Australian Football

The merger between the Kyancutta and Warramboo Football Clubs, conceived in 1987, has proved a profitable one, with the club which emerged out of the union having captured a total of eight senior grade premierships.

Both merger partners had been members of the Le Hunte Football League, which was where Central Eyre competed, for one season only, in 1987. Established in 1918, Kyancutta had claimed no fewer than twenty-six senior grade flags including a LHFL record seven in a row between 1974 and 1980. By contrast Warramboo, formed more than a decade later in 1929, had been comparative under-achievers, winning just two of the seven grand finals in which they took part.

In what proved to be the LHFL’s last ever season Central Eyre made it through to the grand final, only to lose to Wudinna by 42 points. The following year saw the Bulldogs lining up in a new competition, the Mid West Football League, which had been born out of a union between the LHFL and the Streaky Bay Football League. Making amends for 1987, Central Eyre won the inaugural premiership in the new league in conclusive fashion after a 16.16 (112) to 9.5 (59) grand final defeat of Rovers. Further grand final clashes with Rovers followed in 1989 and 1990 but the Bulldogs fell short on both occasions.

Central Eyre has played off in numerous MWFL grand finals, with its eight triumphs including four in succession between 1996 and 1999. The club’s most recent A Grade premiership - and its third in a row - came in 2017 via a 17.14 (116) to 12.3 (75) grand final defeat of West Coast Hawks. The following year brought something of a decline in fortunes as the Bulldogs' campaign was brought to an end at the first semi final stage by Wirrulla.