Camberwell Football Club

The Camberwell Football Club were an Australian rules football club who were formed in 1896 and competed in the Victorian Football Association between 1926 and 1990. Nicknamed the Cobras, Camberwell wore dark blue, white and red club colours. They were based in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell.

History

Originally known as the Tricolours, the Cobras made VFA Grand Finals in 1935 and 1946, but failed on both occasions. With the introduction of a second division to the competition, they also finished as runners up in the 1975 and 1978 seasons. In 1979 they won their first premiership, after defeating the Oakleigh Devils by 39 points at Toorak Park. Promoted to division one they were immediately relegated again, but took their second flag in 1981 with a 32 point win over the Waverley Panthers. They remained in the top division of the competition before being relegated again in 1985.

Despite a 40.9% success rate [" [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Camberwell.htm] "] . over the years, Camberwell's last decade was notable for a number of remarkable losing margins. On August 10th, 1985 they conceded a massive 55.17.374 against Williamstown on route to a 315 point loss. This represents the biggest winning margin in VFA, SANFL or WAFL history, the third biggest score in an Australian state league senior match [" [http://au.geocities.com/jsmooth_00001/Footyfacts.html] "] and is 125 points more than the record winning margin in the AFL. The Seagulls kicked 16.4 in the second quarter alone, and Williamstown's Andrew Gibson kicked 22 goals in the match, giving him the equal second highest tally in a VFA match [" [http://au.geocities.com/jsmooth_00001/Footyfacts.html] "] .

Despite finishing sixth and last in the 1988 VFA Division Two competition they returned to the top grade when the two division concept was abolished. The Cobras went winless in the 1986, 1989 and 1990 seasons. During 1989 they had won against the Sunshine Crows, but when the Crows resigned from the competition their record was deleted, leaving Camberwell winless.

Two extremely unsuccessful seasons followed, and the club went into recess before the 1991 season, before joining the VAFA as Camberwell Amateurs a year later. The club lasted three seasons at this level before permanently folding.

VFA Premierships

* 1979 - Second Division
* 1981 - Second Division

Honours

* 2 JJ Liston Trophy winners - Frank Stubbs (1950) and K. Ross (1957)
* 1 J. Field Trophy winner - R. Evans (1971)

Notable players

* Jim Bohan
* Albert Collier
* Laurie Nash

Trivia

* As the City of Camberwell was, and still is, a 'dry' suburb where no licensed premises are allowed the Camberwell Sports Ground was one of the few sporting grounds in Australia not legally allowed to serve alcohol.

* In 1964, R O'Neill kicked twelve goals in a losing effort against Prahran" [ [http://au.geocities.com/jsmooth_00001/Footyfacts.html Records ] ] .

* During a 1989 season match Coburg kicked 17.7 in the fourth quarter against the Cobras. This is the second highest recorded last quarter score in an Australian state competition [" [http://au.geocities.com/jsmooth_00001/Footyfacts.html] "] .

References

External links

* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/camberwell.htm Fullpointsfooty]
* [http://www.footypedia.com/00000281.htm Footypedia]