VFL Sub-Districts
{{Short description|Australian rules football competition, 1925–1949}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = {{nowrap|VFL Sub-Districts}}
| logo =
| pixels =
| caption =
| formerly =
| sport = Australian rules football
| country = Australia
| founded = {{Start date and age|1925}}
| folded = {{Start date and age|1949}}
| most_champs = Kew
(5 Division 1 premierships)
| related_comps = {{hlist|VFL|VFL reserves}}
}}
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).{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205103493 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=13 |date=29 September 1933}}{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12460972 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=14 |date=8 August 1938}} 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.{{cite web |title=Under 19s |url=http://demonwiki.org/Under+19s |publisher=Demonwiki |access-date=30 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930044847/http://demonwiki.org/Under+19s |archive-date=30 September 2024}} A similar competition, the VFA Sub-Districts, also existed at the time of the VFLSD and was managed by the Victorian Football Association (VFA).{{cite web |title=V.F.A. SUB-DISTRICTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11030793 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=18 |date=29 April 1936}}{{cite web |title=Junior football |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23077702 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=12 |date=3 September 1951}}
History
=MDFA=
The Melbourne District Football Association (MDFA) was formed in the 1900s.{{cite web |title=Melbourne District Football Association (Vic) |url=https://www.footypedia.info/00002118.htm |publisher=Footypedia |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240930171141/https://www.footypedia.info/00002118.htm |archive-date=30 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=MELBOURNE DISTRICT FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/258241615 |website=Trove |publisher=The Brunswick and Coburg Leader |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=4 |date=15 August 1919}}{{cite web |title=MELBOURNE DISTRICT ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242090291 |website=Trove |publisher=The Herald |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=3 |date=8 July 1910}}{{cite web |last1=Skeggs |first1=Phil |title=THE 1921 PREMIERSHIP AND HDFA's DEMISE |url=https://www.ivanhoefc.com.au/uploads/b/371cf2a0-cc93-11ed-8fe2-73a438b9b665/THE%201921%20PREMIERSHIP%20AND%20HDFA%E2%80%99s%20DEMISE.pdf |publisher=Ivanhoe Football Club |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001150321/https://www.ivanhoefc.com.au/uploads/b/371cf2a0-cc93-11ed-8fe2-73a438b9b665/THE%201921%20PREMIERSHIP%20AND%20HDFA%E2%80%99s%20DEMISE.pdf |archive-date=1 October 2024}}
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.{{cite web |title=Melbourne Junior Association |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75257407 |website=Trove |publisher=The Prahran Telegraph |access-date=2 October 2024 |page=2 |date=27 April 1918}}{{cite web |title=FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155092180 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=2 October 2024 |page=8 |date=29 April 1918}} It is possible that MDFA clubs including {{VFL Cob}} and Moreland joined this competition for the 1918 season.{{cite web |title=MELBOURNE JUNIOR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87678816 |website=Trove |publisher=The Brunswick and Coburg Leader |access-date=2 October 2024 |page=4 |date=3 May 1918}}{{cite web |title=MELBOURNE JUNIOR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87676396 |website=Trove |publisher=The Brunswick and Coburg Leader |access-date=2 October 2024 |page=1 |date=10 May 1918}}
=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.{{cite web |title=FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244848881 |website=Trove |publisher=The Herald |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=17 |date=25 November 1924}}{{cite web |title=CLUB HISTORY |url=https://www.kewfc.com/club-history/ |publisher=Kew Football Club |access-date=25 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419112433/https://www.kewfc.com/club-history/ |archive-date=19 April 2023}} 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.{{cite web |title=SUB-DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155556593 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=21 September 2024 |page=7 |date=13 March 1925}}{{cite web |title=1928 Chronology |url=https://www.tigerlandarchive.org/tiki-index.php?page=1928+Chronology |publisher=Tigerland Archive |access-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929135740/https://www.tigerlandarchive.org/tiki-index.php?page=1928+Chronology |archive-date=29 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155754211 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=5 |date=4 May 1925}}{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICT |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243726708 |website=Trove |publisher=The Herald |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=2 |date=25 March 1925}} Public Service won the inaugural premiership in 1925, with a total of ten clubs competing in the competition the following year in 1926.