Before an official VFL Thirds competition began in 1946, clubs adopted smaller sub-district teams. From 1936 through at least 1939 Melbourne was aligned with Prahran Districts/Prahran City, and a Melbourne Boys' League club called Como Rovers until 1946. Melbourne joined the competition in 1947.
Until 1959 the grade was known as the "Thirds", before being renamed to the Under 19s in 1960. The competition was abolished at the end of 1991 and replaced by the statewide Under 18's competition now known as the TAC Cup.
Seasons
1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
1990 | 1991 |
Honours
Premiers (6)
1947, 1953, 1964, 1971, 1981, 1983
Runners Up
1975
Minor Premiers
6 times
League leading goalkickers
Jeff Crouch 1953 (42)
Barry Bourke 1962 (67)
David Cordner 1981 (111)
Morrish Medal
The medal was awarded as the reserves equivalent of the Brownlow Medal. It was named in honour of Tom Morrish who had been a long-serving treasurer of the VFL Reserve Grade. Since 1992 the award has been presented to the best player in the TAC Cup competition.
MFC players to win the award were,
Name | Year | Votes | |||||||
Ray Harvey | 1948 | ||||||||
Terry Johnston | 1961 | ||||||||
Paul Callery | 1968 | ||||||||
Phillip Friedman | 1974 (joint winner) | ||||||||
Adrian Battiston | 1981 | 37 | |||||||
Les Bamblett | 1982 | ||||||||
Greg Healy | 1983 |
Vin Catoggio won the award with Carlton in 1972 and later played for Melbourne. Future MFC players Gary Moorcroft (1994), Matthew Bate (2004) and Clayton Oliver (2015) have won the award in the TAC Cup. 1992 winner Brad Smith was on Melbourne's list the next year but not play seniors.
Coaches
Years | |||||||||
Unknown | 1947 | ||||||||
Roy McKay | 1948-1956, 1962-1963 | ||||||||
Ray Hutchins | 1957 | ||||||||
Unknown | 1958 | ||||||||
Unknown | 1964 | ||||||||
Frank Adams | 1965-66 | ||||||||
Trevor Johnson | 1968 | ||||||||
Tony Bull | 1969 | ||||||||
Brian Gray | 1970-1974 | ||||||||
Neil Crompton | 1975-1977 | ||||||||
Frank Davis | 1978 | ||||||||
Ian Thorogood | 1979-1980 | ||||||||
Ray Jordon | 1981-1985 | ||||||||
Hassa Mann | 1986-1987 | ||||||||
Alan Jarrott | 1987-1988 | ||||||||
Mark Cross | 1989-1991 |
Best and Fairest
Leading Goalkicker
Year | Player | Goals | |||||||
1953 | Jeff Crouch | 42 | |||||||
1954 | Peter Brenchley | ? | |||||||
1955 | Peter Brenchley | 25 | |||||||
1962 | Barry Bourke | 67 | |||||||
1964 | Rod McNab | 52 | |||||||
1981 | David Cordner | 111 | |||||||
1991 | Danny McCarthy | 36 |
Records
(Records are being progressively added. The figures from below only take into account the 1965-1968, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989 and 1991 seasons. Goalkickers are from 1981 onwards only)
Biggest Win
Margin | Match | Opposition | |||||||
146 | Round 12, 1986 | Richmond | |||||||
131 | Round 24 1991 | Footscray | |||||||
126 | Round 17, 1981 | Carlton | |||||||
119 | Round 22, 1991 | St Kilda | |||||||
115 | Round 21, 1991 | Carlton | |||||||
113 | 1981 Qualifying Final | Hawthorn | |||||||
92 | Round 22, 1986 | Carlton | |||||||
88 | Round 17, 1984 | Carlton | |||||||
87 | Round 18, 1968 | Hawthorn | |||||||
83 | Round 8, 1989 | Collingwood |
Biggest Loss
Margin | Match | Opposition | |||||||
137 | Round 21, 1986 | North Melbourne | |||||||
133 | Round 10, 1984 | Richmond | |||||||
129 | Round 6, 1989 | North Melbourne | |||||||
97 | Round 4, 1989 | Footscray | |||||||
97 | Round 16, 1991 | Hawthorn | |||||||
92 | Round 11, 1989 | Geelong | |||||||
90 | Round 20, 1989 | Essendon | |||||||
89 | Round 14, 1984 | Essendon | |||||||
85 | Round 12, 1991 | Footscray |
Highest Score
Score | Match | Opposition | |||||||
35.20.230 | Round 12, 1986 | Richmond | |||||||
30.23.203 | 1981 Qualifying Final | Hawthorn | |||||||
29.16.190 | Round 24, 1991 | Footscray | |||||||
26.20.176 | Round 17, 1981 | Carlton | |||||||
27.13.175 | Round 1, 1986 | Richmond | |||||||
26.15.171 | Round 3, 1991 | Geelong | |||||||
23.22.168 | Round 4, 1981 | St Kilda | |||||||
25.11.161 | Round 22, 1986 | Carlton | |||||||
23.18.156 | Round 18, 1984 | Fitzroy | |||||||
22.21.153 | Round 1, 1984 | Collingwood | |||||||
23.15.153 | Round 8, 1989 | Collingwood | |||||||
22.13.149 | Round 14, 1984 | Essendon |
Lowest Score
Score | Match | Opposition | |||||||
1.3.9 | Round 16, 1967 | Footscray | |||||||
4.3.27 | Round 6, 1989 | North Melbourne | |||||||
3.11.29 | Round 12, 1989 | Richmond | |||||||
4.7.31 | Round 17, 1967 | Fitzroy | |||||||
4.8.32 | Round 14, 1991 | Geelong | |||||||
5.2.32 | Round 18, 1967 | Essendon | |||||||
3.15.33 | Round 9, 1967 | South Melbourne | |||||||
4.10.34 | Round 17, 1968 | Footscray | |||||||
4.12.36 | Round 4, 1966 | South Melbourne | |||||||
6.3.39 | Round 6, 1965 | Collingwood (win) | |||||||
5.12.42 | Round 15, 1991 | North Melbourne | |||||||
6.7.43 | Round 12, 1966 | St Kilda |
7+ goals in a game
Player | Match | Opposition | |||||||
12 - David Cordner | 1981 Qualifying Final | Hawthorn | |||||||
10 - David Cordner | Round 16, 1981 | Geelong | |||||||
10 - Wayne Lamb | Round 24 1991 | Footscray | |||||||
9 - Tim Stoney | Round 12, 1986 | Richmond | |||||||
8 - David Cordner | Round 2, 1981 | Fitzroy | |||||||
8 - David Cordner | Round 17, 1981 | Carlton | |||||||
8 - Tim Stoney | Round 3, 1986 | Fitzroy | |||||||
8 - Phil Partington | Round 1, 1989 | Richmond | |||||||
7 - David Cordner | Round 18, 1981 | South Melbourne | |||||||
7 - Chris Farrell | Round 8, 1989 | Collingwood | |||||||
7 - Danny McCarthy | Round 20, 1991 | Sydney |
Notes
Prahran City is said to have disbanded before the 1938 season, but other sources show them continuing until at least 1939. They may have rebranded as Como Rovers.
Media
Football Record R1 1936
The Argus 1939
Sporting Globe - 16/03/1946