Australian Football

Formed in 1923, Bridgenorth Football Club competed initially in the West Tamar Football Association. Between 1923 and 1940 the club was a regular finalist, but its only premiership came in 1929 when it defeated Rosevears in the grand final by 20 points, 9.7 (61) to 5.11 (41).

In 1941, the WTFA went into recess because of the war, and did not resume until 1946. Bridgenorth won its second flag in 1949, and went on to be the most successful club in the competition during the ensuing decade, contesting eight out of ten grand finals for five wins. It commenced the 1960s with another premiership, and had added two more before the WTFA was dismantled at the conclusion of the 1969 season.

In 1970 a new competition, the Tamar Football Association, got underway. Formed by the amalgamation of the East and West Tamar competitions, it was dominated at first by the eastern clubs, and the Parrots did not manage to qualify for a grand final until 1982, when they lost to George Town by a point. The following year they made amends, downing the same opponent in the grand final by 34 points, 18.13 (121) to 13.9 (87). A second TFA premiership followed in 1984, after which the Association disbanded.

Bridgenorth’s next senior grade flag was claimed in 1996 in the Northern Amateurs Division One competition. In 1997 this competition was renamed the Northern Tasmanian Football Association, not to be confused with the earlier competition of the same name, which had gone into mothballs in 1987.

The NTFA is a two division competition, with the Parrots currently competing in the top tier, initially known as Division One, but since renamed Premier Division. They claimed their first NTFA premiership in 2010 when they accounted for Scottsdale in the grand final by 64 points, 17.14 (116) to 7.10 (52). They subsequently qualified for grand finals in 2011 and 2013, going down to Rocherlea on both occasions, and 2015 when they lost to South Launceston. The next four seasons brought fifth (2016), seventh (2017) and sixth (2018) place finishes. A excellent 2019 campaign saw the Parrots qualify for the grand final only to lower their colours by 23 points against Hillwood.