Port Melbourne Football Club
Encyclopedia
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football
club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
For most the nickname of the Borough may seem strange, but its origins lie way back when the team was based in what was known as the Borough of Port Melbourne. The name stuck, even after the area was upgraded to the status of town and eventually city.
The club is currently unlike most VFL clubs in that it is not aligned with any Australian Football League
(AFL) club; Frankston is the only other club which lacks an AFL-affiliation.
Port Melbourne is traditionally considered one of the strongest, most successful and most supported Victorian clubs outside of the AFL due to its long and illustrious history in the competition formerly known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA).
) in 1886 and has played in every season since then. In the late 1890s, the Port Melbourne Football Club was touted to join the breakaway VFL
competition, but was denied membership. In their place, the St Kilda Football Club joined the VFL
, an event still talked about to this day. The reason given was the Borough's reputation for poor behaviour by both its players and supporters. Port Melbourne went on to become one of the strongest clubs in the VFA
, and today, still attracts some of the biggest crowds to its games. Traditionally the Borough's greatest rivals are the Williamstown Seagulls and the Sandringham Zebras
. All three teams continue to play in the VFL
to this day.
Since the AFL reserves competition
merged with the Victorian Football League
in 2000, Port Melbourne has been involved in two affiliations: with the Sydney Swans
(2001–2002), and with the Kangaroos
(2003–2005); however, since 2006, Port Melbourne has existed as a stand-alone VFL club.
.
, Port Melbourne completed a perfect season
, winning all eighteen home-and-away games, then three finals matches, culminated in a 56-point win against Williamstown
in the Grand Final. It was the first perfect season in the VFA/VFL first division since 1918.
Port Melbourne 9.6.60 d Footscray 8.10.58
Crowd: 22,000
Port Melbourne 23.22.160 d Prahran 17.11.113
Crowd: 30,882
Port Melbourne 15.18.108 d Coburg 11.23.89
Crowd: 36,289
Port Melbourne 15.15.105 d Sandringham 11.8.74
Crowd: 24,000
Port Melbourne 21.15.141 d Yarraville 12.9.81
Crowd: 40,000
Port Melbourne 14.17.101 d Williamstown 10.5.65
Crowd: 20,000
Port Melbourne 13.12.90 d Waverley 6.11.47
Crowd: 20,000
Port Melbourne 22.20.152 d Oakleigh 11.17.83
Crowd: 23,936
Port Melbourne 19.18.132 d Dandenong 10.15.75
Crowd: 32,317
Port Melbourne 23.19.157 d Sandringham 7.15.57
Crowd: 29,664
Port Melbourne 11.15.81 d Coburg 10.10.70
Crowd: 22,010
Port Melbourne 32.19.211 d Preston 15.8.98
Crowd: 20,186
Port Melbourne 21.15.141 d Preston 20.14.134
Crowd: 20,732
Port Melbourne 22.12.144 d Williamstown 13.10.88
Crowd: 11,896
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 based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFL).
For most the nickname of the Borough may seem strange, but its origins lie way back when the team was based in what was known as the Borough of Port Melbourne. The name stuck, even after the area was upgraded to the status of town and eventually city.
The club is currently unlike most VFL clubs in that it is not aligned with any Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) club; Frankston is the only other club which lacks an AFL-affiliation.
Port Melbourne is traditionally considered one of the strongest, most successful and most supported Victorian clubs outside of the AFL due to its long and illustrious history in the competition formerly known as the Victorian Football Association (VFA).
History
The Borough joined the Victorian Football Association (now known as the VFLVFL
VFL can refer to:Sport* Victorian Football League, an Australian rules football league formerly known as the Victorian Football Association prior to 1996....
) in 1886 and has played in every season since then. In the late 1890s, the Port Melbourne Football Club was touted to join the breakaway VFL
VFL
VFL can refer to:Sport* Victorian Football League, an Australian rules football league formerly known as the Victorian Football Association prior to 1996....
competition, but was denied membership. In their place, the St Kilda Football Club joined the VFL
VFL
VFL can refer to:Sport* Victorian Football League, an Australian rules football league formerly known as the Victorian Football Association prior to 1996....
, an event still talked about to this day. The reason given was the Borough's reputation for poor behaviour by both its players and supporters. Port Melbourne went on to become one of the strongest clubs in the VFA
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
, and today, still attracts some of the biggest crowds to its games. Traditionally the Borough's greatest rivals are the Williamstown Seagulls and the Sandringham Zebras
Sandringham Zebras
The Sandringham Football Club, nicknamed The Zebras, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne that was formed in 1929 and plays in the Victorian Football League . The Zebras have a 5 year alignment agreement with AFL club St Kilda Football Club of which the first season was 2009...
