| Records | Players | Seasons | |||||||
Until the formation of the VFL in 1897, the Victorian Football Association was the leading football competition in the state. Formed in 1877 the Association replaced the looswaely affiliated leagues and gatherings of clubs that had been the norm since the early days of the game. The founding clubs Albert Park, East Melbourne, Essendon, Geelong, Hotham (later North Melbourne), Melbourne and St. Kilda met at Oliver's Cafe in Collins Street on May 7 to create the organisation fwhich would survive almost 125 years before disbanding.
Despite the emergence of the VFL, the Association continued to remain strong throughout the first three-quarters of the 20th century, with Sunday football as their drawcard. During the 1940's there was serious talk about a merger of the two competitions, with the VFA forming a second division, but the talks broke down when the two sides split over automatic promotion and relegation against 'playoff' matches to determine league status.
However as the VFL/AFL started to encroach on this, and the money on offer in the big leagues too much for players to turn back, clubs started to falter and attendances dropped. By the late 1980's several famous clubs had gone under and the league had scaled back from a two division operation to one competition.
In 1995 the competition adopted the name "VFL", which had been dropped by the national competition at the start of 1990. Melbourne enjoyed a successful alignment with the Sandringham Zebras from 2000 to 2008, during which Sandringham won four premierships. Since 2009 Melbourne have been aligned with Casey.
Seasons
| 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | |||||||
| 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 |
| 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | |||
Records (1877-1896)
| Opponent | Wins | Draws | Losses | ||||||
| Albert Park | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Ballarat | 4 | 0 | 2 | ||||||
| Ballarat Imperial | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
| Barwon | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Carlton | 18 | 9 | 25 | ||||||
| Collingwood | 5 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| East Melbourne | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Essendon | 9 | 9 | 24 | ||||||
| Fitzroy | 5 | 5 | 13 | ||||||
| Footscray | 13 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Geelong | 8 | 4 | 26 | ||||||
| Hotham | 14 | 5 | 10 | ||||||
| North Melbourne | 9 | 1 | 5 | ||||||
| Port Melbourne | 9 | 0 | 7 | ||||||
| Prahran | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Richmond | 12 | 5 | 6 | ||||||
| South Ballarat | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| South Melbourne | 12 | 6 | 20 | ||||||
| South Williamstown | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| St Kilda | 10 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| University | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| West Melbourne | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| Williamstown | 10 | 3 | 6 | ||||||
Players
Players that played for VFA/VFL clubs before or after (but not during) their MFC career. Does not include VFL affiliated clubs while on an AFL list.
Bendigo Diggers/Bombers
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Nick Carter | |||||||||
| Gary Moorcroft | |||||||||
Box Hill
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Matthew Bishop | |||||||||
| Brian Cook | |||||||||
| Simon Godfrey | |||||||||
| Andy Goodwin | |||||||||
| Daniel Hughes | |||||||||
| Cameron Hunter | 2005-2007 | ||||||||
| Max Jeffers | |||||||||
| Tassie Johnson (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Matt Jones | |||||||||
| Colin Love | |||||||||
| Cameron Pedersen | |||||||||
| John Quirk | |||||||||
| Nick Smith | |||||||||
| Kevin Webb | |||||||||
| Adem Yze | |||||||||
