The Old Melburnians Football Club, also known as Old Melburnians, is an
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
club composed of
Melbourne Grammar School
(Pray and Work)
, established = 1849 (on present site since 1858 - the celebrated date of foundation)
, type = Independent, co-educational primary, single-sex boys secondary, day and boarding
, denominatio ...
alumni, based in
Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Melbourne and Port Phillip local government areas. Port Melbourne recorded a populatio ...
,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
.
The team is, along with
Old Caulfield Grammarians, the (equal) second oldest consecutively competing team in the
Victorian Amateur Football Association
The Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) is the largest senior community Australian rules football competition in Victoria. It consists of seven senior men's and women's divisions ranging from Premier to Division 4.
In addition there ...
(VAFA) (the oldest being
Collegians
Collegians are an Australian rugby league football team based in Wollongong. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and compete in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership.
Originally known as CBC Old Boys, the Club was founded in 1933. The ...
).
Metropolitan Junior Football Association (1892-1911)
The Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA) was founded in 1892. The foundation clubs were: Alberton;
Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
;
Collegians
Collegians are an Australian rugby league football team based in Wollongong. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and compete in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership.
Originally known as CBC Old Boys, the Club was founded in 1933. The ...
; Footscray District; St Jude’s; St Mary’s; Toorak-Grosvenor; YMCA.
[History of the VAFA](_blank)
/ref> Old Melburnians was admitted to the MJFA competition in 1896; the team withdrew from the competition at the end of the 1896 season.
Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (1911-1915)
In 1912 the MJFA became the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association. In late 1915, the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association announced that it had suspended its competition, and would not resume the competition until the war had ended.
Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (1920-1932)
Apart from its core function of delivering a competition for amateur footballers, the MAFA's teams had also provided an (unofficial) second-level competition for the VFL prior to the MAFA's decision to suspend its competition for the duration of the war.
The VFL Second XVIII competition began in 1919; the MAFA competition was not resumed, post-war, until 1920 — when, on Monday, 22 March 1920, a meeting of the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association decided to resume the inter-club competition that had been suspended for the duration of World War I. It announced that the re-formed competition would be between:
* Four "pre-war" clubs: Collegians Football Club
Collegians Football Club (nicknamed the ''Lions'') is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park. Formed in 1891, it is the second-oldest club in the VAFA, after Melbourne University Football Club
Mel ...
, South Yarra Amateur Football Club, Elsternwick Football Club
Elsternwick is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government area. Elsternwick recorded a population of 10,887 at the 2 ...
, and Melbourne University Football Club
Melbourne University Football Club, often known simply as University, is an Australian rules football club based at the University of Melbourne. The club fields two teams, known as the "Blacks" and "Blues", who both compete in the Victorian Amat ...
(later University Blacks), and
* Four "new clubs": Old Melburnians, Old Caulfield Grammarians, Melbourne Swimming Club Football Club, and the Teachers’ College Football Club.
1920
In its first MAFA match, Old Melburnians defeated South Yarra, 10.15 (75) to 4.7 (31).
1929
In the second last round of the 1929 season Old Melburnians played State Savings Bank at the Brighton Cricket Ground. At the conclusion of the game, one goal umpire had State Savings Bank winning by a point, while the other had the teams drawn. The time-keepers also thought that the match was a draw; and, as an interim measure, the match was declared a draw, and each team was awarded two points for the match.
Given the importance of the match's points allocation (two for a draw, four for a win) in determining which teams were eligible to compete for the 1929 season's premiership, the MAFA authorities met on 22 August 1938, considered the matter at considerable length, and ordered that the match be replayed on 31 August; which, of course, meant that the A Section semi-finals were postponed for a week. At the MAFA meeting on the following Monday it was determined that the match would take place, once again, at Brighton.
The replay match was played in a fierce wind, and Old Meburnians were soundly defeated by State Savings Bank, 18.19 (127) to 9.17 (71).
Old Melburnians (who defeated State Savings Bank in the semi-finals) played against University B (who had defeated Old Scotch in the semi-finals) in the 1929 A Section Grand Final. Although, perhaps, the far better team on the day, due to its atrociously inaccurate kicking, with 31 scoring shots to 19, Old Melburnians lost the match by 8 points: 5.26 (56) to 9.10 (64).
