Victorian Amateur Football Association
The Victorian Amateur Football Association is the largest senior community Australian rules football competition in Victoria. Founded in 1892, it consists of six senior divisions, ranging from Premier to Division 3 in the men's competition and Premier to Division 4 in the women's competition.
In addition, the VAFA has under-19s and Thirds sections, primarily made up of either clubs only able to field one team, or clubs from higher sections that can field a third team after their seniors and reserves. The league operates a double promotion and relegation system between sections, with various rules dictating which section clubs can play in.
The VAFA's administration base is at Elsternwick Park, a former Victorian Football Association ground that was home to the now-defunct Brighton Football Club, which is now the home for the Elsternwick Football Club and the Old Melburnians Football Club.
The VAFA comprises private school old boys clubs, university clubs and district clubs. No player payments are permitted, however players can be enticed by offers of employment. As of 2021, the VAFA has 14,000 male players and 4,000 female players.
History
MJFA
The VAFA was founded in 1892 as the Metropolitan Junior Football Association. Ten clubs competed in the inaugural season − Alberton, Brighton, Collegians, Edlington, Footscray District, St Kilda Football Club|South St Kilda], St Jude's, St Mary's, Toorak-Grosvenor and YMCA. Edlington withdrew from the competition after two games, with extra games played against Holy Trinity by teams that were initially scheduled to play Edlington.MFA name change
On 27 March 1900, the MJFA decided on a change of name to the Metropolitan Football Association. MJFA president Lawrence Adamson believed that his association was now a senior competition and the "junior" label no longer applied.Adamson brokered a deal that the existing MFA became the MJFA, giving his MJFA the "Metropolitan Football Association" name.
Despite this, various newspaper reports from 1900 until 1912 still use the MJFA name when referring to Adamson's competition. Most consensus is that "MJFA" in this time period refers to the now-VAFA, and the VAFA's official history continues to use the MJFA name until 1912.
MAFA
In 1912, the MJFA became the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association.Prior to World War I, apart from its core function of delivering a competition for amateur footballers, the MAFA also provided a de facto second-level competition for the VFL.
The 1915 home-and-away season was originally scheduled to end on 26 August. However, due to the impacts of World War I, 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.
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. As of 30 July 1915, 164 MJFA players had been enlisted in the Australian Army.
In 1920, the MAFA announced that the re-formed competition would be between four of the "pre-war" clubs — namely, Collegians Football Club, South Yarra Amateur Football Club, Elsternwick Football Club, and University Football Club">Melbourne University Football Club">University Football Club — and four "new clubs" — namely, Old Melburnians, [Caulfield Grammarians Football Club|Old Caulfield Grammarians], Melbourne Swimming Club Football Club and the Teachers’ College Football Club.
By 1922, the association was divided into 2 sections of 8. Only four years later, three sections were established: Section A with 10 clubs and Section B and C with 8 clubs each.
VAFA and growth
In 1933, the MAFA changed its name to the Victorian Amateur Football Association.Competition was ceased for the Second World 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, but the association then 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.
Between 1995 until the end of the 1999 season, there was a geographic split in some VAFA divisions with "E South", "E Central" and "E East". As well as an end to the geographic split, the 2000 season also saw the renaming of D Section, E Section, F Section and G Section to Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4 respectively.
In 2010, A Section was renamed to Premier Division, B Section was renamed to Premier B and C Section was renamed to Premier C.
Starting in 2017, the VAFA has operated a women's competition in addition to the men's.
At the end of the 2023 season, Division 4 was abolished after Ivanhoe and Old Paradians were accepted into the Northern Football Netball League.
Inter-league and interstate games
1925
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.1948
Players in the 1948 Perth Carnival included: R. B. Small, K. N. C. Rollanson, G. V. Byrne, C. P. Daley, J. C. Stock, V. G. Miller, E. Jane, W. J. Backhouse, W. T. Taggart, J. P. Sheehan, R. L. Rouse, K. F. Lewis, J. W. Grainier, W. Reynolds's, N. P. Airmen, G. W. McTaggart, D. B. White, E. L. Macklin, B. F. Judd, V. W. Paxton, M. J. Davidson, D. W. Arnold, G. T. Moore, M. K. Fitcher, A. H. C. Richard's, E. M. MacGregor.1951
The Australian Amateur Jubilee Football Carnival was held in Melbourne in July 1951.The Victorian team included: J. Kelly, K. Clarke, G. W. Gibbons, A. T. Shiel, D. Bills, J.D. Anderson, M.T. Hastie, A. D. Morning, G. Harris. G.T. Moore, A. E. Parley, W. B. Thomas, M. Mathewson, A. Ferguson, J. Stock, J. B. Jolley, J. Likely, B. F. Judd, W. M. Judd, P. McLaughlin,. Bedford, S. Bottles, D. W. Arnold, P. M. Cox, H. A. Meredith, A. F. Mellors, E. Donaldson.
