1991 VFA season

Last updated

1991 VFA Premiership Season
Teams12
Premiers Dandenong
(3rd premiership)
Minor premiers Werribee
(1st minor premiership)
← 1990
1992 →

The 1991 Victorian Football Association season was the 110th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Dandenong Football Club, after it defeated Werribee in the grand final on 22 September by nine points; it was Dandenong's third and final top-division premiership, won only two years after the club finished second-last with one win.

Contents

Association membership

Two clubs withdrew from the Association in 1991: Camberwell, which withdrew shortly before the start of the season; and Brunswick-Broadmeadows, which withdrew after playing three matches. As a result, the playing membership of the Association was reduced to twelve, the fewest since 1950.

Withdrawal of Camberwell

The Camberwell Football Club had been in a weak on-field and off-field position since 1985. It had managed to maintain a reasonable team at Division 2 level until 1988; but, after the second division was abandoned at the start of 1989, it had been unable to compile a playing list which was competitive against the former Division 1 clubs, and had consequently endured two consecutive winless seasons. The club intended to compete in the 1991 VFA season and made full preparations to do so; however, after suffering a twelve-goal loss in a pre-season match against Bendigo Football League club South Bendigo during March, the club recognised that its playing list was even less competitive than its 1990 list. [1] On 24 March, coach Gary Brice decided to walk out on the club rather than face another futile season; [2] and within a week, the club announced its withdrawal from the 1991 season, stating that it would be better to attempt to consolidate its position and attempt to return for the 1992 season, rather than further ruin both its own reputation and the reputation of the Association by fielding an uncompetitive team. [1] The club never managed to return to the Association; it played in the Victorian Amateur Football Association from 1992 until 1994 before folding.

Withdrawal and folding of Brunswick-Broadmeadows

The financially struggling Brunswick Football Club had merged with the Broadmeadows Football Club in October 1989 in the hope of establishing a plan for future viability. [3] However, throughout the 1990 season, fighting between Brunswick and Broadmeadows factions of the board had hindered the club's efforts to improve its situation, prompting the Association to sack the club's board in August 1990 and appoint an administrator. [4] [5] When the club was returned to a new board in September, it was still more than $250,000 in debt and at risk of Broadmeadows withdrawing from the merger; the Association recommended the club withdraw and join a suburban league, but it pressed on with preparations for the 1991 VFA season. [6]

The club tried to raise funds over the summer to clear its debts, but had too few fans and too few administrators; as a result it was left unable to make its match payments to players for the 1990 season, resulting in an exodus of most of its senior players. [7] The inexperienced team which remained suffered three huge losses to begin the 1991 season – including a 250-point loss to eventual premiers Dandenong [8] and a 97-point loss to eventual wooden-spooners Oakleigh [9] – and announced its withdrawal from the season on 6 May 1991. Like Camberwell, Brunswick-Broadmeadows remained a non-playing member of the Association with the hope of consolidating its position and returning to playing in 1992, [10] but this never happened, with the club folding soon after. The three games that the club had played were expunged from the VFA's records, and the rest of the fixture was redrawn to ensure all teams played an equal number of games. [11]

Premiership season

In the home-and-away season, each team played eighteen games; the top five then contested the finals under the McIntyre final five system. The primary finals venue was North Port Oval, and the grand final was played at Princes Park.

Ladder

1991 VFA ladder
PosTeamPldWLDPFPAPPPts
1 Werribee 18153023351823128.160
2 Dandenong (P)18135023641603147.552
3 Box Hill 18126019601725113.648
4 Port Melbourne 18126019561848105.848
5 Springvale 18108018541505123.240
6 Sandringham 18108020151956103.040
7 Williamstown 1889118761788104.934
8 Frankston 1881001827185898.332
9 Prahran 18710119221890101.730
10 Coburg 1871101803191094.428
11 Preston 1831501453230863.012
12 Oakleigh 1821601267241852.48
– Brunswick-Broadmeadows (W)0–––––—0
Source: [12]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers; (W) Club withdrew, record expunged

Finals

Elimination final
Saturday, 31 August Port Melbourne 12.10 (82)def. by Springvale 14.12 (96) North Port Oval (crowd: 3,900) [13]
Qualifying final
Sunday, 1 September Dandenong 19.15 (129)def. Box Hill 16.7 (103) North Port Oval (crowd: 3,750) [14]
First semi-final
Saturday, 7 September Box Hill 15.10 (100)def. Springvale 13.14 (92) North Port Oval (crowd: 3,220) [15]
Second semi-final
Sunday, 8 September Werribee 16.9 (105)def. Dandenong 11.27 (93) North Port Oval (crowd: 5,150) [15]
Preliminary Final
Sunday, 15 September Dandenong 24.15 (159)def. Box Hill 14.10 (94) North Port Oval (crowd: 6,325) [16]

Grand final

The 1991 Grand Final was a see-sawing contest with a close finish. After Werribee scored the first goal of the game, Dandenong scored the next four. Werribee then scored eight of the next nine goals, and kept Dandenong goalless in the second quarter, to hold a 30-point lead early in the third quarter. Dandenong scored the next five goals to reduce the margin, and took a 5-point lead into three quarter time.

