The Caulfield-Oakleigh District Football League (CODFL) was an Australian rules football competition based in Melbourne's southern suburbs that ran for 30 years between 1932 and 1962. Originally established as a junior competition, open-age grades were introduced for the 1936 season.
History The Caulfield-Oakleigh District Football League has roots stretching back to the late 1910s in the form of the Oakleigh District Junior Football Association. This competition was later renamed the Caulfield-Oakleigh-Dandenong Junior Football Association, but lapsed during the late 1920s. The Caulfield Oakleigh Junior Football Association began in 1932 and was renamed to Caulfield-Oakleigh District Football League in 1935. The early years of the competition were heavily supported by the Oakleigh Football Club, which was keen to establish a strong feeder competition in its area. The competition began with six clubs and the first premiership was won by the Caulfield Juniors.
The CODFL introduced its first open-age competition in 1936, with a second coming two years later in 1938. Despite playing through the beginning of the second World War, the senior competition was forced into recess in 1942 as enlistments took many players away, although junior competition would continue throughout the war. The senior competition returned in 1946.
The CODFL had become a fairly stable competition in the years following the war, however it faced increasing competition from the higher-standard Federal Football League for its best clubs by the 1950s. McKinnon won 4 premierships in a row between 1949 and 1952 before departing for the Federal FL at the end of the 1953 season, when the Victorian Football Union upheld McKinnon's appeal against the CODFL's refusal to grant them clearance. In response to this, the CODFL broke away from the VFU, with secretary W. J. Wilde claiming that the VFU had "lost its usefulness".
After Springvale and Bentleigh, two of the league's strongest clubs, both departed for the Federal FL after the 1957 season, a four-tier system was introduced in a bid to prevent any other clubs from leaving the CODFL. This system featured two senior grades (A and B) and two junior grades (U17 and U15) would run. A year later, a third open age grade, Reserve Open, was introduced underneath A grade, which did not require its clubs to field a reserve side. These changes failed to prevent clubs leaving, however. Glen Huntly and East Malvern entered the Federal FL in 1960 and 1961 respectively, while Glen Waverley received an invitation to join the Victorian Football Association in early 1961, which they duly accepted. The Eastern Suburban Football League, which had also been beset by club losses to the Federal League, entered into merger discussions with the CODFL in 1961, culminating in the formation of the South East Suburban Football League after the 1962 by way of a merger of the two leagues.
Clubs
Final
A Grade ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CODFLCODFL Open Age PremiershipsFateTotalMost recentAshburtonDragonsAshburton Reserve, AshburtonESFL1940s1961-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonClayton YCWSaintsDixon Street Reserve, Clayton–19561956-196211959Moved to YCWFA after 1962 seasonChadstonePercy Treyvaud Memorial Park, Malvern East–19591959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonDingleyDingoesSouter Oval, Dingley Village–19581959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonEast BrightonVampires Brighton East–19481948-196211962Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonGlen Iris DistrictT.H. King Oval, Glen Iris–19591959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonMount WaverleyMounts, Blues Mount WaverleyVFDFL19241938-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonMurrumbeenaLionsMurrumbeena Park, MurrumbeenaVSDFL19181934-19620 -Merged with Murrumbeena Amateurs and formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonNoble Park-Harrisfield (1955–58)(1959–60)(1961–62)BullsPat Wright Senior Oval, Noble ParkESFL1918, 1955–196231962Merged with Harrisfield after 1958 season. Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonOakleigh DistrictDistricts Oakleigh–19501950-196231958Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 season *won in a lower grade
Reserve Open ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CODFLCODFL Open Age PremiershipsFateTotalMost recentBurnleyBurnley Oval, BurnleyESFL1920s19620 -Reserves team of ESFL club. Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonCarnegieTigersKoornang Park, CarnegieVAFAc.1920s1938-196221948Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonCaulfield Amateurs Caulfield Park, Caulfield North–19461946-196211962Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonGlen Iris DistrictT.H. King Oval, Glen Iris–19591959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonHawthorn AmateursVictoria Road Reserve, Hawthorn EastESFL195419620 -Reserves team of ESFL club. Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonHighett West Youth ClubPeterson Street Reserve, Highett–1950s19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonR.A.A.F CadetsHighfield Park, Camberwell–19611961-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonSouth MurrumbeenaPacker Park, Carnegie–19581959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 season
B Grade ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalMost recentAshburtonDragonsAshburton Reserve, AshburtonESFL1940s1961-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonCarnegieTigersKoornang Park, CarnegieVAFAc.1920s1938-196221948Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonDingleyDingoesSouter Oval, Dingley Village–19581959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonEast BrightonVampires Brighton East–19481948-196211962*Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonGlen Iris DistrictT.H. King Oval, Glen Iris–19591959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonHighett West Youth ClubPeterson Street Reserve, Highett–1950s19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonMount WaverleyMounts, Blues Mount WaverleyVFDFL19241938-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonMurrumbeenaLionsMurrumbeena Park, MurrumbeenaVSDFL19181934-19620 -Merged with Murrumbeena Amateurs and formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonNoble Park-Harrisfield (1955–58)(1959–60)(1961–62)BullsPat Wright Senior Oval, Noble ParkESFL1918, 1955–196231962Merged with Harrisfield after 1958 season. Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonOakleigh DistrictDistricts Oakleigh–19501950-196231958Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonSandownEdinburgh Reserve, Springvale–196119620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonSouth MurrumbeenaPacker Park, Carnegie–19581959-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 season
C Grade only ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalMost recentEast Sandringham(1948–50)(1951)(1952–62)ZebrasRG Chisholm Reserve, Sandringham–19481948-19620 -Formed South East Suburban FL after 1962 seasonMackie19620 -?