1930
Old Melburnians won its first MAFA premiership in 1930, defeating Elsternwick 23.16 (154) to 7.9 (51) in the A Section Grand Final.
Victorian Amateur Football Association (1933-)
In 1933, the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association changed its name to the Victorian Amateur Football Association. The VAFA competition was suspended after the first home-and-away round of the 1940 season, due to World War II, and resumed in 1946.
1938
Having been relegated from A Section to B Section at the start of the 1938 season, Old Melburnians won its first VAFA premiership in 1938, defeating Coburg 13.10 (88) to 12.10 (82) in the B Section Grand Final.
1946
When the VAFA competition resumed in 1946, Old Melburnian's were placed in B Section. The team lost the 1946 B Section Grand Final to Melbourne High School Old Boys (MHSOB) 18.13 (121) to 12.14 (86).
1978
In 1978, Ian Cordner was the captain of the Old Melburnian's B Section premier team, the B Section's leading goalkicker, and the B Section's best and fairest player.
MAFA/VAFA Senior Premierships
A Section
* 1930: Old Melburnians 23.16 (154) defeated Elsternwick
Elsternwick is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government area. Elsternwick recorded a population of 10,887 at the 2021 ...
7.9 (51).
* 1953: Old Melburnians 12.16 (88) defeated University Blues
Melbourne University Football Club, often known simply as University, is an Australian rules football club based at the University of Melbourne. The club fields two teams, known as the "Blacks" and "Blues", who both compete in the Victorian Ama ...
6.8 (44).
* 1954: Old Melburnians 9.19 (73) defeated University Blues 9.14 (68).
* 1955: Old Melburnians 11.18 (84) defeated Ormond 6.12 (48).
* 1994: Old Melburnians 11.13 (79) defeated Collegians
Collegians are an Australian rugby league football team based in Wollongong. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and compete in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership.
Originally known as CBC Old Boys, the Club was founded in 1933. The ...
7.19 (61).
B Section
* 1938: Old Melburnians 13.10 (88) defeated Coburg
Coburg () is a town located on the Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only in 1920. Until the revolution of 1918, it was ...
12.10 (82).
* 1959: Old Melburnians 11.8 (74) defeated Commonwealth Bank
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), or CommBank, is an Australian multinational bank with businesses across New Zealand, Asia, the United States and the United Kingdom. It provides a variety of financial services including retail, busines ...
8.9 (57).
* 1978: Old Melburnians 18.16 (124) defeated Old Paradians
Old or OLD may refer to:
Places
* Old, Baranya, Hungary
* Old, Northamptonshire, England
*Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD)
*OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...
11.10 (76).
* 1982: Old Melburnians 18.7 (115) defeated Ivanhoe
''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' () by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. Set in England in the Middle Ages, this novel marked a shift away from Scott’s prior practice of setting st ...
15.12 (102).
* 1993: Old Melburnians 18.17 (125) defeated Therry C.C.O.B. 10.10 (70).
* 2002: Old Melburnians 14,9 (93) defeated Old Haileyburians 12.9 (81).
* 2009: Old Melburnians 18.21 (129) defeated Old Trinity 12.11 (83).
C Section
* 1976: Old Melburnians 12.22 (94) defeated Old Haileyburians 8.15 (63).
* 1988: Old Melburnians 11.10 (76) defeated Brighton Grammarians 10.10 (70).
VAFA awards
Best and fairest in Section
A number of footballers from Old Melburnians have been voted the best and fairest player in their Section.
* 1939: E.J. Atkins — A Section.
* 1960: B.N. Kerr — A Section.
* 1978: R. Ian Cordner — B Section.
* 1996: Peter D. O'Brien — A Section.
* 2014: Thomas Paule — B Section.
Leading goalkicker in Section
A number of footballers from Old Melburnians have been the leading goalkicker in their Section.
* 1938: J.C. Cooper — B Section (100 goals).
* 1954: J. Duncan Anderson — A Section (75 goals).
* 1964: I.A. Murray — A Section (44 goals).
