Oakleigh Football Club
Encyclopedia
Oakleigh Football Club, nicknamed the Devils, was an Australian rules football
club from Oakleigh
which played in the VFA from 1929 until 1994. Oakleigh wore purple guernseys with a gold monogram thus giving them their original nickname the Purple and Golds.
The club was formed in 1891 and after having success in the Melbourne Districts Association League they were one of two teams admitted into the VFA in 1929, the other being Sandringham. With former Essendon star and future Carlton coach Frank Maher
in charge they won a premiership in just their second season with a 9 point win over Northcote
in a very spiteful game, 9.6 (60) to 7.9 (51). The game had erupted into full scale violence during the last term when a Northcote defender elbowed an Oakleigh forward in the face and an all in brawl, involving a number of spectators as well as most players, ensued. Under the rules of the time, Oakleigh would have been able to challenge Northcote the following week if they had lost this game as they had finished as minor premiers after the home and away matches preceding the finals series. The two sides met once more in the Grand Final the following year and Oakleigh again got the better of Northcote, winning by 3 points despite kicking inaccurately, 10.14 (74) to 11.5 (71).
It would be the last time the club saw finals football until 1949 when they made it all the way to the Grand Final before losing when a Williamstown player kicked a goal with only seconds to play to put his team in front. They earned the minor premiership the following season
and outplayed Port Melbourne to win their third premiership. In 1952 the teams met again in the Grand Final and Oakleigh won comfortably.
Another drought ensued and Oakleigh didn't make the finals again until 1959. They won their 5th premiership in 1960 despite not being able to play at their home ground which was having resurfacing work.
In 1966 Oakleigh were demoted to the second division by finishing bottom of the first division but won the second division premiership by defeating Geelong West in the Grand Final in 1967 and returned to the top flight for 1968. In the following decade they made consecutive Grand Final appearances in 1972, 1973 and 1974. The 1972 grand final saw them defeat Dandenong in a high scoring match, 25.17 (167) to 18.15 (123). In 1976 they were relegated again and remained in the second division, losing a number of grand finals along the way, until 1988 when they finally won the premiership. At the end of this season, the two division format was scrapped and all of the existing VFA clubs were merged into one competition for the following season.
Oakleigh struggled to make an impact after this and never managed to move far off the bottom of the ladder again. They decided to leave the VFA after the 1994 season, when the VFA was restructured, in order to create an Under-18 feeder club for another VFA team, local rivals Springvale.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club from Oakleigh
Oakleigh, Victoria
Oakleigh is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and is located 14 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh had a population of 6,876....
which played in the VFA from 1929 until 1994. Oakleigh wore purple guernseys with a gold monogram thus giving them their original nickname the Purple and Golds.
History
Frank Maher (footballer)
Frank H. Maher , is a former Australian footballer, and coach in the Victorian Football League.He served in the army in World War I from 1916 to 1919, and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry for his actions in France on 19 May 1918.He only began playing football when serving overseas with...
in charge they won a premiership in just their second season with a 9 point win over Northcote
Northcote Football Club
Northcote Football Club, nicknamed The Dragons, was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA from 1908 until 1987. The club's colours were green and yellow and it was based in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote...
in a very spiteful game, 9.6 (60) to 7.9 (51). The game had erupted into full scale violence during the last term when a Northcote defender elbowed an Oakleigh forward in the face and an all in brawl, involving a number of spectators as well as most players, ensued. Under the rules of the time, Oakleigh would have been able to challenge Northcote the following week if they had lost this game as they had finished as minor premiers after the home and away matches preceding the finals series. The two sides met once more in the Grand Final the following year and Oakleigh again got the better of Northcote, winning by 3 points despite kicking inaccurately, 10.14 (74) to 11.5 (71).
It would be the last time the club saw finals football until 1949 when they made it all the way to the Grand Final before losing when a Williamstown player kicked a goal with only seconds to play to put his team in front. They earned the minor premiership the following season
and outplayed Port Melbourne to win their third premiership. In 1952 the teams met again in the Grand Final and Oakleigh won comfortably.
