South Melbourne Districts Football Club

For the AFL club formerly known as South Melbourne, see Sydney Swans.

Australian rules football club

South Melbourne Districts

Names
Full name| South Melbourne Districts Sports Club
Nickname(s)| Bloods, Swans, Districts
Motto| "Onward To Victory"
2024 season
After finals| VAFA: 3rd
VAFAW: N/A
Home-and-away season| VAFA: 3rd
VAFAW: 7th[1]
Leading goalkicker| VAFA: Jamie Brooker (45)
VAFAW: Louise Payne (5)[2]
Best and fairest| VAFA: Tom Foley[3]
VAFAW: Clara Samms[3]
Club details
Founded| 1912; 113 years ago (1912)
Competition| VAFA: Division 2
VAFAW: Division 4
SMJFL: Juniors
Uniforms

Home

Other information
Official website| smdsc.com.au

The South Melbourne Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Bloods, is an Australian rules football club based in South Melbourne. The club also has athletics and cricket programs.[4][5]

As of 2025, the club's men's team competes in Division 2 of the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) and the women's team is in Division 3 of the VAFA Women's (VAFAW), while junior teams compete in the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL).

## History

[edit]

### VJFA and Sub-Districts

[edit]

The inaugural South Melbourne Districts premiership team in 1924[6]

South Melbourne Districts was formed in 1912, although its origins can be traced back to the Pembroke Juniors who played in the mid-1890s.[7][8] The club entered the Victorian Junior Football Association (VJFA) in 1914, finishing fourth on the ladder, before being defeated by Port Melbourne Railway United by 51 points in the grand final.[9][10][11][12]

The club made its second grand final in 1922 after another fourth-placed home-and-away finish, where it lost to North Melbourne Juniors by 22 points.[13][14][15] In 1924, the club won its first premiership with a 33-point victory over Hawthorn Juniors.[16][17] The club did not have a home ground for the 1925 season, and did not find a permanent home ground until the mid-1930s.[7][18][19][20]

The Districts had a close relationship with the South Melbourne Football Club (now Sydney Swans) from its formation, with many players going on to play for both clubs.[21] In the late 1920s, the Districts donated 40 guineas to South Melbourne to stop the club folding, and often provided assistance payments to players when needed.[22][23]

In the 1920s and 1930s, MLC Robert Williams served as the club's president, while senator Joseph Hannan served as vice-president.[24][25][26] Williams died in a car crash at Wagga Wagga in March 1938, and his son − Alf Williams − took over as acting president until officially becoming club president in February 1939.[27][28]

South Melbourne Districts' last season in the VJFA was in 1926, where it made the semi-finals.[29] By this point, the VJFA had started to formally become the reserves competition for the Victorian Football Association (VFA), and South Melbourne Districts left the VJFA to join the VFL Sub-Districts in 1927.[30][31][32]

The club made a grand final in its second Sub-Districts season in 1928 under captain-coach Joe Russell, then won a premiership in 1930 against Sunshine.[33][34] At some stage in the 1930s, it moved to the VFA Sub-Districts and continued in that competition until at least the end of the 1936 season.[a][40][41]

South Melbourne Districts joined the Metropolitan Football League (MFL), the successor to the VFL Sub-Districts, when the competition was formed in 1950.[42][43][44]

### SESFL/SFL

[edit]

In 1974, South Melbourne Districts joined the South East Suburban Football League (SESFL) as the MFL was struggling at the time.[45] The club won its first SESFL premiership in 1976 with a 15-point victory over Carnegie in Division 2, and a second premiership came in 1983 against North Kew.[46]

The SESFL became the Southern Football League (SFL) in 1992, and merged with the Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association (ESCFA) in 1993 to become an expanded SFL. At the end of the 1999 season, South Melbourne Districts left the SFL to join the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA).[22]

### VAFA

[edit]

South Melbourne Districts joined the VAFA for the 2000 season, entering D4 Section.[47] The club started strong, winning a premiership in its inaugural VAFA season after defeating Bentleigh (who also joined the VAFA in 2000) by 27 points in the grand final.[48][49]

