Melbourne City played in the VFA in 1912-1913 and never won a game. So why did the VFA take a chance on this club, what were the other options, and why did they fail so badly?

Australian Rules Football has a long history of Charity Matches where the players have dressed up in fancy dress and played football. These games were not played by elite footballers but by a wide range of everyday people. While researching old football matches these dress up games regularly appear, to the point where they deserves some attention.

In 1896, after a proposal by VFA Secretary T.S. Marshall, a group of teams broke away and formed the VFL. Why did they do this? why were some teams in and some teams out?

Winning the AFL Premiership is the height of Australian football, but what is it’s origin story. This article explains how in the early years of football in Victoria, the premiership evolved from a newspaper acclimation in an ad-hoc season of football in the early 1870s, into a points system run by the Victorian Football Association and finally into the winner of the Grand Final of a national competition that it is today.

Turmoil, argument, teams folding and teams appearing,even new competing competitions. The final years of the gold mining boom in Bendigo were interesting times for football in the town.

John Haygarth was an exciting Geelong footballer in the fifties. This article is the story of his football life, including his controversial departure from Geelong in 1959. The article includes an interview with John and photographs from his personal collection.

Seven Goals in the 1954 Grand Final, 154 VFL Games, Footscray Team of the Century, Club Secretary, Club President, fightback in 1989. Jack Collins was a great player with a great story.

Ambrose Dyson was one of the earliest regular football cartoonists in Melbourne. He worked a brief few years before the First World War before tragety struck.

Tom O'Halloran’s dedication and love for his club should be acknowledged and it is hoped that this story may stimulate new interest in the dynamic high flyer from Punt Road. Roger's article lets you see why Tom O’Halloran was introduced into the Richmond FC Hall of Fame in 2013.

Fred Phillips, one of St Kilda’s best-ever footballers, died in the most tragic circumstances at the age of 27 years.

“…A great footballer, a true sportsman-and a man. That was Fred Phillips. Need more be said?”

Ken's book-length (three-part) celebration of Camberwell Football Club and its uniquely fascinating history.
A tour de force, meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated. Completed with the technical and research assistance of Michael Riley. Dedicated to Thelma Baker - she whose heart beats true.

Part 1 - From the Junction to Nashville 1886-1941

Ken's book-length (three-part) celebration of Camberwell Football Club and its uniquely fascinating history.
A tour de force, meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated. Completed with the technical and research assistance of Michael Riley. Dedicated to Thelma Baker - she whose heart beats true.

Part Two - Cock of the Walk to Rock Bottom

Ken's book-length (three-part) celebration of Camberwell Football Club and its uniquely fascinating history.
A tour de force, meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated. Completed with the technical and research assistance of Michael Riley. Dedicated to Thelma Baker - she whose heart beats true.

Part Three - Camberwell Football Club 1960-1994: Doldrums, Revival, Triumph, Demise

It slowly dawned on me that Hogan’s book – a vast store of information emanating from a great variety of disparate sources, places and periods – was in fact a guide to Australian football’s collective memory.

Percy Leason (23 February 1889 – 11 September 1959 was a cartoonist an painter who rose to prominence in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He was most widely known for cartoons and illustrations that appeared in many magazines including Punch and later Table Talk.

Among those Victorian players who have been often overlooked for their significant contribution to interstate football is Carlton’s champion ruckman Charlie Davey. Charlie, who played 143 games for Carlton, represented Victoria on 17 occasions between 1929 and 1935. He is a classic example of a forgotten star of national football; and hopefully this story may serve as a reminder of Charlie’s undoubted ability and achievements in VFL and interstate football.

With the resounding recent success of Hawthorn; and the current abundance of Hawks stars, many younger fans may be unaware of the rocky road that Hawthorn travelled in the early years of the club’s history. One of the heroes of Hawthorn during its darkest years was Stan Spinks…this is his story.

Victor (aka Vic) Lawrence (born: 1928) played more than 100 VFL games; and although a steadfast defender, club captain and Victorian representative, he appears to be another ‘forgotten man’ of VFL football. This story attempts to remind football followers of Vic’s achievements and the key role he played in rebuilding the NMFC during the 1950’s.

GEELONG IN THE FIFTIES
CHAPTER ONE:
After struggling for success in the immediate post-war period, Geelong Football Club had risen to the top of the VFL ladder by 1951 and dominated the competition for several years. This article describes the fortunes of the Cats in the period from 1948 to 1956 and is the first of three detailed articles tracing Geelong's rise, fall and rise again in the decade of the fifties.

GEELONG IN THE FIFTIES
CHAPTER TWO:
This article is a continuation of Ken's forensic examination of Geelong Football Club's matches in the 1950's. Here we see Geelong plummet to the bottom of the VFL ladder. A neglected period of Geelong's history.