1964 VFA season

none December 2017 December 2017 1964 10 Port Melbourne 8 Williamstown 9 8 Geelong West 1 Sunshine 1 white 1963 VFA season 1963 white 1965 VFA season 1965 The 1964 Victorian Football Association season was the 83rd season of the top division of the Australian rules football competition, and the fourth season of its second division. The Division 1 premiership was won by the Port Melbourne Football Club, after it defeated Williamstown in the Grand Final on 26 September by 36 points; it was Port Melbourne's 8th VFA premiership. The Division 2 premiership was won by Geelong West, in only its second season in the VFA. Association membership Less than a month before the 1964 season, the defending Division 1 premier club, Moorabbin, was suspended from the Association, in the aftermath of the Victorian Football League's St Kilda Football Club announcing its intention to move its playing and administrative base to Moorabbin Oval from 1965. Background In the early 1960s, many Victorian Football League clubs were dissatisfied with their home grounds. In some cases, such as at Glenferrie Oval, the grounds were small and the surroundings prohibited expansion. In other cases, such as at Brunswick Street Oval, the local district cricket club, rather than the football club, had the controlling occupancy of the ground, leaving the football clubs with unsatisfactory lease arrangements and little control over how the ground was managed. Some Association grounds offered attractive solutions to the League clubs' problems: the grounds were often newer and larger than the older League grounds, they were not controlled by a strong traditional cricket club, and had the added benefit of being located in rapidly growing outer suburbs whence a League club could attract new fans. At the same time, many local councils in the outer suburbs harboured ambitions of bringing League football to their districts, seeing great opportunity and great prestige in it. Councils, particularly those which oversaw a large population and managed a good quality ground, such as Moorabbin and Coburg, had been actively seeking to be represented in the League for several years. These combined driving forces had led to much discussion about League grounds leading up to 1964. Over the previous few years, two League clubs had made formal, but unsuccessful, attempts to move to Association grounds: StK, to Brighton's then-home ground at Elsternwick Park in 1959;The Sun News-Pictorial 4 April 1959 54 Jack Dunn St Kilda to seek new home ground Melbourne and to the Preston football ground starting in 1962The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 20 March 1962 Grounds row widens – and there were several other rumours, most notably that was interested in moving to Oakleigh. Accusations against Preston and Moorabbin in October 1963 The first grounds-related controversy of the off-season occurred in October 1963, when the Moorabbin and Preston Football Clubs – the reigning Division 1 and Division 2 premiers respectively – were both accused of having attempted to amalgamate with League teams, or having otherwise facilitated attempts by those League teams to move into their grounds. Both clubs were forced to face the Association executive committee to outline the roles, if any, that they had played in the negotiations.The Age Melbourne 23 Graeme Kelly 10 October 1963 Clubs called before VFA Preston Preston faced the Association on 15 October, over ongoing speculation of dealings with the Fitzroy Football Club since its first attempt to move to Preston in 1962. The Association decided that Fitzroy had been negotiating only with the Preston Council, that the Preston Football Club had been involved only in the discussions that it could not avoid under the circumstances, and that the club was remaining loyal to the Association and had not sought amalgamation. No further action was taken against the club.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 24 16 October 1963 Moorabbin to face V.F.A Moorabbin Moorabbin faced the Association on 29 October. Moorabbin was accused of having proposed to amalgamate with during the previous season (but been turned down), and having also engaged in discussions with Fitzroy over the potential for a move or amalgamation.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 62 Scot Palmer 10 October 1963 Top VFA clubs in trouble The executive found that Moorabbin had been acting against the interests of the Association, and it recommended that the club be expelled.