The Moorabbin Football Club, nicknamed the Kangas, was an Australian rules football club best known for its time in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1983 to 1987. The club existed for only eight years and did not achieve any success.
| Moorabbin Football Club | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Names | |
| Full name | Moorabbin Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | Kangas |
| Club details | |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Dissolved | 1987 |
| Competition | Victorian Football Association |
| Ground(s) | Bentleigh Recreation Reserve (1985−87) McKinnon Reserve (1984) Moorabbin Oval (until 1984) |
History
editThe Moorabbin Football Club was formed in 1979 via a merger of the neighbouring McKinnon Football Club and Bentleigh Football Club, each of whom played in the Federal Football League (FFL). The new amalgamated club was based at McKinnon but known as Moorabbin, taking the same colours and nickname as the former Moorabbin Football Club, which disbanded in 1965.[1] The merged club competed in the FFL until 1981, after which the league folded, and then played in the South East Suburban Football League in 1982.[2] The club was then admitted to the expanded VFA second division in 1983.[3]
In 1983, the club played its games at Moorabbin Oval, sharing it with St Kilda, and trained at McKinnon Reserve,[4] but began playing its games in McKinnon in 1984 due to the high cost to rent Moorabbin Oval, then moved to the Bentleigh Recreation Reserve from 1985.[5] The club competed for just over four years in Division 2, its best performance coming in 1985 when it recruited champion goalkicker Fred Cook[6] and missed the finals on percentage.[7]
After playing the first two matches of the 1987 season, the club forfeited two successive games after coach Graham Stewart resigned over a dispute with the board, and a large group of players walked out in support;[8] the club was suspended by the VFA for its inability to field a team in all three grades, and then went into recess and ultimately folded.[9]
References
edit- ^ Marc Fiddian (22 May 1982). "Moorabbin seeks opening". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 31.
- ^ "Cheltenham Football Club hosts reunion of Federal League". Moorabbin-Glen Eira Leader. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
- ^ Marc Fiddian (6 October 1982). "Moorabbin in VFA". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 29.
- ^ Peter Martin (2 April 1983). "Wells leads way". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. p. 52.
- ^ Santo Caruso; Marc Fiddian; Jim Main (2002), Football Grounds of Melbourne, Essendon North, VIC: Pennon Publishing, p. 96
- ^ Dennis Jose (15 April 1985). "Cook kicks ten goals in Moorabbin win". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 32.
- ^ Dennis Jose (26 August 1985). "Slaughtered Port out of finals". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 30.
- ^ Cathy Gowdie (25 April 1987). "VFA issues ultimatum to Moorabbin". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 39.
- ^ Sam Prenesti (7 May 1987). "Moorabbin suspended for remainder of the season". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 30.