The final quarter is remembered for key events which swung the game in Dandenong's favour when scores were close late in the game: after 15 minutes of play, Werribee's Phil O'Keeffe was ordered off the ground for assaulting Dandenong's Ian Atkinson, resulting in a five-minute delay while Atkinson was stretchered from the ground, and a resulting free kick to Dandenong from which it scored a goal which put it six points in front – Atkinson's jaw was broken in three places, [17] and O'Keeffe was suspended for six weeks for the assault. [18] Werribee regained a one-point lead after 22 minutes from a Nick Walsh free kick, and Rohan Welsh regained the five-point lead for Dandenong a minute later. Werribee attacked over the next few minutes, and missed two short-range snap shots – the first by Stephen Sells, and the second a shot by Werribee captain-coach Leon Harris which was touched on the line in a diving save by Dandenong captain-coach Tony Elshaug – to reduce the margin to three points after 26 minutes. Werribee continued to attack over the following two minutes, before Dandenong rebounded and Sean Millane kicked the sealing goal in the 29th minute. [19]

1991 VFA Grand Final
Sunday, 22 September Werribee def. by Dandenong Princes Park (crowd: 13,565) [19]
3.4 (22)
8.6 (54)
11.8 (74)
 14.12 (96)		Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final		4.0 (24)
4.6 (30)
11.13 (79)
 15.15 (105)		Umpires: Peter Carey, Geoff Morrow
Norm Goss Memorial Medal: Brad Gotch (Dandenong)
Drum 2, Eames 2, Morgan 2, Sells 2, Harris, Knight, Lesiputty, Normington O'Keeffe, WalshGoals Gotch 4, Welsh 4, Millane 2, Atkinson, Doyle, Elshaug, MacKenzie, Wicks
InjuriesAtkinson (jaw), Welsh (concussion)
O'Keeffe, for assaulting Atkinson in the fourth quarter (ordered off)ReportsGreen, for striking Raeburn in the second quarter

Awards

Notable events

See also

Related Research Articles

Brunswick Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1897 until 1991. Based in Brunswick, Victoria, for most of their time in the Association they were known as the Magpies, and wore black and white guernseys. In its final two seasons in the VFA, it was known as Brunswick-Broadmeadows.

Gary Brice is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the VFL during the 1970s.

Dandenong Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the Victorian Football Association (VFA). Based in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong, the Redlegs wore navy blue and red as their club colours.

Disambiguation: the geographer Phil O'Keefe

The 1958 Victorian Football Association season was the 77th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Williamstown Football Club, after it defeated Moorabbin in the grand final replay on 4 October by 32 points. It was Williamstown's ninth premiership, drawing it level with Footscray for the most premierships won in VFA history, and it was the fourth of five premierships won in six seasons between 1954 and 1959.

The 1959 Victorian Football Association season was the 78th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Williamstown Football Club after it defeated Coburg in the Grand Final on 10 October by 35 points. It was Williamstown's tenth premiership, taking it past Footscray to become the club with the most premierships won in VFA history, a title it held until it was passed by Port Melbourne in 1976; it was also the fifth of five premierships won in six seasons between 1954 and 1959, and the club's fourth consecutive minor premiership.

The 1960 Victorian Football Association season was the 79th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Oakleigh Football Club, after it defeated Sandringham in the Grand Final on 1 October by 60 points. It was Oakleigh's fifth premiership.

The 1962 Victorian Football Association season was the 81st season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the second season of its second division. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Sandringham Football Club, after it came from behind to defeat Moorabbin in the Grand Final on 29 September by one point; it was Sandringham's second VFA premiership. The Division 2 premiership was won by Dandenong; it was the club's first premiership in either division.

The 1968 Victorian Football Association season was the 87th season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the eighth season of second division competition. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Preston Football Club, after it defeated Prahran in the Grand Final on 22 September by 14 points; it was Preston's first Division 1 premiership. The Division 2 premiership was won by Geelong West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1970 VFA season</span>

The 1970 Victorian Football Association season was the 89th season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the tenth season of second division competition. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Prahran Football Club, marking the club's third Division 1 premiership; it defeated Williamstown, which qualified for the Grand Final in its first season after promotion to Division 1, on 20 September by 50 points. The Division 2 premiership was won by Coburg, in its second season since being relegated from Division 1.

