Federal Football League
Federal Football League Formerly Federal Football Association (1909−32) Federal District Football League (1932−62) Sport Australian rules football Founded 1909[ 1] Ceased 1981; 43 years ago (1981 ) Country Australia Most titles Moorabbin (12)
The Federal Football League (FFL ), also known simply as the Federal League , was an Australian rules football competition in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne , Victoria. The competition was in existence from 1909 to 1981 and was regarded as one of the strongest metropolitan leagues in Melbourne.[ 2]
It is said that, in the mid-1960s, Channel 7 was seeking to telecast FFL games on a Sunday.[ 3]
History
Formed in 1909 as the Federal Football Association (FFA ),[ 4] the competition's eight founding members were Cheltenham, Ellindale, Elsternwick, Frankston, Mentone, Mordialloc, Moorabbin, and Glen Huntly,[ 5] all from the southern/south eastern suburbs.[ 6]
Local Councillor F. T. Le Page was elected president.[ 7]
History
In 1915, the Federal football Association (FFA) A. Grade teams were - Brighton District, Moorabbin, Cheltenham, Moorabbin Park, Oakleigh and Elsternwick, whilst the B. Grade clubs were Sandringham, Mentone, Heatherton and Glenhuntly.[ 8]
In 1925, the FFA comprised 10 senior and 9 junior club's and had over 1,000 registered players.[ 9]
In 1937 the A Section competition teams were composed of - Black Rock, Mordialloc, Cheltenham, East Burwood, Moorabbin, Caulfield, Darling and Mentone, and in the B section, Chelsea, Highett, Mt. Waverley, Mordialloc, Black Rock and Edithvale-Aspendale.[ 10]
Middle Brighton FC kicked 50.40 - 340 v Heatherton: 0.0 - 0 in a match in 1914.
Clubs
Source: [ 11]
Final clubs
Nine clubs competed in the FFL's final season.
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Former League
Est.
Years in FFL
FFL senior premierships
Fate
Total
Years
Cheltenham
Rosellas
Cheltenham Recreation Reserve, Cheltenham
–
1895
1909–1928; 1930–1981
6
1909, 1911, 1913, 1922, 1925, 1934
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Clayton
Clays
Clayton Reserve, Clayton
1908
1954–1981
2
1980, 1981
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Highett
Bulldogs
Highett Reserve, Highett
–
1929
1934–1981
4
1971, 1973, 1974, 1979
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Mentone
Tigers
Mentone Reserve, Mentone
–
1900s
1909; 1913–1914; 1920–1981
5
1928, 1956, 1967, 1968, 1976
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Moorabbin (II)
Kangas
McKinnon Reserve, McKinnon
–
1979
1979–1981
0
-
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Noble Park
Bulls
Pat Wright Senior Oval, Noble Park
SESFL
1918
1964–1981
1
1972
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Oakleigh District
Districts
Princes Highway Reserve, Oakleigh East
SESFL
1950
1964–1981
0
-
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Parkdale
Seagulls
Gerry Green Reserve, Parkdale
VAFA
1934
1930-1932, 1955–1981
1
1978
Moved to South East Suburban FL in 1982
Springvale
Demons
Springvale Reserve, Springvale
1903
1957–1981
7
1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1975, 1977
Moved to VFA in 1982
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Former League
Est.
Years in FFL
FFL senior premierships
Fate
Total
Years
Aspendale
Aspendale Racecourse, Aspendale
–
1924
1924-1930
0
-
Merged with Edithvale to form Edithvale-Aspendale in 1931
Bentleigh
Demons
Bentleigh Reserve, Bentleigh
–
1919
1920–1928,
0
-
Merged with McKinnon to form Moorabbin in 1979
Black Rock
Jets
Donald MacDonald Reserve, Beaumaris
–
1908
1913–1914; 1919–1926; 1931–1972
3
1935, 1936, 1954
Entered recess in 1973; re-formed in YCWFL in 1976
Brighton Districts
Brighton Beach Oval, Brighton
–
; 1919-1921
3
1915, 1920, 1921
