VFL Sub-Districts

MDFA

The Melbourne District Football Association (MDFA) was formed in the 1900s.^[6][7][8][9]

The MDFA appears to stopped play during World War I, although a different competition (known as the Melbourne Junior Football Association) was formed in April 1918.^[10][11] It is possible that MDFA clubs including Coburg and Moreland joined this competition for the 1918 season.^[12][13]

VFLSD

At the end of the 1924 season, the VFL took over the MDFA and replaced it with the VFL Sub-Districts, officially called the Victorian Football League Sub-Districts Association.^[14][15] W.H. Smith was elected as the new league's inaugural president, and the first game was played on 2 May 1925 between Oakleigh and Dandenong.^{[16][17][18][19]} Public Service won the inaugural premiership in 1925, with a total of ten clubs competing in the competition the following year in 1926.^{[20][21][22][23]}

The competition was split into two in 1927.^[15] In 1927, there was a further split with the introduction of "First Grade North" (Division 1 North), "First Grade South" (Division 1 South), the "unallocated Second Grade" (Division 2) and the similarly named "Seconds Grade" (the latter being a reserves competition, largely for the "Second Grade").^[23] The winner of the North and South sections would go on to play in a grand final for the overall VFLSD premiership, while the winners of Division 2 and the Seconds (Reserves) Grade also played each other.^[24] In 1929, Division 2 was also split into North and South sections.^[25]

Fairfield and Kew drew in the 1929 grand final, with the replay won by Kew.^[26][27] The clubs again drew in the 1935 grand final, with that replay won by Fairfield in a game that resulted in four players being suspended for fighting.^[28][29]

Like in the senior VFL competition, the Page–McIntyre system was introduced in 1933, replacing the Argus finals system.^[30] However, it appears the Argus system (or a similar system) returned in 1944, as The Age noted grand finalist East Brunswick "[had] the right of an extra game" after losing a final to Richmond District the week before.^[31]

MFL

In 1950, the VFL Sub-Districts was succeeded by the Metropolitan Football League (MFL).^[32][33][34]

Following the conclusion of the 1958 VFA season, the Prahran Football Club was expelled from the VFA for failing to meet the minimum home ground requirements, and was replaced by the Sunshine Football Club, which had been runners-up in the MFL in 1958.^[35][36] Prahran subsequently spent 1959 competing in the MFL's A Grade, winning the premiership with just a single loss for the season, and the club returned to the VFA in 1960.^[37][38]

MDFA premiers

VFL Sub-Districts premiers

Division 1 North premiers

Division 1 South premiers

Second Grade premiers

This premiership was contested by the winner of the unallocated "Second Grade" (Division 2) and the "Seconds Grade" (reserves competition), and later the winner of Division 2 North and Division 2 South.^[24][25]

Division 2 premiers

Division 2 North premiers

Division 2 South premiers

Reserves premiers

MFL premiers