Blyth Snowtown

Originally known as the Roosters, and boasting colours of red and white, the club was brought into existence in 1989 by means of a merger between Blyth and Snowtown. Both merger partners had been rivals at various times and in various competitions dating back to before the first world war. Both clubs had also enjoyed considerable amounts of success, with Blyth claiming sixteen flags from thirty-two grand finals, and Snowtown fourteen from twenty-two. On one noteworthy occasion in 1951 the two clubs engaged in two drawn Broughton Football Association grand finals before Snowtown emerged triumphant by 7 points in the second replay.

As a merged club Blyth Snowtown, which changed its nickname to the Cats and its colours to navy blue and white, has found success harder to come by than either of its progenitors. After contesting successive losing grand finals in 1990 and 1991 the club’s seniors did not again play off for the premiership until 2004, only to lose once again. The Cats’ first senior flag finally arrived in 2006 thanks to a 21.11 (137) to 13.9 (87) grand final defeat of South Clare. In the following year’s grand final Mintaro Manoora afforded somewhat sterner opposition but the Cats nevertheless prevailed in the end by 21 points, 12.9 (81) to 8.12 (60). There was to be no premiership hat-trick, however, as although the side comfortably qualified for the 2008 finals in second place it was unable to get past either Mintaro Manoora in the second semi final or RSMU Hawks in the preliminary final.