. All three teams continue to play in the VFL
VFL
VFL can refer to:Sport* Victorian Football League, an Australian rules football league formerly known as the Victorian Football Association prior to 1996....
to this day.
Since the AFL reserves competition
Victorian State Football League
The Victorian State Football League is a former Australian rules football governing body. The VSFL ran a competition of the same name primarily among Australian Football League teams' reserve teams. Between 1994 and 1999 the VSFL controlled the Victorian Football Association competition...
merged with the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
in 2000, Port Melbourne has been involved in two affiliations: with the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
(2001–2002), and with the Kangaroos
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
(2003–2005); however, since 2006, Port Melbourne has existed as a stand-alone VFL club.
Club Jumper
The Port Melbourne Football Club's guernsey is one of the most iconic images in the Melbourne football scene, due mostly to the fact that it hasn't changed since its inception into the VFAVictorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
.
2011 season
In 20112011 VFL season
-Teams:The league contracted from fourteen teams back to thirteen, after the Gold Coast Football Club left and entered the Australian Football League. The fledgling Gold Coast club had used the 2009 TAC Cup season and the 2010 VFL season as preparation for joining the AFL...
, Port Melbourne completed a perfect season
Perfect Season
A perfect season is any sports season, excluding the playoff portion of a season, in which a team remains undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the collegiate level in the United States.A perfect season may...
, winning all eighteen home-and-away games, then three finals matches, culminated in a 56-point win against Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
in the Grand Final. It was the first perfect season in the VFA/VFL first division since 1918.
Team of the Century
The Port Melbourne Football Club team of the century was chosen in 2003, combining all the clubs greats from across its long history.| Team of the Century: Line Up | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Line | Stan Plumridge | Joe Garbutt | Vic Aanensen Vic Aanensen Vic Aanensen is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League and Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association during the 1970s and 1980s.... |
|||||||||||||||||
| Half Back Line | David King David King (Australian rules footballer) David King is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League . He debuted for the Kangaroos in 1994 after being recruited from Port Melbourne... |
Bob Kelsey | Bob Withers Bob Withers Robert 'Bob' Withers is a former Australian rules footballer who played in Tasmania and for Port Melbourne, noted for his selection in the 1961 All-Australian team.... |
|||||||||||||||||
| Centre Line | Bill Swan | Peter Bedford Peter Bedford Peter Lawrence Anthony "Wheels" Bedford is a former Australian Rules footballer. He is best known for his time at Victorian Football League team South Melbourne, but he also played eight games for Carlton.... |
Billy McGee Billy McGee (footballer) William 'Billy' McGee was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League .... |
|||||||||||||||||
| Half Forward Line | Rob Freyer | Ted Freyer Ted Freyer Edward Freyer was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL during the 1930s.... |
Brian Walsh | |||||||||||||||||
| Forward Line | Bob Bonnett | Fred Cook | Tommy Lahiff Tommy Lahiff Thomas 'Tommy' Lahiff was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon, South Melbourne and Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League before becoming a successful coach and radio commentator.... |
|||||||||||||||||
| Rucks | Frank Johnson Snr Frank Johnson (footballer) Frank Johnson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the VFL and Port Melbourne in the VFA.-Career:A 185cm ruckman, Johnson began his senior career playing with Port Melbourne in the VFA in the 1950s... |
Graeme Anderson Graeme R. Anderson Graeme Anderson is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League .... |
Bill Findlay Bill Findlay Bill Findlay was a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League . He played as a rover and was sometimes pushed forward where he was a handy goalkicker, averaging two goals a game.Findlay was started his league career with his... |
|||||||||||||||||
| Interchange | Bill Bedford | Carl Bowen | Gary Brice Gary Brice Gary Brice is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the VFL during the 1970s.A solidly built wingman who could play at half forward, Brice started his career at Port Melbourne before being recruited by South Melbourne in 1970... |
|||||||||||||||||
| Coach | Gary Brice | |||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | Frank Johnson Snr | |||||||||||||||||||
Premierships
- 1897 – against North Melbourne F.C
- 1901 – against Richmond F.C
- 1922 – against Footscray F.C:
Port Melbourne 9.6.60 d Footscray 8.10.58
Crowd: 22,000
- 1940 – against Prahran F.C:
Port Melbourne 23.22.160 d Prahran 17.11.113
Crowd: 30,882
- 1941 – against Coburg Lions:
Port Melbourne 15.18.108 d Coburg 11.23.89
Crowd: 36,289
- 1947 – against Sandringham ZebrasSandringham ZebrasThe Sandringham Football Club, nicknamed The Zebras, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne that was formed in 1929 and plays in the Victorian Football League . The Zebras have a 5 year alignment agreement with AFL club St Kilda Football Club of which the first season was 2009...
