Australian Football

In 1979, Buninyong was among the founder members of the Central Highlands Football League, but despite a rash of success in the junior grades the club had to wait a long time before making its mark at senior level. The seniors first contested the finals in 1987, and did so again two years later, but on both occasions they were quickly bundled out of contention.

The 1990s proved a dismal disappointment, but since the turn of the century Buninyong has consistently featured in the September action. In 2001 the seniors reached the grand final for the first time, but lost to Springbank. The following year they topped the ladder going into the finals, but were then unceremoniously swept aside to the tune of 100 points by Beaufort in the second semi. An unconvincing 11 point defeat of Newlyn in the preliminary final earned a re-match with the Crows, but in the opinion of most observers Buninyong was in the grand final only to make up the numbers.

How wrong they were! In a complete and inexplicable form reversal, Buninyong coasted to victory by 49 points, 15.14 (104) to Beaufort 7.13 (55). With the reserves regularly contesting the finals, and the junior grades in a healthy state, Buninyong was now an undisputed competition heavyweight, a status the seniors have since enhanced with regular finals appearances, including losing grand finals in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018. There have been frustrations too, however, including a highly promising 2019 campaign which was ultimately ruined by a "straight sets" exit from the finals.