As stated in Part 4 the early years of re-joining the VJFA were meagre for wins, but the club was determined to make a go of it with the aim of eventually joining the coveted ranks of the VFA, which competition was second only in status to the VFL.
The first year of VJFA football (1920) is best forgotten despite the efforts of Captain/Coach Fred Keays (ex-Fitzroy) who tried to lift the standard of the locals and import a few senior players to show the way. Two forfeits was not a good look for the aspiring Kew in this senior competition. However, bright spots were the selection of Hugh Smith and Jones for VJFA representative team with promising teenager (16 yo) Trevor Rowlands holding his own. Trevor would go on to represent University Blacks and Collingwood and also captain cricket for his adoptive state of Western Australia, where he transferred for work reasons as a Classics Master at The Hale School. A sad note was the retirement of Eric Watson who had represented Fitzroy as a seventeen (17) year old ten years earlier.
The following three seasons were also formative with only a handful of wins each season, but confidence was growing amongst the players and club as the number of wins per season kept on growing with fifth position gained in 1924 in the First Division. However, whilst an improvement in form made Kew a worthy opponent, the final four eluded the club.
Successful times were now within reach and the committee were planning to achieve the aim of finals and a premiership.
Kew flirted with the prospect of becoming a full VFA senior member when Brunswick was temporarily excluded from the competition after sixteen rounds of 1926. Although VFA officials were “greatly impressed” with the club’s home ground and surroundings, its application was ultimately unsuccessful and Brunswick remained in the VFA for the 1927 season. During this period the VFA passed a resolution that the VJFA would become a competition only for teams that were the Juniors (2nd XVIII) of a senior VFA team. As Kew was a standalone ‘junior’ club, it was on the move again, and entered the VFL sponsored competition named Victorian Football League Sub District Football League. Competing clubs would be a second 2nd XVIII of a VFL club in its nominated area fielding players that were potential VFL recruits.
The first step was in appointing recently retired Essendon champion Jack Garden as Captain Coach with local veteran and cousin Bill Reilly as Vice-Captain. Eddie Dimmick formerly of Northcote via Melbourne 2nds, Johnny Egan, Frank Maple and Frank Magrath returned from Hawthorn and improvement from youngsters who earlier had played VJFA lifted the standard and Kew was on the move.
The Sub District First Division fielded an unwieldly thirteen (13) clubs, but this did not deter Kew as after the Round 10 bye the club did not lose its position in the four. Finishing equal 4th on 13 wins with Public Service and Auburn, and with East Brunswick a game clear as Minor Premiers.
In an upset Kew defeated the Minor Premiers and advanced to meet and defeat local rivals, Auburn the next week. The Grand Final was played at Oakleigh versus East Brunswick. In teeming rain with East leading at quarter time, Kew steadied in the second and gained the lead which they never lost, winning by a comfortable 21 points. It was Kew’s third flag, some 41 years since the second in 1886.
