The Murrumbeena Football Club was established in 1918 and was affiliated with the Oakleigh District Junior Football Association (ODJFA) from 1918 to 1927. However, there is evidence that a Murrumbeena team played as early as 1891, playing in a competition organised by the Dandenong Football Club. There are newspaper articles documenting Murrumbeena teams playing in a competition against Prahran Juniors in 1901 and in 1908 the Argus newspaper reported that VFL club Essendon recruited Harry Farnsworth from Murrumbeena.
The ODJFA was a junior league with players up to the age of 21, with the average age of the team not exceeding 19. Murrumbeena won the Premiership in 1924 when the competition was known as the Caulfield Dandenong Junior Football Association.
There was a Murrumbeena team playing in the Amateur competition from 1923 and it is a possibility that when the players became too old to play in the ODJFA they joined the Murrumbeena Amateur team. There are players linked to the Murrumbeena team who played in 1918 in the ODJFA and then played with the Amateur competition in 1923.
Murrumbeena joined the Victorian Sub District League in B Grade, South Section in 1928 until 1933, which was a senior competition. In 1934, Murrumbeena joined the Caulfield Oakleigh Dandenong Junior Football Association (CODJFA) and won the Premiership that year.
Murrumbeena played in the CODJFA that became the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League (CODFL) in 1935 until 1962 when the CODFL merged with the Eastern Suburban League and then became the South East Suburban Football League (SESFL).
Murrumbeena had senior and juniors playing throughout that time. In 1937 the CODFL had a junior division (under 20) in which Murrumbeena had a team, as well as a senior team in A Grade. Murrumbeena Rovers were a junior club that was formed in the late 1920s but was not affiliated with the senior club. Up until 1957 the seniors had only one team, many times not fielding a full side, whilst the Rovers won Premierships between 1954 and 1957 in Under 18s and Under 16s. The Rovers players did not always play senior football when they finished their junior football with Murrumbeena even though the two clubs signed a pact in 1957.
In 1958 the senior club and the Murrumbeena Rovers merged and in 1963 Murrumbeena and the Murrumbeena Football Club (Amateurs) merged to become one club. The merging of Murrumbeena Rovers, Murrumbeena Football Club (Amateurs) and Murrumbeena Football Club created a strong era for the club in all grades including entering a reserves team from 1958 and junior teams in various age groups.
Over the following years the club has experienced many highs and lows. The club was relegated to Third Division in the SESFL in 1986. Murrumbeena won the SESFL 3rd Division Premiership in that year and have continued a slow but steady growth ever since, winning the Division 3 senior Premiership in Southern Football League (SFL) in 1993 and the SFL Division 2 Premiership in 2003.
With the separation of the junior club in 1986, it has been a challenge to consistently have an under 19/Colts team and create a pathway from junior to senior football at Murrumbeena. In 2013, Murrumbeena won the Under 19 SFL Premiership with many of the players going on to play senior football at the club. During subsequent years Murrumbeena became stronger due to the players coming through from the under 19s, appearing in two grand finals 2015 and 2017, unfortunately without success.
The SFL changed its name to the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) in 2015 and there was a push for clubs to incorporate a netball team. Murrumbeena introduced a netball team in 2014 and that was the catalyst for the Murrumbeena Football Club changing its name to the Murrumbeena Football Netball Club that year.
The SFNL introduced the Women’s Development League in 2017, with Murrumbeena winning the inaugural Premiership in 2017. In 2018, Murrumbeena saw two Women’s teams competing in the SFNL Women’s Development League with the senior women remaining undefeated and winning back to back Premierships.
The senior women's team moved to the SEWFL Division 2 in 2019 finishing the year runners up whist the reservers women's team stayed in the SFNL Division 2.
Following on from the success in 2018, a fourth netball team was introduced playing in 9th Division of the SFNL competition. All four sides made the finals with the seconds playing in third division winning the grand final. This was the same side that won the 2018 grand final (undefeated) in fourth division.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, the Victorian Government cancelled all sporting events. This meant that local competitions did not go ahead. Even though the season was cancelled the club still had on-going financial commitments and with hard work from the committee the club met those commitments.
