The Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) is the largest senior community Australian rules football competition in Victoria. Founded in 1892, it consists of six senior divisions in the men's competition (Premier to Division 3) and seven senior divisions in the women's competition (Premier to Division 5).

In addition, the VAFA has under-19s and Thirds sections, primarily made up of either clubs only able to field one team, or clubs from higher sections that can field a third team after their seniors and reserves. The league operates a double promotion and relegation system between sections, with various rules dictating which section clubs can play in.

The VAFA's administration base is at Elsternwick Park, a former Victorian Football Association (VFA) ground that was home to the now-defunct Brighton Football Club, which is now the home for the Elsternwick Football Club and the Old Melburnians Football Club.

The VAFA comprises private school old boys clubs, university clubs and district clubs. No player payments are permitted, however players can be enticed by offers of employment. As of 2021, the VAFA has 14,000 male players and 4,000 female players.

History

MJFA The VAFA was founded in 1892 as the Metropolitan Junior Football Association (MJFA). Ten clubs competed in the inaugural season − Alberton, Brighton, Collegians, Edlington, Footscray District, South St Kilda, St Jude's, St Mary's, Toorak-Grosvenor and YMCA. Edlington withdrew from the competition after two games, with extra games played against Holy Trinity by teams that were initially scheduled to play Edlington.

MFA name change

On 27 March 1900, the MJFA decided on a change of name to the Metropolitan Football Association (MFA). MJFA president Lawrence Adamson believed that his association was now a senior competition and the "junior" label no longer applied.

Adamson brokered a deal that the existing MFA (of 1899) became the MJFA, giving his MJFA (of 1892) the "Metropolitan Football Association" name.

Despite this, various newspaper reports from 1900 until 1912 still use the MJFA (or simply "Metropolitan Junior Association") name when referring to Adamson's competition. Most consensus is that "MJFA" in this time period refers to the now-VAFA, and the VAFA's official history continues to use the MJFA name until 1912.

MAFA In 1912, the MJFA became the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA).

Prior to World War I, apart from its core function of delivering a competition for amateur footballers, the MAFA also provided a de facto second-level competition for the VFL.Riley, M., "Class and Warfare: The MAFA and the VFL Seconds", Boyles Football Photos, 4 April 2014.

The 1915 home-and-away season was originally scheduled to end on 26 August. However, due to the impacts of World War I, the MJFA decided at a meeting on 26 July to curtail the home-and-away season four weeks early. Prior to the final games held in round 14, some clubs had already struggled to find players as a result of enlistments.

Following the conclusion of the season, officials from the VFL sought to have the MAFA become a reserves competition to the VFL for the 1916 season. At least two clubs – Beverley and South Yarra – reported the MAFA that they had been "approached" about becoming reserves teams to and respectively. The MAFA announced in late 1915 that they would not resume competition until the war had ended, while also stating that they were not prepared to be absorbed by the VFL. As of 30 July 1915, 164 MJFA players had been enlisted in the Australian Army.

In 1920, the MAFA announced that the re-formed competition would be between four of the "pre-war" clubs — namely, Collegians Football Club, South Yarra Amateur Football Club, Elsternwick Football Club, and Melbourne University Football Club (later University Blacks) — and four "new clubs" — namely, Old Melburnians, Old Caulfield Grammarians, Melbourne Swimming Club Football Club and the Teachers’ College Football Club.

By 1922, the association was divided into 2 sections of 8. Only four years later, three sections were established: Section A with 10 clubs and Section B and C with 8 clubs each.

VAFA and growth In 1933, the MAFA changed its name to the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA).

Competition was ceased for the Second World War (as it had after the Great War).Amateurs Conclude, The Age, (Monday, 24 June 1940), p. 6. Restarting in 1946 with 27 clubs in three sections, by 1947 34 clubs were competing over three sections. 1948 saw 35 clubs spread over four sections. In 1954 the MAFA established a fifth section for its 48 senior clubs.

1960 saw 74 clubs over 7 sections, but the association then dwindled and lost two sections. Section F was reintroduced in 1971. Section G was introduced in 1986. By 1987, there were 68 clubs over 8 sections.

