1915 MAFA season
The 1915 MAFA season was the 24th season of the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association, an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria. The season began on 24 April and concluded earlier than scheduled on 7 August, comprising a 14-match home-and-away season, followed by a two-week [|finals series].
won the MAFA premiership for the first time, defeating by 15 points in the [|1915 MAFA Grand Final].
This was the final MAFA season until 1920, with the 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1919 seasons cancelled due to the impacts of World War I.
Association membership
Like the previous season in 1914, a total of ten teams competed in the MAFA.On 16 October 1914, three weeks after the end of the 1914 season, the University Football Club dropped out of the Victorian Football League. The club had competed in the MJFA/MAFA with a senior team from 1905 to 1907, and had been fielding a "2nd" team in the competition since 1908. After leaving the VFL, University's senior team returned to the MAFA in 1915, with several of its VFL players staying with the club.
Additionally, the Caulfield Football Club combined with Malvern prior to the start of the 1915 season and became known as "Caulfield-Malvern".
World War I
The 1915 home-and-away season was originally scheduled to end on 26 August. However, due to the impacts of World War I – including a significant number of players enlisting in the Australian Army – the MJFA decided at a meeting on 26 July to curtail the home-and-away season four weeks early.Prior to the final games held in round 14, some clubs had already struggled to find players as a result of enlistments. This included Collegians, which on 17 July was unable to field a team for the first time – and as of 2024, only time – in its history.
Following the conclusion of the season, officials from the VFL sought to have the MAFA become a reserves competition to the VFL for the 1916 season. At least two clubs – Beverley and South Yarra – reported the MAFA that they had been "approached" about becoming reserves teams to and respectively. The MAFA announced in late 1915 that they would not resume competition until the war had ended, while also stating that they were not prepared to be absorbed by the VFL. Ultimately, no MAFA seasons would be held until 1920.
As of 30 July 1915, 164 MJFA players had been enlisted in the Australian Army:
- Beverley – 11
- – 26
- Caulfield – 8
- Collegians – 15
- – 13
- Elsternwick – 32
- – 13
- – 12
- South Yarra – 27
- – 7