Australian Football

Dingley

Since commencing in Division Two of the Southern Football League in 2007 the Dingoes have rapidly emerged as a force. They captured a Division Two flag in only their second season, thereby achieving promotion to the SFL's top tier, where they soon began flexing their muscles. They qualified for the finals in 2012, ultimately finishing fifth. Subsequent seasons brought steady improvement: third place in 2013, losing grand finalists in 2014, followed by successive premiership triumphs in 2015 and 2016. The 2015 grand final pitted Dingley against Mordialloc with the Dingoes coasting to victory by 52 points, 13.7 (85) to 4.9 (33). A year later they were even more impressive in accounting for the grand final challenge of Bentleigh by a massive 107 point margin. Scores were Dingley 22.16 (148) to 6.5 (41). The 2017 season ultimately saw them make it three premierships in succession, but not before they had suffered a hiccup. Top of the ladder after the home and away rounds they somehow to contrived to produce their worst performance of the year in the second semi final against Mordialloc, going down by 62 points. It was arguably the biggest test of character faced by the team in three seasons but they responded superbly. In the following week's preliminary final they outclassed Bentleigh 15.15 (105) to 6.7 (43) to set up a grand final re-match with Mordialloc. At quarter time it must have seemed as if history was repeating itself as the Bloods had booted 4.2 to no score. By half time the Dingoes had reduced the deficit to five points and at the last change Mordialloc were still clinging to a single point advantage. During the final term, however, Dingley finally produced the sort of football they had displayed for most of the season and the Bloods were swept away. Final scores were Dingley 10.11 (71) defeated Mordialloc 4.6 (30). Clearly the Dingoes had laid down the gauntlet in no uncertain terms and it seemed equally obvious that the SFL's other Division One teams would have to do a significant amount of work in order to challenge realistically. This they duly did, with the Dingoes' 2018 campaign for a fourth successive flag being conclusively brought to an end at the first semi final stage by Mordialloc.

In 2019 Dingley returned to the winners' rostrum. Top of the ladder ahead of the finals they overcame the setback of a second semi final loss to Cheltenham to turn the tables when the two sides met again a fortnight later in the grand final. The second semi final had seen the Dingoes outclassed, and ultimately going under by 63 points, but the flag decider proved a much more turgid, dour affair, with Dingley narrowly in front for the most part before securing a 7.7 (49) to 5.7 (37) point win.

Prior to their involvement in the SFL the Dingoes spent time in the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League, the South West Gippsland Football League, in which they claimed the 1994 premiership, and the Mornington Peninsula District Football League.