1954
On 14 June 1954, the Queen's Birthday holiday, a Victorian representative team defeated a South Australian team 12.14 to 10.15 at the Junction Oval. The match was preceded by the Grand Final of a "lightning premiership" that involving sixteen teams playing knock-out matches of two 10 minute halves. Four of the first round matches were played at the Junction Oval, and the other four were played at the Ross Gregory Oval at the other end of Albert Park Lake. The quarter final, semi final, and the Grand Final matches were all played at the Junction Oval. The sixteen teams involved were:- Alphington Football Club, Hampton Rovers Football Club, Melbourne High School Old Boys (M.H.S.O.B.), Old Melburnians, and Ormond Amateur Football Club from A Section.
- Brunswick Amateurs Football Club, Caulfield Grammarians Football Club, Coburg Amateurs Football Club, Collegians Football Club, and Ivanhoe Amateur Football Club from B Section.
- Balwyn Football Club, East Malvern Football Club, and Parkside Football Club from C Section.
- Parkdale Football Club from D Section.
- South Melbourne City Football Club, and Preston Amateurs Football Club from E Section.
1956
In 1956 a VAFA XVIII beat the combined VFL/VFA Amateurs in a demonstration game at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, 12.9 to 8.7.1957
Of some considerable historical significance, the VAFA vs. South Australian Amateur Football League interstate match, played at Olympic Park on 17 June 1957 — which Victoria won 15.9 to 8.3 — was the first ever uninterrupted telecast of a complete Australian rules football game .1971
In 1971 a VAFA Representative side beat a VFA XVIII for the inaugural Victorian Football Cup 23.12 to 19.17.Women's clubs
Premier B
Former clubs
Sources:Club movements
Source:| Season | New clubs admitted | Clubs that left before start of next season |
| 1892 | Alberton | Edlington (2nd 20) |
| 1892 | Brighton (2nd 20) | Footscray District |
| 1892 | Collegians (2nd 20) | |
| 1892 | Edlington (2nd 20) | |
| 1892 | Footscray District | |
| 1892 | South St Kilda (2nd 20) | |
| 1892 | St Jude's | |
| 1892 | St Mary's | |
| 1892 | Toorak-Grosvenor | |
| 1892 | YMCA | |
| 1893 | Olinda | YMCA |
| 1893 | University 2nd | |
| 1894 | Nunawading | Olinda |
| 1894 | Scotch Collegians | University 2nd |
| 1894 | Windsor | Toorak-Grosvenor |
| 1894 | Caulfield | St Jude's |
| 1895 | Waltham | |
| 1896 | Old Melburnians | Alberton |
| 1896 | Malvern | Scotch Collegians |
| 1896 | Old Melburnians | |
| 1897 | South Yarra | Booroondara |
| 1897 | Booroondara | Waltham |
| 1898 | Leopold | St Mary's |
| 1898 | Beverley | South Yarra |
| 1899 | St Francis Xavier | St Francis Xavier |
| 1899 | Parkville | Parkville |
| 1899 | Kew | South St Kilda |
| 1900 | Celtic | |
| 1900 | St Ignatius | |
| 1900 | South Melbourne Juniors | |
| 1901 | South Yarra Juniors | South Melbourne Juniors |
| 1901 | Kew | |
| 1902 | Celtic | |
| 1902 | St Ignatius | |
| 1903 | Boroondara ' | |
| 1903 | Port Rovers | |
| 1904 | Fitzroy District | Booroondara |
| 1905 | Melbourne University | |
| 1908 | Oakleigh | Brighton |
| 1908 | University 2nd | University |
| 1908 | Port Rovers | |
| 1909 | ||
| 1911 | Oakleigh | |
| 1912 | ||
| 1913 | ||
