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The competition was expanded for 1924 with the admission of Aspendale, a new club and the return to senior ranks by Moorabbin. New rules were introduced to ensure that all players wore their correct club uniform. After a three week settling in period clubs were fined one shilling per player for those considered to be not in their Clubs colours. In round six a Cheltenham player was charged by police with assaulting an umpire, found guilty and sentenced to three months jail. All the clubs and the Association banded together to raise funds for his appeal, which was successful having his penalty reduced to a ten pound fine.
The competition was expanded for 1924 with the admission of Aspendale, a new club and the return to senior ranks by Moorabbin. New rules were introduced to ensure that all players wore their correct club uniform. After a three week settling in period clubs were fined one shilling per player for those considered to be not in their Clubs colours. In round six a Cheltenham player was charged by police with assaulting an umpire, found guilty and sentenced to three months jail. All the clubs and the Association banded together to raise funds for his appeal, which was successful having his penalty reduced to a ten pound fine.
He
was not reported by the offended umpire and the Association took no action
against him. They and many others thought that the police action was an
extraordinary reaction to a trivial offence as the player only pushed the
umpire lightly in the chest in a friendly sort of manner and had never struck
him. It came to light later that one of the Police Officers concerned had a
private grudge against the player charged. The press reports caused a sensation
at the time and did nothing to enhance the Associations standing in the
community. Typically the later successful Appeal received no press.
The Grand Final that year was played at Cheltenham between Mordialloc and Mentone and the match was considered to be of so much local significance that the Mordialloc shopkeepers agreed to close their shops between 2.30 and 5.30 pm. A crowd of 2,500 spectators saw Mordialloc win an entertaining game by 21 points.
The Grand Final that year was played at Cheltenham between Mordialloc and Mentone and the match was considered to be of so much local significance that the Mordialloc shopkeepers agreed to close their shops between 2.30 and 5.30 pm. A crowd of 2,500 spectators saw Mordialloc win an entertaining game by 21 points.
Mentone
caused a stir in 1925 by announcing their intention to charge admittance to
their ground for its home matches. Being one of the very few grounds to be
totally enclosed it was initially thought unfair, however most clubs very
quickly arranged to have their grounds enclosed. Clubs would otherwise raise
their entrance monies by using collection boxes and so on. It was pleasing to
most people that Mentone, although having a good year were knocked out in the
semi-finals.
A tightening of the F.F.A. rules in 1926 saw for the first time that when players were reported they were to be told of such immediately following the alleged infraction. Previous to this new rule only the club Secretary was told of any reports at the umpire’s earliest convenience. Players were also required to sign a team sheet to be handed to the opposition at half time.
Prior to the Page System being introduced in 1932, the team which finished on top of the ladder were declared the ’Minor Premiers’. Finals were played, however if the top team was defeated they had the right to challenge whatever club that had won its way through. Such was the case in 1926 when Mordialloc had finished on top. The second semifinal saw Mordialloc (first) defeated by Mentone (third).
The first semi-final had been played the week prior with Moorabbin (fourth) defeating Cheltenham (second), Moorabbin then defeated Mentone in the Final (Preliminary), Mordialloc, as was their right under the rules exercised their ‘right of challenge’. Moorabbin won the deciding match by thirteen points. This type of result was very rare and had occurred only once before.During the game which was played at Cheltenham, several fights erupted in the final quarter with one Moorabbin player being carried from the field unconscious causing an all in brawl between players and spectators from both clubs.
The attending local Police took some time to sort out the huge melee. Although there were no reports or Police action the F.F.A. took the unusual step of holding an ‘open’ tribunal hearing which was open to spectators and club officials from all sides. A Thomas Cockram from the Mordialloc club was charged by Moorabbin club officials with punching one of their players unconscious.
They charged that player Cockram firstly punched their player to the ground. Not being satisfied with this player Cockram then punched the man again when he rose to his feet, knocking him out cold. Cockram had, over the years become a regular at the tribunal and as a consequence of his poor record and his latest infraction received a life time ban from the Association. In evidence the field umpire stated that he had not seen the incident in question and then very promptly left the hearing.
