senior competition since inception
- Inter league and Inter state games
- Growth
- Premiers
- Current clubs
- Former clubs
- References
The league is the largest amateur league in Australia and consists of seven senior divisions (with each club in the first 3 divisions fielding 3 teams, and all clubs fielding 2).
The league's administration base is at Sportscover Arena 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 St Bernards.
Current VAFA Board Member Nigel Credlin was drafted to Fitzroy in the AFL.
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.
The foundation clubs were: Alberton; Brighton; Collegians; Footscray District; St Jude’s; St Mary’s; Toorak-Grosvenor; YMCA.
Movement in and out of senior competition since inception
From a history of the VAFA
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.
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.
Of note, the VAFA v SA Amateurs clash in 1957 was the first uninterrupted telecast of an Australian rules football game.
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.
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.
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.
A major indicator of the growth and quality of the association led to poaching of VAFA players to the VFL in 1961.
Premiers
From the VAFA Website
Current clubs
As of 2012, the 7 senior divisions were structured as follows:
Former clubs
This may consist of clubs that are currently playing in the Club XVIII section.
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