The 1926 MAFA season was the 31st season of the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA), an Australian rules football competition played in the state of Victoria.[1][2] The season began on 1 May and concluded on 25 September, with 26 teams participating across three divisions under a promotion and relegation system.[3][4]

1926 MAFA season
Date1 May − 25 September 1925
Teams26
← 1925
1927 →

This was the first MAFA season with three divisions, with C Section established in response to an influx of new clubs.[5]

Association membership

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Eight clubs − Brunswick, Gardenvale-Middle Brighton, Geelong, Glen Huntly, Kew Juniors, Sandringham Juniors, South Caulfield and St Paul's Ascot Vale − entered the MAFA in 1926.[6][7][8] Gardenvale-Middle Brighton was renamed to Brightonvale (also spelt "Brighton Vale") prior to the start of the season.[9] Old Melburnians and Teachers' College also entered second teams, just as Elsternwick had been fielding an "Elsternwick B" team since 1923.[5][10][11]

Caulfield applied to return to the MAFA after being expelled during the 1925 season, but its application was refused.[10][12]

A Section

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1926 MAFA A Section season
Date1 May − 11 September 1926
Teams10
PremiersOld Scotch
3rd A Section premiership
Minor premiersOld Scotch
2nd A Section minor premiership
← 1925
1927 →

Old Scotch won the A Section premiership for the third time, defeating Elsternwick by 12 points in the grand final.[13]

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 Old Scotch (P) 18 16 2 0 1919 52.7 64 Finals series
2 Old Melburnians 18 14 4 0 73.8 56
3 Elsternwick 18 14 4 0 75.9 56
4 University A 18 12 5 1 96.5 50
5 University B 18 10 8 0 80.5 40
6 Teachers' College 18 24
7 Geelong 18 22
8 Old Caulfield Grammarians 18 20
9 Murrumbeena 18 16 Relegation
10 Hampton 18 12

Source: [14]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

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1926 MAFA A Section Grand Final
Saturday, 11 September Old Scotch def. Elsternwick Elsternwick Park (crowd: 2,000) [15][16][17][18]


7.14 (56)
9.16 (70)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final


6.14 (50)
7.16 (58)
W. Vickers 3, J. McLorrinan 2, Barnett, Fergle, G. Law, Dawes Goals Lamplough 2, Strange, Heard, Dodd, Morris, Howell
McTaggart, A. Stanley, Francis, A. Moore, Grounds Best Dodd, Shaw, Heard, Thomas, Loughrey

B Section

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1926 MAFA B Section season
Date1 May − 18 September 1926
Teams8
PremiersCollegians
1st B Section premiership
Minor premiersSt Paul's Ascot Vale
1st B Section minor premiership
← 1925
1927 →

Collegians won the B Section premiership for the first time, defeating minor premiers St Paul's Ascot Vale by 53 points in the grand final. Both clubs were promoted to A Section for the 1927 season.[19][20]

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 St Paul's Ascot Vale 14 12 2 0 75.1 48 Finals series
2 Sandringham 14 11 2 1 71.3 46
3 Collegians (P) 14 10 2 2 61.1 44
4 Old Trinity 14 9 5 0 91.6 36
5 Old Xaverians 14 16
6 Old Brighton 14 14
7 Elsternwick B 14 12
8 Old Haileybury 14 8 Relegation[a]

Source: [14]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

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1926 MAFA B Section Grand Final
Sunday, 18 September St Paul's Ascot Vale def. by Collegians Tulip Street Reserve [21][22]
3.4 (22)
7.8 (50)
8.9 (57)
8.9 (57)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
4.2 (26)
7.3 (45)
10.4 (64)
17.8 (110)
Mulgahy 3, A. Cope 2, Gillard, R. Kerr, Jennings Goals Cook 9, Oakley 4, Matthews 2, Thackeray, Dixon
Mulgahy, Kerr, Crase, Scott, Gillard Best Cook, Oakley, Matthews, Phillips, Eggleston, Waugh
Injuries Heathershaw (face)

C Section

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1926 MAFA C Section season
Date1 May − 25 September 1926
Teams8
PremiersBrightonvale
1st C Section premiership
Minor premiersGlen Huntly
1st C Section minor premiership
1927 →

Brightonvale won the C Section premiership for the first time, defeating minor premiers Glen Huntly by 21 points in the grand final.