:
Port Melbourne 15.15.105 d Sandringham 11.8.74
Crowd: 24,000
- 1953 – against Yarraville Eagles:
Port Melbourne 21.15.141 d Yarraville 12.9.81
Crowd: 40,000
- 1964 – against Williamstown Seagulls:
Port Melbourne 14.17.101 d Williamstown 10.5.65
Crowd: 20,000
- 1966 – against Waverley Panthers:
Port Melbourne 13.12.90 d Waverley 6.11.47
Crowd: 20,000
- 1974 – against Oakleigh Devils
Port Melbourne 22.20.152 d Oakleigh 11.17.83
Crowd: 23,936
- 1976 – against Dandenong F.C:
Port Melbourne 19.18.132 d Dandenong 10.15.75
Crowd: 32,317
- 1977 – against Sandringham ZebrasSandringham ZebrasThe Sandringham Football Club, nicknamed The Zebras, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne that was formed in 1929 and plays in the Victorian Football League . The Zebras have a 5 year alignment agreement with AFL club St Kilda Football Club of which the first season was 2009...
:
Port Melbourne 23.19.157 d Sandringham 7.15.57
Crowd: 29,664
- 1980 – against Coburg Lions:
Port Melbourne 11.15.81 d Coburg 10.10.70
Crowd: 22,010
- 1981 – against Preston Bullants:
Port Melbourne 32.19.211 d Preston 15.8.98
Crowd: 20,186
- 1982 – against Preston Bullants:
Port Melbourne 21.15.141 d Preston 20.14.134
Crowd: 20,732
- 2011 – against Williamstown Football ClubWilliamstown Football ClubThe Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
:
Port Melbourne 22.12.144 d Williamstown 13.10.88
Crowd: 11,896
- Total Premierships – 16
- Total Grand Finals – 32
Post War Placings
| Placings (1945–64) | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
| Placement | 2 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Placings (1965–84) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 |
| Placement | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Placings (1985-04) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| Placement | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Placings (2005–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Placement | 5 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Records
- League History: VFA/VFL 1886-15, 1918–41, 1945–
- Record Attendance: 36,289 v the Coburg Lions in 1941
- VFA Centenary Premiership: 1977
- Most Games: 253 by Fred Cook
- Most Goals: 1238 by Fred Cook
- Liston Medallists: E. Hyde (1930), W. Findlay (1946), F. Johnson (1952), V. Aanensen (1979,1981), S. AllenderStephen AllenderStephen James Allender is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League during the 1980s....
(1980), W. Swan (1982,1983), S. Harkins (1990), S. ValentiShane ValentiShane Valenti is an Australian rules footballer, who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League and currently plays for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
(2010, 2011)
- Highest Score: 43.29 (287) v the Sandringham ZebrasSandringham ZebrasThe Sandringham Football Club, nicknamed The Zebras, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne that was formed in 1929 and plays in the Victorian Football League . The Zebras have a 5 year alignment agreement with AFL club St Kilda Football Club of which the first season was 2009...
in 1941
- Lowest Score: 0.2 (2) v Prahran F.C in 1902
- Longest Winning Run: 21* (2011)
- Longest Losing Run: 14 (1909)
Further reading
- Terry Keenan. 2006. Unduly Rough Play – A History of the Port Melbourne Football Club, Volume 2 1918–1944. Albert Park: Eucalyptus Press
- Terry Keenan. 2004. Kicking Into the Wind – A History of the Formative Years of the Port Melbourne Football Club 1874–1917. Petersham: Walla Walla Press
- Terry Keenan. 1999. A Taste of Port. Albert Park: Eucalyptus Press
- Terry Keenan. A Family Feud. Port Melbourne: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society.
- Terry Keenan. Keeping Out the Riff-Raff. Port Melbourne: Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society.
- Marc Fiddian. The VFA – A History of the Victorian Football Association 1877–1995.