Australian Football

Greensborough

Greensborough was a foundation member in 1922 of the Diamond Valley Football League, and immediately set out its stall by claiming the competition’s inaugural flag. Ultimately, the club would enjoy more top grade premiership success in the DVFL, which transmuted into the Northern Football League in 2007, than almost any of its rivals. By the time the competition went into recess because of the war in 1941 the side had already procured five flags, a tally only Epping could equal. 

During the 1950s the Burras firmly established themselves as the league’s pre-eminent club, going top on three occasions during the decade. The 1960s proved even better, with two braces of premierships in 1960 and 1961, and then in 1966 and 1967. By contrast, the 1970s developed into a disappointing decade, but normality was restored in the 1980s which yielded another four flags, in 1983, 1984, 1988 and 1989. This quartet of triumphs were all achieved in the DVFL’s Division One competition, the league having split into two divisions in 1981.

Greensborough’s next senior grade premiership was attained in Division Two in 2006. After topping the ladder with a 17-1 record and a whopping percentage of 253.8% the ‘Burras comfortably accounted for MacLeod by 57 points in the second semi final and then repeated the dose two weeks later in the grand final, this time by an even heftier 78 point margin. In what was an exemplary year all round for the club its reserves also went top, going one better than the seniors by not sustaining a single loss.

Since 2007 the ‘Burras have competed in Division One of the Northern Football League, which as previously is the name the DVFL adopted that year. In 2014 they won their eighteenth senior grade flag thanks to a 13.14 (92) to 6.15 (51) grand final defeat of pre-match favourites Heidelberg. All but one of their senior grade premierships successes have been at Division One level or equivalent, a record which only Heidelberg among current NFL clubs have bettered. The Burras again contested the Division One grand final in 2015 but went down by 21 points to Macleod. In 2016 they lost the preliminary final to Heidelberg while in 2017 their season was brought to an end at the first semi final stage by Bundoora. This was followed in 2018 by an eight goal elimination final loss to Bundoora. A year later the Burras enjoyed a fine campaign, topping the ladder after the home and away rounds, before battling their way through to a grand final clash with West Preston-Lakeside. This, however, was lost by a couple of straight kicks.