VFA Sub Districts Premiers 1951

[Aut Vincere Aut Mori]

Hoping someone out there can assist me in uncovering the Premier team of the VFA Sub Districts competition in 1951. I have the A 2 Division Premier (Southern Stars), and B Grade (Port Melbourne 3rds), D Grade (Port Melbourne 4ths) but can't find the A 1 Premier team. South Melbourne City won the premiership in 1950 and 1952 but didn't make the 1951 Grand Final as reported in the South Melbourne Recorder (a local newspaper). I suspect West Coburg may have been a Grand Finalist as they were runners up in 1950 and 1952.

The VFA Sub Districts commenced in 1926 as the Melbourne and Suburbs F.A and rebranded in 1928 as the VFA Sub Districts. Both the VFA and VFL were jostling for the control of football in the state and had minor competitions such as the VJFA (became the VFA 2nds), VJFL (became the VFL 2nds), VFL Sub Districts (Originally the Melbourne Districts F.A). The VFL Sub Districts lasted until the end of 1949 and reformed in 1950 as the Metropolitan F.L. The VFA Sub Districts lasted until the end of 1953 when the five surviving clubs joined the VAFA (SM City), Metroploitan FL (Merlynston, Preston Swimmers), Northcote Park, Balaclava), and EssDFL (West Coburg).
The demise of the VFA Sub Districts was blamed on the success of the Sunday Leagues and the advent of the VFA 3rds in in 1952. In 1949 the competition had five divisions but by 1954 had only five teams wanting to continue.

For the record, the premiers were:
1926 : A Coburg; B Port United
1927 : A Sth Yarra ; B Armadale
1928 : A Sth Yarra ; B Port United ; C Port Ramblers
1929 : A North Carlton ; B North Port ; C South Montague
1930 : A West Melbourne ; B Port Melb ; C SM Juniors
1931 : A Newport ; B South Melbourne ; C Yarraville
1932 : A West Melbourne ; B South Melbourne ; C North Melbourne
1933 : A Spotswood ; B Dennis ; C North Melbourne
1934 : A West Melbourne ; B Footscray
1935 : A West Melbourne ; B SM District
1936 : A West Melbourne ; B SM District
1937 : A West Coburg
1938 : A West Coburg
Disbanded 1939 - Reformed 1946.
1946 : A Pascoe Vale ; B Port Melb 3rds
1947 : A West Coburg ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Graham United
1948 : A PM District ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C John Kitchen & Sons
1949 : A West Coburg ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Kodak ; D PM United Juniors ; E Prahran 5ths
1950 : A 1 SM City ; A 2 Sth Caulfield ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Port Melb Colts ; D Jolimont
1951 : A 1 ?????? : A 2 Southern Stars ; B Port Melb 3rds
1952 : A SM City
1953 : West Coburg

Port Melbourne 3rds lost their first ever game in 1946 but then went undefeated that season and then in the next five seasons in the VFA Sub Districts. They then left for the newly formed VFA 3rds competition in 1952. Their coach was Frank Gomez and the best and fairest in the VFA 2nd Division U-19's was awarded the Gomez medal named in his honour.

 

[Todman]

22/9/1951 Record

To-morrow (Sunday) South Colts
meet Kensington in the grand final,
to be played at Olympic Park,
During the half-time interval Ron
Clegg will present the best and
fairest trophy to Bob Bonnett
(Sandridge Stars).


29/9/1951 record
PERC. HORNER HAS GREAT RECORD AS COACH OF JUNIORS

A member of the SM.F.C. selection committee, Perc Horner,
added to a long list of successes
as coach when he brought South
Colts home to the premiership
of the Melbourne Amateur Sunday Football Association in the
grand final at Olympic Park
last Sunday.

Wrong league (My bad)

 

[Aut Vincere Aut Mori]

22/9/1951 Record

To-morrow (Sunday) South Colts
meet Kensington in the grand final,
to be played at Olympic Park,
During the half-time interval Ron
Clegg will present the best and
fairest trophy to Bob Bonnett
(Sandridge Stars).


29/9/1951 record
PERC. HORNER HAS GREAT RECORD AS COACH OF JUNIORS

A member of the SM.F.C. selection committee, Perc Horner,
added to a long list of successes
as coach when he brought South
Colts home to the premiership
of the Melbourne Amateur Sunday Football Association in the
grand final at Olympic Park
last Sunday.

Wrong league (My bad)

The Grand Final of the Sunday Amateur League in 1951 between the Graham Family Hotel and Millers Rope was played on the PMCG in front of 20,600 people with a gate of 450 pounds. There were two Sunday competitions; The MASFA and the SAFL. Both had commenced post war. Their success, because of the dearth of other entertainment in Melbourne on Sundays, proved the downfall of the two Sub Districts competitions (VFA & VFL). Ironically, the Sunday competitions became victims of the VFA when they started playing on Sundays in the 1960's.

 

[Bassoon]

Source please

 

[Todman]

Hoping someone out there can assist me in uncovering the Premier team of the VFA Sub Districts competition in 1951. I have the A 2 Division Premier (Southern Stars), and B Grade (Port Melbourne 3rds), D Grade (Port Melbourne 4ths) but can't find the A 1 Premier team. South Melbourne City won the premiership in 1950 and 1952 but didn't make the 1951 Grand Final as reported in the South Melbourne Recorder (a local newspaper). I suspect West Coburg may have been a Grand Finalist as they were runners up in 1950 and 1952.
1948 : A PM District ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C John Kitchen & Sons
1949 : A West Coburg ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Kodak ; D PM United Juniors ; E Prahran 5ths
1950 : A 1 SM City ; A 2 Sth Caulfield ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Port Melb Colts ; D Jolimont
1951 : A 1 ?????? : A 2 Southern Stars ; B Port Melb 3rds
1952 : A SM City
1953 : West Coburg

How do you know there was a A1 division? Its possible that A1 and A2 joined as it appears that the competition was strinking.