At the end of 2019 the Murrumbeena Football Netball Club had the following:
Two senior men’s are playing in the SFNL Division 2.
- Division 2 Seniors
- Division 2 Reserves
Two senior Women’s teams
- Senior Women SEWFL Division 2
- Reserve Women SFNL Division 2
Four netball teams playing in the SFNL competition
- Division 2
- Division 3
- Division 6
- Division 9
Various Murrumbeena teams were formed over the years. It is unclear at times what Murrumbeena teams were referred to in the various newspapers.
Federal
A Murrumbeena team played in the Federal competition in 1915-17 and 1921-23.
Amateurs
A Murrumbeena team joined the Amateur competition in 1923 until 1962 winning Grand Finals in B Section in 1924, 1927 and 1929. The Amateur team merged in 1963 with the Murrumbeena team that played in the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League that is recognised as the club today.
Sub District League
The Sub District League 1916-1949 was the forerunner to the Metropolitan League created by the VFL. Murrumbeena were in the B Grade Southern section from 1928 - 1933, which was a senior competition. Moved to the Caulfield Oakleigh Dandenong League in 1934. An article from the Age 17th April 1928 At the eleventh annual general meeting of the Murrumbeena Junior Football Club the following office bearers were elected.
President: E. Simpson
Vice Presidents: A. Bird, W. Rennie, A. Sloan, W. Sadler
Secretary: W.J. Wilde
Hon Secretary: G. Blandy
Delegates: W.J. Wilde, A. Hunter
Report
The club after eleven years as a junior club (players under the age of 21) has decided to launch into senior football by competing in the League Sub Districts. Edward Vernon Moore formerly of Melbourne and Richmond has been appointed playing coach.
CODFL
Pre 1918:
On the 24 April 1915, the Oakleigh Caulfield Times and Ferntree Gully Guardian reported the inaugural meeting of the Oakleigh District Junior Football Association with a club delegate representing Murrumbeena attending. From the meeting, it was agreed that the competition adopt an average age of 18 with a limit of 20 years on the 1st January. There is no evidence that a Murrumbeena team played in the competition that year; however, in 1916 a Murrumbeena team played in the Oakleigh District Junior Football Association.
Post 1918:
A meeting held on 4th March 1918 was the first annual meeting of the Murrumbeena Junior Football club. This date has also been recognised as being when the Murrumbeena Football Netball Club was established. The office bearers were:
President R.L. Dick
Vice President J.R. Armstrong, T.J. Riley, W.J. Armstrong, Dr I. Silverman, Cr R.L. Phillips
Secretary L.V. Mudge
Treasurer V.C. Truman
Committee Bristowe, Richardson, T. Truman, Robinson
Captain was Fred Armstrong who was also voted best all-round player for the season.
L.V. Mudge, secretary, left Murrumbeena at the end of the season to take up a position in Tatura. This started the long association with W.J. Wilde as secretary from 1919 to 1935.
The above article was from the Oakleigh and Caulfield Times and Ferntree Gully Guardian that referred to the club as the Murrumbeena Junior Football Club.
In 1943 and 1949 Murrumbeena had an under 18 team in the Caulfield Oakleigh Football League and a team in the ‘A’ grade open section.
Murrumbeena Rovers
The 1963 AGM report documented that in 1957 the Murrumbeena Football Club (seniors) and the Murrumbeena Rovers (juniors) ‘affiliated’. The Rovers were strictly a junior side who were dominate winning premierships in the under 18’s and 16’s during the 1950’s. In 1958 both clubs amalgamated including the committees.
Murrumbeena District
Depending on the source of the article, Murrumbeena District could have been the same Murrumbeena that is the forerunner to the club today. The Buzz newspaper was a local newspaper that was published from May 1931 to Dec 1933 and had details of the selected sides that included Murrumbeena Federal and Districts. The names that appeared in the Murrumbeena District sides are consistent with the names that are recognised by the club today as past committee members and players included in photographs predominately from the 1930’s to 40’s.
