Australian Football

Doncaster East

Beverley Hills competed in the Victorian Amateur Football Association between 1972 and 1981. The club was not successful in procuring a premiership, but did reach two grand finals, going down to West Brunswick by 98 points in F Section in 1976 and by 4 goals to AMP Society in E Section three years later.

The 1982 season saw Beverley Hills commencing in the Eastern Districts Football League where it has remained ever since. In 1990 the club altered its name to Doncaster East, and three years later absorbed the Wattle Park Football Club. This latter move coincided with a significant upturn in the club’s on field fortunes culminating in a resounding 21.17 (143) to 8.7 (55) triumph over Upper Ferntree Gully in that season’s Division Four grand final.

Over the past decade and a half the Lions have performed consistently well. The seniors claimed their second flag in 2007 when they overcame Boronia by 64 points in the Division Three grand final, and in 2008 they consolidated in Division Two with a 9-9 record and a mid-table finish. Meanwhile the reserves enjoyed back to back Division Three premiership triumphs in 2004 and 2005. Over ensuing seasons the Lions continued to compete in Division Two, qualifying for the finals in 2010 when they finished fourth, 2015 when they lost the grand final to local rivals Doncaster, 2016 when they again came fourth, and 2017 when they reached the grand final only to lose to Knox. Finally, in 2018 they enjoyed the finest campaign in club history when they swept all before them en route to a 15.11 (101) to 6.5 (41) grand final demolition of Lilydale. A year later they topped the ladder of the competition now known as Division One before procuring a second straight flag on the strength of a 14.20 (104) to 9.14 (68) grand final defeat of Croydon.