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Official name
Hurstbridge Football Club
Known as
Hurstbridge
Nickname
Bridgers
Formed
1914
Colours
Navy blue and gold
Associated clubs
Hurstbridge WFC
Affiliation (Current)
Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) 1927, 1937–1938, 1988–2024
Affiliations (Historical)
Heidelberg District Football League (HDFL) 1921; Bourke Evelyn Football League (BEFL) 1914–1920, 1922–1926; Panton Hill Football League (PHFL) 1932–1936, 1939–1987
Senior Premierships
Panton Hill Football League - 1935, 1948, 1952, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1970 (7 total); DVFL Division Two - 2003 (1 total); NFL Division Two - 2016 (1 total); Division Three - 2010 (1 total)
Website
websites.sportstg.com/club_info.cgi?c=1-3913-48193-0-0
Hurstbridge Football Club can boast a long history which includes participation, at various times, in at least five different competitions, dating back at least as far as 1914. Premiership success was first achieved in 1935, in the Panton Hill and District Football League. After world war two the club spent more than four decades competing in the PHFL, winning another six senior grade flags before crossing to the Diamond Valley Football League, precursor of the Northern Football League, in 1987. The Bridges struggled somewhat initially but finally broke their premiership drought in Division Two in 2003 when they accounted for Lalor in the grand final. The following season was something of a nightmare as it produced a winless wooden spoon and with it relegation to Division Two. Hurtsbridge remained in Division Two until 2009 when the Northern Football League, as the DVFL became known in 2007, split into three divisions and the Bridges found themselves in Division Three. Adapting well from the outset they made the inaugural Division Three grand final, only to lose to Parkside by 16 points. In 2010 they atoned in emphatic fashion with a 7.10 (52) to 2.7 (19) grand final victory over the same opposition, [1] as a result of which they were promoted to Division Two for the 2011 season.
Hurstbridge's first few seasons back in Division Two were something of a struggle but the side at least managed to avoid relegation back to Division Three and in 2015 they showed significant improvement, making the finals for an ultimate finishing position of third. The following season saw them crowned premiers after overcoming the setback of a second semi final loss to North Heidelberg to win the grand final re-match by 11 points, 12.11 (83) to 11.6 (72). The reserves meanwhile also qualified for the grand final but kicked themselves out of contention in losing by 2 points to Thomastown, 6.16 (52) to 8.6 (54).
The 2017 season saw Hurstbridge lining up in Division One and acquitting themselves reasonably well. They managed 5 wins from 18 matches to finish eighth of ten clubs, albeit that they only edged out the ninth and tenth placed teams on percentage. A year later they dropped to ninth place after winning just 3 of their 18 home and away matches.
1. There was no promotion from Division Three to Division Two in 2009 meaning that premiers Parkside remained in Division Three the following season.
John Devaney - Full Points Publications