2023 VAFA season

2023 VAFA season
Date	15 April − 15 September 2021
Teams	63
←  2022 2024  →

The 2023 VAFA season was the 122nd season of the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), the largest senior community Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season began on 15 April and concluded on 15 September, with 63 teams participating across seven divisions under a promotion and relegation system. ^[1]

Following the conclusion of the season, Ivanhoe and Old Paradians left the VAFA to join the Northern Football Netball League, and Division 4 was abolished as a result. ^{[2] [3]}

Association membership

Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, Manningham Cobras merged with Yarra Old Grammarians in order to keep both clubs viable on and off-field. ^[4] On 19 September 2022, the formation of Old Yarra Cobras Football Club was announced. ^{[5] [6]}

In November 2022, the VAFA revealed Westbourne Grammarians Football Club would not field senior teams in 2023 (having meant to be relegated from Division 3) to Division 4), and would instead field a team in the thirds competition. ^[7] However, Westbourne announced on 31 March – around two weeks before the start of the season – that they would not field the thirds team, instead using 2023 to "regroup" as a club. ^[8]

On 23 February 2023, Premier C club Old Mentonians announced that they would go into recess and not field any teams in 2023 because of a player shortage. ^{[9] [10]}

Name changes

Prahran/Assumption members voted on 30 November 2022 to revert to the club's traditional name of Prahran Football Club, which was reflected in the 2023 season. ^[11]

Additionally, Emmaus St Leo's renamed to Wattle Park Amateur Football Club due to "extenuating circumstances". ^[12]

Notable events

• Accounting firm William Buck signed a three-year extension with the VAFA on 24 April 2023, which included continuing the naming rights for the "William Buck Premier Division". ^[13]
• On 15 July, VAFA defeated Perth Football League 20.10 (130) to 17.9 (111) in extra time in a representative game, the first representative victory for the VAFA since 2018. ^{[14] [15]}
• On 2 September, during the Division 3 semi-final between Elsternwick and Hawthorn, a Hawthorn player was allegedly punched in the back of a head by a spectator, later identified as former Hawthorn AFL player Shem Tatpu. ^[16] The player was taken to hospital while Tatpu was arrested by police, however he was later released from custody. ^{[17] [18]}

Premier

2023 VAFA Premier season
Teams	10
Premiers	Collegians
Minor premiers	Collegians
Wooden spooners	Caulfield Grammarians
←  2022 2024  →

Collegians won their 18th Premier Division premiership, defeating St Kevin's by 85 points.

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Collegians (P)	18	15	3	0	1707	945	180.6	60	Finals series
2	University Blues	18	13	5	0	1343	1149	116.9	52
3	Old Scotch	18	12	6	0	1638	1053	155.6	48
4	St Kevin's	18	12	6	0	1471	1084	135.7	48
5	Old Brighton	18	9	9	0	1306	1221	107.0	36
6	Old Xaverians	18	8	10	0	1347	1311	102.8	32
7	University Blacks	18	8	10	0	1200	1352	88.8	32
8	Old Melburnians	18	6	12	0	1222	1592	76.8	24
9	Old Haileybury	18	6	12	0	1103	1468	75.1	24	Relegation
10	Caulfield Grammarians	18	1	17	0	848	2010	42.2	4

Source: ^[19]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Sunday, 24 September (2:30pm)	Collegians	def.	St Kevin's	Elsternwick Park	[20]
	6.7 (43) 9.8 (62) 16.13 (109)  19.16 (130)	Q1 Q2 Q3  Final	1.0 (6) 5.4 (34) 5.6 (36)  6.9 (45)
5: Ferguson, Mirra 2: Greene, Michie 1: Ong, Watson,Walker, Bazzani, Pocknee		Goals	2: Kerr 1: Tucker, Mansfield, Hodges, Kennedy
Ferguson, Mirra, Beilby, Cassidy, Hibbins, Michie		Best	Hodges, Critchley, Tucker, Richards

Premier B

2023 VAFA Premier B season
Teams	10
Premiers	St Bernard's
Minor premiers	St Bernard's
Wooden spooners	Monash Blues
←  2022 2024  →

