Australian Football

Macleod

Since the turn of the century Macleod’s seniors have been consistently strong performers, initially in Division Two of the Diamond Valley Football League, and more recently in Division Two and then Division One of the Northern Football League, which replaced the DVFL in 2007. The Kangaroos obtained promotion to Division One by claiming the Division Two premiership courtesy of a comfortable grand final win over Whittlesea. At the end of the opening term the Kangas had one hand on the premiership trophy as they led 8.12 to 1.0. Thereafter Whittlesea actually outscored Macleod 10 goals to 5, but this still left Macleod victors by 24 points, 13.23 (101) to 11.11 (77).

The first senior flag in Macleod's fifty-plus year history was claimed as long ago as 1971, when the DVFL operated as a single division competition, while the club's most recent senior premiership was obtained quite recently, in 2015. Second at the end of the Division One home and away series the 'Roos rebounded after the setback of a second semi final loss to Greensborough to down Eltham in the preliminary final and then Greensborough in the grand final re-match by 21 points, 13.9 (87) to 10.6 (66).

Underdogs ahead of the 2016 grand final the 'Roos went into the following season's flag decider against Heidelberg as warm favourites following their 10.14 (74) to 10.6 (66) second semi final defeat of the same opponents. However, on grand final day the Tigers turned things around and eased to victory by 16 points, 12.13 (85) to 9.15 (69). 

After topping the ladder ahead of the 2017 finals Macleod made it through to another grand final. Opposed by Bundoora, the 'Roos trailed all day until the eighteen minute mark of the final term when they scored a goal to snatch a 2 point lead which was subsequently extended to 3 points. With seconds remaining Macleod still clung on to that 3 point advantage but Bundoora would have the last laugh, goaling seconds before the final siren to clinch victory by 3 points, 10.16 (76) to 10.13 (73). A year later the Kangaroos again finished as runners-up, losing a hard fought grand final to West Preston Lakeside by a margin of 9 points. Once again the disappointment was intensified by the fact that the side had once again comfortably topped the ladder ahead of the finals and made it straight through to the grand final on the strength of a solid 13 point win over North Heidelberg in the second semi final. For much of the grand final they looked likely winners but by three quarter time the Roosters had established a lead which they never relinquished.