Merged with Brighton in 1928[ 12] [ 11]
Brightonvale
Hurlingham Park, Brighton
–
1929
0
-
Senior team entered recess in 1930
Camden
Princes Park, Caulfield South
–
1939–1956
0
-
Merged with South Caulfield CYMS to form South Caulfield in 1957
Carnegie
Koornang Park, Carnegie
VFLSD
1920s
1932-1934
0
-
Moved to VAFA in 1935
Carrum
Keast Park, Seaford
–
1909
1911; 1922–1927
0
-
Folded in 1928; re-formed in Peninsula & District FA in 1932
Carrum-Chelsea
Paddock on Breeze St., Bonbeach
–
1911
1912-1914
0
-
Entered recess in 1915
Chelsea
Seagulls
Chelsea Recreation Reserve, Chelsea
–
1919
1919–1958
1
1955
Moved to Mornington Peninsula FL in 1959
Dandenong
Redlegs
Dandenong Showgrounds, Dandenong
1874
1930, 1934, 1948, 1951–1957
1
1953
Moved to VFA in 1958
Darling
Darling Park, Malvern East
VFLSD
1934–1940
2
1937, 1938
Folded after 1940 season
Doveton
Doves
Robinson Reserve, Doveton
1959
1972–1976
0
-
Returned to South West Gippsland FL in 1977
East Burwood
Rams
East Burwood Reserve, Burwood East
1910
1931–1938
1
1932
Senior team entered recess in 1939; re-formed in Eastern Suburban FL in 1945
East Caulfield
Fieldsmen
East Caulfield Reserve, Caulfield East
VFLSD
1894
1932–1976
0
-
Folded after 1976 season
East Malvern
Waverley Oval, Malvern East
1900s
1962–1973
4
1964, 1966, 1969, 1970
Folded after 1973 season
Edithvale
Regents Park, Aspendale
–
1900s
1921-1930
0
-
Merged with Edithvale to form Edithvale-Aspendale in 1931
Edithvale-Aspendale
Eagles
Regents Park, Aspendale
–
1931
0
-
Moved to Mornington Peninsula FL in 1956
Ellindale
–
1900s
1909–1910; 1912
0
-
Folded in 1913
Elsternwick
Wickers
Elsternwick Park, Elsternwick
–
1906
1909–1910, 1913
0
-
Moved to VAFA in 1914
Exchange
1917
0
-
[ 13]
Frankston
Frankston Park, Frankston
–
1909
0
-
Glen Orme
Koornang Park, Carnegie
–
1946
1946-1948
0
-
De-merged into Ormond and Glen Huntly Amateurs in 1948
Glen Huntly
Hunters
Glen Huntly Park, Caulfield East
1900s
1960–1974
0
-
Merged with Glen Huntly Amateurs in 1974 to form St Anthony's Glen Huntly in
Glen Huntly Amateurs
Koornang Park, Carnegie
–
1900s
1909, 1913–1915, 1920–1922
0
-
Moved to Caulfield Oakleigh District FL in 1923
Glen Waverley
Central Reserve, Glen Waverley
1930–1931
0
-
Moved to Berwick District FL in 1932
Hampton
Castlefield Reserve, Hampton
–
1919
1920[ 14]
0
-
Merged with various clubs to form Sandringham in 1929[ 15]
Heatherton
Tonners
Heatherton Recreation Reserve, Heatherton
1913
1913–1914; 1920–1921; 1927–1928;
0
-
Moved to as Mentone CYMS in 1954
McKinnon
Maccas
McKinnon Reserve, McKinnon
1954–1977
3
1957, 1958, 1959
Entered recess in 1978; merged with Bentleigh to form Moorabbin in 1979
Moorabbin (I)
Magpies
Moorabbin Oval, Moorabbin
–
1909
1909–1950
12
1914, 1926, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948
Moved to VFA in 1951
Moorabbin Park
Gardeners
Dane Road Reserve, Moorabbin
–
1913-1915
0
-
Folded in 1915[ 16] [ 17]
Mordialloc
Bloodhounds
Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc
–
1891
1909–1911; 1921–1957
7
1923, 1924, 1929, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952
Moved to VFA in 1958
Mount Waverley
Mounts
Oval on corner of Springvale and High St Roads, Glen Waverley
1924
1934-1937
0
-
Moved to Eastern Suburban FL in 1938
Murrumbeena
Frogmore Estate, Carnegie
–
1915
1915, 1921
0
-
Moved to VAFA in 1923
Navy
Navy blue and light blue
HMAS Cerberus
1913
1959
0
-
Moved to Nepean FL in 1960
Oakleigh
Oaks
Warrawee Park, Oakleigh
–
1906
1915
0
-
Moved to VFL Sub-Districts in 1919
Sandringham Amateurs
–
1915–1920
0
-
Moved to VAFA in 1921
Sandringham Districts
0
-
South Caulfield
Princes Park, Caulfield South
–
1957
1957–1961
0
-
Merged with Brighton in 1964
University Reds
Reds
VAFA
1954
1971−1972
0
-
Returned to VAFA in 1973
Vermont
Eagles
Vermont Reserve, Vermont
1920
