AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game
Official name
Thomastown Football Club
Known as
Thomastown
Formed
1966 as a junior club; seniors in 1976
Colours
Brown, grey and gold
Emblem
Bears
Associated clubs
Thomastown (Original)
Affiliation (Current)
Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) 2001–2024
Affiliations (Historical)
Panton Hill Football League (PHFL) 1976–1979; Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) 1980–2000
Senior Premierships
Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) - D1 Grade 1989 (1 total); E Grade 1983 (1 total); NFL Division Two - 2008 (1 total); Division Three - 2014 (1 total)
Thomastown’s seniors initially competed, without achieving premiership success, in the Panton Hill Football League. In 1980 the club transferred to the Victorian Amateur Football Association where it remained until 2000. In 1983 it won the E Section premiership undefeated, downing Old Trinity in the grand final by 45 points, 21.12 (138) to 14.9 (93). Six years later it claimed the D1 Section flag with a 21.10 (136) to 9.16 (70) grand final defeat of Old Mentonians.
The 2001 season saw the Bears lining up in Division Two of the Diamond Valley Football League, which in 2007 was replaced by the Northern Football League. Their first NFL flag was obtained in 2008 in Division Two thanks to a 16.10 (106) to 12.15 (87) grand final defeat of Macleod. Promoted to Division One on the strength of this triumph the Bears found themselves somewhat out of their depth and in 2009 succumbed to a winless wooden spoon and, with it, relegation back to Division Two. Three seasons later they were again relegated, this time to the recently formed Division Three. Their fourth and most recent premiership was attained in this Division in 2014 thanks to a 17.16 (118) to 5.9 (39) grand final defeat of Reservoir. Competing in Division Two the past four seasons have brought a hat trick of fifth place finishes followed in 2018 by a first finals appearance for an eventual finishing position of fourth.
John Devaney - Full Points Publications