VFA/VFL reminiscences (split from NEAFL thread)

[Sandridge]

Port are an amazing success story having won a flag as well as being finalists consistently. Gary Ayres has been fantastic.
Would be a disgrace if this historic club was bullied out of existence.
.

As an old Port and Swans fan, I second that.

Port Melbourne are fantastic! They won the VFL Premiership in 2011, having gone through the entire season undefeated and winning the Grand Final against Williamstown, who were then aligned with the Western Bulldogs. That Williamstown team was full of players who had played for the Dogs at AFL level. Port also won the VFL Premiership in 2017, beating Richmond reserves in the Grand Final. As a stand-alone club under Gary Ayres and playing against teams with AFL resources and players, they have been absolutely magnificent!

[KSAS]

Port Melbourne are fantastic! They won the VFL Premiership in 2011, having gone through the entire season undefeated and winning the Grand Final against Williamstown, who were then aligned with the Western Bulldogs. That Williamstown team was full of players who had played for the Dogs at AFL level. Port also won the VFL Premiership in 2017, beating Richmond reserves in the Grand Final. As a stand-alone club under Gary Ayres and playing against teams with AFL resources and players, they have been absolutely magnificent!

+1 With Sandridge, Stevoswan & Blood Fever re all the above posts regarding Port Melbourne being same vintage supporter. Shame when the VFA was rebranded as the VFL considering that it preceded the VFL by 20 years. Bit of history lost.

[Blood Fever]

+1 With Sandridge, Stevoswan & Blood Fever re all the above posts regarding Port Melbourne being same vintage supporter. Shame when the VFA was rebranded as the VFL considering that it preceded the VFL by 20 years. Bit of history lost.

Also somewhat forgotten are the VFA premierships won by South.

[KSAS]

If I may indulge for a minute as I know this is a bit off thread, I recall playing in under 13 GF as a curtain raiser to a Port Melbourne v Prahran 1974 game, played at the Port ground. By the start of the last quarter the ground was packed & crowd we're right into the game (which we lost). Both teams where then made to line up to give Port & Prahran players a guard of honour as they ran onto the ground. It seemed so surreal for a young local kid! Just wanted to highlight how much the VFA was followed in its halycon days (Port went on to win the flag that year).

[Blood Fever]

If I may indulge for a minute as I know this is a bit off thread, I recall playing in under 13 GF as a curtain raiser to a Port Melbourne v Prahran 1974 game, played at the Port ground. By the start of the last quarter the ground was packed & crowd we're right into the game (which we lost). Both teams where then made to line up to give Port & Prahran players a guard of honour as they ran onto the ground. It seemed so surreal for a young local kid! Just wanted to highlight how much the VFA was followed in its halycon days (Port went on to win the flag that year).

VFA compulsory viewing on a Sunday on Channel 0, now 10,. Big crowds, big ratings. Max Papley, Tom's grandfather, was Captain/Coach of Williamstown. Very tough competition. These days, half of the players would be rubbed out for most of the season!

[stevoswan]

VFA compulsory viewing on a Sunday on Channel 0, now 10,. Big crowds, big ratings. Max Papley, Tom's grandfather, was Captain/Coach of Williamstown. Very tough competition. These days, half of the players would be rubbed out for most of the season!

Those were the days. I remember if you wanted to watch some biff, with a bit footy thrown in, VFA on Sunday afternoon was the ticket. It was brutal at times.....some matches between arch rivals degenerated into straight out slugfests with all-in's a plenty! When they actually concentrated on the footy, the standard was pretty damn good.....it was open, fast footy.

The truth was it was 'bogan footy', with the crowds not acting much better than the behaviour out on the field. I got smacked in the mouth one day at Frankston (at age 12, chipped my tooth) by a @@@@@ who didn't like the way I returned his stray footy during the half time kick to kick. Went and got my Dad who grabbed a cop and the dude got a stern talking to and had to apologise and shake my hand.....in front of all his tough mates.....and we sent him the medical bill. Ha ha!!

Good times!

[Blood Fever]

Those were the days. I remember if you wanted to watch some biff, with a bit footy thrown in, VFA on Sunday afternoon was the ticket. It was brutal at times.....some matches between arch rivals degenerated into straight out slugfests with all-in's a plenty! When they actually concentrated on the footy, the standard was pretty damn good.....it was open, fast footy.

The truth was it was 'bogan footy', with the crowds not acting much better than the behaviour out on the field. I got smacked in the mouth one day at Frankston (at age 12, chipped my tooth) by a @@@@@ who didn't like the way I returned his stray footy during the half time kick to kick. Went and got my Dad who grabbed a cop and the dude got a stern talking to and had to apologise and shake my hand.....in front of all his tough mates.....and we sent him the medical bill. Ha ha!!

Good times!

16 a side meant not a lot of congestion.in those days!

[Sandridge]

Stevoswan, Blood Fever and KSAS - fantastic to have some company on the Port Melbourne bandwagon!

The Borough's been a magnificent club since it was formed in 1874 - let's hope the planned new arrangements don't put it in danger!!

[Nico]

16 a side meant not a lot of congestion.in those days!

But there wasn't much congestion in the VFL either.

[707]

Great memories guys, cheers

[chuckie]

I can remember going to watch the Borough play most Sundays back in the old VFA days it was great we would win most games. When I was 15 I played for their under 19's team with Bernie Evans and a few others that played in the then VFL. We had a great advantage playing at home the Lever and Kitchen soap factory was just down the road and the smell of soap being made makes a lot of people feel sick so often the visiting team would be vomiting on the ground. Phil Cleary often said he would vomit 4 or 5 times in the first quarter until he got use to it. Go Boroughs

[Sandridge]

I can remember going to watch the Borough play most Sundays back in the old VFA days it was great we would win most games. When I was 15 I played for their under 19's team with Bernie Evans and a few others that played in the then VFL. We had a great advantage playing at home the Lever and Kitchen soap factory was just down the road and the smell of soap being made makes a lot of people feel sick so often the visiting team would be vomiting on the ground. Phil Cleary often said he would vomit 4 or 5 times in the first quarter until he got use to it. Go Boroughs

Yes, you'd think a soap factory would smell nice but it was vile, wasn't it?
Great post Chuckie!
My family would go and watch South lose on a Saturday, then go and watch Port win on a Sunday!