Masala Dandenong Football Club

Formation and early years

Masala Football Club was formed in August 2012 as the brainchild of Ash Nugent, who had served as Team Manager of the Indian Tigers at the 2011 Australian Football International Cup.^[1] Nugent said that he and the club's other founders considered names including "Tendulkar Tigers" to "Brown Brothers Football Club", but "found the names to be either too exclusive (often India-centric), infringing on existing brands or simply impossible to work with".^[2]

Eventually, "Masala" (meaning a blend of spices) was chosen as the club's name. The club chose not to have a nickname, and instead created a logo based on a star anise, in which the seeds were replaced by footballs.^[2]

The Richmond Football Club, a supporter of the Indian Tigers, also chose to support Masala, providing the club's jumper and colours.^[2][3]

In October 2012, the VAFA admitted Masala into Club XVIII Section 3 for the 2013 season. Practice games were played in early 2013 against Team Africa, Dragons, Endeavour Hills and Dandenong, and Richmond players Matt White and Orren Stephenson presented Masala players with their guernseys on 5 April 2013.^[4]

The club played its first official VAFA game on 13 April 2013, a 131-point loss to Richmond Central, the eventual premiers of the section in 2013.^[5][6]

Masala's first victory came in round 8 against Dragons, another multiculturalism-based club, with a 12-point victory in wet conditions.^[7] The club had lost to the Dragons by 82 points in round 2, although that win was later awarded to Masala after it was found that the Dragons had fielded unregistered players.^[2]

Although they finished last in 2013, the club moved up to Club XVIII Section 1 for the 2014 season.^[8] They again finished last, with their only victory coming against Old Geelong in round 11.^[9][10]

VAFA seniors

In 2015, Masala became a senior club, entering a senior and reserves side in Division 4.^[11] The club's first senior victory was a 26-point defeat of Chadstone in round 1.^[12]

For its initial seasons, Masala co-shared BJ Powell Reserve in Noble Park North with the Lyndale Football Club. They eventually moved to their own ground at WJ Powell Reserve, before relocating to Fotheringham Reserve in 2018. In 2020, the club again relocated to Lois Twohig Reserve in Dandenong North.^[13]

On 11 February 2019, the club was renamed to the Masala Dandenong Football Club in order to bring it closer to the Dandenong community.^[14]

In 2022, Masala Dandenong introduced a junior football program with the North Dandenong Masala Junior Football Club entering the South East Junior Football League (SEJFL).^[15] The new team revived the historical North Dandenong Junior Football Club, which dissolved in 2018.^[16]

Withdrawal from seniors

At the end of the 2023 season, Division 4 was abolished by the VAFA and Masala Dandenong was moved to an expanded Division 3 for 2024.^[17]

Because of extremely low player numbers during pre-season training, on 12 January 2024, following a unanimous vote from the club's committee, club president William Bolch announced Masala Dandenong would withdraw from Division 3.^[18]

Following the announcement, the club chose to enter the VAFA Thirds competition, fielding one team in Division 2 North and another team in Division 3 South in the 2024 Season.

Team of the Decade (2012−2022)

A "Team of the Decade" was announced in 2022 on the 10-year anniversary of the club's formation.^[19]

Club Presidents

Below are a list of club presidents of the Masala Dandenong Football Club:

Masala Award

The Masala Award is presented to the Club Person Of The Year and is awarded at the end of season Presentation Night. Past Masala Award recipients include:

Seniors

Reserves