Alberton League: A Historic Community Sports Legacy
Last updated on November 25, 2024 at 18:09 pm
Posted on May 16, 2024 at 06:52 am
The Alberton Football League was reformed in 1946 after WWII as the Alberton Football Association before being renamed in 1947. The 8 founding clubs were Carrajung, Devon, Foster, Ramblers, Toora, Welshpool, Woodside and Yarram.
Expansion and Development
Teams joined and departed over the decades, with Ramblers leaving after 1946, Won Wron joining in 1949, Carrajung disbanding in 1953 and Fish Creek taking its place. The league continued expanding by absorbing clubs from other disbanded regional leagues.
Notable Events
Wonthaggi Power Controversy (2005-2009):
Wonthaggi Power's dominance after joining in 2005 led to issues. Despite making 4 straight grand finals and winning 3 premierships, they refused to move up a level, causing boycotts until leaving in 2009.
Structure and Season Format
Pre-season:
Like most country leagues, there is no official pre-season cup. Clubs schedule 1-2 practice matches against other leagues.
Premiership Season:
The home-and-away season currently runs for 15 rounds from April to August. Final standings are determined by premiership points (4 for a win).
Finals Series:
After experimenting with finals formats, it reverted to a final four system in 2017 after some clubs departed. The top 4 teams compete over 4 weeks culminating in a Grand Final in late August.
Club Details and Awards
Current Clubs:
- Fish Creek (20 premierships)
- Foster (9 premierships)
- Meeniyan Dumbalk United (5 premierships)
- Stony Creek (2 premierships)
- Tarwin (1 premiership)
- Toora & District (1 premiership)
Former Notable Clubs:
Woodside (8 premierships), Yarram (5 premierships), Wonthaggi Power (3 premierships)
Major Awards
- Peter Moore Medal (Best & Fairest)
- Leading Goalkicker
- Bill Pollock Medal (Grand Final Best on Ground)
- Rising Star
- Team of the Year
Prominent Players
- Jarryd Blair (Collingwood)
- Brent Macaffer (Collingwood)
- Nathan Vardy (West Coast)
- Sam Docherty (Carlton)
Memorable Grand Finals
- 2009: Stony Creek 14-point win over Wonthaggi
- 1973: Toora's 1-point thriller over Meeniyan Dumbalk
The Alberton AFL brought the regional community together over 74 seasons before merging into Mid Gippsland in 2021. It fostered local talent, created iconic rivalries and left a lasting legacy on Australian rules football in country Victoria.
For detailed information you can visit Alberton AFL Wikipedia Page.