{{cite web |title=Alphington Football Club |url=https://libraries.darebin.vic.gov.au/Darebinheritage/sport-leisure/football/alphingtonfootballclub |publisher=Darebin Libraries |access-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929020755/https://libraries.darebin.vic.gov.au/Darebinheritage/sport-leisure/football/alphingtonfootballclub |archive-date=29 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=METROPOLITAN AMATEURS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3805677 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=17 |date=30 August 1926}}{{cite web |last1=McCulloch |first1=Ross |title=FEDERAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/39149697/federal-football-league |publisher=Yumpu |access-date=17 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617015932/https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/39149697/federal-football-league |archive-date=17 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=Victorian Football League Sub-District Football League / Sub-District Football League (Vic) |url=https://www.footypedia.info/00001340.htm |publisher=Footypedia |access-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927041232/https://www.footypedia.info/00001340.htm |archive-date=27 September 2024}}
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.{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS' ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204118477 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=6 |date=24 September 1928}} 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.{{cite web |title=Fairfield Meet Kew in Grand Final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182530535 |website=Trove |publisher=Sporting Globe |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=8 |date=25 September 1929}}{{cite web |title=League Sub-Districts |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182531658 |website=Trove |publisher=Sporting Globe |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=2 |date=5 October 1929}} 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.{{cite web |title=FIGHTS IN GRAND FINAL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203845361 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=19 |date=21 September 1935}}{{cite web |title=FAIRFIELD BEATS KEW |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/277024347 |website=Trove |publisher=The Sun News-Pictorial |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=27 |date=23 September 1935}}
Like in the senior VFL competition, the Page–McIntyre system was introduced in 1933, replacing the Argus finals system.{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205112764 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=6 |date=8 September 1933}} 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.{{cite web |title=TEAMS PREPARE FOR SEMI-FINAL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205999022? |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=4 |date=6 September 1944 |quote=The grand final of the Sub-District League will be played at the Fitzroy ground on Saturday at 2.45 p.m. between East Brunswick and Richmond District. The teams met on Saturday, when Richmond won, but East Brunswick has the right of the extra game.}}
=MFL=
In 1950, the VFL Sub-Districts was succeeded by the Metropolitan Football League (MFL).{{cite web |title=CLOTA MEDAL TO MILLER |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/279697847 |website=Trove |publisher=The Sun News-Pictorial |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=32 |date=22 August 1950}}{{cite web |title=WEEKEND SPORTS RESULTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23058718 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=12 |date=4 June 1951}}{{cite web |title=WEEKEND SPORTS RESULTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23077058 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=12 |date=23 July 1951}}
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.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|title=Prahran expelled by VFA|pages=61, 64|date=17 March 1959|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC}}{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|title=Sunshine is ready for the word 'go'|page=55|date=25 March 1959|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC}} 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.{{cite web |title=Prahran Football Club |url=https://prahranfootballclub.com.au/pages/prahran-football-club-vfa |publisher=Prahran Football Club |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001144502/https://prahranfootballclub.com.au/pages/prahran-football-club-vfa |archive-date=1 October 2024}}{{cite web |title=Prahran-Assumption Football Club / Prahran Football Club (Vic) |url=https://www.footypedia.info/00001935.htm |publisher=Footypedia |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927063832/https://www.footypedia.info/00001935.htm |archive-date=27 September 2024}}