The club went back-to-back with a Division 3 premiership in 2006 and a Division 2 premiership in 2007.[22]

South Melbourne Districts entered its first women's team in the inaugural VAFA Women's season in 2017, finishing third in Division 4.[50]

In 2024, the club was the subject of controversy after being asked by animal rights activist Sheena Chhabra to cut ties with Ralphs Meat Company and to end its Auskick sausage sizzle "on the grounds of animal cruelty, the impact of farming livestock for meat and the negative health effects of red meat".[51]

## AFL/AFLW players

[edit]

A number of South Melbourne Districts players have played in the Australian Football League (AFL), which was previously known as the Victorian Football League (VFL), as well as in the AFL Women's (AFLW).[52] South Melbourne coach Alan Miller, who never played a VFL game, also played for South Melbourne Districts.[22]

### VFL/AFL players

[edit]

* Roy Cazaly − St Kilda, South Melbourne[28]
* Charlie Clarke − Western Bulldogs[53][54]
* Keith Forbes − Essendon[55]
* Danny Jacobs − Essendon[56]
* Max Ramsden − Hawthorn[57]
* Murphy Reid − Fremantle[58]
* Jack "Basher" Williams − South Melbourne[22]

### AFLW players

[edit]

* Sofia Hurley − Sydney[59]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The Argus wrote in April 1936 that South Melbourne Districts was in the VFA Sub-Districts, while The Age wrote in May 1936 that the club was instead in the VFL Sub-Districts.[35][36] It is possible that the Districts had two teams, one in each competition, just as Balwyn had a team in both the VFL Sub-Districts and Reporter District Football Association during the 1927 season.[37][38][39]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Division 4 Women's 2024". PlayHQ. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
2. ^ "Division 4 Women's 2024 Statistics". PlayHQ. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
3. ^ a b "Congratulations to all our award winners, including our Best & Fairest, across the club on Presentation Night! Proud to celebrate the achievements and hard work of our Bloods in 2024". Facebook. South Melbourne Districts Football Club. 1 October 2024. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
4. ^ "Senior Athletics". South Melbourne Districts Sports Club. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
5. ^ "Junior Cricket". South Melbourne Districts Sports Club. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
6. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT FOOTBALL CLUB —PREMIERS 1924". Record. 13 December 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
7. ^ a b "BLOODS 100". Victorian Amateur Football Association. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
8. ^ "COMMON GROUND". cayzer.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
9. ^ "VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION". The Argus. 18 August 1913. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
10. ^ "VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION". The Argus. 3 August 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
11. ^ "JUNIOR ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL". The Argus. 10 August 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 26 July 2024. "The Railways United team, Port Melbourne, met South Melbourne District on Saturday at the North Melbourne ground in the first semi-final"
12. ^ "Football premiers". The Standard. Melbourne, VIC. 29 August 1914. p. 3.
13. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT NOTES". Record. 1 July 1922. p. 2. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
14. ^ "Junior Association". Labor Call. 7 September 1922. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
15. ^ "Junior association". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 29 September 1922. p. 7.
16. ^ "JUNIOR ASSOCIATION". Labor Call. 25 September 1924. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
17. ^ "South Melbourne District Club". The Argus. 17 March 1925. p. 17. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
18. ^ "SOUTH DISTRICTS DEFEATED". Record. 8 August 1925. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
19. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT CLUB". The Age. 17 March 1926. p. 18. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
20. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT". Record. 20 March 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
21. ^ "South Melbourne District Sports Club". City of Port Phillip. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
22. ^ a b c d e "South Melbourne Districts Football Club". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
23. ^ "SOUTH DISTRICTS TO FIGHT FOR PENNANT". Record. 12 September 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
24. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT CLUB". The Age. 14 March 1925. p. 15. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
25. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT F.C." Record. 21 March 1925. p. 7. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
26. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE DISTRICT FOOTBALL CLUB". Record. 15 February 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
27. ^ "Robert Henry Williams". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
