Old Geelong (OldGeelong Grammarians)

Old Geelong Grammarians came into being in early 1954, and within a few months was lining up for its first match in the VAFA’s newly formed E Section. Progress was swift, with the side reaching a grand final in its second season and thereby earning promotion to D Grade, although somewhat disappointingly it failed to annex the flag, losing by 30 points to De La Salle. A year later, however, it was smiles all round as both premiership and promotion were achieved thanks to a resounding 11.16 (82) to 7.1 (43) D Section grand final win over UHSOB.\n\nThe Ogs, as they are popularly known, were now on a roll, and in 1957 they breezed their way through C Grade, clinching their second successive flag and third straight promotion with a 19 point grand final defeat of ES and A Bank. Five years earlier the club had not even existed, and yet here it was within touching distance of A Grade.\n\nIt is now almost half a century later, and A Grade football remains an elusive dream. During the late 1950s and early ‘60s the Ogs’ fortunes declined steadily, and when they next contested the finals in 1965 it was in D Section. After bowing out in the preliminary final that year they re grouped and twelve months later the entire club had ample cause for celebration as both the seniors and the reserves went top. The seniors won their grand final by 30 points thanks in part to some superb kicking for goal. Final scores were Old Geelong 13.5 (83) to Old Carey Grammarians 7.11 (53). The reserves team had only been established in 1963 and this was its first premiership.\n\nThe 1970s and 1980s did not produce any further senior grade flags, and although the side made intermittent finals appearances, it also succumbed to relegation several times. By 1990 the Ogs were back where they started, in E Section, but paradoxically this proved to be a springboard to a much more productive decade. They won the E Grade premiership that year on the strength of a highly impressive 19.15 (129) to 10.7 (67) grand final demolition of AJAX and within two years they were back in C Section, albeit through the ‘back door’ after losing the D Grade grand final to St Bede’s Mentone Tigers.\n\nOld Geelong’s most recent senior flag was won as recently as 2005, in D2 Section, courtesy of a 9.17 (71) to 6.14 (50) grand final triumph over Rupertswood. The side lost just one match for the season, but the reserves did even better, winning their premiership unbeaten.\n\nIn 2006, coached by Michael Lockman, the Ogs got as far as the D1 Section preliminary final, where they had the misfortune to come up against a Rupertswood side that managed to find its best form when it mattered. Having come so close to promotion, though, they would have been extremely confident of taking that vital extra step in 2007 under the guidance of Lockman’s replacement as senior coach, Adrian Farrer, a former player with the club. However, they found the going tougher than expected, and their eventual tally of 10 wins from 18 matches was only good enough for sixth place on the ten team ladder.\n\nIn 2008 Old Geelong enjoyed an excellent season that ought really to have culminated in a premiership. As it was, the Ogs somehow managed to squander opportunity after opportunity in losing the grand final to Bulleen Templestowe by a couple of straight kicks. Final scores were Bulleen Templestowe 21.9 (135) defeated Old Geelong 17.21 (123). The 2009 season brought consolidation in C Section with the side managing 5 wins from its 18 matches to finish in eighth place, one and a half wins clear of relegated Bulleen Templestowe.