2021 VAFA season

The 2021 VAFA season was the 120th season of the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), the largest senior community Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season began on 10 April before it was curtailed on 2 September 2021 without premierships awarded, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1][2]

2021 VAFA season
Date	10 April − 2 September 2021
Teams	66
← 2019 ← 2020 (cancelled) 2022 →

No automatic promotion and relegation was applied following the season, and clubs who finished in the bottom two or highest four positions on the ladder would instead have to formally apply on whether to be promoted or relegated for the 2022 season.^[3]

This was the first time the VAFA had curtailed a season since 1940, when competition was suspended due to World War II.^[4]

Background

2020 season cancellation

The 2020 VAFA season was meant to have been the 120th season of the VAFA.^[5][6]

On 17 March 2020, the VAFA announced that the season would be postponed until 2 May because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[7] However, the season did not resume amid ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, and was officially cancelled on 1 July without a game being played.^[8][9]

2021 season abandonment

The 2021 season began on 10 April, with the senior men's home-and-away season scheduled to end on 28 August ahead of a finals series would be held.^[10] The VAFA extended its agreement with RSN 927 in February 2021, with RSN continuing to serve as the official VAFA radio broadcaster.^[11][12]

On 15 August, the VAFA cancelled the remaining home-and-away games, but stated their intention to still hold a finals series.^[13] However, following the extension of Melbourne's sixth COVID-19 lockdown, the VAFA announced on 1 September that the season would be abandoned without any premierships awarded.^[14]

Association membership

St Francis Xavier and South Mornington left the VAFA at the end of the 2019 season to join the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL).^[15][16]

Prior to the planned start of the 2020 season, Peninsula Old Boys renamed to Old Peninsula Football Club after introducing a women's team.^[17]

Notable events

• Fitzroy's Donovan Toohey kicked a goal after the siren to defeat St Bedes/Mentone Tigers by three points in Premier B on 22 May.^[18]
• Caulfield Grammarians won a senior game in A Section/Premier Division for the first time since 1987.^[19]
• Former Hawthorn player Jacob Campbell died from cancer on 28 May 2021.^[20][21][22]
• In July 2021, antisemitic graffiti was spray-painted on the clubrooms of AJAX Football Club (which is the first and only fully Jewish Australian rules football club).^[23] The incident was condemned by the VAFA as an "abhorrent and unlawful racial attack", and the Beaumaris Football Club would later be awarded with a Medal of Courage from the Anti-Defamation Commission for its stance against antisemitism and racism.^[24][25]
• In August 2021, a Richmond Central player recorded Kew players training (against COVID-19 lockdown rules) at Richmond Central's home ground, Kevin Bartlett Oval, and was also involved in a verbal confrontation with Kew coach Ian Aitken.^[26] Kew said it did not sanction the training session, and the VAFA did not sanction the club, however they did refer Aitken to AFL Victoria.^[27]

Premier

2021 VAFA Premier season
Teams	10
Minor premiers	Old Xaverians
Wooden spooners	Old Trinity
JN Woodrow Medal	Marcus Stavrou[28] (Old Xaverians − 14 votes)
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Old Xaverians	11	9	2	0	1060	626	169.3	36
2	St Kevin's	11	9	2	0	910	619	147.0	36
3	Old Brighton	11	8	3	0	948	807	117.5	32
4	Caulfield Grammarians	11	7	4	0	1041	892	116.7	28
5	University Blues	11	6	5	0	851	930	91.5	24
6	Old Melburnians	11	5	6	0	879	818	107.5	20
7	St Bernard's	11	5	6	0	831	845	98.3	20
8	Old Scotch	11	3	8	0	619	932	66.4	12
9	Collegians	11	2	9	0	693	894	77.5	8	Can apply for relegation
10	Old Trinity	11	1	10	0	648	1117	58.0	4

Source: ^[29]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Premier B

2021 VAFA Premier B season
Teams	10
Minor premiers	University Blacks
Wooden spooners	Parkdale Vultures
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	University Blacks	11	10	1	0	1042	541	192.6	40	Can apply for promotion
2	Beaumaris	11	9	2	0	917	505	181.6	36
3	Old Haileybury	11	9	2	0	1039	688	151.0	36
4	De La Salle	11	8	3	0	937	679	138.0	32
5	St Bedes/Mentone Tigers	11	4	7	0	853	828	103.0	16
6	Fitzroy	11	4	7	0	852	912	93.4	16
7	Williamstown CYMS	11	4	7	0	761	940	81.0	16
8	AJAX	11	4	7	0	568	804	70.7	16
9	Old Carey	11	3	8	0	589	828	71.1	12	Can apply for relegation
10	Parkdale Vultures	11	0	11	0	399	1232	32.4	0