Clubs
Dozens of clubs competed in the MDFA, VFL Sub-Districts and MFL.{{cite web |title=Fewer Teams In Sub-district League |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/278154730 |website=Trove |publisher=The Sun News-Pictorial |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=43 |date=2 March 1938}}{{cite web |title=NEW CLUBS ADMITTED |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/121391915/ |website=newspapers.com |publisher=The Age |access-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929140028/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/121391915/ |archive-date=29 September 2024 |page=17 |date=23 April 1937}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:100%"
! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2"; class=unsortable |Colours ! rowspan="2" |Nickname ! rowspan="2" |Former ! rowspan="2" |Est. ! rowspan="2" |Seasons ! colspan="2" |Premierships ! rowspan="2" |Fate ! rowspan="2"; class=unsortable |Ref. |
| Total
!Final |
|---|
| style="text-align:left" | Balwyn
| File:Balwyn Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Tigers | RDFA | align="center" | 1909 | align="center" | 1927−1931 | 1 | 1927 | align="left" | EFNL |
| style="text-align:left" | Camberwell
| File:Camberwell Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Cobras | VJFA | align="center" | 1880s | align="center" | 1920−1925 | 0 | − | align="left" | Folded |
| style="text-align:left" | Canterbury
| File:Canterbury Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Tricolours | RDFA | align="center" | 1881 | align="center" | 1925−1931 | 0 | − | align="left" | VAFA |
| style="text-align:left" | Carnegie
| align="left" | | VJFA | align="center" | 1920s | align="center" | 1928−1931 | 0 | − | align="left" | Folded |
| style="text-align:left" | Caulfield
| File:East Caulfield Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Fieldsmen | MAFA | align="center" | 1890s | align="center" | 1925−1931 | 0 | − | align="left" | Folded |
| style="text-align:left" | Coburg
| File:Calivil United Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Lions | VJFA | align="center" | 1891 | align="center" | 1913−1920 | 3 | 1920 | align="left" | VFL |
| style="text-align:left" | Darling
| File:Darling Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | | | align="center" | | align="center" | 1928−1933 | 0 | − | align="left" | Folded |
| style="text-align:left" | Elsternwick
| File:Elsternwick Amateur Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Wickers | | align="center" | | align="center" | 1911−1912 | | | align="left" | VAFA |
| style="text-align:left" | Eltham
| File:Eltham Football Club.jpg | align="left" | Panthers | DVFL | align="center" | 1909 | align="center" | 1936−1937 | 0 | − | align="left" | NFNL |
| style="text-align:left" | Fitzroy Stars
| File:Fitzroy Stars Football Club.jpg | align="left" | Stars | − | align="center" | 1973 | align="center" | 1973−1974 | 1 | 1974 | align="left" | NFNL |
| style="text-align:left" | Heidelberg
| File:Heidelberg Football Club.jpg | align="left" | Tigers | DVFL | align="center" | 1876 | align="center" | 1926−1929 | 0 | − | align="left" | NFNL |
| style="text-align:left" | Kew
| File:Kew Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Bears | VJFA | align="center" | 1876 | align="center" | 1927−1949 | 5 | 1937 | align="left" | VAFA |
| style="text-align:left" | Oakleigh
| align="left" | Purple and Golds | | align="center" | 1891 | align="center" | 1928−1933 | 1 | 1928 | align="left" | Folded |
| style="text-align:left" | Prahran
| align="left" | Two Blues | VFA | align="center" | 1899 | align="center" | 1959 | 1 | 1959 | align="left" | VAFA | |
| style="text-align:left" | Public Service
| File:White square 50% transparency.svg | align="left" | Service | | align="center" | 1915 | align="center" | 1915−1933 | 1 | 1925 | align="left" | Folded |
| style="text-align:left" | South Melbourne Districts
| File:South Melbourne Districts Football Club colours.jpg | align="left" | Bloods | VJFA | align="center" | 1912 | align="center" | {{nowrap|1927−1973{{efn|The Argus wrote in April 1936 that South Melbourne Districts was in the VFA Sub-Districts, while The Age wrote in May 1936 that the club was instead in the VFL Sub-Districts.{{cite web |title=V.F.L. SUB-DISTRICTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204829239 |website=Trove |publisher=The Age |access-date=29 September 2024 |page=22 |date=16 May 1936}} It is possible that the Districts had two teams, one in each competition, just as Balwyn had a team in both the VFL Sub-Districts and Reporter District Football Association during the 1927 season.{{cite web |title=FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/257216379 |website=Trove |publisher=Box Hill Reporter |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=7 |date=25 February 1927}}{{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICT |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/257217177 |website=Trove |publisher=Box Hill Reporter |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=8 |date=27 May 1927}}{{cite web |title=REPORTER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/257217895 |website=Trove |publisher=Box Hill Reporter |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=8 |date=12 August 1927}}}}}} | 0 | − | align="left" | VAFA |
