Having joined the VAFA in 1949, it was success straight away in 1950 with a C Grade Premiership. Following this, the rest of the 1950’s and 60’s was a successful time for Kew. Ray Martin, who had successfully Captain/Coached the club in 1941, returned in 1953 as non-playing coach with immediate impact, winning the 1953 B Grade flag and gaining entry to A Grade.
Unfortunately, the club was relegated to B Grade after three seasons. Ray continued coaching and finally built the team for re-entry to A Grade. Ray coached for 13 seasons before father time had caught up and club stalwart Frank Snell took over. During his time, Ray added two further C Grade Premierships in 1962 and 1964. Then, one of the club’s finest moments would come in Frank Snell’s first season in charge in 1966, as just one year after being promoted Kew would win a second B Grade Premiership in a nail-biting 11-point contest over local district rivals Ivanhoe.
The 50’s and 60’s were a boom period for the club, with many champion players winning league and state honours. Alan ‘Mick’ Castle would win the C Grade Best & Fairest in the premiership season of 1950, whilst Noel Stokes, Vincent Crowe and Don Mullin would claim the B Grade honours in 1957, 1966 and 1969, respectively, and Donald ‘Mick’ Thompson and Frank Snell would win competition leading goal kicker awards in 1950 and 1962, respectively. On top of this, Kew fielded 19 VAFA representatives through the 50s and 60s including All Australian Representatives Jack Caselt (1950), Len Brayley (1952/53/54), Raymond Martin (1958/60), Noel Stokes (1958) and Don Mullin (1969).
This time also saw the arrival of perhaps the club’s most distinguished player – John Fisher. John joined Kew FC as a teenager under the tutelage of Noel Stokes, and his talent was clear to see. John was a crucial piece of the 1962, 64 and 66 premierships; captaining 1964 and 66. John represented the VAFA Big V side in 1965/66/67 including as vice-captain in 1966 and captain in 1967 – a year the VAFA would win the carnival – and 1967 would also see John take home the VAFA A Grade Best & Fairest (now named the JN Woodrow Medal). John is still the only men’s player in Kew history to win the A Grade Best & Fairest. Such was his exemplary performance in his 160 games for Kew, John was recruited to Hawthorn in the VFL in 1968, and would spend three seasons playing at the game’s highest level. John would return to Kew as head coach for 1972 – 1976, and would then go on to coach the VAFA representative side in 1980-1982, 1986 and 1988, winning the carnival in 1982/86/88. John would be become a VAFA life member in 1989 and a VAFA Hall of Fame Legend in 2007. Truly a Kew and VAFA icon.
The early 1970’s were strong seasons in B Grade but with nothing to show for it, before the club would be relegated back to C Grade after 1975. During the decade the club would have a number of VAFA representatives, as Don Mullin, Bruce Smith, Barry Mitchell, and club icons Terry Hayes and Wayne Blay, would pull on the Big V guernsey. Following a few years of a coaching merry-go-round, in 1979, Terry Hayes himself, a long serving player and five-time best and fairest on top of being a Big V representative, took the Captain/Coaching reins with immediate effect. The C Grade flag would be won by 38 points over St. Kilda C.B.O.C. (now part of Glen Eira Gryphons) and it was back to B Grade as a force. Unfortunately, little did we know that this would be the last time Kew FC would taste senior premiership success for over three decades.
Similar to the preceding decade, Kew would spend the first half of the 1980’s competitive in B grade, before a relegation to C Grade after 1985. Brett Burden would become Captain/Coach in 1987 with immediate effect, lifting Kew back to B Grade. Unfortunately, however, it would come off the back of a grand final loss to Monash Blues by 25 points. 1988 would prove to be ‘the one that got away’ as Kew took B Grade by storm, finishing on top of the ladder with 17 wins. A shock loss to Parkside in the second-semi final would be atoned for with a preliminary final victory over Therry CC (now Therry Penola). The ultimate glory was not to be, however, as Parkside would beat Kew in the grand final to claim the premiership. An errant 5 goals 18 behinds left Kew ruing a missed opportunity. There were personal successes through the 80’s, though, with B Grade best and fairest’s won by Wayne Blay (1983) and Brett Burden (1988), whilst Joey Busuttil would take the C Grade medal in 1986. There were also a number of Big V representatives. Wayne Blay claimed 3 of his 6 rep honours in the early 80s, and Don Fletcher (1981) and Rocco Zerbi (1984) would each play for the Big V. Brett Burden collected four, including All Australian honours in 1988. Burden, along with Busuttil, Mark McColl and Matt Cavanagh would all represent the VAFA in 1987.
The 1990’s and 2000’s were without a doubt the toughest on-field period in the modern history of Kew FC. Starting in B Grade, a winless season in 1991 would see relegation back to C, before consecutive relegations in 1995 and 1996 would see the club drop to D and then the lowly E East Grade for 1997. The club would steady, playing in Grand Finals in both 1997 (E East) and 1998 (E White), but losing both. The VAFA grading at the time meant only the premiers were promoted and thus Kew stayed in E / D2. Another bottom finish in D2 in 2002 and 9th in D3, 2003 was enough to see the club drop to D4. After competing in A Grade in 1989, Kew had dropped to the bottom of the VAFA grades in 15 years. There were bright spots during this time, though, including Reserves premierships in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2008, Club XVII flags in 1994 and 1997, and an Under 19s success in 2005. In 2007, the club would merge with neighbouring North Kew Football Club, who competed in the Southern Football League.
The VAFA landscape changed through the 1990’s and 2000’s. District clubs like Kew, and other strong, suburban school boys’ clubs, who had regular featured in A, B and C grade through the 1960s, 70s and 80s (and some even later), struggled to stay in the top grades. A number of Old boys’ clubs that were aligned with the elite private schools, that had historically sat in the lower grades, got their act together and usurped clubs like Kew. By the late 2000’s, most district clubs had been pushed out of the top grades of the VAFA. The demographics of football in areas like Kew changed, as a greater emphasis was put on school football, ultimately hurting the junior feeder system. Despite the tough times, there were plenty of great moments on and off the field, and the club was led brilliantly by future life members like Brian Cullen and Nick Tinetti. Despite this, up and down in the cellar grades were no place for the once mighty Kew Football Club.
