Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

KEY FACTS

Official name
Meeniyan-Dumbalk United Football Club

Known as
Meeniyan Dumbalk United

Nickname
MDU

Formed
1964, through the merger of the Meeniyan and Dumbalk Football Clubs

Colours
Navy blue and red

Emblem
Demons

Associated clubs
Dumbalk; Meeniyan

Affiliation (Current)
Mid Gippsland Football Netball League (MGFNL) 2021–2023

Affiliations (Historical)
South Gippsland Football League (SGFL) 1964–1968; Alberton Football Netball League (AFNL) 1969–2020

Senior Premierships
Alberton Football League (AlbFL) - 1975-6, 1981, 1988, 1990 (5 total)

Website
www.mdufc.vcfl.com.au

Meeniyan Dumbalk United

The Demons were established in 1964, and competed initially in the South Gippsland Football League. In 1969 they crossed to the Alberton Football League where they endured a torrid debut season to finish last. After that, however, improvement was steady. In 1972 they qualified for their first senior grade grand final, but lost to Yarram. Another losing grand final followed a year later, this time by the narrowest of margins at the hands of Toora. Finally, in 1975 it was a case of third time lucky as the Demons brushed aside the grand final challenge of Woodside, winning by 75 points, 17.19 (121) to 5.16 (46). A year later they went back to back after seeing off Yarram in the decisive match of the year.

Between 1977 and 1984 Meeniyan Dumbalk United was a consistent force, contesting the finals almost every season, and the grand final three times. However, only once, in 1981 against Foster, was the team able to "bring home the bacon".

After enduring a mediocre time in the mid-1980s the Demons re-emerged as a force in 1988 when they downed Fish Creek in the grand final to claim their fourth senior grade flag. The fifth followed two seasons later when they battled their way through to the grand final from the first semi and overcame warm pre-match favourites Foster with surprising ease by 25 points, 14.19 (103) to 11.12 (78).

The Demons reached another grand final in 1998, but it proved to be a day to forget as they went down to Devon Welshpool Won Wron Woodside by the humiliating margin of 87 points.

In recent seasons, the Demons have tended to struggle somewhat, although they did manage to contest the finals in both and 2011 and 2015, bowing out of the flag race at the first hurdle in both years. By contrast, in both 2017 and 2018 the Demons lost all matches contested (a total of 34) to end up, inevitably, with consecutive wooden spoons.

Source

John Devaney - Full Points Publications


 

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.