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 60 Jack Dunn 30 October 1963 Club's threat to VFA On 1 November, Moorabbin's fate was discussed at a Board of Management meeting. Moorabbin president Mr Don Bricker commented that "all that is wrong with Moorabbin is that it is too progressive for the VFA"; but he also stated in the club's defence that the Moorabbin Council was the main driving force behind the push to get a League club to Moorabbin Oval, and that it was in his club's best interests to support the council and pursue amalgamation with a League club, rather than oppose the council and find itself homeless and forced to disband if and when a League club moved in. The motion to expel the club required a two-thirds majority to pass, and was defeated by a single vote, with the final count 27–15 in favour of expulsion.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 52 2 November 1963 Moorabbin stays in As such, preparations were made for the 1964 season including both Preston and Moorabbin in the fixture. St Kilda's move to Moorabbin Oval On 24 March 1964, the St Kilda Football Club announced that it would move its playing and administrative base to Moorabbin Oval, starting from the 1965 season,The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 52 Jack Dunn 25 March 1964 Saints will move to Moorabbin in '65 under an agreement that was formally signed in July 1964. The Moorabbin council agreed to invest a further £100,000 to bring the venue to VFL standards and expand its capacity to 50,000. The St Kilda Football Club signed a 75-year £5,000 per year deal for the ground, under which it became ground manager, and committed to invest £120,000 in establishing a licensed social club and to invest £375,000 for ground improvements over the first 45 years of the deal,The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 49 Rex Pullen 4 July 1964 Saints to sign on Monday and would sublet the ground to and prepare wickets for the sub-district Moorabbin Cricket Club during summer.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 56 Rex Pullen 5 August 1964 Saints given 75-yr. lease St Kilda's move was mostly motivated by the desire to be ground manager: its existing home, the St Kilda Cricket Ground, was a very good quality venue with no specific failings to motivate the club to move (The Sun News-Pictorial described it as the fourth-best football/cricket oval in the country, behind only the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sydney Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval),The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 54 Jack Dunn 25 June 1964 New white elephant but the St Kilda Cricket Club was ground manager and therefore controlled how the ground was operated and developed. Other benefits St Kilda derived from its move were that it could operate and profit from its own social club at the new venue, it was at lower cost than the £8,000 per year rent it had paid at St Kilda, it escaped an arrangement under which cricket club members could purchase football club memberships for only one third of the regular price, and it allowed the club to appeal to new fans in the fast-growing Moorabbin area; the club had initially announced that it would change its name to the St Kilda–Moorabbin Football Club after the move, but these plans were abandoned two weeks later.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 44 10 April 1964 Saints won't lose name The announcement came as a complete surprise to the football public, as there had been no rumours that the club was interested in leaving the St Kilda Cricket Ground since its attempt to move to Elsternwick Park in 1959. The announcement came after two months of secret negotiations between St Kilda and the Moorabbin Council; and according to Bricker, the Moorabbin Football Club knew nothing of the negotiations until being informed in a meeting with both parties on 24 March, just hours before the move was first publicly announced.The Age Melbourne 25 Ron Carter 25 March 1964 St. Kilda moving to Moorabbin next year It was considered a near certainty that the loss of its ground would have resulted in the club's expulsion from the Association, so the Moorabbin Council committed to providing a replacement Association-standard venue in the district if the football club wished it to do so. The football club held an extraordinary meeting on 25 March, and at that meeting determined that its official position was to support the council in its efforts to attract League football to the district, and to seek to amalgamate with the St Kilda Football Club.