The VFL Sub-Districts (VFLSD), sometimes referred to as the Victorian Sub-District Football League (VSDFL), was an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria and managed by the Victorian Football League (VFL), now known as the Australian Football League (AFL). The competition was preceded by the Melbourne District Football Association (MDFA) and succeeded by the Metropolitan Football League (MFL).

The Sub-Districts included a number of "thirds" teams for senior VFL clubs, prior to the introduction of the VFL thirds (later VFL/AFL under-19s) in 1946. A similar competition, the VFA Sub-Districts, also existed at the time of the VFLSD and was managed by the Victorian Football Association (VFA).

History MDFA The Melbourne District Football Association (MDFA) was formed in the 1900s.

The MDFA appears to stopped play during World War I, although a different competition (known as the Melbourne Junior Football Association) was formed in April 1918. It is possible that MDFA clubs including and Moreland joined this competition for the 1918 season.

VFLSD At the end of the 1924 season, the VFL took over the MDFA and replaced it with the VFL Sub-Districts, officially called the Victorian Football League Sub-Districts Association. W.H. Smith was elected as the new league's inaugural president, and the first game was played on 2 May 1925 between Oakleigh and Dandenong. Public Service won the inaugural premiership in 1925, with a total of ten clubs competing in the competition the following year in 1926.

The competition was split into two in 1927. In 1927, there was a further split with the introduction of "First Grade North" (Division 1 North), "First Grade South" (Division 1 South), the "unallocated Second Grade" (Division 2) and the similarly named "Seconds Grade" (the latter being a reserves competition, largely for the "Second Grade"). The winner of the North and South sections would go on to play in a grand final for the overall VFLSD premiership, while the winners of Division 2 and the Seconds (Reserves) Grade also played each other. In 1929, Division 2 was also split into North and South sections.

Fairfield and Kew drew in the 1929 grand final, with the replay won by Kew. The clubs again drew in the 1935 grand final, with that replay won by Fairfield in a game that resulted in four players being suspended for fighting.

Like in the senior VFL competition, the Page–McIntyre system was introduced in 1933, replacing the Argus finals system. However, it appears the Argus system (or a similar system) returned in 1944, as The Age noted grand finalist East Brunswick "[had] the right of an extra game" after losing a final to Richmond District the week before.

MFL In 1950, the VFL Sub-Districts was succeeded by the Metropolitan Football League (MFL).

Following the conclusion of the 1958 VFA season, the Prahran Football Club was expelled from the VFA for failing to meet the minimum home ground requirements, and was replaced by the Sunshine Football Club, which had been runners-up in the MFL in 1958. Prahran subsequently spent 1959 competing in the MFL's A Grade, winning the premiership with just a single loss for the season, and the club returned to the VFA in 1960.

Clubs Dozens of clubs competed in the MDFA, VFL Sub-Districts and MFL.

ClubColoursNicknameFormerleagueEst.SeasonsPremiershipsFateRef.TotalFinal Balwyn Tigers RDFA 1909 1927−1931 1 1927 EFNL Camberwell Cobras VJFA 1880s 1920−1925 0 − Folded Canterbury Tricolours RDFA 1881 1925−1931 0 − VAFA Carnegie VJFA 1920s 1928−1931 0 − Folded Caulfield Fieldsmen MAFA 1890s 1925−1931 0 − Folded Coburg Lions VJFA 1891 1913−1920 3 1920 VFL Darling 1928−1933 0 − Folded Elsternwick Wickers 1911−1912 VAFA Eltham Panthers DVFL 1909 1936−1937 0 − NFNL Fitzroy Stars Stars − 1973 1973−1974 1 1974 NFNL Heidelberg Tigers DVFL 1876 1926−1929 0 − NFNL Kew Bears VJFA 1876 1927−1949 5 1937 VAFA Oakleigh Purple and Golds 1891 1928−1933 1 1928 Folded Prahran Two Blues VFA 1899 1959 1 1959 VAFA Public Service Service 1915 1915−1933 1 1925 Folded South Melbourne Districts Bloods VJFA 1912 0 − VAFA

