FEDERAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
IN
RECESS Possible
Contributing Factors
The decision
to place the
Federal Football League into recess was
in
the
main brought about/influenced by
(a) Some clubs having ceased to exist in recent years
(b) The difficulty clubs had in obtaining
under age players which
were the
lifeblood of the
competition
(c) A decline in the number (7) of affiliated clubs
that had
signified their intention
to reaffiliate for
season 1982
(d) Of these seven
clubs three
Mentone Clayton Noble Park
had
also signified their intention
to seek a clearance
to seek a clearance
(e) Possible contributing factors
September 1979
A Supreme Court injunction was issued against the Federal Football League
Executive hearing
a complaint lodged by Cheltenham Football Club against
a
player from Clayton
Football Club only days before the
1979 Grand Final
The Federal Executive - faced with the
Supreme Court injunction subsequently stood the player
down until the matter could be dealt with legally thereby
rendering the player ineligible to play in the
rendering the player ineligible to play in the
Grand Final Vs Highett
However on Grand Final day and much to the surprise of the 6000\
strong crowd at Cheltenham Oval the club decided to play
the player concerned and in doing so did away with any possibility
the player concerned and in doing so did away with any possibility
Clayton had of taking out the 1979 Premiership.
Grand Final Score:
Highett 14 12 (96) D Clayton 11 13 (79)
*****************************************************
In October 2017 some thirty eight years later the following
Highett 14 12 (96) D Clayton 11 13 (79)
Moorabbin Standard News Sept 26 1979
*****************************************************
In October 2017 some thirty eight years later the following
article by Paul Amy from an interview with
Alan Maher then Federal League Secretary
was published in the
Moorabbin Bayside Leader Newspaper
On May 31 1980
When a well publicised
"Bottle throwing incident"
that occured during a Mentone/Parkdale
game led to the Parkdale captain leading
his team from the field, the Federal Football
League was thrown into a state of crisis.
*****************************************************
Prompting this article in the
31 October issue of the
Moorabbin Glen Eira Leader Newspaper
On May 31 1980
When a well publicised
"Bottle throwing incident"
that occured during a Mentone/Parkdale
game led to the Parkdale captain leading
his team from the field, the Federal Football
League was thrown into a state of crisis.
Mordialloc Chelsea News 26 June 1980
At the conclusion of a lengthy investigation
into the incident the League executive
suspended the Mentone Football Club until
such time as the club complied with an
Executive directive to both name and
produce the alleged offender
At the conclusion of a lengthy investigation
into the incident the League executive
suspended the Mentone Football Club until
such time as the club complied with an
Executive directive to both name and
produce the alleged offender
As a result of Mentone's non compliance with
the Executive directive the club remained
suspended forfeiting the following
weeks game against Oakleigh District.
However all did not end there as at the
League meeting following the incident,
club delegates in an unprecedented action
overuled the Executive decision and lifted Mentone's suspension following
which six of the seven member Executive
immediately resigned their positions.
Moorabbin Chelsea News 26 June 1980
Following the Executive resignations club delegates elected a caretaker President under former President
J Hallam with Mentone Treasurer R Hore
elected as caretaker Secretary.
In late 1981 the Federal Football League
unanimously approved a request from
Springvale Football Club
for a clearance to the
Victorian Football Association
reducing the number of affiliated clubs to eight.
Cheltenham Clayton
Highett Mentone
Moorabbin Noble Park
Oakleigh District Parkdale
Prior to the commencement of the 1982 season,
Mentone Football Club (1976 Premiers)
and a 1909 Foundation member of the then
Federal Football Association
applied for a clearance to the
South East Suburban Football League
on the grounds of the club's lack
of success in recent years.
In the 72 years of the Federal League's
existence only four clubs
Moorabbin Park (8) Springvale (7
Mordialloc (7) Cheltenham (6)
had won more Federal League Pemierships
than Mentone's (5)
Mentone Football Clubs request for a
clearance to the SESFL (present day Southern
Netball Football League) was subsequently denied
by the Federal League and (on appeal) by the
Victorian Metropolitan Football League
Having cleared Springvale to the VFA with
its blessings the League was then faced
with the somewhat unexpected later
decision of the Victorian Metropolitan Football
League to grant a clearance (on appeal) to the
Parkdale Football Club to the South East
Suburban Football League thereby reducing
the number of Federal League clubs to seven
and effectively a non viable competition.
