1982 VFA season

1982 VFA Premiership Season
Teams 22
Division 1
Teams 12
Premiers Port Melbourne
(15th premiership)
Minor premiers Preston
(4th minor premiership)
Division 2
Teams 10
Premiers Northcote
(2nd D2 premiership)
Minor premiers Oakleigh
(2nd D2 minor premiership)
1981
1983

The 1982 Victorian Football Association season was the 101st season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the 22nd season of second division competition. It was the first season of a restructured two-division competition, in which automatic promotion and relegation between the divisions was abandoned.

The Division 1 premiership was won by the Port Melbourne Football Club, after it defeated Preston in the Grand Final on 19 September by seven points; it was Port Melbourne's 15th Division 1 premiership, the third of three premierships won in a row between 1980 and 1982, and the last of six premierships won in nine seasons from 1974 until 1982. The Division 2 premiership was won by Northcote; it was the club's second Division 2 premiership, and it was the last premiership ever won by the club.

Association structure

Restructure of Division 2

In the late 1970s, the popularity and financial viability of the Association was in decline. One factor contributing to this came about as a result of the promotion and relegation system which existed between the two divisions: this system, which had been in place since 1961, saw promotion for the Division 2 premiers and relegation for the Division 1 wooden-spooners at the end of each season, giving a fair opportunity for promotion and relegation based on on-field performance;[1] but, the automatic nature of this promotion and relegation meant that no consideration was given to the off-field strength of the club, which was the most critical factor in determining a club's viability. By the late 1970s, there was a growing off-field gap between the strongest and weakest clubs, and the fickle correlation between off-field strength and on-field finishing positions meant that some strong clubs were stuck in Division 2 and some weak clubs were holding their places in Division 1. This had a wide range of consequences detrimental to the Association as a whole.

The conclusion was that the Association would be more viable if the clubs which made up Division 1 were selected based on off-field merit and viability, rather than on-field results. A new structure, which was first proposed in September 1980 under Alex Gillon's presidency,[2] was ratified in May 1981 under Alan Wickes' presidency by a margin of 19–4, well in excess of the three-quarters majority required. Under the new structure:[3]

The Association also encouraged a number of its weaker clubs to consider amalgamating with neighbouring clubs to improve long-term viability, although it stopped short of forcing amalgamations. As many as fourteen of the Association's twenty clubs were sent letters on the matter of amalgamation during 1981 – Prahran and Caulfield,[5] Box Hill and Camberwell, and Oakleigh and Waverley were amongst the pairs of clubs known to have been approached[6] – but no amalgamations resulted.

Promotion and relegation for 1982

The composition of the new Division 1 was announced on 7 September 1981, the day after the 1981 Division 2 Grand Final. Four Division 2 clubs were promoted to the expanded Division 1 in 1982:[7]

The changes also helped to spread Division 1 more evenly across Melbourne: Werribee and Williamstown were the first western suburban clubs in Division 1 since 1977, and Waverley's inclusion provided more representation to the sprawling south-eastern suburbs.

Two Division 1 clubs were relegated for 1982:[7]

Two other clubs who were considered for relegation but held their places were: Geelong West, who had gone through but recovered from a severe financial crisis in 1980-81; and Coburg, who, like Brunswick, was suffering from a low fanbase due to demographic shifts in its locality.[7]

Association membership

Two new clubs joined Division 2 for the 1982 season. These were the first new admissions to the Association since Frankston joined in 1966. The new clubs were:

Altogether, seven clubs applied to join, although the identities of the unsuccessful candidates were never formally revealed.[16] North Ballarat, Ringwood and Greensborough were among the clubs speculated to have applied.[6][13]

The two new clubs brought the total size of the Association to twenty-two clubs, a new record. Division 1 was expanded to twelve clubs, and Division 2 remained constant at ten clubs.

Division 1

Although Division 1 expanded from ten clubs to twelve clubs, the home-and-away season continued to be played over 18 rounds, rather than being expanded to 22 rounds. This meant that not all pairs of teams played both home and away against each other.[19] The top four then contested the finals under the Page–McIntyre system. The finals were played at the Junction Oval.

Ladder

1982 VFA Division 1 Ladder
TEAM P W L D PF PA Pct PTS
1 Preston 18 16 2 0 2891 1817 155.8 64
2 Coburg 18 15 3 0 2378 1869 129.5 60
3 Port Melbourne (P) 18 13 5 0 2542 1932 135.9 52
4 Geelong West 18 11 7 0 2196 2291 95.8 44
5 Camberwell 18 9 9 0 2283 2244 97.7 36
6 Prahran 18 9 9 0 2277 2342 92.8 36
7 Sandringham 18 8 10 0 2159 2273 96.5 32
8 Werribee 18 8 10 0 2213 2439 92.1 32
9 Dandenong 18 6 12 0 2087 2240 93.0 24
10 Frankston 18 5 13 0 2143 2427 88.2 20
11 Williamstown 18 5 13 0 2186 2533 86.3 20
12 Waverley 18 3 15 0 1703 2507 66.8 12
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pct = Percentage; (P) = Premiers, PTS = Premiership points Source[20]