Brighton/Caulfield
Brisbane Lions
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Kyle Dunkley | 2023 | ||||||||
Brunswick
Camberwell
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Bert Avery | |||||||||
| Dave Bedford | |||||||||
| Peter Brenchley (Coach) | |||||||||
| Neil Chamberlain | |||||||||
| Jim Cowell (Coach) | |||||||||
| Hec Davidson | |||||||||
| Dave Elliman | |||||||||
| Tom Elliott (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Tom Flower | |||||||||
| Lew Gough | |||||||||
| Harry Harley | |||||||||
| George Lenne | |||||||||
| Geoff Mason | |||||||||
| Ken McKaige | |||||||||
| Terry Mountain | |||||||||
| Jack Sambell | |||||||||
| Ray Smith (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Bob Stewart | |||||||||
| Bill Vanthoff | |||||||||
| Glenn Walley | |||||||||
| Ray Wartman | |||||||||
| Percy Wilson | |||||||||
| Max Wright | |||||||||
Carlton
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Cameron Hunter | 2002 | ||||||||
Coburg
Collingwood
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Tom Couch | |||||||||
| Marty Hore | |||||||||
| Liam Jurrah | |||||||||
Dandenong
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Ray Biffin | 1980-1981 | Captain/Coach | |||||||
| Paul Callery | 1981 | ||||||||
| Ted Carroll | 1981 | ||||||||
| Greg Doyle | 1991-1992 | ||||||||
| Tony Elshaug | 1990-1991 | (Captain/Coach) | |||||||
| Gary Guy | 1978-1980 | ||||||||
| Herbie Matthews | 1970-1972 | ||||||||
| Laurie Queay | 1973 | ||||||||
| John Wallace | 1980-1982 | ||||||||
| Chris Woodman | 1981 | ||||||||
Essendon
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Matthew Bate | 2013 | ||||||||
| Kyle Dunkley | 2021 | ||||||||
| Josh Tynan | 2019 | ||||||||
Essendon Association
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Clarrie Abbott | |||||||||
| Albert Bickford | |||||||||
| Doug Chapman | |||||||||
| Tommy Crow | |||||||||
| Alf George | |||||||||
| Charlie Goding | |||||||||
| Frank Harris | |||||||||
| Percy Hordern | |||||||||
| Stan Huntington | |||||||||
| George Martin | |||||||||
| George McCart | |||||||||
| Jack McKenzie (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| George Richards | |||||||||
Footscray
Frankston
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Luke Beveridge | |||||||||
| Frank Davis (Coach) | |||||||||
| Greg Doyle | |||||||||
| Ryan Ferguson | |||||||||
| John Fidge | |||||||||
| Andy Goodwin | |||||||||
| Gary Guy | 1977 | ||||||||
| Bret Hutchinson | |||||||||
| Ken Jungwirth | |||||||||
| Darren Louttit | |||||||||
| Brett Lovett (Coach) | |||||||||
| Matthew Mahoney | |||||||||
| James Magner | |||||||||
| Rod Owen | |||||||||
| Ken Rowe (Coach) | |||||||||
| Russell Rowe (Coach) | |||||||||
| Chris Sullivan | |||||||||
| Josh Tynan | 2014-2015 | ||||||||
Geelong Association
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Percy Ellingsen | |||||||||
| Bill Elston | |||||||||
Geelong
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Tom Couch | |||||||||
Geelong West
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Nigel Kol | |||||||||
| Greg Sizer | |||||||||
Hawthorn
Hotham/North Melbourne
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Les Abbott | |||||||||
| Albert Bickford | |||||||||
| Percy Ellingsen | |||||||||
| Jack Geggie | |||||||||
| Bill Homan | |||||||||
| Jack Johnson | |||||||||
| Andy Kennedy | |||||||||
| John Lewis | |||||||||
| Herb Matthews | |||||||||
| Archie Pratt | |||||||||
| Jack Smith | |||||||||
| Adam Tomlinson | |||||||||
| Eric Tonkin | |||||||||
| Tom Watson | |||||||||
Melbourne City
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Archie Pratt | |||||||||
| Billy Quinn | |||||||||
Moorabbin
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Garry Baker (Coach) | |||||||||
| Neil Bencraft (Coach) | |||||||||
| Peter Brenchley | |||||||||