The decision of the Victorian Metropolitan Football League to grant a clearance (on appeal)
to Parkdale Football Club hastened the demise
of the Federal Football League at the same
time strengthening the rival South East
Suburban Football League by effectively
gifting the SESFL eight Federal League clubs
At a subsequent meeting in 1982 held at the
League's Mentone office three clubs,
Mentone - Clayton and Noble Park
advised of their intention to continue to
seek a clearance to the SESFL
Faced with a seven club competition and
with three clubs seeking a clearance
Club delegates took the decision that
a seven member competition was not viable
and voted to place the Federal Football
League into recess for an indefinite period
With the decision taken to place the
Federal Football League into recess
club delegates elected Trustees
for an indefinite period with the
given responsibilty ofreinstating the
Federal Football League
as a competitive football body.
club delegates elected Trustees
for an indefinite period with the
given responsibilty ofreinstating the
Federal Football League
as a competitive football body.
TRUSTEES
F Waddell - Chairman (Dec)
AJ Maher- Secretary/Treasurer
DE Molloy (Dec) - A Goodes (Dec)
Federal Football League clubs;
Cheltenham-Clayton-Highett
Mentone- Moorabbin-
Noble Park -Oakleigh District
Mentone- Moorabbin-
Noble Park -Oakleigh District
then affiliated with the
South East Suburban Football League
joining Parkdale who had been previously
been cleared (on appeal) to the SESFL
********************************************
From the eight Federal Football League
clubs that joined the South East Suburban
Football League (SFNL) in 1982
Cheltenham: Continues to be a strong well administered club in the now SFNL
Moorabbin: No longer exists
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
"WAS IT ALL REALLY WORTH THE
HUGE PRICE THAT WAS PAID IN 1981"
been cleared (on appeal) to the SESFL
********************************************
From the eight Federal Football League
clubs that joined the South East Suburban
Football League (SFNL) in 1982
Cheltenham: Continues to be a strong well administered club in the now SFNL
Clayton: In 1985 after three premierships
(1982-83-84) in the SESFL Clayton transferred
to the Eastern District Football League
however after discovering the tyranny
of distance in the EDFL was not to
the clubs liking returned in later
years to the now SFNL
(1982-83-84) in the SESFL Clayton transferred
to the Eastern District Football League
however after discovering the tyranny
of distance in the EDFL was not to
the clubs liking returned in later
years to the now SFNL
Highett: Amalgamated with Highett West
in 1989 to become Highett Districts
under which it won a Division 2
Premiership in 1996. In 1997
the club reverted to it's original name
under which it competes in the now SFNL
winning the 2018 Division 2 Premiership
in 1989 to become Highett Districts
under which it won a Division 2
Premiership in 1996. In 1997
the club reverted to it's original name
under which it competes in the now SFNL
winning the 2018 Division 2 Premiership
Mentone: After a number of seasons in the
then SESFL the club joined forces with
St Bede's Old Boys and Mentone Junior
Football Club in 1992 to become St Bede's Mentone Tigers Amateur Football Club
transferring in the same year to the
Victorian Amateur Football Association
then SESFL the club joined forces with
St Bede's Old Boys and Mentone Junior
Football Club in 1992 to become St Bede's Mentone Tigers Amateur Football Club
transferring in the same year to the
Victorian Amateur Football Association
Moorabbin: No longer exists
Oakleigh District: Continues to be a strong well administered club in the now SFNL
Parkdale: In 2004 after a number of seasons
in the then SESFL transferred to the
Victorian Amateur Football Association
having joined forces with
Mentone Amateur Football Club (formerly
St Patrick's Mentone Football Club)
to become the Parkdale Vultures
in the then SESFL transferred to the
Victorian Amateur Football Association
having joined forces with
Mentone Amateur Football Club (formerly
St Patrick's Mentone Football Club)
to become the Parkdale Vultures
Noble Park: After a number of seasons in
the then SESFL transferred to the then
Eastern Districts Football League (EDL)
in 2000 for Premierships in 2003-2004-2010-2011
the then SESFL transferred to the then
Eastern Districts Football League (EDL)
in 2000 for Premierships in 2003-2004-2010-2011
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
"WAS IT ALL REALLY WORTH THE
HUGE PRICE THAT WAS PAID IN 1981"
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Ironically the 1982 meeting that decided the fate of the Federal Football League was held at the Federal League office in Mentone Parade, less than 50 metres from the Mentone Parade office of Small & Edwards Real Estate where the inaugural meeting to form the then Federal Football Association was held in 1909
