Australian Football

North Bendigo

A club known as North Bendigo was competing in the Bendigo Football League as early as the 1880s. It failed to procure any premierships, and whether or not it was a direct precursor of the club now bearing the North Bendigo name is unclear.

The Bulldogs of today commenced in the Heathcote District Football League in 1996 and reached a grand final in their third season only to lose to Colbinabbin by 58 points. This proved to be a false dawn, however, as the Bulldogs did not again play off for the premiership until 2012 when they were trounced by Lockington Bamawn United to the tune of 94 points. Another losing grand final against the same opponents followed in 2014 before the big breakthrough of a first ever premiership arrived in 2015. Opposed in the grand final by Leitchville Gunbower North won a tense, tight, relatively low scoring affair by 10 points, 10.13 (73) to 8.15 (63). The Bulldogs promptly backed this up with another grand final defeat of Leitchville Gunbower in 2016. Scores were North Bendigo 14.18 (102) defeated Leitchville Gunbower 13.4 (82). The 2017 season brought a hat trick of grand final appearances but on this occasion opponents Leithville Gunbower proved to have the Bulldogs' measure as indeed they did in 2018.

Prior to commencing in the Heathcote District Football League North Bendigo spent time in the Golden City Football League, winning a total of four senior grade premierships, and then the Bendigo Football League.

North Bendigo's reserves have contested five grand finals emerging victorious from those of 1998 and 2002. The Bulldogs' 1998 reserves team were premiers and champions.