Australian Football

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KEY FACTS

Official name
Blackburn Football Club

Known as
Blackburn

Formed
1903

Colours
Black and red

Emblem
Panthers

Associated clubs
Blackburn WFC (Black)

Affiliation (Current)
Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL) 1962–2024

Affiliations (Historical)
Reporter District Football League (RDFL) 1907–1925; Eastern Suburban Football League (ESFL) 1936–1960; Croydon-Ferntree Gully Football League (CFGFL) 1927–1935, 1961

Senior Premierships
Box Hill Reporter District Football League (BHRDFL) - 1910, 1922 (2 total); Ringwood District Football League (RDFL) - 1930, 1933, 1935 (3 total); Eastern Suburbs Football League (ESFL) B Grade - 1941, 1950, 1952 (3 total); ESFL C Grade - 1959 (1 total); Eastern Football League Division Two - 1977, 1980, 2002 (3 total)

Blackburn

Although a team known as Blackburn appears to have been in existence as early as the 1890s, it was not until 1903, when its inaugural AGM was held, that a club of that name was formally established. The club’s official colours have always been black and red, although the design of the jumper has frequently been altered.

Blackburn claimed its first premiership in 1910, and its second in 1922. Both flags were won in the Box Hill Reporter District Football League. Following its 1922 success the side finished as runner-up in each of the next three seasons, but it was not until 1930, by which time it had transferred to the Ringwood District Football League, that another flag was obtained. The 1930s would prove to be a highly successful decade, with further premierships coming Blackburn’s way in 1933 and 1935. On crossing to the higher standard Eastern Suburbs Football League in 1941 Blackburn enjoyed immediate success by winning that year’s B Grade flag. Further B Grade successes followed after the war in 1950 and 1952, while in 1956 the club procured the ESFL lightning premiership. A C Grade flag was added in 1959.

Following admission to the Eastern Districts Football League in 1962 the Robins, as the club was nicknamed in those days, were quick to assert themselves. However, despite frequently featuring in the end of season action, a senior premiership proved elusive. The side reached its first grand final, in Division One, in 1968, but lost to East Burwood. It followed this up with another Division One grand final appearance in 1969 only to suffer the ultimate heartache of defeat by the narrowest of margins against Vermont. The 1969 season also saw a change of image for the club as the Robins emblem was replaced with that of the Panthers.

Blackburn’s third Division One grand final appearance came in 1975, against Mitcham, but this too was narrowly lost. In 1976 the Robins plummeted to the opposite end of the ladder, and were relegated, only to bounce back at the first time of asking thanks to a 23.14 (152) to 18.9 (117) win over Mulgrave in the 1977 Division Two grand final.

Since 1977 Blackburn has twice more experienced success on that “one day in September”, both times in B Grade. In 1980 the premiership was achieved at the expense of Bayswater, and in 2002 against Knox. The 2002 season was especially memorable in that the reserves also finished as premiers.

In 2007 the Panthers won 9 and drew 1 of their 18 home and away matches to finish in sixth place on the twelve team first division ladder. A year later they showed considerable improvement to qualify for the finals in fourth spot with a 12-6 record. They then scored a 7 point elimination final win over East Ringwood before succumbing by 21 points to Noble Park in the first semi final.

The Panthers have continued to perform solidly in Division One but there have been no further senior grade premierships. In 2016, for example, they won 7 out of 18 matches for the year to end up in mid-table before improving significantly in 2017 to finish a highly creditable third, a result that was repeated in 2018. The 2019 season proved somewhat disappointing as the side dropped to fifth place after losing the elimination final to Park Orchards.

Source

John Devaney - Full Points Publications

 

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.