St Bernard's won their 5th Premier B premiership, defeating Fitzroy by 31 points, although Fitzroy was also promoted to Premier Division for the first time since the club entered the VAFA. ^[21]

Ladder

Beaumaris were found to have fielded an ineligible player in their round 11 loss to St Bedes/Mentone Tigers and round 12 victory over St Bernard's. ^[22] On 18 July, the VAFA announced Beaumaris would lose the four premiership points that was gained in their victory, along with their "points for" score from both games. Beaumaris appealed the decision, but it was upheld on 4 August. ^[23]

As a result of gaining the four points that Beaumaris had lost, St Bernard's finished with a perfect season. ^[24]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	WF	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	St Bernard's (P)	18	17	1	0	0	1925	905	212.7	72	Finals series
2	Fitzroy	18	12	0	6	0	1530	1184	129.2	48
3	De La Salle	18	12	0	6	0	1358	1135	119.7	48
4	Beaumaris	18	11	0	7	0	1553	1143	135.9	44
5	Old Geelong	18	11	0	7	0	1473	1266	116.4	44
6	St Bedes/Mentone Tigers	18	11	0	7	0	1485	1423	104.4	44
7	Williamstown CYMS	18	7	0	11	0	1436	1594	90.1	28
8	Old Trinity	18	6	0	12	0	1031	1354	76.1	24
9	AJAX	18	1	0	17	0	1085	1852	58.6	4	Relegation
10	Monash Blues	18	1	0	17	0	954	2114	45.0	4

Source: ^[24]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Saturday, 23 September (2:30pm)	St Bernard's 15.13 (103)	def.	Fitzroy 10.12 (72)	Elsternwick Park
Both teams promoted to Premier Division

Premier C

2023 VAFA Premier C season
Teams	9
Premiers	Old Camberwell
Minor premiers	Old Ivanhoe
Wooden spooners	Ormond
←  2022 2024  →

As a result of Old Mentonians withdrawing prior to the start of the season, Premier C only had nine teams, with each having two byes and playing 16 games. ^[25] Additionally, only one team would be relegated to Division 1, instead of the usual two. ^[26]

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Old Camberwell	16	14	2	0	1257	921	136.5	56	Finals series
2	Old Ivanhoe (P)	16	11	4	1	1417	974	145.5	46
3	PEGS	16	11	4	1	1174	971	120.9	46
4	Parkdale Vultures	16	9	6	1	1256	1086	115.7	38
5	Hampton Rovers	16	7	9	0	1144	1233	92.8	28
6	Mazenod	16	7	9	0	1014	1097	92.4	28
7	Old Carey	16	5	9	2	1054	1161	90.8	24
8	Marcellin	16	3	13	0	925	1407	65.7	12
9	Ormond	16	2	13	1	1035	1426	72.6	10	Relegation

Source: ^[27]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Saturday, 23 September (2:30pm)	Old Ivanhoe 14.20 (104)	def.	Old Camberwell 9.8 (62)	Trevor Barker Beach Oval
Both teams promoted to Premier B

Division 1

2023 VAFA Division 1 season
Teams	10
Premiers	Glen Eira
Minor premiers	Glen Eira
Wooden spooners	Ivanhoe
←  2022 2024  →

On 7 June 2023, Preston Bullants departed with senior coach George Cotsonis, who was in his second season in the role. He was replaced by Tom Hill, a former Greater Western Sydney and Western Bulldogs-listed player. ^[28]

Following the conclusion of the season, in which they finished last, Ivanhoe left the VAFA and transferred to the Northern Football Netball League for 2024. ^[3] Preston was ultimately not relegated for the 2024 season as part of the VAFA's aim to keep all divisions at 10 teams each. ^[29]