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 40 Barrie Bretland 26 March 1964 Locals favour merger At its next meeting on 3 April, the Association Board of Management again discussed expelling Moorabbin for "an act prejudicial to the V.F.A. in supporting League football".The Age Melbourne 20 Peter Stone 4 April 1964 V.F.A. suspends Moorabbin for season This time, the motion to expel succeeded in getting the two-thirds majority it required, passing by 30–12; the six clubs to oppose the motion were Northcote, Moorabbin itself, and fellow south-eastern clubs Sandringham, Brighton–Caulfield, Mordialloc and Dandenong. The club was suspended from the Association indefinitely, but with its position to be reviewed at the end of the season. Moorabbin's position in Division 1 was filled at less than three weeks' notice by the 1963 Division 2 runners-up, Waverley, and the size of Division 2 was reduced to eight teams. Moorabbin turned down offers to join the Federal League and the South-Eastern Suburban League at short notice for 1964, because playing in a league not affiliated with the Australian National Football Council would have precluded any chance of re-admission to the Association in 1965.The Age Melbourne 22 Graeme Kelly 6 April 1964 Moorabbin has no right of appeal With no other options available at such short notice, Moorabbin sat out of football in 1964. All of its players received clearances to any club of their choosing, under the condition that they return to Moorabbin if and when it returned to the Association.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 48 7 April 1964 Moorabbin decides The vast majority of its players went to the other south-eastern clubs which voted against its expulsion; Brighton-Caulfield was a particular beneficiary, and the twelve key senior players it recruited from Moorabbin lifted the struggling club, which had won eight wooden spoons in the previous twelve years, into the finals for the first time since 1950.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 59 Scot Palmer 8 April 1964 Moorabbin windfall to 'wooden-spooner' As the season progressed, the club had to deal with £1500 of debts it had accrued as pre-season expenses, but without any steady income from takings, and the motivation of Moorabbin's committee to seek re-admission to the Association waned.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 55 Scot Palmer 2 May 1964 This flag can't fly With no home games at which to carry out the tradition, the club's 1963 premiership flag was unfurled at a social event at Moorabbin Oval on the evening of 4 July;The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 46 Scot Palmer 12 June 1964 Big night for Moorabbin this was the club's VFA swan song, as two nights later the committee voted 19–2 to abandon attempts to seek readmission in 1965. It began investigating a return to the Federal League,The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 43 7 July 1964 They'll leave the VFA and ultimately disbanded. Bricker went on to join the St Kilda committee in December 1964.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 54 Rex Pullen 4 December 1964 New men in for Saints 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 1964 VFA Division 1 ladder true points y 4 2 WIL Williamstown PMB Port Melbourne SAN Sandringham COB Coburg YAR Yarraville DAN Dandenong BRU Brunswick OAK Oakleigh WAV Waverley PRE Preston 14 4 0 1567 1370 13 5 0 1655 1411 P 13 5 0 1712 1497 12 6 0 1620 1311 11 7 0 1691 1624 8 9 1 1382 1258 5 12 1 1221 1496 5 13 0 1404 1580 4 13 1 1318 1773 3 14 1 1451 1701 #CCFFCC A A A A Premiers #FFCCCC R 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. complete The Sun News-Pictorial 31 August 1964 Port puts in its bid 45 Melbourne Scot Palmer Finals Semi-finals Saturday, 5 September Sandringham 12.11 (83) A Coburg 19.18 (132) North Port Oval 8,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 53 Scot Palmer 7 September 1964 Trainer, players in stir Saturday, 12 September Williamstown 9.20 (74) A Port Melbourne 20.6 (126) North Port Oval 8,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 53 Scot Palmer 14 September 1964 'Town denied by Port punch Preliminary Final Saturday, 19 September Williamstown 12.15 (87) H Coburg 10.13 (73) North Port Oval 10,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 55 Scot Palmer 21 September 1964 'Town gets big chance 1964 VFA Division 1 Grand Final Saturday, 26 September Port Melbourne 7.5 (47) 9.8 (62) 11.9 (75) 14.17 (101) Milner 4, Freyer 4, Bowen 