The ‘open’ tribunal appears to be the first real effort by the F.F.A. to stamp out what at the time was called ‘rough play’. The following three seasons 1927, 1928 and 1929 saw a great deal of turmoil amongst the clubs as well as from within the administration of the Association itself which had lacked continuity and suffered from a lack of strong leadership. In 1927 players were allowed to receive ‘out of pocket expenses’ for the first time officially. A system that was thoroughly abused. Many of the decisions handed down by the Association seemed to have a strong bias dependent upon which clubs the administrators were aligned with.
A Best and Fairest trophy was instituted in 1927, the ‘Federal Trophy’ and was awarded by tallying the votes awarded by the field umpire at the conclusion of each game. Only one ‘best’ player was nominated for each game. In an attempt to curb the Associations increasingly poor reputation an independent tribunal was introduced in 1928. A new rule was also introduced in an attempt to curtail ‘professionalism’. The only paid player allowed for each club had to be the coach and no player could receive more than five shillings to cover ‘expenses’.
Further steps were taken the following season with the introduction of a rule restricting the clubs from registering no more than three senior players, defined as having played four or more games in the current or previous season with any V.F.L., V.F.A. or recognised league outside the Metropolitan area.
By 1929 the problems the Association were experiencing almost caused its collapse. The senior grade was reduced to six clubs and despite concerted overtures to the clubs that had withdrawn little interest was shown by them to rejoin. Wells Road had been expelled after round thirteen and Brightonvale had given a number of walkovers. Mentone, Mordialloc and Cheltenham had also been approached by the V.F.A. to field a District team in its ranks for the 1930 season but declined.
Competing clubs for seasons 1927, 1928 and 1929 were
1927 Senior Grade: Chelsea City, Mentone, Wells Road, Aspendale, Middle Brighton, Moorabbin, Edithvale, Bentleigh, Cheltenham, Carrum, Mordialloc, Heatherton. Junior under 21: Mentone, Ormond, Brightonvale, Cheltenham, Moorabbin, Chelsea Juniors, Brighton T.S.O.Bs., Parkdale.
1928 Senior: Moorabbin, Heatherton, Mordialloc, Edithvale, Mentone, Bentleigh, Aspendale, Wells Road, Cheltenham, Chelsea City. Junior under 21: Moorabbin, Sandringham. Cheltenham, Chelsea Juniors, Brightonvale, Ormond, Mentone, Parkdale, Mordialloc, Brighton T.S.O.Bs.
1929 Senior: Mentone, Mordialloc, Brightonvale, Wells Road, Chelsea City, Edithvale. Junior under 21: Ormond, Mentone, Brighton T.S.O.Bs., Cheltenham, Mordialloc, Moorabbin, North Brighton, Chelsea Juniors.
Note. The two Moorabbin teams were separate with Moorabbin (Park) a senior club and Moorabbin playing in the Junior Grade. A third club Moorabbin City was formed later from the Moorabbin junior side and competed in the C.O.D.F.L.
Continued on Page 3
A tightening of the F.F.A. rules in 1926 saw for the first time that when players were reported they were to be told of such immediately following the alleged infraction. Previous to this new rule only the club Secretary was told of any reports at the umpire’s earliest convenience. Players were also required to sign a team sheet to be handed to the opposition at half time.
Prior to the Page System being introduced in 1932, the team which finished on top of the ladder were declared the ’Minor Premiers’. Finals were played, however if the top team was defeated they had the right to challenge whatever club that had won its way through. Such was the case in 1926 when Mordialloc had finished on top. The second semifinal saw Mordialloc (first) defeated by Mentone (third).
