Australian Football

La Trobe University

La Trobe University was established in 1967, and its football club was formed the same year as a founding member of what came to be known as the La Trobe University Sports and Recreation Association.

Between 1967 and 1969 the La Trobe University Football Club was a member of the Panton Hill Football League. In its first season, the University fielded just one senior team, but in 1968 it divided into two, University Blacks and University Reds. In 1969 University Blacks won the PHFL premiership, beating Mernda in the grand final.

The 1970 season saw La Trobe University admitted to the VAFA in E Section. Competing as a unified team once more, it enjoyed a good year, and reached the preliminary final.

In 1971 the VAFA reintroduced F Section, which had been mothballed six years previously. At this point, La Trobe University split into the same two teams as in 1968-9, with the Blacks competing in E Section, and the Reds in F. The Blacks performed well to achieve promotion to D Section after reaching the E Grade grand final, although in a closely fought, low scoring affair, St Pat’s Old Collegians won the premiership by the narrowest of margins.

Following their elevation, the Blacks continued to perform creditably for a time, finishing fourth in both 1972 and 1973. After that their form declined, however, and by 1976 they were back in E Section. The Reds meanwhile had enjoyed one promising year in 1973, when they ran fourth, but other than that had failed to impress.

Captain-coached by club ‘games played’ record holder Tony Sheehan, the Blacks broke through for their first VAFA premiership in 1976 when they downed St. Kevin’s Old Boys in the E Section grand final by 46 points, 12.8 (80) to 4.10 (34). Relegation followed immediately, however, and with the Reds continuing to perform disappointingly the decision was taken to streamline operations by once again fielding just one University senior team.

La Trobe University’s first VAFA flag as a unified team came in 1988 in F Section. It was convincingly won thanks to an 18.10 (118) to 7.9 (51) grand final demolition of Doveton St. John’s Old Collegians.The following year saw the club achieve back to back premierships for the only time to date when St. Bede’s Old Collegians were beaten by 23 points in the E Section grand final. Both the 1988 and 1989 flag-winning sides were coached by Peter O’Donohue.

The club’s next senior premiership came in 1999 in the short-lived E East Section. Fitzroy Reds provided the opposition in the grand final which La Trobe University won by 32 points, 14.11 (95) to 9.9 (63). Maintaining its record of at least one premiership per decade the seniors went top in 2009 in Division Four and 2010 in Division Three. In addition to their half a dozen senior grade VAFA flags the club's reserves have been premiers five times and their Club XVIII side enjoyed premiership success in 2014.

Recent seasons have seen LTUFC competing in the VAFA's Division Three competition, finishing tenth (of eleven) in 2015, third (of eleven)  in 2016, sixth (of ten) in 2017 and tenth and last in 2018.