Premiers Kew won the most known Division 1/A Grade VFLSD premierships, with a total of five. GF Premiership decided by a grand final where a challenge was not needed Premiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled grand final was drawn Premiership decided by a challenge final under the Argus system

MDFA premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1912 Richmond District Elsternwick unknown Preston City Oval 14 September 1912 1913 Coburg Richmond District 4.13 (37) d. 2.13 (25) Brunswick Park 13 September 1913 1914 Coburg Melbourne District Brunswick Park 12 September 1914 1919 Richmond City Reserve 1920 Coburg Brunswick Juniors Brunswick Park 1921 Camberwell Oakleigh 1922 Camberwell Moreland Melbourne Cricket Ground 1923 Camberwell Fairfield Melbourne Cricket Ground 1924 Oakleigh Camberwell Oakleigh

VFL Sub-Districts premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1925 Public Service Camberwell 13.12 (90) d. 7.12 (54) Oakleigh 3 October 1925 1926 Fairfield Oakleigh 9.7 (55) d. 7.9 (51) Oakleigh 2 October 1926 1927 Balwyn Middle Park Oakleigh 8 October 1927 1928 Fairfield Oakleigh 17.16 (118) d. 13.13 (91) Oakleigh 1929 Kew Fairfield Ascot Vale 28 September 1929 Kew Fairfield Oakleigh 1930 South Melbourne Districts Sunshine 11.7 (73) d. 10.12 (72) Oakleigh 11 October 1930 1931 Kew South Melbourne Districts 11.15 (80) d. 7.16 (58) Motordome 5 September 1931 1932 Kew Auburn 19.19 (133) d. 11.12 (78) Motordome 17 September 1932 1933 South Melbourne Districts Sunshine Brunswick 23 September 1933 1934 Kew Sunshine 4.15 (39) d. 2.6 (18) Brunswick 1935 Fairfield Kew Northcote Park 14 September 1935 Fairfield Kew Selwyn Park 1936 Sunshine South Melbourne Districts 15.13 (103) d. 8.7 (55) Port Melbourne 12 September 1936 1937 South Melbourne Districts Sunshine 8.10 (58) d. 7.12 (54) Melbourne Cricket Ground 18 September 1937 1938 Fairfield 12.14 (86) d. 11.15 (81) Olympic Park 17 September 1938 1939 South Melbourne Districts Kew 14.15 (99) d. 9.13 (67) Melbourne Cricket Ground 16 September 1939 1940 South Melbourne Districts Sunshine Districts 12.16 (88) d. 4.9 (33) Sunshine 21 September 1940 1941 West Melbourne South Melbourne Districts 13.20 (98) d. 12.13 (85) Fitzroy Cricket Ground 13 September 1941 1942 Abbotsford 19.6 (120) d. 7.11 (53) Victoria Park 5 September 1942 1943 Fitzroy Thirds 12.20 (92) to 4.7 (31) Unknown 28 August 1943 1944 7.16 (58) d. 6.10 (46) Fitzroy Cricket Ground 9 September 1944 1945 Richmond United 15.23 (113) d 12.19 (91) unknown 15 September 1945 1946 Richmond United 9.14 (68) d. 9.11 (65) Melbourne Cricket Ground 5 October 1946 1947 Fairfield Richmond United 13.8 (86) d. 12.1 (73) unknown unknown 1947 1948 Richmond United 13.7 (85) d. 10.12 (72) Warringal Park 25 September 1948 1949 Richmond United 8.10 (58) d 5.11 (41) unknown unknown 1949

Division 1 North premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1928 Fairfield Alphington 15.16 - 106 to 15.7 - 97 Northcote Park

Division 1 South premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1928 Oakleigh Northcote Park

Second Grade premiers This premiership was contested by the winner of the unallocated "Second Grade" (Division 2) and the "Seconds Grade" (reserves competition), and later the winner of Division 2 North and Division 2 South.

Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1928 Abbotsford Kew Districts Melbourne Cricket Ground 1929 Middle Park Kew Districts Oakleigh

Division 2 premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1928 Abbotsford 1931 North Fitzroy Darling 1932 Fairfield District North Fitzroy Motordome 1933 East Brunswick Kew District Melbourne Cricket Ground 7 October 1933

Division 2 North premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1929 Middle Park North Fitzroy Tooronga 1931 North Fitzroy Fairfield District

Division 2 South premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1929 Kew District Tooronga Tooronga 1931 Darling Kew District Motordome

Reserves premiers Year Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Date Report 1925 Fairfield 1926 Fairfield Middle Park Melbourne Cricket Ground 25 September 1926 1928 Kew Districts

MFL premiers YearPremierGBPtsRunner UpGBPts1950 East Brunswick 8 13 61 South Melbourne District 6 12 481951 Sunshine 14 8 92 East Brunswick 8 7 551952 East Brunswick 14 15 99 Sunshine 6 11 471953 Fairfield 14 12 96 Hawthorn District 6 7 431954 Fairfield 6 12 48 Hawthorn City 5 13 431955 Richmond District 9 20 74 Sunshine 8 7 551956 Sunshine 11 10 76 Richmond Districts 5 12 421957 East Hawthorn 13 7 85 East Brunswick 8 8 561958 East Hawthorn 9 10 64 Sunshine 7 13 551959 Prahran City 4 14 38 East Hawthorn 4 6 301960 East Hawthorn 8 13 61 East Brunswick 4 20 441961 East Hawthorn 9 8 62 East Brunswick 6 14 501962 South Melbourne Districts 15 7 97 East Brunswick 9 12 661963 East Brunswick 12 9 81 East Hawthorn 8 11 591964 East Brunswick 11 10 76 East Hawthorn 9 14 681965 East Hawthorn 12 12 84 Northcote Park 7 7 491966 East Hawthorn 11 11 77 East Brunswick 6 9 451967 East Hawthorn 13 16 94 Reservoir 13 9 871968 East Hawthorn 9 14 68 Northcote Park 5 5 351969 East Hawthorn 12 13 85 Northcote Park 9 10 641970 Port Colts 21 9 135 Northcote Park 11 8 741971 Port Colts 15 10 100 East Brunswick 6 6 421972 Port Colts 16 16 112 Richmond District 11 17 831973 Port Colts 18 15 123 Broadmeadows 13 12 901974 East Hawthorn Collingwood Districts

Best and fairest The best and fairest award in the VFL Sub-Districts and the MFL was known as the Clota Medal (sometimes referred to as the Clota Trophy). The award was named Marcus Clota, a former vice-president of who served as the VFL Sub-Districts president until his death on 25 December 1940.

YearPlayerClubRef 1925 Jack Holford Spring Vale 1926 Don Fraser Sr. Fairfield 1927 Clarrie Answorth Public Service https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244189918?searchTerm=clota%20medal 1928 George Taylor Oakleigh 1929 H. Coombs Auburn 1930 E. Stockdale Sunshine 1931 S. McKenzie Auburn 1932 Hec Rutherford Ivanhoe 1933 Ian Lee South Melbourne Districts Blood Sweat 'N' Cheers, South Melbourne Districts Sporting Club Centenary book 1912-2012 1934 Les Harvey Abbotsford 1935 Not awarded − 13 players on equal votes 1936 Harold Baker Prahran City 1937 A. Powell Fairfield 1938 R. Austin Kew 1939 Bob Merrick Pascoe Vale 1940 Vic James Sunshine 1941 N. Dorey Richmond District 1942 R. Austin Richmond City 1945 Ron J. Evans Richmond United 1946 Billy Walsh Kew 1947 Stan Wilson Richmond District 1948 L. Campbell East Brunswick 1949 J. Lloyd East Brunswick 1950 Bernie Miller South Melbourne Districts 1951 Peter MacAree Newport 1952 Percy Wills Abbotsford 1953 Les Hunter Sunshine 1954 A. Whittenbury Reservoir 1959 Daryl Jones South Melbourne Districts 1960 Daryl Jones South Melbourne Districts 1964 Eddie Lane South Melbourne Districts 1971 Daryl Degenhardt Port Melbourne Colts A Rearing Stallion, History of the Port Melbourne Colts Football Club 1973 Daryl Degenhardt Port Melbourne Colts

Notes

References

External links Inaugural VFL Sub-Districts season fixture from 1925