When Manningham United Blues meet Caroline Springs George Cross on Sunday afternoon in the final of the Steph Catley Plate, few will recall a team that took the pitch almost 65 years ago, but for one club, the legacy is a powerful one.
Hark back to 1961 in Victorian soccer and the game is on the cusp of change. The Victorian Amateur Soccer Football Association is on the verge of collapse as a new wave of clubs agitate for change and greater control of the game. Led by powerhouse clubs Juventus, JUST, Wilhelmina, Polonia and the newly formed South Melbourne Hellas, the game was enjoying healthy crowds as the newly formed State League entertained the masses at Olympic Park, the pseudo home of the game.
One such club that was in the thick of it was George Cross. Formed in 1947 by the Maltese community, George Cross had progressively climbed its way through the divisions, finally establishing itself at the end of the decade. They were runners-up in the top-flight State League for three successive seasons and won the coveted Dockerty Cup for the first time in 1959 with a replay victory over Hakoah.
But the photo below suggested that the growth of the club wasn’t merely confined to the Men that had established it some dozen years earlier. Little is known of the players in this photograph, though it is suggested that the wives and girlfriends of the George Cross players venturing out to Olympic Park every other weekend wanted a piece of the action, and so they formed their own team.
While there are instances of ‘Ladies’ teams prior to 1961, this is one of the first clubs backed by a migrant community to have opened its doors to Women. What became of George Cross circa 1961 is as much a mystery as the photograph itself, but it’s likely that this team had very few opponents to play and simply ceased to exist. It would be a little over a decade later before Women’s clubs would form in significant numbers, however George Cross would not be among them.
Which makes the strength of today’s combatants even more remarkable. Occupying second place in the North-West region of the Women’s State League First Division, Caroline Springs George Cross have been one of the form teams in the competition. Their Nike FC Cup for was impressive, with strong wins against Sandringham, Altona East Phoenix and Knox City followed by a dream match-up against one of today’s finalists in Heidelberg United. A 4-0 loss at home may have been an inglorious exit from the competition, but several NPL teams have suffered greater pain against the runaway Bergers this season. An extra-time win against the more fancied FC Clifton Hill in the play-off sets up a chance at silverware.
Manningham United Blues have exhibited strong league form, currently in third place and just shy of the promotion spots in the South-East First Division, but their Cup run witnessed wins over Barton United, Monash Uni, Noble Park United and FC Clifton Hill, before they too were dealt a blow at the hands of the Bergers in the quarter-finals. As the best placed State League team in the last eight, they booked their place automatically in the Steph Catley Plate Final and will be keen to post a win to ensure season 2025 brings joy in a season which may not bring promotion.
2025 Steph Catley Plate
Manningham United Blues vs Caroline Springs George Cross
Venue: The Home of The Matildas
Date/Time: Saturday, August 10, 1:00pm
Selected Squads
Manningham United Blues: 1 Karina Diaz, 2 Deana Ramsey, 3 Alana Fenton, 4 Kat King, 5 Abbey Collins, 7 Hayley Dixon, 8 Romy Heasley (c), 10 Chloe Randazzo, 11 Jess Tong, 12 Yiannia Malapanis, 13 Stephanie Doufas, 14 Elly Pantazopoulos, 15 Holly Eckert, 18 Evie Garoufalis, 22 Nagiko Chiba, 24 Tamika Jose, 25 Paige Ihaka. Head Coach: Paul McCarthy.
Caroline Springs George Cross: 1 Emma Tournas, 2 Monique Hrehoresin, 3 Chaziel Day, 8 Olivia Barale (c), 9 Jaclyn Hartzema, 11 Hannah Fox, 12 Katrina Tsalikidis, 14 Cindy Lay, 17 Daniella Rudas Rodriguez, 18 Manaho Ogawa, 20 Paige Daly, 21 Lydia Schifferegger, 22 Minami Yamasaki, 23 Zoe Stama, 24 Tayla Gonzalez, 31 Analise Petersen, 33 Carla Pelligra. Head Coach: Davide Gualtieri.