Finals

Semi Finals
Sunday, 29 August Port Melbourne 25.20 (170) def. Geelong West 16.12 (108) Junction Oval (crowd: 6,469) [21]
Sunday, 5 September Preston 17.18 (120) def. Coburg 10.12 (72) Junction Oval (crowd: 8,176) [22]
Preliminary Final
Sunday, 12 September Coburg 18.8 (116) def. by Port Melbourne 19.22 (136) Junction Oval (crowd: 8,452) [23]
1982 VFA Division 1 Grand Final
Sunday, 19 September Preston def. by Port Melbourne Junction Oval (Crowd: 20,732) [24]
3.3 (21)
8.6 (54)
12.9 (81)
20.14 (134)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
5.9 (39)
7.13 (55)
14.14 (98)
21.15 (141)
Umpires: Ogston, Vergona
Halas 5, Boden 2, Dintinosante 2, McGaw 2, Ohlsen 2, Shaw 2, Vann 2, Austen, McCann, Towan Goals Anderson 5, Cook 5, Davies 2, Ebeyer 2, Kavanagh 2, Evans, Rodda, Swan, Tantsis, Wilkinson

Awards

Division 2

The Division 2 home-and-away season was played over eighteen rounds; the top four then contested the finals under the Page–McIntyre system; all finals were played on Sundays at Toorak Park.

Ladder

1982 VFA Division 2 Ladder
TEAM P W L D PF PA Pct PTS
1 Oakleigh 18 17 1 0 2902 1844 157.7 68
2 Northcote (P) 18 14 4 0 2674 1852 144.3 56
3 Caulfield 18 12 6 0 2332 1694 137.6 48
4 Brunswick 18 12 6 0 2490 1891 131.1 48
5 Box Hill 18 10 8 0 2043 2128 96.0 40
6 Springvale 18 9 9 0 2555 2059 124.0 36
7 Mordialloc 18 8 10 0 2100 2160 97.2 32
8 Kilsyth 18 4 14 0 1866 2334 80.2 16
9 Sunshine 18 3 15 0 1682 3221 52.1 12
10 Yarraville 18 1 17 0 1620 3081 52.5 4
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pct = Percentage; (P) = Premiers, PTS = Premiership points Source[27]

Finals

Semi Finals
Sunday, 22 August Caulfield 27.14 (176) def. Brunswick 15.9 (99) Toorak Park (crowd: 1,400) [28]
Sunday, 29 August Oakleigh 23.9 (147) def. by Northcote 25.20 (170) Toorak Park (crowd: 3,500) [21]
Preliminary Final
Sunday, 5 September Oakleigh 21.13 (139) def. by Caulfield 25.15 (165) Toorak Park (crowd: 3,700) [22]
1982 VFA Division 2 Grand Final
Sunday, 12 September Northcote def. Caulfield Toorak Park (Crowd: 6,000) [23]
0.6 (6)
2.9 (21)
9.13 (67)
12.15 (87)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
4.4 (28)
7.9 (51)
9.11 (65)
11.16 (82)
Umpires: Quinn, Fitzpatrick
Jurgenstein 4, Hepburn 3, Jim Christou 2, Dilorio, Minnitt, Smith Goals McClennan 3, Guileri 2, Hocking 2, Booth, Lennon, Morrison, Stewart

Awards

Notable events

Interleague matches

The Association's Division 1 and Division 2 teams each played two interleague matches during the season, including the Association's first ever matches against the Victorian Amateur Football Association. Fred Cook (Port Melbourne) captained the Division 1 team[29] and Gary Brice (Port Melbourne) was coach;[30] Jim Christou (Northcote) captained Division 2 against the S.A.F.A.,[31] and Russ Hodges (Kilsyth) captained Division 2 against the V.A.F.A. after Christou was unavailable through injury.[32]

1982 Interleague Matches
Sunday, 30 May (C-R) V.F.A. Second Division 13.24 (102) def. by S.A.F.A. 18.18 (126) Beach Oval (crowd: 3,258) [33]
Sunday, 30 May V.F.A. First Division 27.33 (195) def. G.N.F.L. 9.9 (63) Beach Oval (crowd: 3,258) [33]
Sunday, 13 June (C-R) V.F.A. Second Division 20.13 (133) def. V.A.F.A. Second XVIII 10.12 (72) Beach Oval (crowd: 5,548) [34]
Sunday, 13 June V.F.A. First Division 19.17 (131) def. by V.A.F.A. First XVIII 23.13 (151) Beach Oval (crowd: 5,548) [34]