The 1973 Victorian Football Association season was the 92nd season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the 13th season of second division competition. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Prahran Football Club, after it came from fourth on the ladder to defeat Oakleigh in the Grand Final on 23 September by 35 points; it was Prahran's fourth Division 1 premiership. The Division 2 premiership was won by Caulfield; it was the first and only premiership in either division won by the club after its move from Brighton to Caulfield in 1962.

The 1980 Victorian Football Association season was the 99th season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the 20th season of second division competition. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Port Melbourne Football Club, after it defeated Coburg in the Grand Final on 21 September by eleven points; it was Port Melbourne's 13th Division 1 premiership, the first of three premierships won in a row between 1980 and 1982, and the fourth of six premierships won in nine seasons from 1974 until 1982. The Division 2 premiership was won by Brunswick; it was the club's second Division 2 premiership, and was won in its first season since relegation from Division 1.

Bill Swan is a former Australian rules footballer who was a star of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) during the 1980s over an eighteen-year senior career with the Port Melbourne and Williamstown Football Clubs.

Mark Fotheringham is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Yarraville and Williamstown football clubs in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in the 1970s and 1980s.

The 1989 Victorian Football Association season was the 108th season of the Australian rules football competition. It was the first season since 1960 in which the Association operated as a single-division competition after having operated as a two-division competition with promotion and relegation between them for the previous 28 years. The premiership was won by the Coburg Football Club, after it defeated Williamstown in the grand final on 24 September by 20 points; it was Coburg's second premiership in a row, and its sixth and, as of 2019, last top division premiership overall.

The 1990 Victorian Football Association season was the 109th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Williamstown Football Club, after it defeated Springvale in the grand final on 30 September by two points; it was Williamstown's twelfth top-division premiership.

The 1992 Victorian Football Association season was the 111th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Sandringham Football Club, after it defeated Williamstown in the grand final on 20 September by 44 points; it was Sandringham's fourth top-division premiership.

The 1993 Victorian Football Association season was the 112th season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the Werribee Football Club, after it defeated Port Melbourne in the grand final on 19 September by 42 points; it was the first and, as of 2018, only premiership won by the club in either division.

The 1994 Victorian Football Association season was the 113th season of the Australian rules football competition; and, it was the final season contested under the administration of the Association as an independent body, before control of the competition was ceded to the Victorian State Football League at the end of the year. The premiership was won by the Sandringham Football Club, after it defeated Box Hill in the grand final on 25 September by nine points; it was the fifth premiership won by the club.

References

  1. 1 2 Jamie Tate (2 April 1991). "Cobras keen to stay alive". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 75.
  2. ↑ Damian Barrett (30 March 1991). "Cobras to meet after 'walk-out'". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 75.
  3. ↑ Amanda Buivids (3 October 1989). "Wicks settle on merger option". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 59.
  4. ↑ Amanda Buivids (2 August 1990). "none". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 75.
  5. ↑ Amanda Buivids (17 August 1990). "Combine's saga set to drag on". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 79.
  6. ↑ Amanda Buivids (20 September 1990). "Club in danger of getting the boot". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 77.
  7. ↑ Adrian Dunn (7 May 1991). "Athol resigned to Wicks' fate". Herald Sun (Afternoon ed.). Melbourne, VIC. p. 68.
  8. ↑ "Conlan 'butt' report". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. 15 April 1991. p. 61.
  9. ↑ Damian Barrett (6 May 1991). "Vintage Port triumphs". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 73.
  10. ↑ Adrian Dunn (7 May 1991). "Death of VFA Magpies". Herald-Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. pp. 72, 69.
  11. ↑ Adrian Dunn (7 May 1991). "Dandy drops out of five". Herald Sun (Afternoon ed.). Melbourne, VIC. p. 68.
  12. 1 2 Damian Barrett (26 August 1991). "The Vales spring back". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 75.
  13. ↑ Damian Barrett (2 September 1991). "Injuries ruin it for Port". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 77.
  14. ↑ Damian Barrett (2 September 1991). "Tony calls the moves". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 77.
  15. 1 2 3 Damian Barrett (9 September 1991). "Bees make their grand final debut". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 82.
  16. ↑ Damian Barrett (16 September 1991). "Redlegs too good". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 77.
  17. ↑ Damian Barrett (25 September 1991). "Star Redleg's jaw broken". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 93.
  18. ↑ Damian Barrett (2 October 1991). "Werribee's O'Keefe cops six". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 84.
  19. 1 2 3 Damian Barrett (23 September 1991). "Gutsy Redlegs survive the heat". Herald-Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 82.
  20. ↑ Damian Barrett (19 August 1991). "Boroughs in the box seat". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 75.
  21. ↑ Damian Barrett (29 August 1991). "Werribee rover in Liston win". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. p. 77.
  22. ↑ "Fothergill-Round Medallists". Sportingpulse. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.