# 1926 MAFA season

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. The season began on 1 May and concluded on 25 September, with 26 teams participating across three divisions under a promotion and relegation system.
This was the first MAFA season with three divisions, with C Section established in response to an influx of new clubs.

## Association membership

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. Gardenvale-Middle Brighton was renamed to Brightonvale (also spelt "Brighton Vale") prior to the start of the season. Old Melburnians and Teachers' College also entered second teams, just as Elsternwick had been fielding an "Elsternwick B" team since 1923.
Caulfield applied to return to the MAFA after being expelled during the 1925 season, but its application was refused.

## A Section

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

### Ladder

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | 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 | Finals series |
| 3 | Elsternwick | 18 | 14 | 4 | 0 | | 75.9 | 56 | Finals series |
| 4 | University A | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | | 96.5 | 50 | Finals series |
| 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 | Relegation |
Source: Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. (P) Premiers

### Finals

| | 1926 MAFA A Section Grand Final | 1926 MAFA A Section Grand Final | 1926 MAFA A Section Grand Final | |
| Saturday, 11 September | Old Scotch | def. | Elsternwick | Elsternwick Park (crowd: 2,000) |
| | 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 | W. Vickers 3, J. McLorrinan 2, Barnett, Fergle, G. Law, Dawes | Goals | Lamplough 2, Strange, Heard, Dodd, Morris, Howell | Lamplough 2, Strange, Heard, Dodd, Morris, Howell |
| McTaggart, A. Stanley, Francis, A. Moore, Grounds | McTaggart, A. Stanley, Francis, A. Moore, Grounds | Best | Dodd, Shaw, Heard, Thomas, Loughrey | Dodd, Shaw, Heard, Thomas, Loughrey |

## B Section

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.

### Ladder

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | 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 | Finals series |
| 3 | Collegians (P) | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 61.1 | 44 | Finals series |
| 4 | Old Trinity | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 91.6 | 36 | Finals series |
| 5 | Old Xaverians | 14 | | | | | 16 |
| 6 | Old Brighton | 14 | | | | | 14 |
| 7 | Elsternwick B | 14 | | | | | 12 |
| 8 | Old Haileybury | 14 | | | | | 8 | Relegation |
Source: Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. (P) Premiers

### Finals

| | 1926 MAFA B Section Grand Final | 1926 MAFA B Section Grand Final | 1926 MAFA B Section Grand Final | |
| Sunday, 18 September | St Paul's Ascot Vale | def. by | Collegians | Tulip Street Reserve |
| | 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 | Mulgahy 3, A. Cope 2, Gillard, R. Kerr, Jennings | Goals | Cook 9, Oakley 4, Matthews 2, Thackeray, Dixon | Cook 9, Oakley 4, Matthews 2, Thackeray, Dixon |
| Mulgahy, Kerr, Crase, Scott, Gillard | Mulgahy, Kerr, Crase, Scott, Gillard | Best | Cook, Oakley, Matthews, Phillips, Eggleston, Waugh | Cook, Oakley, Matthews, Phillips, Eggleston, Waugh |
| | | Injuries | Heathershaw (face) | Heathershaw (face) |

## C Section

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

### Ladder

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | 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 | Finals series |
| 3 | Brightonvale (P) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 74.8 | 44 | Finals series |
| 4 | Brunswick | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 81.5 | 32 | Finals series |
| 5 | Kew Juniors | 14 | | | | | 28 |
| 6 | Teachers' College | 14 | | | | | 12 |
| 7 | Old Melburnians B | 14 | | | | | 8 |
| 8 | South Caulfield | 14 | | | | | 4 |
Source: Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for. (P) Premiers

### Finals

| | 1926 MAFA C Section Grand Final | 1926 MAFA C Section Grand Final | 1926 MAFA C Section Grand Final | | |
| Saturday, 25 September | Glen Huntly | def. by | Brightonvale | Beach Road Oval | |
| | 4.5 (29) 8.14 (62) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.3 (3) 12.11 (83) | Umpires: Cave, Davy, Hacking | Umpires: Cave, Davy, Hacking |
| Oatley 3, Scott 2, Petrie, Nighton, Clarke | Oatley 3, Scott 2, Petrie, Nighton, Clarke | Goals | Hope 6, Cobb 2, Wilkinson, Shorthouse, Ralph, bark | Hope 6, Cobb 2, Wilkinson, Shorthouse, Ralph, bark |
| Allen, Oatley, W. Hunt, Pearsall, Scott | Allen, Oatley, W. Hunt, Pearsall, Scott | Best | Hall, Knight, S. Hall, Ralph, Hope | Hall, Knight, S. Hall, Ralph, Hope |