Between 1995 until the end of the 1999 season, there was a geographic split in some VAFA divisions with "E South" (later "E White"), "E Central" (later "E Blue") and "E East" (later "F Section"). As well as an end to the geographic split, the 2000 season also saw the renaming of D Section, E Section, F Section and G Section to Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4 respectively.

In 2010, A Section was renamed to Premier Division, B Section was renamed to Premier B and C Section was renamed to Premier C.

Starting in 2017, the VAFA has operated a women's competition in addition to the men's.

At the end of the 2023 season, Division 4 was abolished after Ivanhoe and Old Paradians were accepted into the Northern Football Netball League (NFNL).

Inter-league and interstate games 1925 In June 1925 a MAFA Representative XVIII defeated the South Australian 21.22 to 8.10 at the MCG in the first amateur Interstate representative game.

1948

Players in the 1948 Perth Carnival included: R. B. Small, K. N. C. Rollanson, G. V. Byrne, C. P. Daley, J. C. Stock, V. G. Miller, E. Jane, W. J. Backhouse, W. T. Taggart, J. P. Sheehan, R. L. Rouse, K. F. Lewis, J. W. Grainier, W. Reynolds's, N. P. Airmen, G. W. McTaggart, D. B. White, (Deputy Manager) E. L. Macklin, B. F. Judd, V. W. Paxton, M. J. Davidson, D. W. Arnold, (Capt.) G. T. Moore, (Manager) M. K. Fitcher, (Vice-Capt.) A. H. C. Richard's, E. M. MacGregor.

1951

The Australian Amateur Jubilee Football Carnival was held in Melbourne in July 1951.

The Victorian team included: J. Kelly (Coach), K. Clarke, G. W. Gibbons, A. T. Shiel, D. Bills, J.D. Anderson, M.T. Hastie, A. D. Morning, G. Harris. G.T. Moore (Manager), A. E. Parley, W. B. Thomas, M. Mathewson, A. Ferguson, J. Stock, J. B. Jolley, J. Likely, B. F. Judd, W. M. Judd, P. McLaughlin, . Bedford, S. Bottles, D. W. Arnold (Capt.), P. M. Cox (V-Capt.), H. A. Meredith, A. F. Mellors, E. Donaldson.

1954 On 14 June 1954, the Queen's Birthday holiday, a Victorian representative team defeated a South Australian team 12.14 (86) to 10.15 (75) at the Junction Oval. The match was preceded by the Grand Final of a "lightning premiership" that involving sixteen teams playing knock-out matches of two 10 minute halves. Four of the first round matches were played at the Junction Oval, and the other four were played (simultaneously) at the Ross Gregory Oval at the other end of Albert Park Lake. The quarter final, semi final, and the Grand Final matches were all played at the Junction Oval. The sixteen teams involved were:de Lacy, H., "Amateurs knock-out title on two grounds", The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 2 June 1954), p. 18 Alphington Football Club, Hampton Rovers Football Club, Melbourne High School Old Boys (M.H.S.O.B.), Old Melburnians, and Ormond Amateur Football Club from A Section. Brunswick Amateurs Football Club, Caulfield Grammarians Football Club, Coburg Amateurs Football Club, Collegians Football Club, and Ivanhoe Amateur Football Club from B Section. Balwyn Football Club, East Malvern Football Club, and Parkside Football Club from C Section. Parkdale Football Club from D Section. South Melbourne City Football Club, and Preston Amateurs Football Club from E Section. Parkside (the team that would later go on to have its twenty-ninth consecutive win in the 1954 C Section Grand Final), having beaten Balwyn in the first round, Preston in the quarter finals, and Ivanhoe in the Semi-finals, defeated Alphington in the Grand Final to win the lightning premiership."Late burst saves State amateurs", The Argus, (Tuesday, 15 June 1954), p. 13.

1956 In 1956 a VAFA XVIII beat the combined VFL/VFA Amateurs in a demonstration game at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, 12.9 (81) to 8.7 (55).

