A DIFFERENT BREED History of Port Melbourne Club
1945-1995
Terry Keenan
(2008) FREE POST to ANYWHERE IN AUSTRALIA with TRACKING via AUSTRALIA
POST $33
A DIFFERENT BREED History of Port Melbourne
Club 1945-1995 is a sports
history book written by Terry Keenan and published in 2008 by Eucalyptus Press.
The book serves as the final installment in a definitive trilogy detailing the
trajectory of the Port Melbourne Football Club (PMFC), affectionately
nicknamed "The Borough".
The Trilogy Overview
Keenan’s exhaustive structural breakdown of the club's timeline covers
three distinct eras:
- Kicking into the Wind (1874–1917)
- Unduly Rough Play (1918–1944)
- A Different Breed (1945–1995)
Key Content & Historical Themes
- Era of Dominance: Volume 3 tracks the post-World War II landscape where Port
Melbourne thrived on a highly competitive pipeline of locally produced
footballers. This era enabled PMFC to solidify its standing as the most
successful club in the history of the Victorian Football Association
(VFA).
- On and Off-Field Reputation: The narrative balances the club's celebrated premiership successes
with its distinct brand of notoriety, offering an unvarnished,
year-by-year account of the club's tribal culture and tribulations.
- The Demise of the VFA: The book's primary timeline concludes in 1995, a pivotal year that
marked the collapse of the traditional VFA structure and the birth of the
modern Victorian Football League (VFL) under the control of the
Australian Football League (AFL).
The
Epilogue (1996–2005/2007): The book
features a forward-looking epilogue that chronicles the modern struggles of "The
Borough". It explores the loss of local institutional support (such as
the amalgamation of the Port Melbourne Council), shrinking crowds driven by the
national dominance of the AFL, and the club’s often turbulent AFL reserve
alliances with the Sydney Swans and North Melbourne Kangaroos
Key
Milestones & History (1996–2026)
- Transition from VFA to VFL: In 1996, the VFA rebranded and restructured into the modern VFL,
cementing Port Melbourne's status as a flagship historic club.
- Financial Resilience & Rebuilding: After facing severe financial hurdles (including a notable
financial deficit in 2016), the club famously regrouped with community
support and a zero-cost Round 1 initiative.
- VFL/VFA Premierships: The Borough added to its storied trophy cabinet—historically the
most decorated in the competition—claiming senior VFL flags in 2011
and 2017 (under coach Gary Ayres).
- Expansion into VFLW: In 2021, Port Melbourne introduced its women's team into the VFL
Women's (VFLW) competition, rapidly rising to win their inaugural VFLW
premiership in 2023.
- 150th Anniversary: The club celebrated its historic 150th anniversary in
recent years, honouring legends like Bob Skilton, Ron Barassi, and Fred
Cook, while curating extensive historical records through the Port
Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society.
PUBLISHER: Eucalyptus Press, London. Cardcover 220mm x 163mm. 724 pages. Black and white photographs. ISBN: 0975160826. Weight: 730g.