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Glen Eira (P)	18	16	2	0	1593	969	164.4	64	Finals series
2	Oakleigh	18	14	4	0	1650	1114	148.1	56
3	Prahran	18	13	5	0	1642	1047	156.8	52
4	UHS-VU	18	11	7	0	1311	1230	106.6	40
5	Therry Penola	18	10	8	0	1289	1177	109.5	40
6	Old Peninsula	18	9	9	0	1363	1431	95.3	36
7	Kew	18	8	10	0	1209	1218	99.3	32
8	West Brunswick	18	4	14	0	958	1527	62.7	16
9	Preston Bullants	18	3	15	0	1203	1739	69.2	12	Relegation
10	Ivanhoe	18	2	16	0	886	1652	53.6	8

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Saturday, 16 September (2:30pm)	Oakleigh 6.13 (49)	def. by	Glen Eira 15.13 (103)	Trevor Barker Beach Oval
Both teams promoted to Premier C

Division 2

2023 VAFA Division 2 season
Teams	10
Premiers	Parkside
Minor premiers	Parkside
Wooden spooners	Aquinas
←  2022 2024  →

Parkside won their second Premier B premiership, defeating Old Yarra Cobras (who were in their first VAFA season) by three points. ^[30]

Following the conclusion of the season, in which they finished 7th, Old Paradians left the VAFA and transferred to the Northern Football Netball League for 2024. ^[3]

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Parkside (P)	18	15	3	0	1589	958	165.9	60	Finals series
2	Brunswick	18	13	5	0	1476	1203	122.7	52
3	Old Yarra Cobras	18	12	5	1	1572	1276	123.2	50
4	South Melbourne Districts	18	12	6	0	1416	1151	123.0	48
5	Whitefriars	18	12	6	0	1677	1416	118.4	48
6	MHSOB	18	7	10	1	1341	1456	92.1	30
7	Old Paradians	18	6	11	1	1227	1428	85.9	26
8	Bulleen Templestowe	18	5	13	0	1041	1622	64.2	20
9	St Mary's Salesian	18	4	13	1	1277	1625	78.6	18	Relegation
10	Aquinas	18	2	16	0	1213	1694	71.6	8

Source: ^[31]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Sunday, 17 September (2:30pm)	Parkside 10.8 (68)	def.	Old Yarra Cobras 10.5 (65)	Coburg City Oval
Both teams promoted to Division 1

Division 3

2023 VAFA Division 3 season
Teams	8
Premiers	Elsternwick
Minor premiers	Elsternwick
Wooden spooners	Swinburne University
←  2022 2024  →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Elsternwick (P)	18	16	2	0	1936	1120	172.8	64	Finals series
2	Hawthorn	18	14	4	0	2234	1280	174.5	56
3	Canterbury	18	14	4	0	1845	1142	161.6	56
4	Wattle Park	18	11	7	0	1587	1324	119.9	44
5	Richmond Central	18	7	11	0	1286	1581	82.4	28
6	Power House	18	6	12	0	1382	1627	84.9	24
7	La Trobe University	18	3	15	0	900	1769	50.9	12	Relegation
8	Swinburne University	18	1	17	0	948	2295	41.3	4

Source: ^[32]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Saturday, 16 September (2:30pm)	Hawthorn 12.6 (78)	def. by	Elsternwick 21.19 (145)	Box Hill City Oval
Both teams promoted to Division 2

Division 4

2023 VAFA Division 4 season
Teams	6
Premiers	North Brunswick
Minor premiers	North Brunswick
Wooden spooners	Eley Park
←  2022 2024  →

Division 4 was abolished at the end of the season and merged into Division 3. ^[2]

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	North Brunswick (P)	18	17	0	1	1970	631	312.2	70	Finals series
2	Box Hill North	18	10	7	1	1719	1340	128.3	42
3	Albert Park	18	10	8	0	1436	1377	104.3	40
4	St John's	18	8	10	0	1216	1413	85.0	32
5	Masala Dandenong	18	7	11	0	1537	1496	102.7	28
6	Eley Park	18	1	17	0	863	2466	35.0	4

Source: ^[33]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

	Grand Final
Sunday, September 17 (2:30pm)	North Brunswick 10.9 (69)	def.	Albert Park 8.6 (54)	Garvey Oval
Both teams promoted to Division 3

References

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