BACKGROUND:
TOORONGA FOOTBALL CLUB The old Tooronga Football Club was established in 1919, in the then Tooronga Park, in parkland beside the existing Tooronga railway station. It was established jointly by the Tooronga Progress Association and a group of local people interested in football. It...s first president was Gil Smith. The Tooronga clubs jumper was white with a red trim, which remained u
ntil 1929, when the colours became a red jumper with a white monogram. This design largely remained until the clubs amalgamation. After formation, Tooronga competed in the league sub Districts, which was then just below current A.F.L. level, and then in the 1930s, in the Eastern Suburban League and Caulfield- Oakleigh League. At the time of its original foundation, the Metropolitan area did not extend far past Burke road, and a trip to the country would be the bush around Glen Waverley. BACKGROUND:
MALVERN AMATEUR FOOTBALL CLUB The Malvern Amateur Football club was established in 1934, as an offshoot of the local YMCA group. Malvern's colours were navy blue, with a white monogram, very similar to today’s' Carlton jumper. Malvern Amateurs had early success, winning premierships in 1935 and 1937. AMALGAMATION 1964: As a result of the cramped conditions at the E J Frost Pavilion, divided loyalties, and lack of success, and after lengthy discussions over several years, the clubs agreed to amalgamate in 1964 to form the Tooronga-Malvern combine football club. For a number of years the club was referred to as the Combine, but more recently just TMFC, or TMs. The first President of the Combine was Eric Comerford, the senior coach was Keith Grey and the reserves coach was Bert Liddell. The present colours were drawn from the red of Tooronga and the navy blue of Malvern, with the white monogram being maintained. A NEW ERA BEGINS :
In 1990 the new ground and rooms were completed and began a new era for the resident TMFC and TDCC. The plaque at the entrance to the Club, in particular recognises those individuals who gave their time so freely to the pavilion project. CONCLUSION:
And so we started the new Millennium. The year 2001 proved to be a golden year for the club. Two premierships, one under Glen Hopkins in the Firsts, and another under Reserves coach Mick Rossborough, the Reserves being undefeated in 2001. Ian McCormack won his third League best and fairest award and Mick Rossborough kicked 127 goals. The win by the senior team, was written up by the local press as an epic victory. Down by 22 points at three quarter time, and with Doveton kicking the first goal in the last quarter, nearly all supporters thought we were gone. Doveton thought they were home. players thought otherwise. A number of players lifted and thanks to our superior fitness and the character of the players, we hit the front with two minutes to go. With T.M. controlling the ball in their own forward line, a crude tackle by Doveton and a fifty metre penalty resulted in a goal right on the final siren and a seven point victory. The win and the jubilation of the players and supporters brought a tear to the eye of some of the older supporters. THE PLAYERS:
The record number of games is 431, held by Wayne Stokes who started in the under 19s, followed by Paul McLean with 350 between 1954 and 1977, Bryan Conquest on 300, winner of a SESFL Reserves best and fairest at age forty, Bert Liddell with 273, Ian Dealy on 235 and Ross Madigan with over 200. Players to have played 150 games since the amalgamation include; Graeme McDonald, Len Bean, John Evans, Gavan Brady, Ian Downs, Noel Graham, Bob Steel, Barry Watt, Geoff Wing Lee, Bob Kerr, Gary Gordon, Kevin Craig, Frank Morden and Ian McCormack. In addition a number of players who played when we had junior sides have reached this milestone including Dave Mooney, Graeme Smith, the Matheson brothers, Jezza, Richie, and Tim, with a combined total of 593 games, Damien Grafen, Tony Deluca and Alan Mooney. Players to have won competition best and fairest awards in the last Forty years include, Ray Bluey Kilner, Frank Clarke, Ian Boswell, Ian Downs (including a record four club awards) Gary Gordon 1971 and 1977, and Wayne Stokes, who in 1972, won the VAFA goal kicking and best and fairest awards. Some believe the best player to ever play at the club was Andy Stewart, who won the club B & F in 1980, 1981 and 1986. In more recent years SFL best and fairest winners have included, Dale Reeves, (former Australian kick boxing champion) in 1988, Steve Dunlop (twice), Scott Miller, and Glen Mayne and Ian McCormack(three times), in the reserves. In 1971 Wayne Bevan then seventeen, won the competition goal kicking with 110 goals, and in 1978 Brian Neal kicked 147 goals, to set a club and SESFL record. Not many would know that the club provided many league players over the years:
Eric Comerford and Eric Ward to St Kilda in the late 1940s, Ivor McIver who became captain of Essendon. Geoff Cartledge, Mal Williams and Les Pabst all played for Hawthorn, as did Jack Blackman who later won a Liston Trophy in the V.F.A. Les Pabst also coached T.Ms for a short time, but unfortunately most of the training was done at the Malvern Vale hotel, the then local. In the 1950s Stan Morcom played for Richmond and went on to win an all-Australian blazer. Others to make League football included include Joe Riley (Richmond), Max Hill (Collingwood), Len Jack (South Melbourne), Wayne Bevan (Hawthorn), and Barri Trotter (Richmond). In recent years former League players have included John Vickery (Collingwood), Angelo Pretraglia (Footscray), Brad Nimmo (Essendon), Jamie Cooper and Brad Gotch ( both Fitzroy). Jamie Cooper, of course, has recently become well known for his paintings of a number AFL clubs teams of the century, and murals at various locations around Melbourne featuring equine and football history. The history of the club both old and new spans many years, and it is impossible to mention all the personalities that have made up this history. Many from the past are no longer with us, and many have been forgotten due to the passing of the years. But to everyone who has contributed to our great club, whether as players, committee, members or supporters, we say thank you, and look forward to your continued support, in what we hope can be a great era for the Tooronga Malvern Football Club