| 1914 | Elsternwick | |
| 1920 | Old Melburnians | |
| 1920 | Old Caulfield | |
| 1920 | Melbourne Swimming Club | |
| 1920 | Melbourne Teachers College | |
| 1920 | Collegians | |
| 1920 | Elsternwick | |
| 1920 | ||
| 1920 | South Yarra | |
| 1921 | Brighton Grammarians Football Club|Old Brighton] | Teachers College ' |
| 1921 | Old Scotch | South Yarra |
| 1921 | ||
| 1921 | Old Trinity | |
| 1921 | Sandringham | |
| 1921 | Hampton | |
| 1922 | Melbourne Shipping Company | Melbourne Shipping Company |
| 1922 | Murrumbeena | |
| 1922 | Elwood | |
| 1922 | Old Brighton | |
| 1922 | Teachers College ' | |
| 1923 | Old Xaverians | Elsternwick B |
| 1924 | Burwood | Elwood |
| 1924 | Caulfield City | |
| 1924 | Old Brighton | |
| 1925 | Old Hailebury | Caulfield ' |
| 1926 | Geelong | |
| 1926 | Sandringham Juniors | |
| 1926 | St Paul's Ascot Vale | |
| 1926 | Old Melburnians B | |
| 1926 | Teachers College B | |
| 1926 | Kew Juniors | |
| 1926 | Brunswick | |
| 1926 | South Caulfield | |
| 1926 | Gardenvale-Middle Brighton | |
| 1927 | Glenhuntly B | Oakley Amateurs ' |
| 1927 | West Hawthorn | |
| 1927 | Kingsville Rovers | |
| 1927 | Oakley Amateurs | |
| 1927 | Pascoe Vale | |
| 1927 | Black Rock | |
| 1927 | Naval Base Flinders | |
| 1927 | State Savings Bank | |
| 1928 | Burwood | Sandringham |
| 1928 | Sandringham B | Sandringham B |
| 1928 | Surrey Hills | Pascoe Vale ' |
| 1928 | Oakley ' | Oakley ' |
| 1929 | MHSOB | |
| 1929 | Old Ivanhoe | |
| 1929 | Old Paradians | |
| 1929 | Bentleigh | |
| 1930 | Dandenong KSP | Old Ivanhoe |
| 1930 | Brighton Technical OB | Black Rock ' |
| 1930 | Glenhuntly B | |
| 1931 | Canterbury United Churches | |
| 1932 | University High School OB | |
| 1932 | North Melbourne CBC | |
| 1932 | Ormond | |
| 1932 | West Brunswick | |
| 1932 | Footscray TSOB | |
| 1932 | St Ignatius | |
| 1932 | Gardiner | |
| 1932 | ES&A Bank | |
| 1932 | Old Brighton | |
| 1932 | National Bank | |
| 1933 | Hampton Rovers | West Hawthorn |
| 1933 | Canterbury United Churches | |
| 1933 | Surrey Hills | |
| 1934 | Ivanhoe | Dandenong |
| 1934 | Parkdale | |
| 1934 | Alphington | |
| 1935 | Carnegie | St Ignatius ' |
| 1935 | Coburg | Old Haileybury/Old Trinity |
| 1935 | Kingsville | |
| 1935 | National Bank | |
| 1936 | Fairfield | Burwood |
| 1936 | Mount Carmel OC | |
| 1936 | West Brunswick | |
| 1937 | Myer | Bentleigh District |
| 1937 | St Camberwell | |
| 1938 | Parkside Amateurs | |
| 1939 | St Patrick's Ballarat OC | National Bank |
| 1939 | Heidelberg West | Carnegie |
| 1939 | North Melbourne CBC ' | |
| 1940 | Pascoe Vale | Geelong |
| 1940 | Power House | Brighton |
| 1940 | Old Brighton | |
| 1946 | Balwyn Amateurs | |
| 1946 | Carnegie Church of Christ | |
| 1947 | Elsternwick ' | |
| 1947 | Power House ' | |
| 1947 | Geelong ' | |
| 1947 | Commonwealth Bank | |
| 1947 | St Kevin's | |
| 1947 | State Electricity Commission | |
| 1948 | North Alphington | State Electricity Commission |
| 1948 | University High School OB ' | |
| 1949 | Glenhuntly Juniors | |
| 1949 | Moreland Amateurs | |
| 1949 | St Andrews | |
| 1950 | Bellfield | Glenhuntly Juniors |
| 1951 | St Patrick's Ballarat OC ' | |
| 1952 | DS&A Bank | Moreland |
| 1952 | North Alphington | |
