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AJAX Football Club

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For the Dutch association football club, see Ajax Amsterdam.

AJAX Football Club
Names
Full nameAJAX Football Club
Nickname(s)Men's: Jackas
Women's: Jackettes
Club details
Founded30 January 1957; 67 years ago (1957-01-30)
Colours  Red   White   Black
CompetitionVAFA: Premier C
Ground(s)Gary Smorgon Reserve, Albert Park
Uniforms
Home
Other information
Official websiteajaxfootballclub.com.au

The AJAX Football Club (Associated Judaean Athletic Clubs), nicknamed the Jackas, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda.[1]

AJAX was formed by the local local Jewish community in 1957, becoming Australia's first and only fully Jewish club competing in the sport of Australian rules football.[2]

As of 2024, the club's men's team competes in the Premier C division of the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). An affiliated junior team, the AJAX Junior Football Club, fields teams in the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL).[3]

History

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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.[4]

AJAX adopted the red, white and black colours of the St Kilda Football Club, which also donated a set of jumpers for AJAX players.[5] The Christian cross in the St Kilda logo was replaced by a Star of David.[6][7] 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.[8] 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.[4] 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.[9]

AJAX introduced a women's team in 2015, entering Division 5 East in the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL).[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] 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.[13][14]

Antisemitic graffiti was spray-painted on AJAX's clubrooms in July 2021.[15] 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.[16][17]

In 2024, AJAX combined its women's side with Old Camberwell in order for both clubs to continue competing.[18][19] AJAX had won the Division 3 grand final in 2023 and was scheduled to be promoted to Division 2, but the combined side ultimately played in Division 1.[20][21]

References

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  1. ^ "Jordan Cohen kicks a huge 10 goals for Jackas". Australian Jewish News. 29 August 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  2. ^ Hente, Corinna (4 October 2017). "Mark Williams on joining Ajax, his transition to amateur football and his immersion in Jewish culture". Mojo News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  3. ^ "OUR HERITAGE". AJAX Football Club. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Origin of the Club". AJAX Football Club. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. ^ Barry Markoff, The Road to A Grade: A History of the Ajax Football Club, Brownhall Printing: Clayton South, 1980
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ Browne, Ashley (21 August 1987). "CRITIC IS DESTRUCTIVE". Trove. Australian Jewish News. p. 6. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  9. ^ Burstin, David (28 August 1987). "FACTS AND RELATIONS". Trove. Australian Jewish News. p. 37. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  10. ^ "AJAX women wreak havoc on debut". Australian Jewish News. 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Women's Development Division 3 2017". GameDay. VAFA Results Archive. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  12. ^ Shevelove, Marty (7 October 2016). "AFL premiership coach Mark Williams signs with Premier B club AJAX". Herald Sun. Caulfield Glen Eira Leader. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Mark Williams - Head of Development". Melbourne Football Club. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  14. ^ Fetter, Aaron (9 August 2018). "Siren sounds on Williams". Australian Jewish News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  15. ^ Zlatkis, Evan (25 July 2021). "'A cowardly act of pure hatred'". Australian Jewish News. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  16. ^ VAFA [@VAFA_HQ] (26 July 2021). "This must stop" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ "Beaumaris FC receive Medal of Courage Award for stance against racism". Victorian Amateur Football Association. 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  18. ^ "AJAX Women's Jackettes/Old Camberwell v Old Haileybury". AJAX Football Club. 13 April 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Seniors Women". Old Camberwell Football Club. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Power House 2.3-15 def. by 5.12-42 AJAX". GameDay. VAFA Results Archive. 3 September 2023. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  21. ^ "2024 Division 1 Women's Fixture". Victorian Amateur Football Association. 22 March 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
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