Southbank Football Club

Southbank Football Club
Names
Full name	Southbank Amateur Football Club
Former name(s)	State Commonwealth Bank Football Club (1990−1992) Commonwealth Bank Football Club (1992−1994) Southbank CBA Amateur Football Club (1994−1997)
Nickname(s)	Bankers [1] The Bank [2] Cobras [2]
1998 D Section season
After finals	2nd
Home-and-away season	2nd
Best and fairest	K. Walford
Club details
Founded	Late 1990
Dissolved	Late 1998;26 years ago (1998)
Competition	Victorian Amateur Football Association
Ground(s)	Swan St, Southbank

The Southbank Football Club, nicknamed the Bankers, was an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Southbank that competed in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA).

The club was formed in 1990 as State Commonwealth Bank following a merger of State Bank and Commonwealth Bank, before changing its name to Southbank in 1994.

In late 1998, the club merged with Prahran Football Club, although the name "Southbank Amateur Football Club" remains registered with the VAFA. ^[3]

History

State Bank

Colours of State Bank

The State Bank Football Club was formed in 1920 as the State Savings Bank of Victoria Football Club (SSB). ^[4] The club was sponsored by the State Savings Bank of Victoria, and wore a maroon uniform during its years in the VBFA. Upon joining the MAFA, black with a yellow monogram and trim was adopted. ^{[5] [6]} Its home games were played at Brighton Beach Oval Brighton. ^[7]

The club joined the joined the Victorian Banks Football Association (VBFA) in its first season in 1920, and was "overwhelming superior" in the competition, dominating for many years as its most popular club. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

State Savings Bank had players from both Melbourne and regional Victoria, and the club was a way of ensuring that bank employees who were transferred to Melbourne for employment purposes were not seduced by other "more disreputable" activities in their free time. ^[7] The inclusion of players from regional areas also increased interest among the bank's rural branches, and it was not unusual for regional employees on annual leave to attend games in Melbourne. ^[7]

Geelong Football Club player Jimmy Rodgers played for State Savings Bank in 1923. ^[10]

VAFA

Prior to the start of the 1927 season, State Savings Bank left the VBFA to join the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA, later known as the VAFA). Unlike other workplace clubs which played its games on weekdays, State Savings Bank played on Saturday afternoons, and the switch to the MAFA was seen as convenient and practical. ^[7] The club also sought "a greater challenge and an appropriate social environment" in comparison to the VBFA. ^{[7] [11]}

State Savings Bank won the C Section premiership in its first MAFA season, and was promoted to B Section. ^[12] The club continued to prosper throughout the 1930s, however a second C Section premiership did not come until 1961, and a third premiership came in E Section in 1972. ^{[7] [13]}

The club was one of several that opposed the VAFA executive's decision to curtail the 1940 season due to World War II, instead advocating for continuing the season until the government requested a cessation. ^{[14] [15]}

When the State Savings Bank of Victoria was renamed to State Bank in 1977, the club also changed its name. ^[16]

In its final season in 1990, the club won the D Section premiership, defeating Whitefriars by 21 points. ^[17]

Commonwealth Bank

The Commonwealth Bank Football Club, nicknamed the Cobras, was formed in 1919 and sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank. ^[18] The club wore royal blue and gold colours. ^[19]

The club joined the Victorian Banks Football Association (VBFA) in its first season in 1920. ^{[7] [20]} However, the VBFA was disbanded in 1931 and the club went into recess. ^[21]

Victorian Football League (VFL) players Tom Fitzmaurice and Gordon McCracken played for Commonwealth Bank in a 1923 VBFA final. ^[10]

VAFA

In 1946, Commonwealth Bank was reformed and joined the VAFA the following year in 1947. ^[22] The club won the C Section premiership the same year, which was followed by a B Section premiership in 1950. However, the club would not win another grand final until its C Section premiership in 1969, which would turn out to be its final premiership. ^[12]

In its final season in 1990, the club made the F Section grand final but was defeated by St Mary's. ^[23]

Merger and new club

In late 1990, the State Bank of Victoria was sold to the Commonwealth Bank, and the respective clubs were forced to merge as a result. ^[16] The merged club entered the VAFA as the State Commonwealth Bank Football Club (also stylised as State/Commonwealth Bank) for the 1991 season, officially nicknamed the "Cobras". ^{[2] [23]}

The club again changed its name in 1992, returning to simply "Commonwealth Bank". ^[24]

Ahead of the 1994 season, the Commonwealth Bank ended its sponsorship and the club was renamed to Southbank Football Club (officially known as Southbank CBA Amateur Football Club). ^{[1] [3]}