1957 Of some considerable historical significance, the VAFA vs. South Australian Amateur Football League interstate match, played at Olympic Park on 17 June 1957 — which Victoria won 15.9 (99) to 8.3 (51)Amateurs: Third Term Burst Wins, The Age, (Tuesday, 18 June 1957), p. 14. — was the first ever uninterrupted telecast of a complete Australian rules football game (viz., it was a direct broadcast of the entire four quarters of the match, rather than just the last quarter) ."Football has Trial TV Run . . But League says 'No!'", The Argus, (Wednesday, 27 June 1956), p. 22.Inter-State Football in TV Week-end Cover,The Age Radio/TV Supplement, (14-20 June 1957), p. 1.].Monday Television: ABV-Channel 2 (2:15), The Age Radio/TV Supplement, (14-20 June 1957), p. 9.

1971 In 1971 a VAFA Representative side beat a VFA XVIII for the inaugural Victorian Football Cup 23.12 to 19.17.

Premiers

Men's clubs Premier Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League(s) Est. First season VAFA senior premierships Total Most recent Caulfield Grammarians Fields Glenhuntly Oval, Caulfield East – 1920 1920 10 2019Old BrightonTonnersBrighton Beach Oval, Brighton–1957195762025 Old HaileyburyBloods Princes Park, Caulfield South–19611961 10 2024Old ScotchCardinalsCamberwell Sports Ground, Camberwell–19211921132024 Old Trinity T's Daley Oval, Bulleen – 1923 1954 8 2025Old XaveriansOld XavsToorak Park, Armadale–19231923202016 St Bernard's Snowdogs St Bernard's College Oval, Essendon West – 1963 1963 10 2023 St Kevin's Old Boys SKOB TH King Oval, Kooyong – 1947 1947 7 2022University BlacksBlacks University Oval, Parkville VJFL19191920 21 2014University Blues Blues University Oval, Parkville VJFL 1919 1921 10 2026

Premier B Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League(s) Est. First season VAFA senior premierships Total Most recent AJAXJackas Gary Smorgon Oval, St Kilda– 1957 1957 6 2011 Beaumaris Sharks Banksia Reserve, Beaumaris SFNL 1962 1995 6 2025CollegiansLionsHarry Trott Oval, Albert Park–18921892222026 De La Salle DLSOC Waverley Park, Malvern East – 1955 1955 11 2003 Old CamberwellWellers Gordon Barnard Reserve, Balwyn North–1960196062007 Old Carey GrammariansPanthersCarey Sports Complex, Bulleen– 1954 1954 5 2024Old GeelongOGs Como Park, South Yarra–19541954 6 2016 Old Ivanhoe GrammariansHoersChelsworth Park, Ivanhoe–1929196482023 Old MelburniansRedlegsElsternwick Park, Brighton –19201920 15 2009 Williamstown CYMS CYs Fearon Reserve, Williamstown WSFL 1886 1983 5 2019

Premier C Club Colours Nickname Home Ground Former League(s) Est. First season VAFA senior premierships TotalMost recentFitzroyRoy BoysBrunswick Street Oval, FitzroyAFL1883200912018 Glen Eira/Old McKinnon Packer Park, Carnegie– 1999 1999 3 2023Hampton RoversRovers Boss James Reserve, HamptonNMFL1933193392014 Marcellin Old Collegians Eagles Bray Oval, Marcellin College, Bulleen YCWFL 1968 1971 9 2008 Mazenod Old Collegians Nodders Central Reserve, Glen Waverley ESCFA 1978 1989 5 2016Old PeninsulaPirates Harry MacDonald Oval, Mount Eliza–19801980 1 2025OrmondMonders EE Gunn Reserve, Ormond–19321932142018Parkdale VulturesVultures Gerry Green Reserve, Parkdale– 1991 1991 3 2026 PEGS PEGS Sporting Fields, Keilor East WRFL 1970 1970, 1984 4 2022St Bedes/Mentone TigersTigersMentone Reserve, Mentone –19921993 4 2008

Division 1