Former ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalMost recent37th-52nd BattalionCaulfield Park, Caulfield NorthCODJFA0 -Folded after 1933 seasonBennettswoodSwansBennettswood Reserve, Burwood–195919590 -Reserves team of ESFL club.Bentleigh DistrictDemonsBentleigh Reserve, BentleighVAFA19191938-195621947Moved to Federal FL following 1956 seasonBlack RockJetsDonald MacDonald Reserve, Beaumaris19081941-19420 -Fielded U18s team for two seasonsCarnegie Church of Christ19390 -Fielded U18s team for one seasonCarnegie District–0 -Folded after 1942 seasonCarnegie Rovers–0 -?Carnegie Sons of Soldiers–0 -Folded after 1941 seasonCaulfield CityPrinces Park, Caulfield SouthESFL19241946-19590 -Merged with Camden and South Caulfield CYMS to form South Caulfield after 1957 seasonCaulfield JuniorsFieldsmenCaulfield Park East, Caulfield NorthCODJFA0 -Juniors onlyCaulfield ParkCaulfield Park,Caulfield North0 -Juniors onlyCheltenhamRosellasCheltenham Recreation Reserve, Cheltenham189519410 -Fielded U18 team for one seasonDandenong JuniorsDandenong Showgrounds, Dandenong1933-19340 -Merged with Dandenong Amateurs to form Dandenong United after 1934 seasonDandenong UnitedDandenong Showgrounds, Dandenong–19351935-1940, 1946–195011940Merged with Dandenong (DDFA) to form a new Dandenong in the DDFA after 1950 seasonDovetonDovesRobinson Reserve, Doveton–19591959-19610 -Reserves side of South West Gippsland FL club. Joined seniors in SWGFL following 1961 seasonEast MalvernDemonsWaverley Oval, Malvern EastESFL19341946-196131960Moved to Federal FL following 1961 seasonEast Malvern United1941-19450 -Folded after 1945 seasonEast Malvern CongregationalDark with light sash1939-19400 -Fielded U18 team for two seasonsEast Oakleigh White with dark sash (1932)Police Paddocks, OakleighCODJFA0 -Merged with South Oakleigh to form Oakleigh District (1) after 1937 seasonGardiner MethodistsKooyong Reserve, KooyongCODJFA19320 -Moved to Eastern Suburban Protestant Churches FA after 1932 seasonGlen HuntlyHuntersGlen Huntly Park, Caulfield EastESFL1900s1953-195911955Moved to Federal FL following 1959 seasonGlen IrisGladiatorsEric Raven Reserve, Glen Iris1932c.1940s-?0 -Juniors only, unsure of exact dates in CODFLGlen WaverleyCentral Reserve, Glen WaverleyVFDFL19081938-196011954Moved to VFA following 1960 seasonHarrisfieldParkfield Reserve, Noble ParkESFL195419590 -Merged with Noble Park to form Noble Park-Harrisfield after 1959 seasonHeathertonWhite with light stripesTonnersHeatherton Recreation Reserve, HeathertonBFA19131938-19410 -Moved to Federal FL following WWIIHughesdaleMurrumbeena Park, Murrumbeena0 -Juniors only, unsure of exact dates in CODFLHuntingdaleVAFA1959-196131961?Malvern JuniorsD.W. Lucas Oval, Malvern East–19321934-19400 -B-grade side of VAFA club, did not return after WWIIMcKinnonMaccasMcKinnon Reserve, McKinnon–19361936-1941, 1946–195371952Moved to Federal FL following 1953 seasonMoorabbin CitySir William Fry Reserve, Highett–19351935-19400 -Merged with Moorabbin and Moorabbin Park to form Moorabbin after WWII.North Caulfield1959-19610 -Moved to YCWFL as North Caulfield YCW in 1962Oakleigh Colts0 -Juniors onlyOakleigh Combined19470 -Folded after 1947 seasonOakleigh District (1)Duncan McKinnon Reserve, Murrumbeena–19381938-1939, 19470 -Folded after 1947 seasonOrmond 0 -Did not reform after WWIISandringham Juniors0 -Juniors onlySouth OakleighDuncan McKinnon Reserve, MurrumbeenaCODJFA0 -Merged with South Oakleigh to form Oakleigh District (1) after 1937 seasonSpringvaleDemonsSpringvale Reserve, SpringvaleDDFA1903, 1951–195611956Moved to Federal FL following 1956 seasonToorongaJohnson Oval, Tooronga Park, MalvernESFL19550 -Returned to Eastern Suburban FL after 1955 seasonWattle ParkMcKinnon Reserve, McKinnonCODJFA0 -Folded after 1933 season
Premierships