Australian Football

Caulfield

When Brighton lost occupancy of its home ground at Elsternwick Park prior to the 1962 season it relocated to Caulfield and entered into a merger with local team, South Caulfield. This new organisation bore the name Brighton-Caulfield until 1965 when, under pressure from the local council, it dispensed with ‘Brighton’ and became simply Caulfield. At the same time, the maroon and gold playing uniforms that Brighton had worn since 1946 were replaced by the blue and white hoops worn by a previous Caulfield- based team, Caulfield City, and the Penguins emblem gave way to that of the Bears.

Caulfield struggled throughout the 1960s, never finishing higher than sixth (of ten) in second division. Affairs finally took a turn for the better in 1971 when the club appointed former Richmond player Tony Jewell as coach and also signed two of Jewell’s erstwhile Tiger team mates in Paddy Guinane and Neville Crowe. The Bears topped the second division ladder that year with a 15-3 record but came unstuck in both the second semi final and preliminary final, against eventual premier Sunshine and Brunswick respectively. The next season brought slight improvement with qualification for the grand final, but despite leading by 12 points at the last change, unbeaten Geelong West proved too strong in the finish.

The only flag success in Caulfield’s brief history was achieved in second division in 1973 thanks to an 18.20 (128) to 14.22 (106) grand final defeat of Brunswick. With only time-on to be played, scores were deadlocked, but the last few minutes saw the Bears assume complete control. Ruckman Mick Hocking, defenders Neil Glazner and Rick Feldmann, centreman Tony Jewell, and 6 goal full forward John Logan were the principal driving forces behind Caulfield’s win.

The Bears proved competitive in first division for the majority of the next decade, but when the VFA recast the divisions in 1982 they found themselves demoted, with the club’s insecure finances being given as the reason. Caulfield almost bounced straight back, qualifying for the 1982 second division grand final against Northcote, but losing by 5 points after failing to take full advantage of its consummate early dominance. This was effectively the last throw of the dice for the Bears who by the mid-eighties found themselves in a parlous financial state. After being compelled to forfeit their last game of the 1987 season against Sunshine the writing was well and truly on the wall and few people would have been surprised when the VFA elected to throw them out.