 

[the croucher]

Hoping someone out there can assist me in uncovering the Premier team of the VFA Sub Districts competition in 1951. I have the A 2 Division Premier (Southern Stars), and B Grade (Port Melbourne 3rds), D Grade (Port Melbourne 4ths) but can't find the A 1 Premier team. South Melbourne City won the premiership in 1950 and 1952 but didn't make the 1951 Grand Final as reported in the South Melbourne Recorder (a local newspaper). I suspect West Coburg may have been a Grand Finalist as they were runners up in 1950 and 1952.

The VFA Sub Districts commenced in 1926 as the Melbourne and Suburbs F.A and rebranded in 1928 as the VFA Sub Districts. Both the VFA and VFL were jostling for the control of football in the state and had minor competitions such as the VJFA (became the VFA 2nds), VJFL (became the VFL 2nds), VFL Sub Districts (Originally the Melbourne Districts F.A). The VFL Sub Districts lasted until the end of 1949 and reformed in 1950 as the Metropolitan F.L. The VFA Sub Districts lasted until the end of 1953 when the five surviving clubs joined the VAFA (SM City), Metroploitan FL (Merlynston, Preston Swimmers), Northcote Park, Balaclava), and EssDFL (West Coburg).
The demise of the VFA Sub Districts was blamed on the success of the Sunday Leagues and the advent of the VFA 3rds in in 1952. In 1949 the competition had five divisions but by 1954 had only five teams wanting to continue.

For the record, the premiers were:
1926 : A Coburg; B Port United
1927 : A Sth Yarra ; B Armadale
1928 : A Sth Yarra ; B Port United ; C Port Ramblers
1929 : A North Carlton ; B North Port ; C South Montague
1930 : A West Melbourne ; B Port Melb ; C SM Juniors
1931 : A Newport ; B South Melbourne ; C Yarraville
1932 : A West Melbourne ; B South Melbourne ; C North Melbourne
1933 : A Spotswood ; B Dennis ; C North Melbourne
1934 : A West Melbourne ; B Footscray
1935 : A West Melbourne ; B SM District
1936 : A West Melbourne ; B SM District
1937 : A West Coburg
1938 : A West Coburg
Disbanded 1939 - Reformed 1946.
1946 : A Pascoe Vale ; B Port Melb 3rds
1947 : A West Coburg ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Graham United
1948 : A PM District ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C John Kitchen & Sons
1949 : A West Coburg ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Kodak ; D PM United Juniors ; E Prahran 5ths
1950 : A 1 SM City ; A 2 Sth Caulfield ; B Port Melb 3rds ; C Port Melb Colts ; D Jolimont
1951 : A 1 ?????? : A 2 Southern Stars ; B Port Melb 3rds
1952 : A SM City
1953 : West Coburg

Port Melbourne 3rds lost their first ever game in 1946 but then went undefeated that season and then in the next five seasons in the VFA Sub Districts. They then left for the newly formed VFA 3rds competition in 1952. Their coach was Frank Gomez and the best and fairest in the VFA 2nd Division U-19's was awarded the Gomez medal named in his honour.

I don't know competition history at all, but does this scores listing in The Argus issue of Monday 3 September 1951 give the answer ? A team known as Merlynston being the premiers of A1 ?

DETAILS OF WEEKEND SPORTING EVENTS Junior football - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) - 3 Sep 1951

trove.nla.gov.au

 

[35Daicos]

I don't know competition history at all, but does this scores listing in The Argus issue of Monday 3 September 1951 give the answer ? A team known as Merlynston being the premiers of A1 ?

DETAILS OF WEEKEND SPORTING EVENTS Junior football - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) - 3 Sep 1951

trove.nla.gov.au

I think that has to be it! This should be the result from the previous week's game:

That shouldn't be under East Suburban, seemingly!

 

[Todman]

25/8/51 Merlynston 10.4 to West Coburg 5.18

1/9/51 Merlynston 16.11 to Windsor Stars 13.14

Looks like Preliminary Final and Grand Final.

 

[35Daicos]

25/8/51 Merlynston 10.4 to West Coburg 5.18

1/9/51 Merlynston 16.11 to Windsor Stars 13.14

Looks like Preliminary Final and Grand Final.

Yeah, West Coburg had knocked South (Melbourne) City out of the race in the first week of the finals:

It must have been a four-team finals series, consisting of Merlynston, Windsor Stars, West Coburg and South City.

Windsor Stars presumably beat Merlynston in the second-semi final, before ultimately losing to them in the grand final.

 

[Todman]

From the Record 7/7/51 pg 3

Interest in this Association is
now confined to the five leading
sides, with the points as follow:—
West Coburg 32,
Windsor 32,
South City 28,
Merlynston 28,
East Brunswick 28.

 

[Aut Vincere Aut Mori]

Thank you to all those who assisted in locating that missing result for the A 1 Division. Not sure how I missed this while searching on Trove. Very appreciative of your efforts.

Of the teams that participated in those last years of the VFA Sub Districts, West Coburg is still going strong. Prior to WWII, West Melbourne dominated the competition with five premierships and then went to the VFL Sub Districts in 1938; winning the premiership in 1941 but went into recess in 1943 and never reformed post war.