The first semi-final had been played the week prior with Moorabbin (fourth) defeating Cheltenham (second), Moorabbin then defeated Mentone in the Final (Preliminary), Mordialloc, as was their right under the rules exercised their ‘right of challenge’. Moorabbin won the deciding match by thirteen points. This type of result was very rare and had occurred only once before.During the game which was played at Cheltenham, several fights erupted in the final quarter with one Moorabbin player being carried from the field unconscious causing an all in brawl between players and spectators from both clubs.
The attending local Police took some time to sort out the huge melee. Although there were no reports or Police action the F.F.A. took the unusual step of holding an ‘open’ tribunal hearing which was open to spectators and club officials from all sides. A Thomas Cockram from the Mordialloc club was charged by Moorabbin club officials with punching one of their players unconscious.
They charged that player Cockram firstly punched their player to the ground. Not being satisfied with this player Cockram then punched the man again when he rose to his feet, knocking him out cold. Cockram had, over the years become a regular at the tribunal and as a consequence of his poor record and his latest infraction received a life time ban from the Association. In evidence the field umpire stated that he had not seen the incident in question and then very promptly left the hearing.
The ‘open’ tribunal appears to be the first real effort by the F.F.A. to stamp out what at the time was called ‘rough play’. The following three seasons 1927, 1928 and 1929 saw a great deal of turmoil amongst the clubs as well as from within the administration of the Association itself which had lacked continuity and suffered from a lack of strong leadership. In 1927 players were allowed to receive ‘out of pocket expenses’ for the first time officially. A system that was thoroughly abused. Many of the decisions handed down by the Association seemed to have a strong bias dependent upon which clubs the administrators were aligned with.
A Best and Fairest trophy was instituted in 1927, the ‘Federal Trophy’ and was awarded by tallying the votes awarded by the field umpire at the conclusion of each game. Only one ‘best’ player was nominated for each game. In an attempt to curb the Associations increasingly poor reputation an independent tribunal was introduced in 1928. A new rule was also introduced in an attempt to curtail ‘professionalism’. The only paid player allowed for each club had to be the coach and no player could receive more than five shillings to cover ‘expenses’.
Further steps were taken the following season with the introduction of a rule restricting the clubs from registering no more than three senior players, defined as having played four or more games in the current or previous season with any V.F.L., V.F.A. or recognised league outside the Metropolitan area.
By 1929 the problems the Association were experiencing almost caused its collapse. The senior grade was reduced to six clubs and despite concerted overtures to the clubs that had withdrawn little interest was shown by them to rejoin. Wells Road had been expelled after round thirteen and Brightonvale had given a number of walkovers. Mentone, Mordialloc and Cheltenham had also been approached by the V.F.A. to field a District team in its ranks for the 1930 season but declined.
Competing clubs for seasons 1927, 1928 and 1929 were
1927 Senior Grade: Chelsea City, Mentone, Wells Road, Aspendale, Middle Brighton, Moorabbin, Edithvale, Bentleigh, Cheltenham, Carrum, Mordialloc, Heatherton. Junior under 21: Mentone, Ormond, Brightonvale, Cheltenham, Moorabbin, Chelsea Juniors, Brighton T.S.O.Bs., Parkdale.
1928 Senior: Moorabbin, Heatherton, Mordialloc, Edithvale, Mentone, Bentleigh, Aspendale, Wells Road, Cheltenham, Chelsea City. Junior under 21: Moorabbin, Sandringham. Cheltenham, Chelsea Juniors, Brightonvale, Ormond, Mentone, Parkdale, Mordialloc, Brighton T.S.O.Bs.
1929 Senior: Mentone, Mordialloc, Brightonvale, Wells Road, Chelsea City, Edithvale. Junior under 21: Ormond, Mentone, Brighton T.S.O.Bs., Cheltenham, Mordialloc, Moorabbin, North Brighton, Chelsea Juniors.
Note. The two Moorabbin teams were separate with Moorabbin (Park) a senior club and Moorabbin playing in the Junior Grade. A third club Moorabbin City was formed later from the Moorabbin junior side and competed in the C.O.D.F.L.
Continued on Page 3