Leopold Football Club

The Leopold Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in junior competitions in Melbourne from the late 1890s until 1924. The club was affiliated with Victorian Football League senior club South Melbourne.^[1][2]

Despite its name, the club was not based in the Geelong suburb of Leopold. The name possibly came from Leopold Street in South Yarra.

History

Leopold first appeared in historical records in 1898, competing in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association. The club won its first MJFA premiership in 1900, going back-to-back with another victory in 1901.^[1] At some point around 1904, Leopold had a relationship with the Melbourne Football Club.^[3]

The club won two premierships in a row again in 1910 and 1911.^[1] Around 1912, it began to be affiliated with the South Melbourne Football Club, which competed in the Victorian Football League. As South Melbourne was a seniors side, Leopold operated as its juniors team.^[4]

A fifth premiership was won in 1915, before the impacts of World War I in Australia affected football competitions.

The VFL introduced a reserves competition in 1919, known as the Victorian Junior Football League (VJFL), and Leopold contested as South Melbourne's affiliate until the end of the 1924 season.

In 1925, the competition was renamed as the VFL seconds, and the South Melbourne Second Eighteen (later known as the South Melbourne reserves) replaced Leopold in the competition.^[5][6]

Seasons

Notable players

• Bill Hennington (formerly South Melbourne)
• Angus McDonald (formerly St Kilda)

References