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Monash Blues Football Club

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Monash Blues Football Club
Names
Full nameMonash Blues Football Club
Former name(s)Monash University Football Club (1961−1964)
Nickname(s)Blues, Ashes, Ashers
Club details
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961)
Colours  Blue   Gold
CoachVAFA: Dylan Cousins
VAFAW: Shane Chapman
PremiershipsVAFA (5)
Ground(s)Frearson Oval
Other information
Official websitemonashblues.com.au

The Monash Blues Football Club is an Australian rules football club that represents Monash University in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA).[1]

The club was formed in 1961 as Monash University, changing its name to the Blues when the Monash Whites joined the VAFA in 1964. In 2001, the two teams merged, and the Whites now compete as the Blues' Club XVIII team.

As of 2024, the club's men's team competes in the Premier C division of the VAFA, while the women's team is in the Premier Division of the VAFA Women's (VAFAW).

History

[edit]

Monash University Football Club was formed in 1961, shortly after Monash University opened on 13 March of that year. Whilst too late to be accepted into a local competition for the 1961 season, the club played internal matches, as well as matches against teams from Newman College, Ormond College and Burwood Teachers' College. In 1962, the club entered the VAFA, going undefeated and winning the E Section premiership in its inaugural season.[2][3]

1967 marked the beginning of the club's most successful decade, including two periods in A Section. The club was first in the highest division from 1969 until 1973, with its best finishing position in fifth place in 1970.[4]

After being relegated, the club made the 1974 B Section grand final and, although they lost to Old Trinity, immediately returned to A Section.[5] The club avoided relegation in 1975, but finished last in 1976 and was sent back to B Section, beginning a period of decline for the Blues.[4]

The Blues lost the 1986 D Section grand final to Balaclava, but finally won its second senior premiership in 1987 with a 25-point victory over Kew in the C Section grand final.[4][6][7]

The club established a women's team in 2017, entering the inaugural VAFAW season in Development Division 1.[8]

Monash Whites

[edit]
Monash Whites Football Club
Names
Full nameMonash Whites Football Club
Nickname(s)Whites
Club details
Founded1964 (as a team)
1979 (separate entity)
Dissolved2001 (separate entity)
Colours  Blue   White
PremiershipsVAFA (2)
Other information
Official websitemwfc.net.au

Monash University established a second team in 1964, the Monash Whites, which entered F Section. However, after just two seasons, the Whites (along with F Section itself) went into recess for five years.[9]

The Whites were replaced by a junior side in 1966, but as numbers continued to grow, the Whites were revived in 1971 in the reformed F Section.[10] The first Whites premiership came in 1972, winning the F Section reserves grand final. A senior premiership came in 1975, defeating Heatherton in the F Section grand final.[11]

Despite the premiership, the Whites struggled in E Section in 1976, winning only four games and being relegated back to F Section for the 1977 season.[10]

At the end of the 1979 VAFA season, the Blues and the Whites split, with the Monash Whites Football Club being established as a separate entity.[10]

The Whites' end-of-season review in 1980 wrote:

"The start of the season began in reality at the end of the 1979 season when there was a big push from a lot of quarters to have the Whites thrown out of the VAFA. The first push came in the form of the Monash Blues; who in their wisdom decided it would be for the betterment of all concerned if the Whites did no longer exist. We were blamed for all sorts of things as well as the Blues bad showing during the year. So, the Blues thought, they had the right to decide where 40 odd players would not be playing in 1980."

The club struggled on its own, unable to win a premiership post-split until 1998, when they defeated Kew by 11 points in Club XVIII Section 2.[12]

In 2000, the Blues and Whites merged. The Whites played its final game as a separate club in the first Club XVIII semi-final, before merging and becoming the Blues' Club XVIII team at the start of the 2001 season.[10][13]

References

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  1. ^ "AFL Football Club (Blues)". Monash University. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Division 2 Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Monash Blues Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "MONASH BLUES". Australian Football. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Premier B Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  6. ^ "The Amateur Footballer Week 22 1987" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2024.
  7. ^ "PREMIERSHIPS". Monash Blues. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Women's Development Division 1". GameDay.
  9. ^ "VAFA Clubs 1892 - 2009" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  10. ^ a b c d "A BRIEF HISTORY". Monash Whites Football CLUB. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Division 3 Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Club XVIII Premiers". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  13. ^ "MWFC Beyond 2000". Monash Whites Football Club. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2024.