1966 VFA season

none December 2017 December 2017 1966 10 Port Melbourne 9 Port Melbourne 8 10 Prahran 1 Northcote 2 white 1965 VFA season 1965 white 1967 VFA season 1967 The 1966 Victorian Football Association season was the 85th season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the sixth season of its second division. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Port Melbourne Football Club, after it defeated Waverley in the Grand Final on 25 September by 43 points; it was Port Melbourne's ninth premiership. The Division 2 premiership was won by Prahran. Association membership In July 1965, the Frankston Football Club was admitted to Division 2 of the Association for the 1966 season. The Association had been in favour of admitting Frankston for 1965, but the club failed to get a clearance from the Mornington Peninsula Football League. It was not until its third appeal for a clearance that the MPFL allowed Frankston to transfer.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 43 13 July 1965 Frankston for VFA Frankston's admission brought the Association to a then-record twenty clubs. It was the end of a ten-year expansion plan which the Association had first announced in 1956 to increase the size of the competition from fourteen clubs to twenty.The Sun News-Pictorial Ballarat, Bendigo in V.F.A. plan to expand Noel Carrick 29 2 July 1956 Melbourne It was the last change to the Association membership until 1982. Grounds The following ground changes occurred in 1966: Coburg returned to Coburg Oval, after having shared North Port Oval with Port Melbourne during 1965 due to the Victorian Football League's North Melbourne Football Club having moved to Coburg.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 58 25 March 1965 Coburg has new ground Sunshine moved from its original home at Selwyn Park, Albion to the newly developed Skinner Reserve, Braybrook. The City of Sunshine had built the new venue for the club after it leased Selwyn Park to the George Cross soccer club.The Age Melbourne Sunshine likely to move in 1966 7 July 1964 10The Sun News-Pictorial 28 September 1965 Oval for Sunshine Melbourne Sandringham moved its home base to the St Kilda Cricket Ground for the 1966 season.The Sporting Globe Melbourne 6 Jim Blake 27 September 1966 Coburg show hot form The arrangement lasted only one year.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 48 Chris de Kretser 1 May 1967 VFA sides hard for battle New club Frankston played at Frankston Oval. The Division 1 finals returned to the St Kilda Cricket Ground, after having been played at North Port Oval for the previous three seasons. Division 1 The Division 1 home-and-home season was played over 18 rounds; the top four then contested the finals under the Page–McIntyre system. Ladder main WDL Q 1966 VFA Division 1 Ladder true points y 4 2 PMB Port Melbourne WAV Waverley YAR Yarraville NBU Preston SAN Sandringham WIL Williamstown BRU Brunswick DAN Dandenong COB Coburg OAK Oakleigh 15 3 0 1543 1139 P 13 5 0 1660 1283 12 6 0 1605 1373 12 6 0 1500 1405 10 8 0 1632 1397 9 9 0 1265 1337 8 10 0 1400 1480 5 13 0 1331 1561 4 14 0 1226 1542 2 16 0 1227 1872 #CCFFCC A A A A Premiers #FFCCCC R 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. complete The Sun News-Pictorial 29 August 1966 Preston poses big challenge 40 Melbourne Trevor Nash Finals Semi-finals Saturday, 3 September Yarraville 12.15 (87) A Preston 13.11 (89) St Kilda Cricket Ground 6,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 44 Trevor Nash 5 September 1966 Preston has narrow victory Saturday, 10 September Port Melbourne 7.13 (55) A Waverley 9.9 (63) St Kilda Cricket Ground 7,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 Trevor Nash 12 September 1966 Waverley lifts game, downs favourite Preliminary Final Sunday, 18 September Port Melbourne 16.14 (110) H Preston 11.6 (72) St Kilda Cricket Ground 13,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 48 Trevor Nash 19 September 1966 Port's strength told in the last quarter 1966 VFA Division 1 Grand Final Sunday, 25 September Waverley 3.7 (25) 3.8 (26) 4.11 (35) 6.11 (47) Gallus 2, Lawson 2, MacNamee 2 MacNamee (thigh), Rivis (calf) A Port Melbourne 2.4 (16) 7.6 (48) 8.8 (56) 13.12 (90) Allen 3, Kerr 3, Bedford 2, Bollard, Bowen, Howell, Schmidt, Taggart Griffiths (shoulder) Bowen, for striking Rivis in the second quarter St Kilda Cricket Ground 25,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 Trevor Nash 26 September 1966 Revenge... and flag for Port Alan O'Neill Awards The leading goalkicker for the season was Johnny Walker (Preston), who kicked 78 goals during the home-and-home season and 84 goals overall. The J. J. Liston Trophy was won by Alan Poore (Waverley), who polled 39 votes. It was Poore's second consecutive Liston Trophy, and he became the first player ever to win the award twice – consecutively or otherwise – and the first to win any Association best and fairest award twice since Arthur Cutting's consecutive V.F.A. Medals in 1938 and 1939. Paul Ladds (Sandringham) was second with 27 votes, and Barry Ion (Yarraville) was third with 26 votes.The Sun News-Pictorial 1 September 1966 Liston for Poore, twice in a row 64 Melbourne Trevor Nash Williamstown won the seconds premiership. Williamstown 14.14 (98) defeated Sandringham 11.9 (75) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone match on Saturday 24 September at Skinner Reserve before a crowd of 3,000. Division 2 The Division 2 home-and-home 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 