Other notable events

External links

References

  1. Ron Carter (3 December 1960). "V.F.A. decides on two divisions". The Age (Melbourne). p. 16.
  2. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (12 September 1980). "New VFA may save 'doomed'". The Age (Melbourne). p. 26.
  3. Corrie Parkin (30 May 1981). "VFA to admit extra clubs". The Age (Melbourne). p. 40.
  4. Marc Fiddian (30 July 1983). "Dandenong fights for thirds". The Age (Melbourne). p. 31.
  5. Marc Fiddian (30 April 1983). "More teams not the answer". The Age (Melbourne). p. 33.
  6. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (2 May 1981). "VFA plans major shake-up". The Age (Melbourne). p. 43.
  7. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (8 September 1981). "Oakleigh potential fails to sway VFA". The Age (Melbourne). p. 45.
  8. 1 2 Marc Fiddian (15 May 1982). "Ground invaders a VFA problem". The Age (Melbourne). p. 33.
  9. Marc Fiddian (5 July 1980). "Devil of an idea to lift attendances". The Age (Melbourne). p. 39.
  10. 1 2 Marc Fiddian (18 March 1980). "VFA on-side with soccer?". The Age (Melbourne). p. 44.
  11. Marc Fiddian (4 June 1980). "Werribee plan is working". The Age (Melbourne). p. 30.
  12. Marc Fiddian (10 May 1982). "Werribee topples Port by a point". The Age (Melbourne). p. 25.
  13. 1 2 Marc Fiddian (14 August 1981). "Springvale bid to join VFA". The Age (Melbourne). p. 24.
  14. John Craven (16 October 1981). "'Springy' for VFA". The Herald (Melbourne). p. 28.
  15. John Craven (13 November 1981). "Kilsyth in VFA bid". The Herald (Melbourne). p. 29.
  16. 1 2 Darren Joyce (14 November 1981). "Kilsyth in VFA". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne). p. 29.
  17. Scot Palmer (3 October 1964). "VFA decides to keep 16-men teams". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne). p. 55.
  18. Bruce Tobin (20 February 1985). "Kilsyth seeks new players for 1985". The Croydon Mail 62 (7) (Melbourne). p. 61.
  19. Marc Fiddian (27 November 1981). "VFA retains 18 rounds". The Age (Melbourne). p. 35.
  20. 1 2 "National scoreboard". The Sporting Globe (Melbourne). 24 August 1982. p. 33.
  21. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (30 August 1982). "Superior Port by 62 points". The Age (Melbourne). p. 23.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Marc Fiddian (6 September 1982). "Premier puts in flag order". The Age (Melbourne). p. 33.
  23. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (13 September 1982). "Great last quarter the winner for Port". The Age (Melbourne). p. 27.
  24. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (20 September 1982). "Port scores a hat-trick". The Age (Melbourne). p. 29.
  25. 1 2 3 Marc Fiddian (26 August 1982). "Austen wins Liston". The Age (Melbourne). pp. 30, 28.
  26. 1 2 Amanda Buivids (21 September 1989). "Champs rewarded at last". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne). p. 83.
  27. 1 2 Marc Fiddian (16 August 1982). "Victory for Bullants in battle of big two". The Age (Melbourne). p. 25.
  28. Marc Fiddian (23 August 1982). "Lion-hearted win keeps Port at bay". The Age (Melbourne). p. 23.
  29. "Port 7 in VFA side". The Age (Melbourne). 27 May 1982. p. 26.
  30. Marc Fiddian (12 June 1982). "Something new for veterans". The Age (Melbourne). p. 29.
  31. Marc Fiddian (28 May 1982). "Northcote 4 named". The Age (Melbourne). p. 26.
  32. Marc Fiddian (10 June 1982). "Two changes to VFA side". The Age (Melbourne). p. 32.
  33. 1 2 Marc Fiddian (31 May 1982). "VFA romps home by 132 points". The Age (Melbourne). p. 35.
  34. 1 2 George McTaggart (14 June 1982). "Amateurs upset VFA by 20 points". The Age (Melbourne). p. 23.
  35. Marc Fiddian (6 February 1982). "Channel 10 axes VFA". The Age (Melbourne). p. 38.
  36. Marc Fiddian (15 April 1982). "Heavy club debts worry VFA". The Age (Melbourne). p. 26.
  37. 1 2 Marc Fiddian (12 April 1982). "Cobras strike after siren". The Age (Melbourne). p. 18.
  38. Joyce, Darren (7 June 1982). "Dolphins might protest". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne). p. 62.
  39. Marc Fiddian (7 June 1982). "Late goal protest". The Age (Melbourne). p. 25.
  40. "VFA protest fails". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne). 12 June 1982. p. 59.
  41. Marc Fiddian (12 June 1982). "VFA result will stand". The Age (Melbourne). p. 26.
  42. Gerry Carmen (28 July 1982). "Yarraville coach out for 16 games". The Age (Melbourne). p. 24.
  43. Gerry Carmen (11 August 1982). "VFA bans Sharp and Yarraville faces axe". The Age (Melbourne). p. 32.
  44. Marc Fiddian (18 September 1982). "Austen to get the 'double'". The Age (Melbourne). p. 27.
  45. Fiddian, Marc (2004), The VFA: a history of the Victorian Football Association, 1877–1995, p. 43
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