Australian Football

Stratford initially competed in the North Gippsland Football League between 1974 and 1988. The senior grade side failed to obtain a premiership but the reserves and thirds claimed one apiece. Between 1989 and 2003 the Swans were members of the Riviera Football League with the seniors capturing flags in 1990, 2002 and 2003. After the RivFL folded at the end of the 2003 season Stratford recommenced in the NGFL where performances were generally unspectacular. The 2012 season brought a move to the East Gippsland Football League where the team quickly bedded down, narrowly missing the finals on debut, finishing third in 2013, and reaching the grand final in 2014. In a nail-biting tussle with Wy Yung the Swans held firm to win by 3 points, 12.11 (83) to 12.8 (80). There followed something of a dip in fortunes, and indeed in 2016 the Swans plummeted to last place. There was a measure of improvement a year later as they played finals football, ultimately finishing fourth. Then, in 2018 they returned to the winners' enclosure by accounting for Lakes Entrance on grand final day with scores of 8.10 (58) to 7.6 (48). Lakes Entrance actually started the match the better and went on to lead both at quarter time and the main break, but the Swans had the better (4 goals to 1) of a hotly contested second half.