main WDL Q 1966 VFA Division 2 Ladder true points y 4 2 NOR Northcote GLW Geelong West PRA Prahran SUN Sunshine BOX Box Hill MOR Mordialloc FRA Frankston CAU Caulfield CAM Camberwell WER Werribee 13 5 0 1736 1413 12 5 1 1877 1390 12 6 0 1494 1325 P 11 7 0 1486 1421 9 7 2 1701 1464 9 8 1 1680 1436 9 9 0 1471 1580 6 11 1 1324 1678 4 14 0 1441 1926 2 15 1 1256 1883 -2 Premiers #CCFFCC A A A A 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. complete The Sun News-Pictorial 15 August 1966 President has word to umpire 52 Melbourne Trevor Nash Finals Semi-finals Sunday, 21 August Prahran 11.15 (81) H Sunshine 2.7 (19) Toorak Park 5,000 The Sun News-Pictorial 22 August 1966 Runaway win to Prahran 44 Melbourne Trevor Nash Sunday, 28 August Northcote 8.19 (67) A Geelong West 15.15 (105) Toorak Park 7,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 Trevor Nash 29 August 1966 Geelong W. wins easily Preliminary Final Sunday, 4 September Northcote 13.12 (90) A Prahran 13.13 (91) Toorak Park 6,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 44 Trevor Nash 5 September 1966 Prahran in by a point 1966 VFA Division 2 Grand Final Sunday, 11 September Geelong West 2.9 (21) 3.13 (31) 3.14 (32) 5.15 (45) Brushfield, Gibbons, Salter, Stacey, Williams A Prahran 1.0 (6) 6.4 (40) 9.9 (63) 17.12 (114) Pearson 6, Bartlett 4, Butler 3, Richardson 3, Kerley Toorak Park 10,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 Trevor Nash 12 September 1966 Prahran takes pennant R. Armstrong Awards The leading goalkicker for Division 2 was Ben Nusteling (Geelong West) who kicked 85 goals in the home-and-home season and 92 goals overall. The Division 2 Best and Fairest was won by Ian Williams (Geelong West), who polled 48 votes. Larry Rowe (Caulfield) was second with 27 votes, and Alex Gardiner (Box Hill) and Ben Crameri (Northcote) were equal third with 26 votes.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 54 18 August 1966 Geelong West player wins VFA award Sunshine won the seconds premiership. Sunshine 12.12 (84) defeated Northcote 8.6 (54) in the Grand Final, held as a stand-alone match on Saturday 10 September at Skinner Reserve. Notable events Interstate matches The Association contested the 1966 Hobart Carnival during June. The team was coached by Perc Bushby (Coburg) and was captained by Keith Burns (Brunswick).The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 45 Trevor Nash 6 June 1966 Burns to lead VFA The Association had a poor tournament, finishing last and losing all four matches by large margins; and, no Association players were selected in the All-Australian team.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 48 Kevin Hogan 20 June 1966 Baldock gets top position 1966 Hobart Carnival Thursday, 9 June Western Australia 26.18 (174) H Victoria (VFA) 5.11 (41) North Hobart Oval 20,047CR The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 47 Kevin Hogan 10 June 1966 WA romps to victory Saturday, 11 June Tasmania 19.27 (141) H Victoria (VFA) 7.11 (53) North Hobart Oval 23,764CR The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 31 Kevin Hogan 13 June 1966 Battle for VFA Monday, 13 June Victoria (VFL) 14.17 (101) H Victoria (VFA) 9.7 (61) North Hobart Oval 13,969CR The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 50 Kevin Hogan 14 June 1966 Satisfaction for the VFA Thursday, 16 June South Australia 21.20 (146) H Victoria (VFA) 9.11 (65) North Hobart Oval 10,199CR The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 49 Kevin Hogan 17 June 1966 SA soundly beats VFA Other notable events Oakleigh captain-coach John Benetti was dropped from the playing team at midseason due to poor form; he immediately resigned upon being informed that the financially struggling club could not afford to pay him as a non-playing coach.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 2 July 1966 Benetti resigns from Oakleigh 51 Oakleigh's win–loss record was 0–9 when Benetti resigned. On 16 July, Yarraville 6.5 (41) defeated Dandenong 4.12 (36) after Neil Fell kicked the winning goal from a set shot in the forward pocket in the final moments of the game. Three Dandenong defenders disputed the goal umpire's call, claiming that the ball hit the post on its way through. Dandenong raised a formal protest, but it was dismissed.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 Trevor Nash 18 July 1966 Dandenong protest on winning goal On 7 August, Box Hill played its first ever Sunday match – an away match against Northcote. Box Hill had remained opposed to Sunday football since its introduction, but the club was struggling financially and needed access to the larger crowds available on SundaysThe Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 46 Trevor Nash 5 August 1966 A Sunday game for Box Hill The club remained unable to play Sunday matches at home until the council permitted them in 1969.http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingTraditions/1986/st0202/st0202h.pdf The VFA and the search for an identity Paul Bartrop Sporting Traditions 74–87 1986 The Australian Society for Sports History 2 2 In the Division 1 first semi-final, Yarraville trailed Preston by 5 points at half time, before kicking eight goals to one in the third quarter to take a 39-point lead; Preston then came from behind, kicking seven goals to none in the final quarter to win by two points, with the winning goal coming seconds before the final siren. See also List of VFA/VFL Premiers References 2 Category:Victorian Football League seasons VFL