Source: ^[30]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Premier C

2021 VAFA Premier C season
Teams	10
Minor premiers	Monash Blues
Wooden spooners	Preston Bullants
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Monash Blues	11	10	1	0	1033	525	196.8	40	Can apply for promotion
2	Old Geelong	11	9	2	0	945	738	128.1	36
3	Ormond	11	7	4	0	993	779	127.5	28
4	Old Ivanhoe	11	7	4	0	903	745	121.2	28
5	Mazenod	11	7	4	0	942	785	120.0	28
6	Hampton Rovers	11	5	6	0	1022	883	115.7	20
7	Marcellin	11	4	7	0	848	775	109.4	16
8	Old Mentonians	11	4	7	0	811	928	87.4	16
9	UHS-VU	11	2	9	0	540	1280	44.9	8	Can apply for relegation
10	Preston Bullants	11	0	11	0	597	1272	46.9	0

Source: ^[31]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Division 1

2021 VAFA Division 1 season
Teams	10
Minor premiers	Old Camberwell
Wooden spooners	Brunswick
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Old Camberwell	11	10	1	0	1032	623	165.7	40	Can apply for promotion
2	Whitefriars	11	10	1	0	1101	677	162.6	40
3	Kew	11	9	2	0	985	693	142.1	36
4	Prahran Assumption	11	7	4	0	816	688	118.6	28
5	St Mary's Salesian	11	5	6	0	814	915	89.0	20
6	Therry Penola	11	5	6	0	748	953	78.5	20
7	PEGS	11	4	7	0	843	837	36.4	16
8	Old Peninsula	11	3	8	0	641	944	67.9	12
9	Oakleigh	11	2	9	0	776	1013	76.6	8	Can apply for relegation
10	Brunswick	11	0	11	0	580	993	58.4	0

Source: ^[32]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Division 2

2021 VAFA Division 2 season
Teams	10
Minor premiers	Glen Eira
Wooden spooners	Power House
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Bulleen Templestowe forfeited their round 10 game against MHSOB.^[33][34]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	WF	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Glen Eira	11	11	0	0	0	1170	446	262.3	44	Can apply for promotion
2	MHSOB	10	9	1	1	0	1306	516	253.1	40
3	West Brunswick	11	8	0	3	0	932	597	156.1	32
4	Old Paradians	11	8	0	3	0	892	764	116.8	32
5	Ivanhoe	11	6	0	5	0	865	743	116.4	24
6	Manningham Cobras	11	4	0	7	0	739	877	84.3	16
7	Aquinas	11	4	0	7	0	756	958	78.9	16
8	Yarra Old Grammarians	11	2	0	9	0	708	1116	63.4	8
9	Bulleen Templestowe	10	1	0	10	0	581	1265	45.9	4	Can apply for relegation
10	Power House	11	1	0	10	0	543	1267	42.7	4

Source: ^[35]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Division 3

2021 VAFA Division 3 season
Teams	8
Minor premiers	Hawthorn
Wooden spooners	Albert Park
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Hawthorn	11	8	2	1	930	680	136.8	34	Can apply for promotion
2	Parkside	11	8	2	1	950	711	133.6	34
3	Emmaus St Leo's	11	8	3	0	1162	615	188.9	32
4	Richmond Central	11	8	3	0	1185	702	168.8	32
5	North Brunswick	11	4	7	0	962	840	114.5	16
6	Canterbury	11	4	7	0	870	908	95.8	16
7	Westbourne Grammarians	11	3	8	0	558	1185	47.0	12	Can apply for relegation
8	Albert Park	11	0	11	0	410	1386	29.6	0

Source: ^[36]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Division 4

2021 VAFA Division 4 season
Teams	8
Minor premiers	Elsternwick
Wooden spooners	Box Hill North
← 2020 2022 →

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts	Qualification
1	Elsternwick	11	10	1	0	1709	385	443.9	40	Can apply for promotion
2	South Melbourne Districts	11	10	1	0	1355	443	305.9	40
3	La Trobe University	11	6	5	0	873	946	92.3	24
4	St John's	11	6	5	0	777	862	90.1	24
5	Eley Park	11	4	7	0	732	986	74.2	16
6	Masala Dandenong	11	4	7	0	749	1203	62.3	16
7	Swinburne University	11	2	9	0	658	1141	57.8	8
8	Box Hill North	11	2	9	0	479	1366	18.2	8

Source: ^[37]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

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