# Victorian Junior Football Association

The Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA), sometimes known simply as the Victorian Junior Association (VJA), was an open age Australian rules football competition and administrative body. It was the first successful junior football competition in Melbourne, and was in existence from 1883 until 1932.
For most of its history it was a competition of independent junior level clubs, before it eventually transitioned to become the second eighteens competition for the senior Victorian Football Association (VFA).

## History

During the 1870s in Victoria, junior football – which was the term used at the time for open age football of a lower standard than senior football, rather than for under age football – was mostly administered on an ad hoc basis. A couple of short-lived junior associations had been attempted, but none were successful until the Victorian Junior Football Association was established on 26 April 1883. Clubs represented at the inaugural meeting were Star of Carlton, South Yarra, South Park, Footscray, Brunswick, Emerald-hill, Albion, Richmond, Fortrose, Waverley and North Park.
The VJFA, in addition to serving as an administrative body for junior football, ran the junior premiership. At its peak in the early 1890s when it was the only top junior football competition, more than twenty-five clubs competed, and from 1892 until 1894 the competition ran in two divisions to manage its numbers. The establishment of other junior football competitions – including the Victorian Second-Rate (1890), Third-Rate (1892) and Fourth-Rate (1893) Junior Football Associations and the Metropolitan Junior Football Association (1892) – saw numbers in the VJFA premiership decline rapidly through the 1890s, and by 1899 only seven clubs competed in the VJFA. Eight to twelve teams typically contested the premiership thereafter.
At the 1895 VJFA AGM, the competition was reduced from 20 teams to 12 teams. Those who survived were Albert-park, Albion United, Austral, Brighton, Brunswick, Collingwood Juniors, Essendon District, Fitzroy Juniors, Hawthorn, Preston, Richmond City, and West Melbourne Juniors. Some of these clubs, including Camberwell, were later readmitted to the competition.
The competition typically featured smaller clubs from districts already represented in senior football, or the top clubs from other districts. Four successful VJFA clubs from growing districts – West Melbourne, Preston, Northcote and Yarraville – ultimately went on to play senior football in the Victorian Football Association. In 1905, John Wren donated a silver shield to serve as a semi-perpetual trophy for the VJFA premiers; like many trophies of the era, it was held temporarily by the reigning premiers, then won permanently by the first team to win it three times. A total of five Wren Shields were awarded during the trophy's history.

### 1912 grand final

The 1912 grand final was especially controversial. Port Melbourne Railway United won the match by three points, but Yarraville successfully protested one of Railway United's second quarter goals on the grounds of goal umpire error, and the match was reversed to a three-point Yarraville victory.
Although they had the right to challenge, Railway United refused to play as its own act of protest. At a special meeting of the VJFA, it was proposed that "the club, office bearers and registered players for 1912 be disqualified for life". Although Yarraville offered to play a substitute team, it was decided that no match would be held, and Yarraville retained the 1912 premiership.
Railway United was ultimately not expelled from the VJFA, and went on to win the VJFA premiership the following season, defeating Yarraville in the 1913 grand final.

### Transition to VFA seconds

The VJFA had ties to the VFA from early on, with many clubs serving as the reserves team for a senior VFA club. In 1912, a rule was in place mandating that clubs align themselves to a VFA club, although that requirement was dropped in 1913.
The VJFA eventually formally transitioned to become the VFA Second Eighteens during the 1920s. This began in 1924, when the competition expanded from twelve teams to eighteen in two divisions – one division set aside for clubs who played on the same grounds as their senior VFA counterparts, and one for clubs with their own grounds. All Melbourne-based senior VFA clubs were required to affiliate with a junior team in the VJFA, and an agreement was put in place to lift some restrictions on in-season player movements between the senior or junior clubs, making the affiliated junior clubs functionally closer to seconds teams.
The divisions were called Division 1 and Division 2 in 1924, but from 1925 onwards they were known as the VJFA Section and the VFA Section.
In 1926, after the 1924 player transfer agreement ended, the VFA moved to convert its affiliated junior clubs into genuine second eighteens controlled by the senior clubs; and, starting from 1928, all other clubs were excluded and the VJFA served wholly as a VFA seconds competition, with free player interchanges between senior and junior level permitted until 1 August each year.
The VJFA can be considered to have ceased to exist, replaced by the VFA Second Eighteens, starting from the 1928 season; however, the VJFA name and the Wren Shield as a premiership trophy were both retained until the end of 1932. It was only at this point that competition was formally renamed the VFA Second Eighteens and the Wren Shield was discontinued. The VFA Second Eighteens and its successors, continued to operate until the end of the 2017 season.