| Tony Bull | |||||||||
| Alf Copsey | |||||||||
| Ben Crameri | |||||||||
| Alan Daly | |||||||||
| Gary Hardeman | |||||||||
| Maurie Lehmann | |||||||||
| Bruce Leslie | |||||||||
| Bill Scanlon | |||||||||
| Peter Schofield | |||||||||
| Greg Wells | |||||||||
Mordialloc
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Mark Alves | |||||||||
| Garry Baker | |||||||||
| John Kerr | |||||||||
| Bruce Leslie | |||||||||
| Kevin Moore | |||||||||
| Charles Pagnoccolo | |||||||||
| Peter Slade | |||||||||
| Peter Williamson | |||||||||
North Ballarat
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Mark Bradly | |||||||||
| Darren Cuthbertson | |||||||||
| Darren Jolly | |||||||||
Northcote
Oakleigh
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Chris Aitken | |||||||||
| Charlie Barnes | |||||||||
| Paul Callery | 1982-1984 | (Captain/Coach) | |||||||
| Ray Carr | |||||||||
| Wally Carter | |||||||||
| Russell Colcott | |||||||||
| Neil Crompton (Coach) | |||||||||
| Vince Driver | |||||||||
| Kevin Dyson | |||||||||
| John Forster | |||||||||
| Graham Gaunt | |||||||||
| Jack Geggie (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Jack Harrison | |||||||||
| Clarrie Lethlean | |||||||||
| Tom Quinn | |||||||||
| Robert B Johnson (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Greg MacDonald | |||||||||
| John Murnane | |||||||||
| Charles Pagnoccolo | |||||||||
| Paul Payne | |||||||||
| Henry Ritterman | |||||||||
| Russell Rowe (coach) | |||||||||
| Paul Rowlands | |||||||||
| Ted Thomas | |||||||||
| Ian Todd | |||||||||
| Bob Turner | |||||||||
Port Melbourne
Prahran
Preston/Northern Bullants
Richmond
Sandringham
Southport Sharks
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Jay Lockhart | 2022- | ||||||||
Springvale/Casey
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Shane Burgmann | |||||||||
| Ted Carroll | 1982-1985 | ||||||||
| Gary Cooke | |||||||||
| Troy Davis | |||||||||
| Russell Dickson | |||||||||
| Greg Doyle | |||||||||
| Laurie Fowler (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Glenn Giles | |||||||||
| Peter Keays | |||||||||
| John Kerr | |||||||||
| Doug Koop | |||||||||
| Jay Lockhart | |||||||||
| Brett Lovett (Coach) | |||||||||
| Phil Pinnell (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Scott Simister | |||||||||
| Tim Smith | |||||||||
| Corey Wagner | |||||||||
| Mitch White | |||||||||
Tasmania
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Ben Beams | |||||||||
Waverley
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Peter Brenchley | |||||||||
| Ross Brewer | |||||||||
| Bob Carroll | |||||||||
| Russell Dickson | |||||||||
| Alec Ingwersen | |||||||||
| Laurie Fowler | |||||||||
| John Gallus | |||||||||
| Bob Langford | |||||||||
| Bernie Massey | |||||||||
| Kevin Mithen | |||||||||
| David Murray | |||||||||
| Ken Osborne | |||||||||
| Neville Stone | |||||||||
| Tony Sullivan (Coach) | |||||||||
| Tony Thiessen | |||||||||
| Ian Thorogood (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
Werribee
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| David Allday | |||||||||
| Bill Baxter | |||||||||
| John Comben | |||||||||
| Neil Crompton (Captain/Coach) | |||||||||
| Ted Fidge | |||||||||
| Jack Henderson | |||||||||
| Aidan Johnson | |||||||||
| Barry Ough | |||||||||
| Greg Sizer | |||||||||
| Shaun Smith | |||||||||
West Melbourne
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Albert Gourlay | |||||||||
| George McCart | |||||||||
| Alec McDonald | |||||||||
| Les Minto | |||||||||
| Harry Rigby | |||||||||
Williamstown
Yarraville
| Player | Years | Notes | |||||||
| Peter Hannan | |||||||||
| Ron Irwin | |||||||||
| David Kelly | |||||||||
| Brian Leahy | |||||||||
| Tom Magee | |||||||||
| Gordon Ogden (coach) | |||||||||
| Percy Streeter | |||||||||
| Kevin Webb | |||||||||
Media
The Argus - 09/05/1877