1936
0
-
Moved to Eastern Suburban FL in 1937
Victoria Brewery
–
1910–1912
2
1910, 1912
Left league in 1913[ 18]
Wells Road
–
1926
1926-1929
0
-
Split from Chelsea in 1926, re-merged in 1930
Notes
The Agar Wynne Shield. The Honourable Agar Wynne, MHR was the Federal Football Association's Patron from 1909 to 1915.[ 19]
1948 – Moorabbin 19.11.125 d Camden 10.5.65
1949 - Caulfield 11.15.81 drew Moorabbin 11.15.81
1949 – Caulfield 14.10.94 d Moorabbin 11.10.76 (Grand Final Replay)
1950 – Mordialloc 9.9.63 d Moorabbin 7.14.56
1951 – Mordialloc 21.17.143 d Freighters 6.8.44
1952 – Mordialloc 14.7.91 d Camden 10.13.73
1953 – Dandenong 11.20.86 d Caulfield 9.6.60
1954 – Black Rock 16.17.113 d Dandenong 15.12.102
1955 – Chelsea 10.17.77 d Dandenong 7.12.54
1956 – Mentone 11.8.74 d Mordialloc 9.11.65
1957 – McKinnon 13.9.87 d Mordialloc 12.13.85
1958 – McKinnon 8.12.60 d Springvale 6.9.45
1959 – McKinnon 8.13.61 d Mentone 8.9.57
1960 – Springvale 14.9.93 d McKinnon 8.16.64
1961 – Springvale 12.8.80 d Glen Huntly 10.11.71
1962 – Springvale 14.13.97 d Glen Huntly 7.12.54
1963 – Springvale 17.16.118 d Mentone 8.13.61
1964 – East Malvern 8.18.66 d Glen Huntly 7.9.51
1965 – Springvale 15.13.103 Glen Huntly 3.12.30
1966 – East Malvern 13.13.91 d Springvale 11.13.79
1967 – Mentone 14.10.94 d Glen Huntly 11.9.75
1968 – Mentone 6.17.53 d Oakleigh District 5.13.43
1969 – East Malvern 8.10.58 d Oakleigh District 6.20.56
1970 – East Malvern 20.12.132 d Springvale 15.21.111
1971 – Highett 17.10.112 d Springvale 12.7.79
1972 – Noble Park 15.16.106 d Highett 14.9.93
1973 – Highett 17.19.121 d Noble Park 16.14.110
1974 – Highett 11.15.81 d Cheltenham 11.14.80
1975 – Springvale 20.14.134 d Parkdale 16.13.109
1976 – Mentone 12.17.89 d Cheltenham 12.11.83
1977 – Springvale 18.19.127 d Oakleigh District 17.13.115
1978 – Parkdale 22.19.141 d Oakleigh District 15.17.107
1979 – Highett 14.12.96 d Clayton 11.13.79
1980 – Clayton 17.30.132 d Springvale 13.14.92
1981 – Clayton 16.9.105 d Oakleigh District 11.13.79
Best and Fairest Awards
Senior Football / A. Grade Section[ 47]
Cr. J.W. ALLNUT MEDAL. (Allnut was President of the FFA from 1936 to 1945 & a life member).
Year
Player's Name
Club
Votes
Year
Player's Name
Club
Votes
1927
P Gleeson
Chelsea
1952
C. Mudge
Mentone
1928
P Gleeson
Chelsea
1953
A. Beckwith
Mentone
1929
Les Warren &
Chelsea
1954 [ 48]
G March
Camden
22
W Hughes
Mordialloc
1955
R Goodes
Parkdale
1930
Les Warren
Chelsea
1956
George Ashman
Mordialloc
1931
A Perry
Black Rock
1957
Kevin Phillips
Chelsea
1932
B.Kavanagh
Mordialloc
1958
Kevan Hamilton
McKinnon
1933
J Ash &
Caulfield
1959
K Roberts
Cheltenham
I Corry
Cheltenham
1960
I Gardner
Springvale
1934
V Hunter
East Burwood
1961
Kevan Hamilton
McKinnon
1935
E Roff
East Burwood
1962
Kevan Hamilton
McKinnon
1936
E Martin
East Burwood
1963
Kevan Hamilton
McKinnon
1937[ 49]
J Mitchell
Mentone
1964
K Hamilton
McKinnon
1938[ 50]
P Witchell
Black Rock
21
1965
G Gotch
Glenhuntly
1939
K Dunn
Mentone
1966
W Morrison
Highett
1940
E.McInerny
Moorabbin
1967
J Ward
Black Rock
1941[ 51]
Laurie Kelly
Camden
1968
I House
Caulfield
1942
In recess. WW2
1969
C Hutchins
East Malvern
1943
In recess. WW2
1970
K Ellis
Glenhuntly
1944
In recess. WW2
1971
J Calleja
Bentleigh
1945
R.Hocking
Camden
1972
D. McGrath
Noble Park
1946
D.Fankhauser
Mordialloc
1973
F.Clifford
Doveton
1947
C.Mudge &
Mordialloc
1974
G.Skinner
Parkdale
Alf Evans
Chelsea
1975
R.Johnston
McKinnon
1948
C.Coade &
Glen Orme
1976
A.Sierowkoski
Mentone
G.Daley &
Heatherton
1977
L.Studham
Noble Park
C.Mudge
Mordialloc
1978
T.Quinn
Bentleigh
1949
R.Fox
Moorabbin
1979
S.Watt
Noble Park
1950
C.Dawson
Caulfield
1980
M.Plant
Noble Park
1951
C.Mudge
Mentone
1981
T.Quinn
Moorabbin
References
External links
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