| 1953 | St Columb's | |
| 1954 | ANZ Bank | Caulfield |
| 1954 | Insurance Social Clubs Association | |
| 1954 | National Bank | |
| 1954 | Old Carey | |
| 1954 | Old Geelong Grammarians | |
| 1954 | Old Trinity | |
| 1954 | Power House Gold | |
| 1954 | Preston | |
| 1954 | Sth Melbourne City | |
| 1954 | Hawthorn Amateurs | |
| 1955 | De La Salle OC | Myer |
| 1955 | Melburnian Blues | |
| 1955 | University E | |
| 1956 | Port Melbourne Amateurs | Balwyn |
| 1956 | St Patrick's OC | |
| 1957 | AJAX | Hawthorn Amateurs ' |
| 1958 | Collegians Gold | Insurance Social Clubs Associations |
| 1958 | St Kilda CBC OB | |
| 1959 | Commercial Bank | Brighton |
| 1959 | West Brunswick | Huntingdale Juniors |
| 1959 | South Melbourne City | |
| 1960 | Old Camberwell | Port Melbourne Amateurs |
| 1962 | Monash University | |
| 1962 | Pharmacy College | |
| 1962 | North Melbourne CBC ' | Murrumbeena |
| 1962 | St Bernard's OC | |
| 1962 | Kooyong | |
| 1962 | AMP Society | |
| 1963 | University Reds | |
| 1964 | RAAF Cadets | |
| 1964 | Old Ivanhoe Grammarians | |
| 1964 | Cassie | |
| 1964 | Monash University Whites | |
| 1964 | Assumption OB | |
| 1964 | St Patricks Ballarat ' | |
| 1965 | Australian Postal Institute | Pharmacy College ' |
| 1965 | Reservoir OB | |
| 1965 | Patricians | |
| 1966 | Bellfield | |
| 1966 | API | |
| 1966 | Monash University Whites | |
| 1966 | RAAF Cadets | |
| 1966 | Cassie | |
| 1966 | Kooyong ' | |
| 1968 | Old Mentonians | |
| 1970 | Old Essendon Grammarians | |
| 1970 | Dookie | |
| 1970 | Longernong OC | |
| 1970 | La Trobe University | |
| 1971 | Marcellin OC | |
| 1971 | North Brunswick | |
| 1971 | La Trobe University Reds | |
| 1971 | Monash University Whites ' | |
| 1972 | St Bedes OC | |
| 1973 | Fawkner | Fairfield ' |
| 1973 | Thornbury | |
| 1973 | University Reds ' | |
| 1974 | Glenroy | |
| 1974 | Beverley Hills | |
| 1975 | Bulleen United | |
| 1975 | Heatherton | |
| 1975 | Bulleen Templestowe | |
| 1977 | St Patricks Ballarat | |
| 1978 | Reservoir OB | |
| 1979 | St Pius | National Bank |
| 1979 | Clayton | |
| 1979 | Princes Hill | |
| 1980 | St John's OC | |
| 1980 | Peninsula OB | |
| 1980 | Coolaroo Rovers | |
| 1980 | Thomastown | |
| 1980 | Banyule | |
| 1982 | Geelong Amateurs | |
| 1983 | Williamstown CMYS | Assumption OC |
| 1983 | Alphington ' | |
| 1984 | Preston MBOB | Thornbury |
| 1984 | Old Essendon Grammarians ' | |
| 1985 | GTV 9 | |
| 1985 | Eltham Collegians | |
| 1985 | St Andrews | |
| 1985 | St Leonards OC | |
| 1985 | Whitefriars OC ' | |
| 1986 | Alphington ' | |
| 1987 | Aquinas | |
| 1987 | Bloods | |
| 1987 | Port Colts | |
| 1987 | Richmond Central | |
| 1988 | Coburg | |
| 1988 | Clayton | |
| 1989 | Mazenod OC | |
| 1989 | Salesian OC | |
| 1989 | Waverley Amateurs | |
| 1990 | Boronia Park | FIT |
| 1990 | St Mary's | Port Colts |
| 1990 | State Bank | |
| 1990 | Commonwealth Bank | |
| 1991 | St John's OC | Waverley Amateurs |
| 1991 | St Patricks-Menton | St Kilda CB OC |
| 1991 | Old Westbourne Grammarians | |
| 1991 | Monash Gryphons | |
| 1991 | State Commonwealth Bank | |
| 1992 | St Kilda South Caulfield | Albanvale |
| 1992 | St Leo's-Wattle Park | Kontias ' |
| 1992 | Camberwell | |
