VAFA vs WAAFL: A brief history

Standing proud as one of the oldest community football leagues in the country, the Victorian Amateur Football Association has donned the Big V, one of the most well-known sporting jumpers in Australia, since 1925. The Big V tradition, which was later adopted by an array of other Victorian sports, is underpinned by the VAFA and their endeavour to provide their players the chance to partake in representative football.

Meeting on home soil at Trevor Barker Oval, the VAFA look forward to welcoming their counterparts from the west on Saturday 7 July; the Western Australia Amateur Football Association. Beginning in 1922, the WAAFL has grown from what started as a small six team competition to the largest single organised football league in WA. The WAAFL caters for players as young as 16 years to provide a quality high standard competition whilst accommodating considerable volunteer personnel and social supporters.

Though the VAFA has played the WAAFL 27 times since their first meeting in 1936, there has only been one occasion in 2001 where the WAAFL has played the combined side, C-D4. This composite Big V team was introduced in the 1980s when the VAFA saw the need to offer opportunities to players in lower sections to play representative football, given the league’s expansion. Whilst it is still possible for players from Premier B and below to play for the senior Big V, this team offers the chance to some star players that have stayed with their club despite having the ability to perform at the highest level.

EAST VS WEST – LAST TIME THEY MET

VAFA 12.16.88 def WAAFL 10.8.68

GOALS

VAFA Mooney 4, Vaughan 3, Denbraber, Cultrera, Will, Leask, Credlin.

WAAFL Molone 3, Stone 2, Dobson 2, Johnston, O’Brien, Quinn.

BEST

VAFA Credlin, Liddell, Rogers, Hosking, Martin, Cultrera

WAAFL Johnston, Dobson, Southern, Quinn, Pires, Pratt

UMPIRES

Field: W.Hinton (VAFA), G.Regan (WAAFL)

Boundary: S.Caruso (VAFA), P.Teasdale (VAFA)

Goal: S.Caple (VAFA), B.Hoare (VAFA)

In an inspiring come-from-behind victory, it was the Big V (C-D4) who claimed the win over the WAAFL by 20 points at Elsternwick Park in June 2001. Despite the anguish associated with travelling, it was the WAAFL who had the better start which begun with a five-point lead at the end of the opening term. With accurate goal-kicking on their side, WA extended their lead in the second quarter with four majors, all while restricting the Victorians to an erroneous 1.4.

Faced with a 20-point deficit at the major break, the Victorians were roused into action by the coaching group, including senior coach George Voyage, which inspired them to boot four majors in the third quarter and level the playing field to 54 points apiece before the final quarter. With goal-kicking fiends Mooney (4) and Vaughan (3) dominant in the VAFA forward line, and with the able support of Nigel Credlin (1), Liddell and Rogers, the Victorians ran out the match confidently in the fourth quarter to claim their first ever C-D4 Big V win over Western Australia.

While they couldn’t claim victory in Victoria, the WA side were undeniably valiant in defeat. For their efforts on the day, the BOG honours were awarded to Johnston (1), Dobson (2), Southern, Quinn (1), Pires and Pratt. For the Big V, the aforementioned Credlin (1), Liddell, Rogers, as well as Hosking, Martin and Cultrera (1), were particular standouts.