The 1928 MAFA season was the 33rd season of the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA), an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria. The season began on 28 April and concluded on 8 September, with 30 teams participating across three divisions under a promotion and relegation system.
Association membership Burwood and Surrey Hills were admitted into the MAFA, while Hampton left the MAFA to join the VFL Sub-Districts. Old Haileybury and Old Trinity merged to form the Old Haileybury-Trinity Football Club, avoiding relegation from B Section after the clubs finished ninth and tenth respectively in 1927. Oakleigh was readmitted after being suspended from the MAFA at the end of the 1927 season.
On 17 February 1928, Sandringham (which had been formed in August 1927), Sandringham District and the Sandringham United Football Club amalgamated to form a new Sandringham Football Club. The club entered two teams in the MAFA and one team in the Federal Football Association (FFA) junior competition.
Geelong had been automatically suspended prior to the start of the 1928 season after its delegate failed to attend three consecutive MAFA meetings, but the club was readmitted prior to round 1 after giving assurances that the offence would not occur again.
Pascoe Vale expulsion Pascoe Vale was expelled from the MAFA on 23 July over its conduct during a match against South Caulfield. The allegations included that Pascoe Vale players used "disgraceful" language in the changing room, that two players tripped and elbowed their opponents repeatedly, that players were continually arguing and making threats, that the Pascoe Vale supporters refused to leave the field when obstructing the play, and that Pascoe Vale supporters made "dire threats" against umpire Hacking following the match.
Earlier in the season, Pascoe Vale player C. Warden was expelled from the MAFA after punching an umpire in the back of the head during a match against Kingsville.
Oakleigh expulsion Oakleigh was expelled from the MAFA on 20 August because of its "disgraceful" conduct during a match against Teachers' College on 11 August.
Sandringham B withdrawal Sandringham B withdrew from C Section in August after having a record score kicked against them.
Notable events A proposal to rename the MAFA to the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) was unanimously defeated at a meeting. The competition would ultimately change its name to the VAFA five years later for the 1933 season.
A Section
Ladder + Team Qualification 1 (P) 18 16 1 1 2104 1203 174.9 66 Finals series 2 Old Scotch 18 16 1 1 2055 1330 154.5 66 3 Elsternwick 18 11 7 0 1569 1395 112.5 55 4 Old Melburnians 18 11 7 0 1702 1516 112.3 44 5 Collegians 18 9 9 0 1706 1694 100.7 36 6 St Paul's Ascot Vale 18 8 10 0 1253 1404 89.2 32 7 18 7 11 0 1586 1553 102.1 28 8 Glen Huntly 18 6 12 0 1278 1612 79.3 24 9 Murrumbeena 18 5 13 0 1625 1917 84.8 20 Relegation 10 Old Caulfield Grammarians 18 0 18 0 1295 2419 53.3 0
Finals
B Section
Ladder + Team Qualification 1 Brightonvale (P) 18 Finals series Sandringham 18 State Savings Bank 18 Old Xaverians 18 Old Haileybury-Trinity 18 Geelong 18 Brunswick 18 Flinders Naval Base 18 Teachers' College 18 − Oakleigh (E) 16
Finals
C Section
Ladder + Team Qualification 1 Black Rock (P) 18 Finals series 2 Surrey Hills 18 Kingsville 18 South Caulfield 18 Teachers' College B 18 Glen Huntly B 18 Burwood 18 West Hawthorn 18 − Pascoe Vale (E) − Sandringham B (W)
Finals
Club leadership Club Coach Leadership group Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Other leader(s) Black Rock McGain Burwood Glen Huntly B Kingsville Pascoe Vale Sandringham B South Caulfield Surrey Hills Teachers' College B West Hawthorn
References