## Clubs

Over 100 clubs are believed to have competed in the VJFA.
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Est. | Seasons | Premierships | Years of premierships | Current league |
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Est. | Seasons | Premierships | Years of premierships | Current league | Albert Park | Parkites | 1895 | 1895−1??? | 2 | 1896, 1897 | Folded |
| Albion United | | | 1883 | 1883−1890s | 0 | | Folded |
| Ascot Vale | | | 18?? | 18??−1???; 1916−19?? | 0 | | |
| Austral | | | | 1890s−1890s | 0 | | Folded |
| Brighton | | | 1885 | 1889−1895 | 0 | | Folded 1964 |
| Britannia | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Brunswick District | | | | 1915 | 0 | | |
| Brunswick seconds | | Brickfielders | 1865 | 19??−1932 | 2 | 1931, 1932 | Folded 1991 |
| Camberwell | | Tricolours | 1886 | 1888−94; 1913−14; 1916−19 | 0 | | Folded 1995 |
| Cambridge Star | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Carnegie | | | 1920s | 1923−192? | 0 | | Folded c. 2000 |
| City of Northcote | | | 1915 | 1915−16; 1918 | 0 | | Folded 1918 |
| Clifton | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Coast | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Coburg (original) | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Coburg | | | 1891 | 1891−1912 | 0 | | VFL |
| Coburg seconds | | | 1891 | 1925−1932 | 3 | 1928, 1929, 1930 | In recess |
| Collingwood District | | Districts | 1906 | 1918 | 0 | | Merged 1938 with Collingwood |
| Collingwood Juniors | | Magpies | 1893 | 1893−1905 | 0 | | VFL as Collingwood reserves |
| East Richmond | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Electric Telegraph | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Essendon District | | Dons | | 1890s−1900s | 0 | | |
| Essendon Juniors | | Dreadnoughts | | 1921 | 0 | | Folded 1921 |
| Fairfield | | | 1??? | 1916−19?? | 0 | | |
| Fernside | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Fitzroy Crecent | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Fitzroy Imperials | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Fitzroy Juniors | | Maroons | 1883 | 1892−1911 | 2 | 1894, 1911 | VAFA as Fitzroy reserves |
| Footscray Juniors | | Bulldogs | 1877 | 1883−1924 | 2 | 1907, 1915, 1918 | VFL as Footscray reserves |
| Hawthorn (original) | | | 1893 | 1893−1898 | 0 | | Folded 1899 |
| Hawthorn Juniors | | Mayblooms | 1902 | 1924 | 0 | | In recess |
| Kew | | Bears | 1876 | 1889−96; 1920−26 | 0 | | VAFA |
| Kingsville | | | | 1900s−1927 | 1 | 1927 | |
| Marylebone | | | 1883 | 1883−1890s | 1 | 1891 | |
| Melbourne Juniors | | Redlegs | 1858 | 1885−1924 | 1 | 1922 | In recess |
| Moonee Ponds | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Montague | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Napier Imperial | | | | 1880s−1895 | 1 | 1893 | |
| North Carlton | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| North Melbourne Juniors | | Shinboners | 1858 | 1890s−1??? | 1 | 1899 | VFL as North Melbourne reserves |
| North Park | | | 1883 | 1883−1??? | 5 | 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890 | |
| North Williamstown | | | | | 1 | 1892 | |
| Northcote | | Cotes | 1869 | 1880s−1907 | 2 | 1904, 1906 | Folded 1987 |
| Northcote Diggers | | Diggers | 19?? | 1921−19?? | 0 | | |
| Parkside | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Pembroke | | | 1??? | 19??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Port Melbourne Railway United | | Portsmen, Ways | 1902 | 1907−1915; 1917−1927 | 3 | 1910, 1913, 1914 | Folded c. 1939 |
| Prahran Juniors | | Two Blues | 1899 | 1920−19?? | 0 | | |
| Preston | | Tonners | 1882 | 1890−1902; 1912−25 | 5 | 1900, 1901, 1902, 1921, 1923 | VFL as Northern Bullants |
| Preston Districts | | | 1905 | 1907−1915 | 0 | | Merged 1915 with Preston |
| Preston Star | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Richmond City | | Richmondites | 1880s | 1883−1901 | 0 | | Merged 1902 with West Richmond (now Richmond reserves − VFL) |
| Richmond Juniors | | Tigers | 1902 | 1902−1920s | 0 | | VFL as Richmond reserves |
| Rose of Northcote | | | 1904 | 1904−1908 | 0 | | |
| South Brunswick | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| South Melbourne Districts | | Bloods | 1912 | 1914−1926 | 1 | 1924 | VAFA |
| South Melbourne Juniors | | Southerers | 1900 | 1901−19?? | 1 | 1903 | |
| South Park | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| South St Kilda | | | c. 1870s | 1883−18?? | 0 | | Folded 1899 |
| St Kilda Esplanade | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| St Kilda Grosvenor | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Star of Brunswick | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Star of Carlton | | | 1875 | 1883−1907 | 1 | 1884 | |
| Union Jack | | | 18?? | 18??−1??? | 0 | | |
| Waverley | | | 1883 | 1883−1??? | 1 | 1883 | |
| Werribee | | | 1??? | 1909−19?? | 0 | | |
| West Melbourne | | Westeners | 1874 | 1880s−1908 | 1 | 1898 | Folded 1908 |
| West Richmond | | Richmondites | | 1???−1901 | 0 | | Merged 1902 with Richmond City (now Richmond reserves − VFL) |
| Williamstown seconds (Williamstown Juniors) | | Seagulls, Town | 1864 | 1885−1???; 192?−1932 | 4 | 1885, 1916, 1917, 1919 | In recess |
| Yarraville | | Eagles | 1903 | 1903−1932 | 7 | 1905, 1908, 1909, 1912, 1920, 1925, 1926 | |