Southbank won the E South Section premiership in 1997, going undefeated for the entire season. The reserves team also won the premiership, however they suffered a single defeat in the second semi-final. ^[3]

Amalgamation with Prahran

At the end of the 1994 Victorian Football Association (VFA) season, the Prahran Football Club left the VFA as part of the Victorian State Football League's efforts to reduce the size of the competition and align it with the TAC Cup. ^[25] However, the club did not immediately join a new competition, and instead went into recess. Around six Prahran players joined Southbank for the 1995 VAFA season. ^[3]

Following the 1998 VAFA season, in which Southbank lost the D Section grand final, the club merged with Prahran, who subsequently returned to the playing field for the 1999 VAFA season. ^[26] Kew Football Club's Club XVIII side also merged with Southbank to serve as Prahran's new Club XVIII side. ^{[27] [28]}

The merger followed works beginning at Southbank's home ground to build John Cain Arena, while Prahran was no longer in debt and sought to return to playing again. ^[3]

Seasons

Premiers

Grand Finalist

Minor premiers

Finals appearance

Wooden spoon

Division leading goalkicker

Division best and fairest

Southbank

Seniors

Year	Division	Finish	W	L	D	Coach	Captain	President	Secretary	Best Clubman	Best and fairest
1991	C Section	5th	11	7	0	Craig Jackson	Craig Jackson				Ron Gniel
1992	C Section	4th	12	6	0	Craig Jackson	Craig Jackson				Neil Short
1993	C Section	10th	4	14	0	Craig Jackson	Neil Wallmeyer				Andre Pitts
1994						Ken Bremner	John McNamara	P. Sparrow	Tracey Matherson	Neil Roberts Raelene Roberts	Anthony Corboy
1995						Derek Hine	Simon Melican	Ken Bremner	Tracey Matherson	Kevin Matherson Tracey Matherson	John McNamara
1996	D Section	8th	9	9	0	Derek Hine	Simon Melican	Ken Bremner	Gerry McNamee	Ken Matherson	Craig Perry
1997	E South	1st	18	0	0	Derek Hine	Simon Melican	Ken Bremner	Gerry McNamee	Russell Lucas	Craig Perry
1998	D Section	2nd	14	3	1	Derek Hine	Andre Pitts	Ken Bremner	Tom Brain	Basil Cleary Kevin Matherson	Kipp Walford

References

1. "The Amateur Footballer Week 3 1995" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 22 April 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-10-23.
2. "The Amateur Footballer, Week 19, 1991". Issuu. VAFA Media. 24 August 1991. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
3. "Southbank Football Club". Prahran Football Club. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
4. "STATE SAVINGS BANK". Australian Football. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
5. "Previous VAFA Clubs". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
6. "State Savings Bank Football Club / State Bank Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
7. Burke, Peter (November 2008). "A social history of workplace Australian football, 1860–1939" (PDF). CORE. RMIT University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2024.
8. "FINAL OF VICTORIAN BANKS' FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION MATCHES". Trove. Table Talk. 2 October 1924. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
9. "BANK FOOTBALL FINAL". Trove. The Sun News-Pictorial. 28 September 1923. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
10. "BANK FOOTBALL FINAL". Trove. The Sun News-Pictorial. 28 September 1923. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
11. "Sporting Bankers". State Bank Victoria. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
12. "Premier C Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
13. "Division 2 Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
14. "Wars at Home and Abroad". Victorian Amateur Football Association. For the Love of the Game. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024.
15. "AMATEURS DIVIDED". Trove. The Argus. 5 June 1940.
16. "VAFA club's history 1892-2007". GameDay. Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
17. "Division 1 Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
18. "The Amateur Footballer Week 13 1987" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 11 July 1987. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
19. "Commonwealth Bank Football Club / State/Commonwealth Bank Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
20. "STATE SAVINGS BANK BEATS THE COMMONWEALTH BANK AT FOOTBALL". Trove. Table Talk. 4 October 1923. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
21. VAFA Media (29 July 2020). "Retrospective: Round 15". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024.
22. "COMMONWEALTH BANK". Australian Football. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024.
23. "The Amateur Footballer, Week 1, 1991". Issuu. VAFA Media. 6 April 1991. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
24. "A BRIEF HISTORY" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 9 April 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-04-19. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
25. Adrian Dunn (13 October 1994). "Plan a 'victory' for VFA identity". Herald Sun (Afternoon ed.). Melbourne, VIC. p. 73.
26. "Landmarks". The Age. 30 July 2005. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
27. "Southbank Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
28. "Prahran Football Club". Prahran Football Club. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024. The Club XVIII team was formerly affiliated with Kew Amateur FC.