Australian Football

Fairpark

Fairpark’s senior arm commenced in 1978, with the side spending its first three seasons competing in Division Two of the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League. The 1981 season brought a transfer to the Eastern District Football League, the competition in which the club continues to participate. Placed in Division Three, Fairpark gradually gained in strength, reaching the senior grade grand final for the first of three consecutive occasions in 1985. All three of the matches were lost, but the fact that the side’s average losing margin was a mere six points is suggestive of more than a modicum of ill luck. 

A fourth losing Division Three grand final followed in 1991 before Fairpark broke through to claim a first senior grade flag in 1995, in Division Four. The triumph, which was achieved by four points against South Wantirna, brought with it promotion to Division Three, but the club was only able to maintain this status for a single season, and since 1997, when it adopted the new name of the Eastern Lions, it has competed in Division Four, contesting the finals in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 but otherwise generally finishing in the lower half of the premiership ladder. The 2016 season was a case in point as they managed just six wins from 18 matches to end up in eighth place out of ten teams. A year later they again finished eighth after winning five matches and drawing one. This was followed by a modicum of improvement during a 2018 season which produced seven wins from 18 matches resulting in a seventh place finish. Finally, in 2019 the Lions broke through for a second senior grade flag. Underdogs going into their grand final clash with East Burwood they trailed at every change before surging home with four last quarter goals to one, ultimately winning by 15 points, 7.7 (49) to 4.10 (44).