Following the 1927 flag, Kew suffered a premiership hangover for the 1928 season. Finishing fifth with two (2) lots of successive three (3) game losses and it was fifth position. But the wheels were back on in 1929 with top position and the Minor Premiership. A three goal win against South Melbourne District in the Second Semi Final was advancement to the Final, however an inexplicable loss to Fairfield in the Final meant the Right of Challenge held by the Minor Premiers was used and the Grand Final was an 8 – 8 draw. The Grand Final Replay was won easily by 32 points to notch a second flag for Captain Coach Jack Garden.
A poor start to 1930 with only two wins after round seven (7) and playing catch up footy Kew was one game short of the final four at the finish under new Captain Coach Ivo Aldridge with playing experience at St Kilda and Captain/Coach duties at Brighton and Blackburn. He was not reappointed the following season.
The selection of former Footscray Vice Captain and VFL Representative, Alby Outen, rejuvenated the club when consecutive flags were won in 1931 and 1932. Keith Marshall was firing and a focal point at Full Forward with 67 and 92 goal totals in those years respectively. The winning of the 1931 flag entitled Kew to become the permanent holders of the La Mascotte Shield being the first club to win three flags in the Sub District League. This shield hangs proudly in the Social Room.
The Melbourne Centenary Flag of 1934 was next on the agenda with a fine exhibition in extremely wet conditions against Sunshine, under new Captain/Coach Don Harris of Richmond and Collingwood fame.
1935 would see another finals berth that was ultimately unsuccessful, a premiership eluding the club by the barest of margins. The VSDL Grand Final was a rough affair and ended in a draw, with each team scoring 76 points. Kew then lost the Grand Final replay the following week.
Finals finishes were achieved in all seasons bar 1937 and 1940, but with no success to show for it. From 1937 the Sub-District League Grand Final had been played as a curtain raiser for a VFL Finals game at the MCG. This represented a major coup for the VSDL, and in 1939 Kew would qualify to play South Melbourne Districts in the big game. Kew headed the Southerners at the last change but was overrun in the last quarter, kicking a miserable four behinds to South’s 6 goals 6 behinds. The final score: 14.15 (99) to 9.13 (67). The game was played as a curtain raiser to the Melbourne vs Collingwood VFL Semi Final. The Kew and South Melbourne Districts teams were listed in the VFL record of the day.
Under the war clouds of World War Two the 1941 season was the first, but certainly not the last, for former Richmond and VFL Representative and champion rover, Ray Martin, as Captain Coach. The team finished the season fast with only one loss in the final six rounds and thus gained third position. A win in the First Semi Final was promising but with enlistments hitting hard and no leave from camp, numbers were short, and the Preliminary Final was lost to eventual premiers West Melbourne. With Kew in recess in 1942 Martin returned to Richmond as 2nd XVIII Captain/Coach, but was to return to Kew in 1953 as nonplaying coach.
Club officials placed the club in recess from 1942-45 and resumed once again in the VFL Sub District League in 1946, but players and committee were dissatisfied with the fiery tactics of most opposition clubs and spectators and re-joined the Victorian Amateur Football Association which was left some forty nine (49) years earlier, after season 1900, when it was called the Metropolitan Football Association. Kew’s time in the VFL Sub District League had ultimately been a resounding success. 5 premierships and 2 runners-up in 18 seasons had doubtless set the club up for it’s next challenge.