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 Glen Huntly 14 12 2 0 63.3 48 Finals series
2 Sandringham Juniors 14 11 3 0 58.5 44
3 Brightonvale (P) 14 11 3 0 74.8 44
4 Brunswick 14 8 6 0 81.5 32
5 Kew Juniors 14 28
6 Teachers' College 14 12
7 Old Melburnians B 14 8
8 South Caulfield 14 4

Source: [14]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

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1926 MAFA C Section Grand Final
Saturday, 25 September Glen Huntly def. by Brightonvale Beach Road Oval [23][24][25][26][27][28]
4.5 (29)


8.14 (62)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
0.3 (3)


12.11 (83)
Umpires: Cave, Davy, Hacking
Oatley 3, Scott 2, Petrie, Nighton, Clarke Goals Hope 6, Cobb 2, Wilkinson, Shorthouse, Ralph, bark
Allen, Oatley, W. Hunt, Pearsall, Scott Best Hall, Knight, S. Hall, Ralph, Hope

Notes

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  1. ^ Old Haileybury was ultimately not relegated to C Section in 1927 after Old Brighton and Elsternwick both withdrew from B Section.[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ "METROPOLITAN AMATEURS". The Age. 17 May 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  2. ^ "METROPOLITAN AMATEURS". The Argus. 31 August 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Season's Fixtures". The Herald. 13 April 1926. p. 10. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  4. ^ "FINAL MEETING — CUP PRESENTED". The Age. 6 October 1926. p. 18. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b "A BRIEF HISTORY" (PDF). Victorian Amateur Football Association. 9 April 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  6. ^ "SANDRINGHAM JUNIORS". The Age. 29 January 1926. p. 18. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  7. ^ "South Caulfield Club". Trove. The Herald. 23 March 1926. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Amateur Ideal at Brunswick". Trove. Sporting Globe. 18 April 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ "TEAMS GROUPED IN SECTIONS". The Age. 17 March 1926. p. 18. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  10. ^ a b "METROPOLITAN AMATEUR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION". The Argus. 2 March 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  11. ^ "History". Elsternwick Amateur Football Club. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  12. ^ "CLUB EXPELLED". The Argus. 18 August 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  13. ^ "CRACKERS CHRONICLES – 1926 PREMIERSHIP PLAYERS" (PDF). Old Scotch Football Club. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "OLD SCOTCH MINOR PREMIERS − St. Pauls and Glenhuntly Lead B and C Sections". The Argus. 30 August 1926. p. 17. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  15. ^ "METROPOLITAN AMATEURS". The Age. 6 September 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Old Scotch and Elsternwick in Final". Sporting Globe. 8 September 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Old Scotch Win A Section". The Age. 13 September 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  18. ^ "OLD SCOTCH Amateur Premiers". The Sun News-Pictorial. 13 September 1926. p. 29. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  19. ^ a b "MATCH DATES For Metro Amateurs". The Sun News-Pictorial. 1 April 1927. p. 30. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Old Scotch Minor Premiers". The Age. 29 August 1927. p. 5. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Collegians v. St. Paul's". The Herald. 18 September 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  22. ^ "B Section Won by Collegians". The Age. 20 September 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  23. ^ "TWO PLAYERS DISQUALIFIED". The Age. 23 September 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  24. ^ "TODAY'S GRAND FINAL". The Age. 25 September 1926. p. 15. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  25. ^ "BRIGHTONVALE v. GLENHUNTLY". The Herald. 25 September 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  26. ^ "BRIGHTON VALE C SECTION PREMIERS". The Age. 27 September 1926. p. 15. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  27. ^ "C Grade Grand Final". The Sun News-Pictorial. 27 September 1926. p. 16. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  28. ^ "Brightonvale "C" Section Premiers". Sporting Globe. 29 September 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 14 December 2024.