## Premiers

The premiers of the VJFA from 1883 until the discontinuation of the Wren Shield in 1932 are given below. Premierships between 1928 and 1932 are included, but overlap with the commonly recognised VFA seconds premierships.
| GF | Premiership decided by a grand final where a challenge was not needed |
| GF (R) | Premiership decided by a grand final replay, after the scheduled grand final was drawn |
| NF | Premiership decided based on the minor premiers, with no grand final required as the ladder leader was at least two wins ahead of the second-placed club |
| CF | Premiership decided by a challenge final under the Argus system |
| GF (D) | Premiership decided by a grand final which was contested by the premiers of each division/section (1924−1927) |
| W/L | Premiership decided by full season win–loss record |
| GF (C) | Premiership decided by a game that could have been challenged by the runner-up, but wasn't |

### VJFA premiers

| Year | Premiers | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Date |
| 1883 | Waverley (1) | | | | |
| 1884 | Star of Carlton (1) | | | | |
| 1885 | Williamstown Juniors (1) | | | | |
| 1886 | North Park (1) | | | | |
| 1887 | North Park (2) | | | | |
| 1888 | North Park (3) | | | | |
| 1889 | North Park (4) | | | | |
| 1890 | North Park (5) | | | | |
| 1891 | Marylebone (1) | | | | |
| 1892 | North Williamstown (1) | | | | |
| 1893 | Napier Imperial (1) | | | | |
| 1894 | Fitzroy Juniors (1) | | | | |
| 1895 | Albion United (1) | | | | |
| 1896 | Albert Park (1) | | | | |
| 1897 | Albert Park (2) | | | | |
| 1898 | West Melbourne (1) | | | | |
| 1899 | Melbourne Juniors (1) | | | | |
| 1900 | Preston (1) | Collingwood Juniors | 3.3 (21) d. 1.6 (12) | Brunswick Street Oval | 15 September 1900 |
| 1901 | Preston (2) | | | | |
| 1902 | Preston (3) | | | | |
| 1903 | South Melbourne Juniors (1) | Collingwood Juniors | 6.1 (37) d. 3.9 (27) | Preston | 19 September 1903 |
| 1904 | Northcote (1) | | | | |
| 1905 | Yarraville (1) | Northcote | 2.10 (22) d. 2.9 (21) | Yarraville Cricket Ground | 16 September 1905 |
| 1906 | Northcote (2) | Yarraville | 7.7 (49) d. 4.5 (29) | Victoria Park | 8 September 1906 |
| 1907 | Footscray Juniors (1) | Yarraville | 7.4 (46) d. 5.11 (41) | Victoria Park | 5 October 1907 |
| 1908 | Yarraville (2) | Footscray Juniors | 7.11 (53) d. 3.6 (24) | North Melbourne Cricket Ground | 26 September 1908 |
| 1909 | Yarraville (3) | Footscray Juniors | 7.11 (53) d. 3.6 (24) | Richmond City Reserve | 3 October 1908 |
| 1910 | Port Melbourne Railway United (1) | Yarraville | 4.9 (33) d. 1.2 (8) | Croxton Park | 22 October 1910 |
| 1911 | Fitzroy Juniors (2) | Port Melbourne Railway United | 9.10 (64) d. 3.8 (26) | Croxton Park | 30 September 1911 |
| 1912 | Yarraville (4) | Port Melbourne Railway United | 4.6 (30) d. 3.9 (27) | Croxton Park | 21 September 1912 |
| 1913 | Port Melbourne Railway United (2) | Yarraville | 11.9 (75) d. 3.6 (24) | North Melbourne Cricket Ground | 20 September 1913 |
| 1914 | Port Melbourne Railway United (3) | South Melbourne Districts | 11.9 (75) d. 3.6 (24) | North Melbourne Cricket Ground | 22 August 1914 |
| 1915 | Footscray Juniors (2) | Yarraville | 11.9 (75) d. 3.6 (24) | North Melbourne Cricket Ground | 25 September 1915 |
