Week 2 - Eastern Football League
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Week 2 - Eastern Football League

Week 2 - Eastern Football League Week 2 - Eastern Football League

efl.org.au
06.04.2013 Views

By Peter Baird www.efl.org.au Division 1 Round 1 – Rivalry Games What is it about local football that stirs emotion and passion like nowhere else? Is it the thrill of being involved in your local community? The excitement of watching grassroots football at its best? Or the passion of playing against a local rival? Rivalries in local football can get the blood pumping in any football fan more than anything else. These rivalries can be born out of many factors and can span an era before settling down. Others are perennial. Quite often it is pride on the line, bragging rights to be had or just the satisfaction of a win against the most feared or respected of opposition. This week in the opening round of Division1 matches, four of the fiercest rivalries will face off against each other. Croydon vs. South Croydon Although Croydon was formed in 1906 and its closest neighbour, South Croydon, was formed in in 1969, the two teams didn’t meet each other until 1984. Long before this however a healthy rivalry was being established between the two clubs with the frequent transfer of players between them and the development of almost a big brother, little brother-type relationship. People from South Croydon often resented what they perceived to be an air of arrogance from their longer established neighbour, whilst the Croydon faithful were growing weary of the new upstarts from just down the road. To commemorate the first meeting of the two clubs, a group of local traders from the Arndale Shopping Centre inaugurated a perpetual trophy to be battled for by the clubs whenever they met. And so the Arndale Cup was born. Encounters between these clubs have quite often meant much more than just the trophy on offer and this was evident when the two teams met in Round 18, 1985. As the first division competition was being reduced from 12 to 10 teams in 1986, two sides were due to be relegated at the completion of the season. Coincidentally, Croydon and South Croydon met in the final round of 1985 with the loser of the match facing the destiny of relegation. South Croydon lifted the Arndale Cup on this occasion to keep its place in the Premier division and send Croydon back to Division 2. In 1988 and 1991 the two again met in huge games, a Division 2 Preliminary Final (1988) and a Division 2 First Semi Final (1991) and on both occasions South Croydon triumphed on the way to winning Premierships. The rivalry was reignited recently when South Croydon returned to Division 1 action in the 2010 season. This is one of the most evenly contested rivalries in the EFL with hardly anything between the two sides after 18 meetings. The head to head tally currently sits at nine wins to South Croydon, eight to Croydon and one draw. So this week is an opportunity for the Blues to square the ledger and regain the Arndale Cup. Noble Park vs. Balwyn One of the fiercest rivalries in the Eastern Football League dates back so far that it actually transcends over four different competitions spanning more than five decades. The Noble Park and Balwyn Football Clubs first met each other in the old Federal League days and were reunited in the early 1980’s when Noble Park entered the South East Suburban Football League (now Southern Football League). Coincidentally, Noble Park’s first match in the SESFL was against Balwyn in 1982. The two clubs fought many a tough contest and when a pair of Balwyn favourite sons, including captain at that time Jimmy Hunt who had also won a South East Suburban Football League Best and Fairest, applied to transfer to Noble Park after the 1984 finals series, the rivalry between the two clubs reached fever pitch. Both clubs were involved in a bitter battle with the SESFL over these transfers and the pair stood out of football for some six weeks until they were finally cleared to play for Noble Park. They played their first game for Noble Park in Round 6, 1985, ironically against Balwyn. This rivalry cranked up even higher a few years later, when Balwyn's 1989 Premiership coach David Dickson crossed to join the Bulls as coach and led them to win the 1990 and 1992 Senior Premierships. Dickson was also able to coax Balwyn premiership rover Danny Staffieri to join him at the Bulls. Balwyn suffered some tough times in the early 1990’s but Noble Park enjoyed a real golden period. In 1998 and 1999 this all turned around however, as Balwyn claimed back to back SFL premierships defeating Noble Park on both occasions. The following year the Bulls joined the EFL and the rivalry was reignited in 2007 when their old foes Balwyn were also admitted to our league. Since that time both clubs have tasted the ultimate success in the EFL claiming a Division 1 premiership and this rivalry is destined to continue long into the future. In 2010 the rivalry stepped up to another level with the clubs organising to play each other on an annual basis on the Queen’s Birthday weekend. 14

VERMONT FOOTBALL CLUB - M AJOR SPONSORS Tim McDornan 9876 9977 BURWOOD - 9813 4399 Janet & Tony Weiss RYAN McKENZIE - 0410 492447 715 Boronia Road, Wantirna 98872853 183 Rooks Road Vermont 9873 5969 www.lazaway.com.au David Buxton - Manager Ringwood Knox 9879 1622 CHRIS MATTHEWS 1300 859 169 15 THE EASTERN FOOTBALLER 2012

VERMONT FOOTBALL CLUB - M AJOR SPONSORS<br />

Tim McDornan 9876 9977<br />

BURWOOD - 9813 4399<br />

Janet & Tony Weiss<br />

RYAN McKENZIE - 0410 492447<br />

715 Boronia Road, Wantirna 98872853<br />

183 Rooks Road Vermont 9873 5969<br />

www.lazaway.com.au<br />

David Buxton - Manager<br />

Ringwood<br />

Knox<br />

9879 1622<br />

CHRIS MATTHEWS 1300 859 169<br />

15 THE EASTERN FOOTBALLER 2012

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