Premiers
Kew won the most known Division 1/A Grade VFLSD premierships, with a total of five.{{cite web |title=League Sub-Districts Grand Final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/278325610 |website=Trove |publisher=The Sun News-Pictorial |page=55 |date=17 September 1938}}
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style=text-align:center
| bgcolor=C0FFC0 style=width:3em | GF | align=left | Premiership decided by a grand final where a challenge was not needed |
| bgcolor=FFFFC0 style=width:3em | {{nowrap|GF (R)}} | align=left | Premiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled grand final was drawn |
| bgcolor=FFE0C0 style=width:3em | {{nowrap|CF}} | align=left | Premiership decided by a challenge final under the Argus system |
=MDFA premiers=
=VFL Sub-Districts premiers=
=Division 1 North premiers=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left; text-valign:center"
! width=3%| Year ! width=10%| Premiers ! width=10%| Runners-up ! width=16%| Score ! width=15%| Venue ! width=10%; class=unsortable | Date ! width=2%; class=unsortable | Report |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1928 | align=center | 15.16 - 106 to 15.7 - 97 | {{nowrap|8 September 1928}} | align=center | |
=Division 1 South premiers=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left; text-valign:center"
! width=3%| Year ! width=10%| Premiers ! width=10%| Runners-up ! width=16%| Score ! width=15%| Venue ! width=10%; class=unsortable | Date ! width=2%; class=unsortable | Report |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1928 | Oakleigh | {{nowrap|South Melbourne Districts}} | align=center | {{nowrap|15.15 (105) d. 10.31 (91)}} | {{nowrap|15 September 1928}} |
=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.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left; text-valign:center"
! width=3%| Year ! width=10%| Premiers ! width=10%| Runners-up ! width=16%| Score ! width=15%| Venue ! width=10%; class=unsortable | Date ! width=2%; class=unsortable | Report |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1928 | align=center | {{nowrap|8.9 (57) d. 6.8 (44)}} | {{nowrap|22 September 1928}} |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1929 | align=center | {{nowrap|13.6 (84) d. 12.8 (80)}} | Oakleigh | {{nowrap|5 October 1929}} |
=Division 2 premiers=
=Division 2 North premiers=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left; text-valign:center"
! width=3%| Year ! width=10%| Premiers ! width=10%| Runners-up ! width=16%| Score ! width=15%| Venue ! width=10%; class=unsortable | Date ! width=2%; class=unsortable | Report |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1929 | align=center | {{nowrap|13.12 (90) d. 9.12 (66)}} | Tooronga | {{nowrap|28 September 1929}} |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1931 | align=center | {{nowrap|5.8 (38) d. 4.13 (37)}} | | {{nowrap|19 September 1931}} |
=Division 2 South premiers=
=Reserves premiers=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left; text-valign:center"
! width=3%| Year ! width=10%| Premiers ! width=10%| Runners-up ! width=16%| Score ! width=15%| Venue ! width=10%; class=unsortable | Date ! width=2%; class=unsortable | Report |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1925 | Fairfield {{small|(1)}} | | align=center | | | |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1926 | Fairfield {{small|(2)}} | align=center | {{nowrap|13.9 (87) d. 8.8 (56)}} | 25 September 1926 | align=center | {{cite web |title=LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164450277 |website=Trove |publisher=Record |access-date=30 September 2024 |page=2 |date=2 October 1926}} |
| style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| align="center" | 1928 | | align=center | | | |
=MFL premiers=
| class="wikitable" | ||||||||
| style="color:crimson" |Year
! style="color:crimson" |Premier ! style="color:crimson" |G ! style="color:crimson" |B ! style="color:crimson" |Pts ! style="color:crimson" |Runner Up ! style="color:crimson" |G ! style="color:crimson" |B ! style="color:crimson" |Pts | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | East Brunswick | 8 | 13 | 61 | South Melbourne District | 6 | 12 | 48 |
| 1951 | Sunshine | 14 | 8 | 92 | East Brunswick | 8 | 7 | 55 |
| 1952 | East Brunswick | 14 | 15 | 99 | Sunshine | 6 | 11 | 47 |
| 1953 | Fairfield | 14 | 12 | 96 | Hawthorn District | 6 | 7 | 43 |
| 1954 | Fairfield | 6 | 12 | 48 | Hawthorn City | 5 | 13 | 43 |
| 1955 | Richmond District | 9 | 20 | 74 | Sunshine | 8 | 7 | 55 |
| 1956 | Sunshine | 11 | 10 | 76 | Richmond Districts | 5 | 12 | 42 |
| 1957 | East Hawthorn | 13 | 7 | 85 | East Brunswick | 8 | 8 | 56 |
