| 1920 MAFA season | |
|---|---|
| Date | 15 May − September 1920 |
| Teams | 8 |
| Premiers | Elsternwick 1st premiership |
| Minor premiers | Elsternwick 1st minor premiership |
The1920 MAFA season was the 25th season of theMetropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA), anAustralian rules football competition played in the state ofVictoria. The season began on 15 May and concluded sometime in September, comprising a 13-match home-and-away season, followed by a one-weekfinals series.[1]
Elsternwick won theMAFA premiership for the first time, whileCollegians finished as runners-up.[2][3]
This was the first MAFA season to be held followingWorld War I, which had forced the curtailing of the1915 season and the cancellation of the1916,1917,1918 and1919 seasons.[4][5]
The1915 season was curtailed due to the impacts ofWorld War I, which had seen 164 MJFA players enlisted in theAustralian Army by 30 July 1915.[6][7]
Following the early conclusion of the season, officials from theVictorian Football League (VFL) sought to have the MAFA become a reserves competition to the VFL for the1916 season.[4] At least two clubs –Beverley andSouth Yarra – reported the MAFA that they had been "approached" about becoming reserves teams toRichmond andSt Kilda respectively.[4] The MAFA announced in late 1915 that they would not resume competition until the war had ended, while also stating that they were not prepared to be absorbed by the VFL.[4]
In1917, the MAFA stated it had received applications from clubs to enter once the war was over, although the exact clubs that applied are unknown.[8] Clubs already in the MAFA were advised by officials to keep in touch with their members "so as to be in a position to appoint representatives to deal with important matters immediately the game is resumed".[9] Although the war ended in November 1918, the1919 season was also cancelled.[10][11]
On 22 March 1920, the MAFA decided at a meeting to resume competition.[5]
Four clubs that had competed in the1915 season (Collegians,Elsternwick,South Yarra andUniversity) remained in the MAFA, while another four clubs entered the competition for the first time in 1920.[5][12] TheBeverley Football Club did not return to the MAFA, although it still existed and was likely in recess at the time.[13][14]
Carlton District,Caulfield,Collingwood District,Leopold andUniversity moved to the newly-formedVictorian Junior Football League (VJFL) in1919, although Caulfield withdrew prior to the start of the season.[15] Caulfield then attempted to rejoin the MAFA, but their application was refused as the club's reputation was seen as "intolerable" prior to the war.[16] University entered two teams in the VJFL in 1919 –University A andUniversity B – but University B returned to the MAFA in 1920.[12]
Melbourne Swimming Club, which had previously playedscratch matches, joined the MAFA.[17] The newly-formedTeachers College Football Club,Old Caulfield Grammarians Football Club andOld Melburnians Football Club also entered teams.[5][18][19]
| Round 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 15 May | Old Melburnians 10.15 (75) | def. | South Yarra 4.7 (31) | Melbourne Grammar School | [20] |
| Saturday, 15 May | Collegians 7.11 (53) | def. | Old Caulfield Grammarians 6.14 (50) | Wesley College | [21][22] |
| Saturday, 15 May | Melbourne Swimming Club 2.6 (18) | def. by | Teachers College 9.10 (64) | Training College Ground,Carlton | [23] |
| Saturday, 15 May | Elsternwick 6.18 (54) | def. | University B 4.5 (29) | Elsternwick | [24] |
| |||||
| Round 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 22 May | University B 7.14 (56) | def. | Old Melburnians 5.7 (37) | [27] | |
| Saturday, 22 May | Old Caulfield Grammarians 12.17 (89) | def. | Teachers College 3.7 (25) | [28] | |
| Saturday, 22 May | Collegians 18.15 (123) | def. | Melbourne Swimming Club 5.9 (39) | [29] | |
| Bye Elsternwick,South Yarra | |||||
| Round 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 29 May | Elsternwick 16.13 (109) | def. | Melbourne Swimming Club 12.15 (87) | [30] | |
| Saturday, 29 May | Old Melburnians 7.8 (50) | def. by | Old Caulfield Grammarians 21.14 (140) | [31] | |
| Saturday, 29 May | Teachers College ?.? (?) | v | University B ?.? (?) | [32] | |
| Saturday, 29 May | Collegians 18.10 (118) | def. | South Yarra 6.4 (40) | [33] | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elsternwick(P) | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 48 | Finals series |
| 2 | Collegians | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 44 | |
| 3 | Old Caulfield Grammarians | 13 | 8 | 32 | |||
| 4 | Old Melburnians | 13 | 7 | 28 | |||
| Melbourne Swimming Club | 13 | ||||||
| South Yarra | 13 | ||||||
| Teachers College | 13 | ||||||
| University B | 13 |
Source:[34]
(P) Premiers
It appears that no finals series was held in 1920, although theVictorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA, formerly MAFA) claims a grand final did take place.[3] When announcing the competition would resume, the MAFA stated that "there will be no semi-final or final matches".[5]
The 1920 home-and-away season concluded on 23 August, a date on which only saw two games were played.[35][36]The Herald wrote on 27 August that "notice of motion has been given that finals be played in this association's competition," adding that "the proposal will be considered at the next meeting of the association".[34] However, at that meeting (held between 31 August and 3 September), it was reported that the MJFA "had completed this season's programme".[37] While no contemporary sources indicate semi-finals or a grand final were held in 1920, the VAFA states thatElsternwick defeatedCollegians by 31 points in a grand final, winning 11.1 (67) to 5.6 (36).[3][37]
At the time, the MAFA used theArgus finals system, which gave the club that finished first on the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season (theminor premiers) the right to challenge the winner of the finals series for the premiership.[38] Ordinarily, this would mean that first-placedElsternwick would play fourth-placedOld Melburnians, and second-placedCollegians would play third-placedOld Caulfield Grammarians, with the winners of the semi-finals playing in a grand final.[34] However, it appears the 1920 season used the pre-1909 method of the premiers being decided based on the best overall record for the season.[34][39]
Prior to the Elsternwick v. University Blacks match the premiership pennant for 1920 season was unfurled by the former club.