Southern Flinders

The Tigers have been competitive since their formation, but did not claim their inaugural premiership until 2009. The two merger partners which produced the Southern Flinders Football Club had endured indifferent fortune for many years. Rocky River’s most recent premiership was won in 1974, when the club was known as Gladstone Combine. Laura Wirrabara, formed in 1972 by, as the name suggests, an amalgamation between the Laura and Wirrabara clubs never managed to achieve premiership success, although Laura claimed a total of five flags as a standalone club.\n\nThe 2007 season saw the Tigers comfortably qualify for the finals in third place only to fail to do themselves justice against Broughton Mundoora in the first semi final, which was lost by the disquieting margin of 83 points.\n\nTwelve months later they made it through to the grand final, but after keeping pace with minor premier Crystal Brook for three quarters fell in a last term hole to go down by 44 points. Matt Woolford’s conclusive Mail Medal victory afforded some consolation. Centreman Woolford polled 22 votes, 9 clear of his nearest rivals.\n\nThe eagerly sought breakthrough finally arrived in 2009 when the Tigers captured the premiership in emphatic fashion with a 16.15 (111) to 7.8 (50) grand final defeat of Broughton Mundoora.