Australian Football

Inglewood

Having already been in existence for some three decades Inglewood was a founder member in 1903 of the Loddon Valley Football League, in which it enjoyed premiership success in its very first season. However, after just five years in the LVFL the club departed to help establish a new competition, the Korong District Central Football Association. Once again it was successful at the first time of asking after downing Korong Vale in the grand final by 22 points, 5.5 (35) to 2.1 (13). By the time of the first world war Inglewood had contested another three grand finals, overcoming Bridgewater in both 1910 and 1912, but losing to Wedderburn in 1911.

Between 1915 and 1918 the KDCFA was in recess because of the war, but Inglewood was quick to re-impose itself when the competition resumed. During the 1920s the club contested five grand finals for victories in 1923 (a walk-over against Bridgewater), 1924, also against Bridgewater, and 1927 at the expense of Korong Vale. The side then began the 1930s in exemplary style when it claimed the 1930 flag with a 12.11 (83) to 11.9 (75) grand final defeat of Woosang.

The 1938 season saw Inglewood resuming its membership of the LVFL, where it continues to compete to this day. It won its second premiership in this competition in 1946, overcoming Bear’s Lagoon Serpentine in the grand final by 32 points, 8.9 (57) to 2.7 (19). The 1950s proved to be the most memorable and successful decade in the club’s history to date as it won a total of five senior grade premierships. By contrast the 1960s produced just a single grand final appearance in 1965, which ended in defeat at the hands of Bear’s Lagoon Serpentine.

Inglewood’s tally of nine senior grade LVFL flags was completed with triumphs in 1971 and 1986 meaning that the club is currently experiencing its longest ever premiership drought.

Recent performances have been comparatively undistinguished, highlighted by five successive wooden spoons between 2011 and 2015. The 2016 season brought a measure of improvement as the Blues managed 5 victories from 16 starts to clamber up to seventh place on the nine team premiership ladder. However, things reverted to the norm in 2017 as the side slumped to yet another wooden spoon, a fate to which they also succumbed a year later.