| 1916 | Williamstown Juniors (2) | Preston | 2.9 (21) d. 2.6 (18) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 14 October 1916 |
| 1917 | Williamstown Juniors (3) | Fairfield | 11.10 (76) d. 6.8 (44) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 6 October 1917 |
| 1918 | Footscray Juniors (3) | Williamstown Juniors | 7.8 (50) d. 3.16 (34) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 5 October 1918 |
| 1919 | Williamstown Juniors (4) | Footscray Juniors | 6.6 (42) d. 4.13 (37) | East Melbourne Cricket Ground | 18 October 1919 |
| 1920 | Yarraville (5) | North Melbourne Football Club | 11.18 (84) d. 3.6 (24) | Footscray | 25 September 1920 |
| 1921 | Preston (4) | Port Melbourne Railway United | 9.8 (62) d. 6.15 (51) | Dandenong | 1 October 1921 |
| 1922 | North Melbourne Juniors (1) | South Melbourne Districts | 10.18 (78) d. 8.8 (56) | Melbourne Cricket Ground | 28 September 1922 |
| 1923 | Preston (5) | Yarraville | 9.15 (69) 7.10 (52) | Richmond Cricket Ground | 27 September 1923 |
| 1924 | South Melbourne District (2) | Hawthorn Juniors | 9.13 (67) d. 4.10 (34) | North Melbourne Cricket Ground | 25 September 1924 |
| 1925 | Yarraville (6) | Port Melbourne Railway United | 10.15 (75) d. 5.10 (40) | Motordrome | 3 October 1925 |
| 1926 | Yarraville (7) | Port Melbourne Railway United | 15.16 (106) d. 11.11 (77) | Motordrome | 2 October 1926 |
| 1927 | Kingsville (1) | Coburg seconds | 8.7 (55) d. 6.6 (42) | Yarraville | 1 October 1927 |
| 1928 | Coburg seconds (1) | Port Melbourne | 4.5 (29) d. 1.9 (15) | Coburg Cricket Ground | 15 September 1928 |
| 1929 | Coburg seconds (2) | Williamstown seconds | 14.16 (100) d. 14.7 (91) | Oakleigh Cricket Ground | 28 September 1929 |
| 1930 | Coburg seconds (3) | Preston seconds | 9.12 (66) d. 6.13 (49) | North Melbourne Recreation Reserve | 4 October 1930 |
| 1931 | Brunswick seconds (1) | Coburg seconds | 12.10 (82) d. 5.14 (44) | Preston City Oval | 26 September 1931 |
| 1932 | Brunswick seconds (2) | Coburg seconds | 13.15 (93) d. 4.13 (37) | Coburg Cricket Ground | 1 October 1932 |

### VFA Section premiers

From 1924 until the end of the 1927 season, the winner of the Division 2/VFA Section grand final played the Division 1/VJFA Section winner in the overall VJFA grand final.
| Year | Premiers | Runners-up | Score |
| 1924 | Hawthorn Juniors (1) | North Melbourne Juniors | 5.9 (39) d. 4.5 (29) |
| 1925 | Port Melbourne Railway United (1) | | |
| 1926 | Port Melbourne Railway United (2) | | |
| 1927 | Coburg seconds (1) | | |

### Wren Shield permanent winners

* 1909 – Yarraville (1905, 1908, 1909)
* 1914 – Port Melbourne Railway United (1910, 1913, 1914)
* 1919 – Williamstown Juniors (1916, 1917, 1919)
* 1926 – Yarraville (1920, 1925, 1926)
* 1930 – Coburg seconds (1928, 1929, 1930)

## Notable events

* Preston's W. Eades kicked a VJFA record of 21 goals during a 1917 match against Ascot Vale, with Preston winning 32.16 (201) to 2.2 (14). Ascot Vale were three men short with only 14 players on the field.
* Following the end of the 1922 home-and-away season, Kew player C. Coomber was suspended for 12 months (the entire 1923 season) after striking North Melbourne Juniors player A. Gregory.