28. ^ a b "ANNUAL MEETING OF SOUTH DISTRICT F.C." Record. 25 February 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
29. ^ "VICTORIAN JUNIORS". The Age. 10 September 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
30. ^ "ASSOCIATION". The Age. 25 August 1924. p. 15. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
31. ^ "LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICTS". Record. 13 August 1927. p. 2. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
32. ^ "SOUTH DISTRICTS WIN FINAL". Record. 15 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
33. ^ "South Districts Defeated". Record. 22 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
34. ^ "South Melbourne District Is Premier Team". The Sun News-Pictorial. 13 October 1930. p. 35. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
35. ^ "V.F.A. SUB-DISTRICTS". The Argus. 29 April 1936. p. 18. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
36. ^ "V.F.L. SUB-DISTRICTS". The Age. 16 May 1936. p. 22. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
37. ^ "FOOTBALL". Box Hill Reporter. 25 February 1927. p. 7. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
38. ^ "LEAGUE SUB-DISTRICT". Box Hill Reporter. 27 May 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
39. ^ "REPORTER AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS". Box Hill Reporter. 12 August 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
40. ^ "Alphington Football Club". Darebin Libraries. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
41. ^ "ASSOCIATION SUB-DISTRICTS". The Argus. 20 May 1935. p. 13. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
42. ^ "CLOTA MEDAL TO MILLER". The Sun News-Pictorial. 22 August 1950. p. 32. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
43. ^ "WEEKEND SPORTS RESULTS". The Argus. 4 June 1951. p. 12. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
44. ^ "WEEKEND SPORTS RESULTS". The Argus. 23 July 1951. p. 12. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
45. ^ "SOUTH-EAST SUBURBAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE" (PDF). Southern Football Netball League. p. 9\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024. "South Melbourne District entered Division two transfering from the struggling Metropolitan F.L"
46. ^ "South Melbourne Districts Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
47. ^ "The Amateur Footballer, Week 1, 2000". Issuu. VAFA Media. 1 April 2000. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
48. ^ "The Amateur Footballer, Week 21, 2000". Issuu. VAFA Media. 26 August 2000. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
49. ^ "Division 4 Section Grand Finals". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
50. ^ "Women's Development Division 4 2017". GameDay. VAFA Results Archive. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
51. ^ Wu, Andrew (17 May 2024). "The footy club whose Auskick sausage sizzle has come under fire". The Age. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
52. ^ "VFL/AFL Players from South Melbourne Districts Bloods". draftguru.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
53. ^ "Charlie Clarke". GameDay. South Melbourne Districts Football Club. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
54. ^ "NAB League Boys: Sandringham Dragons add Charlie Clarke to their list". Herald Sun. Caulfield Glen Eira Leader. 4 June 2021. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
55. ^ "FORBES, Keith". essendonfcpastplayers.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
56. ^ "FEATURE STORY: SOUTH OF NOWHERE". Essendon Football Club. 18 July 2000. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
57. ^ Bolch, Dylan. "Max Ramsden: Big Hawk ready to take flight". Sandringham Dragons. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
58. ^ Cellini, Aidan (11 November 2024). "AFL Draft Profile: Murphy Reid". ZeroHanger. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
59. ^ "The history of the Red V". Sydney Swans. 24 September 2024. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Victorian Amateur Football Association

Clubs|

| Men's|

| Premier|

* Collegians
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Premier B|

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Premier C|

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Division 1|

* Kew
* Old Peninsula
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* Ormond
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Division 2|

* Aquinas Old Collegians
* Brunswick
* Bulleen Templestowe
* Elsternwick
* Hawthorn
* Melbourne High School Old Boys
* South Melbourne Districts
* St Mary's Salesian
* Wattle Park
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Division 3|

* Albert Park
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* Canterbury
* Chadstone
* Eley Park
* La Trobe University
* North Brunswick
* Power House
* Richmond Central
* St John's
* Swinburne University

Other|

* Masala Dandenong
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Major venues|

* Box Hill City Oval
* Camberwell Sports Ground
* Coburg City Oval
* Elsternwick Park
* Trevor Barker Beach Oval

Related articles|

* Club movements
* Former clubs
* History
* Premiers

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