3, Castlehow, Jeffery, Taggart Milner (cut eye) H Williamstown 1.0 (6) 4.2 (26) 6.4 (40) 10.5 (65) Carmichael 3, Ware 3, Railton 2, Fitch, Jenkinson North Port Oval 26,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 43 Scot Palmer 28 September 1964 Port's "cool heads" gave it title A. Rowe Awards The leading goalkicker for the season was Alan Cook (Brunswick), who kicked 65 goals during the season. The J. J. Liston Trophy was won by Oakleigh captain-coach Bill Jones, who polled 32 votes. Brian Bibby (Brunswick) was second with 29 votes, and Dandenong captain Gerry Pennefather was third with 23 votes.The Sun News-Pictorial 3 September 1964 Jones wins Liston 68 Melbourne Scot Palmer Port Melbourne won the seconds premiership. Port Melbourne 18.14 (122) defeated Brunswick 16.16 (112) in the Grand Final, played as a curtain-raiser to the firsts Grand Final on 26 September. Division 2 The Division 2 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 1964 VFA Division 2 ladder true points y 4 2 SUN Sunshine MOR Mordialloc GLW Geelong West BRC Brighton–Caulfield NOR Northcote PRA Prahran CAM Camberwell BOX Box Hill 14 4 0 1544 1102 11 7 0 1325 1173 11 7 0 1415 1301 P 11 7 0 1503 1444 8 10 0 1274 1466 7 11 0 1275 1457 6 12 0 1406 1714 4 14 0 1263 1483 Premiers #CCFFCC A A A A 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. complete The Sun News-Pictorial 17 August 1964 All the VFA details 45 Melbourne Finals Semi-finals Sunday, 23 August Geelong West 14.15 (99) H Brighton–Caulfield 10.7 (67) Toorak Park 8,000 The Sun News-Pictorial 24 August 1964 West Geelong showed how 45 Melbourne Scot Palmer Sunday, 30 August Sunshine 13.12 (90) H Mordialloc 9.20 (74) Toorak Park 7,500 The Sun News-Pictorial 31 August 1964 Sunshine steadied, and won 45 Melbourne Scot Palmer Preliminary Final Sunday, 6 September Mordialloc 10.13 (73) A Geelong West 10.18 (78) Toorak Park 5,000 1964 VFA Division 2 Grand Final Sunday, 13 September Sunshine 1.2 (8) 4.8 (32) 5.9 (39) 11.11 (77) Crosbie 2, Fitzgerald 2, Howard 2, Doll, Gregory, McIntyre, Slattery, Wapling Roach (eye), Wapling (leg) A Geelong West 4.5 (29) 6.7 (43) 9.10 (64) 14.14 (98) Long 3, Bennett 2, Hardiman 2, Horey 2, McDonald 2, Goggin, Mackay, Stacey Toorak Park 10,000 The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 53 Scot Palmer 14 September 1964 One flag went to Geelong Armstrong Awards The leading goalkicker for Division 2 was Ron O'Neill (Camberwell), who kicked 77 goals in the season. The Division 2 Best and Fairest was won by Shaun Crosbie (Sunshine), who polled 43 votes. Alex Gardiner (Box Hill) was second with 31 votes, and Ray Ransome (Brighton–Caulfield) was third with 29 votes.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 56 Scot Palmer 20 August 1964 Best & fairest Northcote won the seconds premiership. Northcote 22.9 (141) defeated Geelong West 14.6 (90) in the Grand Final, played as a stand-alone match on Saturday, 5 September at Selwyn Park. Notable events Interstate matches The Association played one interstate match during 1964, against Tasmania in Launceston. Williamstown's Gerry Callahan coached the team,The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 55 2 May 1964 Callahan to coach state side and Sunshine's Shaun Crosbie was captain.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 44 Scot Palmer 25 May 1964 Shaun is captain 1964 Interstate matches Saturday, 6 June Tasmania 10.8 (68) A Victoria (VFA) 14.11 (95) York Park 9,288 The Sun News-Pictorial 8 June 1964 Hush boosted VFA to win 41 Melbourne Scot Palmer Other notable events The match between Sandringham and Port Melbourne on 19 April, which was Sandringham's first ever home Sunday game, drew a ground record crowd of 18,000 to Hampton Oval.The Sun News-Pictorial Melbourne 44 Scot Palmer 20 April 1964 VFA got off to a great start Early in the season, newly promoted Preston lost its first game at the Preston Football Ground since 1961, ending a home winning streak lasting twenty games.The Age Melbourne Marc Fiddian 29 28 May 1983 Injury just the start for Mills In the final round of home-and-home matches in Division 1, Waverley 15.9 (99) defeated Preston 8.14 (62) in a match which directly decided which of the clubs was relegated. In the Division 1 second semi-final, inaccurate kicking by Williamstown saw it lead Port Melbourne 4.13 (37) to 1.0 (6) at quarter time; Williamstown went on to lose by 52 points, despite finishing with three more scoring shots than Port Melbourne. See also List of VFA/VFL premiers References Category:Victorian Football League seasons VFA