Midland Junction Football Club
Encyclopedia
Midland Junction Football Club, nicknamed the Railways, was an Australian rules football
club that competed in the West Australian Football League
(WAFL). The club played in the WAFL, the premier football league in Western Australia, from 1905 to 1910 and again from 1914 to 1917. They team wore black and gold hooped jumpers for the majority of the seasons they played in the WAFL. Charles "Wagga" Gast was Midland Junction's games record holder, playing 105 matches for the club. Based in the Perth
suburb of Midland
, the team drew the majority of their players from workers at the Midland Junction railway station and workshops
. The club was one of the most unsuccessful in the WAFL's history, winning only 24.8% of the matches they contested.
in 1906), the WAFL expanded to an eight team competition. In their first season in the WAFL, Midland Junction finished in the bottom two and won only two matches for the entire season. After several poor seasons, Midland Junction were demoted from the WAFL at the conclusion of the 1910 season and they subsequently rejoined the First Rate Junior Association (renamed in 1907 to the West Australian Football Association). In their first season back in the WAFA, Midland Junction won the premiership, defeating Cottesloe in the Grand Final. After two more seasons in the WAFA, Midland Junction returned to the WAFL in 1914. Midland Junction's second stint in the WAFL began much more successfully than the first. In 1915, the club won more matches than it lost for the first time and in 1916 they scored a resounding 78-point victory over West Perth
. That victory, however, was to be the high point of Midland Junction's history. Midway through the 1916 season, the club was "decimated" as many of the team's players signed up to fight in World War I
. This started a decline for Midland Junction which resulted in them losing every match in the 1917 season. After such a disappointing season and with many of their players still fighting overseas, Midland Junction elected to disband at the season's end. The club never reformed.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club that competed in the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
(WAFL). The club played in the WAFL, the premier football league in Western Australia, from 1905 to 1910 and again from 1914 to 1917. They team wore black and gold hooped jumpers for the majority of the seasons they played in the WAFL. Charles "Wagga" Gast was Midland Junction's games record holder, playing 105 matches for the club. Based in the Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
suburb of Midland
Midland, Western Australia
Midland is a suburb in the Perth, Western Australia metropolitan area, as well as the regional centre for the City of Swan local government area that covers the Swan Valley and parts of the Darling Scarp to the east. It is situated at the intersection of Great Eastern Highway and Great Northern...
, the team drew the majority of their players from workers at the Midland Junction railway station and workshops
Midland Railway Workshops
The Midland Railway Workshops in Midland, Western Australia were the main workshops for the Western Australian Government Railways for over 80 years.-History:...
. The club was one of the most unsuccessful in the WAFL's history, winning only 24.8% of the matches they contested.
History
Originally from the First Rate Junior Association, Midland Junction joined the WAFL in 1905. With the admission of Midland Junction (and East PerthEast Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
in 1906), the WAFL expanded to an eight team competition. In their first season in the WAFL, Midland Junction finished in the bottom two and won only two matches for the entire season. After several poor seasons, Midland Junction were demoted from the WAFL at the conclusion of the 1910 season and they subsequently rejoined the First Rate Junior Association (renamed in 1907 to the West Australian Football Association). In their first season back in the WAFA, Midland Junction won the premiership, defeating Cottesloe in the Grand Final. After two more seasons in the WAFA, Midland Junction returned to the WAFL in 1914. Midland Junction's second stint in the WAFL began much more successfully than the first. In 1915, the club won more matches than it lost for the first time and in 1916 they scored a resounding 78-point victory over West Perth
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
. That victory, however, was to be the high point of Midland Junction's history. Midway through the 1916 season, the club was "decimated" as many of the team's players signed up to fight in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. This started a decline for Midland Junction which resulted in them losing every match in the 1917 season. After such a disappointing season and with many of their players still fighting overseas, Midland Junction elected to disband at the season's end. The club never reformed.