Australian Football

Blackwood

Until recently Blackwood was in the unique position of fielding teams in both Central and Country Divisions of the Hills Football League. This arrangement came to an end in 2008, and the Woods now only compete in Division One, as Central Division is now known.

Originally known as Coromandel Valley, the club took on the name of Blackwood in 1912. Its record since commencing in the Hills Football League in 1987 has been solid. The Central Division side claimed a premiership in only its second season when it overcame Uraidla in the grand final by 29 points, 15.10 (100) to 10.11 (71). A second Central Division flag followed three years later when the Woods were convincing 21.20 (146) to 9.8 (62) grand final victors over Hahndorf. 

Blackwood's third top tier premiership was obtained at the conclusion of a 2017 season which had seen them finish in second place on the Division One ladder ahead of the finals. They then accounted for Uraidla Districts in the qualifying final by 33 points, 15.13 (103) to 10.10 (70) only to come up short by 33 points against Hahndorf in the following week's second semi final. The preliminary final saw the Woods recover well to overcome Uraidla Districts once more, this time by a margin of 20 points, setting up a grand final re-match with minor premiers Hahndorf. It proved to be a torrid, tightly contested affair in which Blackwood always just seemed to have the answers, and they ultimately prevailed by a mere 4 points, 8.6 (54) to 6.14 (50). A year later they dropped to third place after losing their preliminary final clash with Uraidla Districts by 23 points. This was followed by a fifth place finish in 2019 and a losing preliminary final against Hahndorf in 2020.

Blackwood’s B Grade side reached its sole Country Division grand final in 1989, but lost to Nairne Bremer by 34 points.