| 1958 | East Hawthorn | 9 | 10 | 64 | Sunshine | 7 | 13 | 55 |
| 1959 | Prahran City | 4 | 14 | 38 | East Hawthorn | 4 | 6 | 30 |
| 1960 | East Hawthorn | 8 | 13 | 61 | East Brunswick | 4 | 20 | 44 |
| 1961 | East Hawthorn | 9 | 8 | 62 | East Brunswick | 6 | 14 | 50 |
| 1962 | South Melbourne Districts | 15 | 7 | 97 | East Brunswick | 9 | 12 | 66 |
| 1963 | East Brunswick | 12 | 9 | 81 | East Hawthorn | 8 | 11 | 59 |
| 1964 | East Brunswick | 11 | 10 | 76 | East Hawthorn | 9 | 14 | 68 |
| 1965 | East Hawthorn | 12 | 12 | 84 | Northcote Park | 7 | 7 | 49 |
| 1966 | East Hawthorn | 11 | 11 | 77 | East Brunswick | 6 | 9 | 45 |
| 1967 | East Hawthorn | 13 | 16 | 94 | Reservoir | 13 | 9 | 87 |
| 1968 | East Hawthorn | 9 | 14 | 68 | Northcote Park | 5 | 5 | 35 |
| 1969 | East Hawthorn | 12 | 13 | 85 | Northcote Park | 9 | 10 | 64 |
| 1970 | Port Colts | 21 | 9 | 135 | Northcote Park | 11 | 8 | 74 |
| 1971 | Port Colts | 15 | 10 | 100 | East Brunswick | 6 | 6 | 42 |
| 1972 | Port Colts | 16 | 16 | 112 | Richmond District | 11 | 17 | 83 |
| 1973 | Port Colts | 18 | 15 | 123 | Broadmeadows | 13 | 12 | 90 |
| 1974 | 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).{{cite web |title=SPORTING |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/121531414/ |website=newspapers.com |publisher=The Age |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001052507/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/121531414/ |page=4 |date=29 February 1940}}{{cite web |title=Town's Grand Victory |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70710048 |website=Trove |publisher=Williamstown Chronicle |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=4 |date=25 August 1950}} The award was named Marcus Clota, a former vice-president of {{AFL SM}} who served as the VFL Sub-Districts president until his death on 25 December 1940.{{cite web |last1=Larkin |first1=Steve |title=Some modern themes remain from 1899 VFL grand final |url=https://www.aap.com.au/news/some-modern-themes-remain-from-1899-vfl-grand-final/ |publisher=Australian Associated Press |access-date=1 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001052456/https://www.aap.com.au/news/some-modern-themes-remain-from-1899-vfl-grand-final/ |archive-date=1 October 2024 |date=24 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=FUNERAL OF MR. MARCUS CLOTA |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11300084 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=1 October 2024 |page=2 |date=27 December 1940}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Player !Club !class=unsortable|Ref |
| align=center | 1925
| Jack Holford | Spring Vale | |
| align=center | 1926 |
| align=center | 1927
| Clarrie Answorth | align=center | https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244189918?searchTerm=clota%20medal |
| align=center | 1928
| George Taylor | Oakleigh |
| align=center | 1929
| H. Coombs | Auburn | |
| align=center | 1930
| E. Stockdale | Sunshine | align=center | |
| align=center | 1931
| S. McKenzie | Auburn |
| align=center | 1932
| Hec Rutherford | Ivanhoe |
| align=center | 1933
| Ian Lee | align=center | Blood Sweat 'N' Cheers, South Melbourne Districts Sporting Club Centenary book 1912-2012 |
| align=center | 1934
| Les Harvey |
| align=center | 1935
| colspan=2 | Not awarded − 13 players on equal votes | |
| align=center | 1936
| Prahran City |
| align=center | 1937
| A. Powell | |
| align=center | 1938
| R. Austin | Kew |
| align=center | 1939 |
| align=center | 1940
| Vic James | Sunshine | |
| align=center | 1941
| N. Dorey | Richmond District | |
| align=center | 1942
| R. Austin |
| align=center | 1945 |
| align=center | 1947
| Stan Wilson |
| align=center | 1948
| L. Campbell | East Brunswick | |
| align=center | 1949
| J. Lloyd | East Brunswick | |
| align=center | 1950
| Bernie Miller |
| align=center | 1951
| Peter MacAree | Newport | |
| align=center | 1952
| Percy Wills | Abbotsford | align=center | |
| align=center | 1953
| Les Hunter | Sunshine |
| align=center | 1954
| A. Whittenbury | Reservoir | |
| align=center | 1959
| Daryl Jones | align=center | Blood Sweat 'N' Cheers, South Melbourne Districts Sporting Club Centenary book 1912-2012 |
| align=center | 1960
| Daryl Jones | align=center | Blood Sweat 'N' Cheers, South Melbourne Districts Sporting Club Centenary book 1912-2012 |
| align=center | 1964
| Eddie Lane | align=center | Blood Sweat 'N' Cheers, South Melbourne Districts Sporting Club Centenary book 1912-2012 |
| align=center | 1971
| Daryl Degenhardt | align=center | A Rearing Stallion, History of the Port Melbourne Colts Football Club |
| align=center | 1973
| Daryl Degenhardt | align=center | A Rearing Stallion, History of the Port Melbourne Colts Football Club |
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243726708 Inaugural VFL Sub-Districts season fixture from 1925]
{{Australian Football League}}
{{Aussie Rules in Victoria}}
Category:Defunct Australian rules football competitions in Victoria (state)
Category:Sports leagues established in 1925
Category:1949 establishments in Australia