AJAX Football Club

History

In 1955, football enthusiast Daryl Cohen proposed the formation of a new club composed of Jewish people. After several months of discussions, the Associated Judaean Athletic Clubs (AJAX) was formally established in January 1957 and admitted into the VAFA the same year.

AJAX adopted the red, white and black colours of the St Kilda Football Club, which also donated a set of jumpers for AJAX players. The Christian cross in the St Kilda logo was replaced by a Star of David. The club won its first premiership in E Section in 1966.

In 1975, AJAX made the E Section grand final against Elsternwick. However, the date of the grand final clashed with Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year) and, after the VAFA refused to change the date of the game, AJAX forfeited the grand final. The VAFA ultimately reversed their decision and moved the grand final to 13 September 1975, with AJAX going on to win the E Section premiership. Following this, the VAFA agreed to move any games that fell on a Jewish High Holiday to a more suitable date at the club's request.

AJAX introduced a women's team in 2015, entering Division 5 East in the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL). When the VWFL was disbanded, the club moved to the VAFA Women's (VAFAW) and fielded a team in the competition's inaugural season in 2017.

Former Australian Football League (AFL) player and coach Mark Williams joined AJAX in 2016 to serve as its senior men's coach, starting in 2017. He served as coach for a total of two seasons, departing at the end of 2018 after the club finished second-last in Premier B and was consequently relegated to Premier C.

Antisemitic graffiti was spray-painted on AJAX's clubrooms in July 2021. The incident was condemned by the VAFA as an "abhorrent and unlawful racial attack", and the Beaumaris Football Club would later be awarded with a Medal of Courage from the Anti-Defamation Commission for its stance against antisemitism and racism.

In 2024, AJAX combined its women's side with Old Camberwell in order for both clubs to continue competing. The combined side originally played in Division 1 but it was moved to Division 2 after round 4, following three heavy losses.

References

References

1. "Division 2 Women's 2024 Statistics". PlayHQ.
2. "2024 Best & Fairest Award Winners". AJAX Football Club.
3. (29 August 2024). "Jordan Cohen kicks a huge 10 goals for Jackas". Australian Jewish News.
4. (4 October 2017). "Mark Williams on joining Ajax, his transition to amateur football and his immersion in Jewish culture". Mojo News.
5. "OUR HERITAGE". AJAX Football Club.
6. "Origin of the Club". AJAX Football Club.
7. Barry Markoff, ''The Road to A Grade: A History of the Ajax Football Club'', Brownhall Printing: Clayton South, 1980
8. Bob Stewart, Rob Hess and Chris Dixon, ''Australian Rules Football'', in Richard Cashman, Philip Mosely, John O’Hara and Hilary Weatherburn (eds), Sporting Immigrants, Walla Walla Press
9. ''For the Love of the Game: The Centenary History of the Victorian Amateur Football Association, 1892-1992'' by Joseph Johnson – Hyland House Publishing: South Yarra, 1992
10. (21 August 1987). "CRITIC IS DESTRUCTIVE". Australian Jewish News.
11. (28 August 1987). "FACTS AND RELATIONS". Australian Jewish News.
12. (23 April 2015). "AJAX women wreak havoc on debut". Australian Jewish News.
13. "Women's Development Division 3 2017". VAFA Results Archive.
14. (7 October 2016). "AFL premiership coach Mark Williams signs with Premier B club AJAX". Caulfield Glen Eira Leader.
15. "Mark Williams - Head of Development". Melbourne Football Club.
16. (9 August 2018). "Siren sounds on Williams". Australian Jewish News.
17. (25 July 2021). "'A cowardly act of pure hatred'". Australian Jewish News.
18. VAFA. (2021-07-26). "This must stop.".
19. (26 August 2021). "Beaumaris FC receive Medal of Courage Award for stance against racism". Victorian Amateur Football Association.
20. (13 April 2024). "AJAX Women's Jackettes/Old Camberwell v Old Haileybury". AJAX Football Club.
21. "Seniors Women". Old Camberwell Football Club.
22. "Old Camberwell Senior Womens 2024". PlayHQ.
23. (16 October 2024). "2024 Division 2 Women's Team of the Year". Victorian Amateur Football Association.