Another drought ensued and Oakleigh didn't make the finals again until 1959. They won their 5th premiership in 1960 despite not being able to play at their home ground which was having resurfacing work.
In 1966 Oakleigh were demoted to the second division by finishing bottom of the first division but won the second division premiership by defeating Geelong West in the Grand Final in 1967 and returned to the top flight for 1968. In the following decade they made consecutive Grand Final appearances in 1972, 1973 and 1974. The 1972 grand final saw them defeat Dandenong in a high scoring match, 25.17 (167) to 18.15 (123). In 1976 they were relegated again and remained in the second division, losing a number of grand finals along the way, until 1988 when they finally won the premiership. At the end of this season, the two division format was scrapped and all of the existing VFA clubs were merged into one competition for the following season.
Oakleigh struggled to make an impact after this and never managed to move far off the bottom of the ladder again. They decided to leave the VFA after the 1994 season, when the VFA was restructured, in order to create an Under-18 feeder club for another VFA team, local rivals Springvale.
VFA premierships
- 1930
- 1931
- 1950
- 1952
- 1960
- 1967 (2nd division)
- 1972
- 1988 (2nd division)
Notable players
- Carlton – Jack HowellJack Howell (footballer)Jack E. "Chooka" Howell , nicknamed "Chooka" from his distinctive gait, was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .- Three generations of Grand Final players :...
, Bryan QuirkBryan QuirkBryan Quirk is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League. He was recruited from Morwell Football Club in the then Latrobe Valley Football League....
and Ian RobertsonIan Robertson (Australian rules footballer)Ian Robertson is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL and currently a football commentator....
. - Collingwood – Bill JonesBill J. JonesWilliam J. "Bill" Jones was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League during the 1950s.A rover who was also used as a half forward flanker, Jones was recruited from Darley...
and Alby PannamAlby PannamAlbert 'Alby' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1933 and 1943 and then again in 1945 for the Collingwood Football Club. He then was captain/coach for the Richmond Football Club Seconds side from 1946 to 1952, leading them to the premiership in 1946...
. - Essendon – Frank MaherFrank Maher (footballer)Frank H. Maher , is a former Australian footballer, and coach in the Victorian Football League.He served in the army in World War I from 1916 to 1919, and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry for his actions in France on 19 May 1918.He only began playing football when serving overseas with...
. - Fitzroy – Clen DenningClen DenningClen Charles Denning was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Soon after he turned 16, Denning played for VFA club Oakleigh. He got his start in the VFL after a long wait when Oakleigh coach Frank Maher moved to coach the Carlton Football Club...
(also Carlton) - Geelong – Eric FlemingEric Fleming (footballer)Eric Fleming was an Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the VFL during the 1920s....
- Melbourne – Neil CromptonNeil Crompton (footballer)Colin Neil Crompton was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
and Bob B. JohnsonBob B. JohnsonRobert B. "Bob" Johnson was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League during the 1950s. His father of the same name also played for the club....
. - Richmond – Tony JewellTony JewellTony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston...
, Bill BarrotBill BarrotBill Barrot is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1961 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club and in 1971 for the St Kilda Football Club and the Carlton Football Club....
and George SmeatonGeorge SmeatonGeorge Smeaton was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1935 and 1942 and then again from 1944 to 1946 for the Richmond Football Club....
. - South Melbourne – Herbie MatthewsHerbie MatthewsHerbie Matthews was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League. He was recruited from suburban Fairfield under the League's "father and son" rule. His father, 'Butcher' Matthews, partnered the great Roy Cazaly in South Melbourne's ruck...
. - St Kilda – Wally Gunnyon and Eric GuyEric GuyEric Guy is a former Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the VFL.Guy started his career at Oakleigh in the VFA and played 91 games for the club. He did enough to catch the eye of St Kilda and they recruited him for the 1957 season...
.