Methodists
There was a Murrumbeena side who played as an under 19 team in 1946. Further research also found a Murrumbeena team played in 1921 and in 1936 Caulfield Council allocated Murrumbeena Reserve to both the Murrumbeena Football Club and the Murrumbeena Methodists.
CYMS Football Association
There was a Murrumbeena team who played in the Catholic Boys Legion (under age team), Section D in the Catholic Young Men’s Society Football Association in 1941, 1950 and 1954. The CYMS Football League ran from 1927 to 1974.
Eastern Suburbs Protestant Churches Football Association
The Eastern Suburbs Protestant Churches Football Association ran from 1923-1969 and was the forerunner to the Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association 1970-1992. There was evidence that a Murrumbeena team played in 1926, 1950, 1953 and 1954.
Murrumbeena Presbyterian Football Club
Caulfield council ground allocation for 1926 was to the Murrumbeena Presbyterian Football Club, reserve oval eastern section (outer oval).
Warren Walker
MFNC Historian
Premierships
Senior Premierships
1924 Caulfield Junior Football League
1934 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1963 South East Suburban Football League
1974 South East Suburban Football League
1986 South East Suburban Football League
1993 Southern Football League
2003 Southern Football League
Reserves Premierships
1975 South East Suburban Football League
1979 South East Suburban Football League
Under 19
2013 Southern Football League
Women’s Football
2017 Southern Football Netball League Development League Premiers/Champions
2018 Southern Football Netball League Division 1 Premiers/Champions
Netball
2018 SFNL Division 4 Premiers/Champions
2019 SFNL Division 3 Premiers
Junior Premierships (up to 1985 including Murrumbeena Rovers)
B grade Under 18
1941 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1956 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League (Rovers)
1957 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League (Rovers)
C grade Under 15
1956 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League (Rovers)
Competition Best and Fairest winners
(Juniors up to 1985 including Murrumbeena Rovers)
Football Men
Senior
1935 W. Spence A grade Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1937 E. Hamity A grade Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1957 G. Duff A grade Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1958 G. Duff A grade Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1963 R. Andrew A grade South East Suburban Football League
1964 B. Dillon A grade South East Suburban Football League
1964 W. Meitzke B grade South East Suburban Football League
1969 N. Thornhill B grade South East Suburban Football League
1970 N. Thornhill B grade South East Suburban Football League
1974 T. Garland A grade South East Suburban Football League
1974 P. Black B grade South East Suburban Football League
1978 D. Mountjoy B grade South East Suburban Football League
1993 C. Smith Division 3 Southern Football League
2001 D. Kappler Division 2 Southern Football League
2009 J. Cornish Division 2 Reserves Southern Football League
2017 S. Carter SFNL Women’s Development League
Under 19 Southern Football League
2011 T. Valenta
Junior
B grade Under 18 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1941 C. Rundell (Rovers) Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1948 R. Snow (Rovers) Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1953 G. Longney (Rovers) Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
C grade Under 15 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1954 L. Kilmorgan (Rovers) Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1961 R. Andrew Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
D grade Under 15 Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1960 J. Leitch
South East Suburban Football League Under 17 Second Division
1978 M. Stromoslanin
South East Suburban Football League Under 13 Second Division
1976 M. Todman
Football Women
Southern Football netball League Division 1
2017 S. Carter
Netball
Southern Football Netball League Netball Division 3
2019 O. May
League Goal Kicking
Oakleigh Dandenong District Football League
1961 J. Leitch 100 C grade Under 17
South East Suburban Football League
1967 I. Banks 100 A grade
1989 M. Moir 88 Second Division
1991 G. Cusack 63 Second Division
Southern Football League
2001 C. Gorozidis 91 Second Division
2009 S. Thompson 81 Under 19
2012 D. Willis 85 Second Division
2013 D. Willis 90 Second Division
Southern Football Netball League
2018 D. Wearne 65 Women's Division One
South Eastern Womens Football League
2019 A. Muir 27 Division 2
Netball Top Scorers
2018 Jarrah Thompson 405 goals SFNL Fourth Division
2019 Jarrah Thompson 385 goals SFNL Third Division