* 1976: P.J. Robertson — C Section (71 goals).
* 1978: R. Ian Cordner — B Section (50 goals).
* 1982: R.R. Cameron — B Section (74 goals).
* 1986: J.A. Mitchell — B Section (48 goals).
Big V Carnival Best Player Medal
* 1985: Rohan Brown
Rohan Brown (born 2 October 1957) is an educator and former Australian rules footballer. He played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serv ...
.[Big V Legends and Champions, ''vafa.com.au'', 2018.]
/ref>
AAFC Awards
A number of footballers from Old Melburnians have awarded the Grosvenor Medal for the fairest and best player during an Australian Amateur Football Council
The Australian Amateur Football Council (AAFC) is the governing body of amateur Australian football in the states of Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania in Australia. The council was formed in 1933.
Overview
The council organises amateur ...
carnival.
* 1948: Ken Rollason
Kenneth Neville Cumstie Rollason (12 July 1928 – 27 July 2017) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family
The second son of Geelong player Neville Rollason (1895-1976) and Mar ...
.
* 1950: Peter Cox.
* 1953: Bryce Thomas.Report on Amateur Carnival, ''The (Launceston) Examiner'', (Monday, 10 August 1953), p.12.
/ref>
* 1982: Rohan Brown.
* 1985: Rohan Brown.
* 1994: Ian McMullin
Ian McMullin (born 1 September 1964) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.
McMullin, an ex-Old Melbournian footballer, was recruited by Collingwood in the 1980s. As a half-forward he was a noted goal-kicker. In 1 ...
.
Old Melburnians Football Club players who have also played VFL/AFL football
* Jack Atkins
Ernest John Atkins (19 December 1916 – 1 March 1942) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
He was an able seaman on HMAS ''Perth''; and he died during World War II when HMAS ''P ...
* Dick Atkinson
Dick Atkinson (born 30 June 1934) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
See also
* Australian football at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Australian rules football was one o ...
* Rohan Brown
Rohan Brown (born 2 October 1957) is an educator and former Australian rules footballer. He played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serv ...
* Murray Clapham
* Peter Cooper
Peter Cooper (February 12, 1791April 4, 1883) was an American industrialist, inventor, philanthropist, and politician. He designed and built the first American steam locomotive, the ''Tom Thumb'', founded the Cooper Union for the Advancement of S ...
* David Cordner
* Harcourt Dowsley
* Audley Gillespie-Jones
* Stuart Griffiths
* Ken McKaige
* Peter McLean
* Ian McMullin
Ian McMullin (born 1 September 1964) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.
McMullin, an ex-Old Melbournian footballer, was recruited by Collingwood in the 1980s. As a half-forward he was a noted goal-kicker. In 1 ...
* Jeremy Nichols
* Ken Rollason
Kenneth Neville Cumstie Rollason (12 July 1928 – 27 July 2017) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family
The second son of Geelong player Neville Rollason (1895-1976) and Mar ...
* Ron Rutherford
* Andrew Thompson
* John Tilbrook
* Francis Vine
Francis "Pop" Vine (1 October 1904 – 6 October 1960) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Vine is one of just four players in VFL/AFL history to play in a premiership on de ...
* Andrew Witts
Andrew Witts (born 22 August 1961) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Witts, who came from amateur club Old Melburnians, was already 23 when he played his only season at ...
* Barney Wood
Percival Barnes Wood (22 December 1901 – 9 June 1941), known as "Barney", was an Australian sportsman who played both first-class cricket and Australian rules football. He was killed in action while serving with the Second AIF.
Family
One o ...
* Mike Woods (Australian footballer)
Michael "Mike" Cranston Woods (1 August 1926 - 4 October 2017) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Woods was born in Melbourne and attended Melbourne Grammar. In 1944, ...
Footnotes
External links
The Old Melburnians Football Club website.
Old Melburnians, ''australianfootball.com''.
{{VAFA
Victorian Amateur Football Association clubs
1920 establishments in Australia
Australian rules football clubs established in 1920
Australian rules football clubs in Melbourne
Sport in the City of Bayside
Melbourne Grammar School