| 1993 | Yarra Valley Old Boys | |
| 1994 | Eley Park | Boronia Park |
| 1994 | Newlands Coburg | Brunswick |
| 1994 | Camberwell | |
| 1995 | Beaumaris | Fawkner |
| 1995 | Hawthorn Citizens | Doveton |
| 1995 | Swinburne University | St Andrew's-Coburg |
| 1995 | Eltham OC | |
| 1995 | Ivanhoe | |
| 1995 | Kew | |
| 1996 | Thornbury Cougars | Balwyn Combined |
| 1996 | Bulleen United | |
| 1996 | Canterbury North Balwyn | |
| 1996 | Bloods | |
| 1997 | Mt Lilydale | Newlands Coburg |
| 1997 | Syndal Tally-Ho | |
| 1997 | Bulleen Cobras | |
| 1998 | Werribee Amateurs | |
| 1999 | Brunswick ' | Glenhuntly |
| 1999 | St Kilda South Caulfield | |
| 2000 | Bentleigh | Monash Whites |
| 2000 | South Melbourne Districts | Chirnside Park |
| 2000 | Glen Eira | Chirnside Park |
| 2001 | Thomastown | |
| 2002 | Box Hill North | Eley Park |
| 2002 | Brunswick Power | Parkside |
| 2003 | Balwyn Combined | Preston MBOB |
| 2003 | Canterbury North Balwyn | St Bedes OC |
| 2003 | Yarra Valley OB | Mentone |
| 2004 | St Bede's Mentone Tigers | Mentone Vultures |
| 2004 | St Bede's Mentone Tigers | Brunswick Power |
| 2005 | Parkdale Vultures | Mt Lilydale |
| 2007 | South Mornington | |
| 2008 | St Francis Xavier | St Mary's Amateurs |
| 2008 | St Francis Xavier | Salesian OC AFC |
| 2008 | St Francis Xavier | Fitzroy Reds |
| 2009 | ||
| 2009 | St Mary's Salesian | |
| 2009 | Northern Bullants | |
| 2010 | Point Cook | |
| 2012 | Masala | Rupertswood |
| 2014 | Parkside | Banyule |
| 2017 | Point Cook | |
| 2018 | Old Eltham Collegians | |
| 2019 | South Mornington | |
| 2019 | St Francis Xavier | |
| 2022 | Manningham Cobras | |
| 2022 | Yarra Old Grammarians | |
| 2023 | Old Yarra Cobras | Ivanhoe |
| 2023 | Old Yarra Cobras | Old Paradians |
| 2024 | Bulleen Templestowe | |
| 2025 | Port Melbourne Chargers | St John's Old Collegians |
Venues
Dozens of venues are used for VAFA matches across all grades and divisions throughout the home-and-away season and finals series.Current
The following grounds were used for the 2025 VAFA season.| Ground | Image | Other names | Suburb | Capacity | First used | Current tenant |
| Bennettswood Reserve | Burwood | 1,000 | ||||
| Brighton Beach Oval | Brighton | 6,000 | ||||
| Brunswick Street Oval | Fitzroy North | 10,000 | ||||
| Camberwell Sports Ground | Camberwell | 5,000 | ||||
| Como Park | South Yarra | 1,000 | ||||
| Daley Oval | Bulleen | 1,000 | ||||
| EE Gunn Reserve | Ormond | 1,000 | ||||
| Elsternwick Park | Brighton | 6,000 | ||||
| Fearon Reserve | Williamstown | 1,000 | ||||
| Frearson Oval | Clayton | 1,000 | ||||
| Gary Smorgon Oval | St Kilda | 1,000 | ||||
| Gillon Oval | Brunswick | 2,000 | ||||
| Harry Trott Oval | St Kilda | 1,000 | ||||
| Ian Johnson Oval | St Kilda | 1,000 | ||||
| Lois Twohig Reserve | Dandenong North | 1,000 | ||||
| Princes Park | Caulfield South | 3,500 | ||||
| Rathmines Road Reserve | Hawthorn East | 1,000 | ||||
| Scammell Reserve | Oakleigh South | 1,000 | ||||
| Tony Sheehan Oval | Bundoora | 1,110 | ||||
| Toorak Park | Armadale | 5,000 | ||||
| University Oval | Parkville | 1,000 | ||||
| Victoria Park | Kew | 1,000 | ||||
| Waverley Park | Malvern East | 1,000 | ||||
| Woodfull-Miller Oval | South Yarra | 2,000 |