The complete history of our club since 1882 (under construction, but being updated regularly).   You can jump to various sections using the links below

1950    1960    1970    1980    1990    2000

1945

Although a ceasefire had been declared in Europe, the war with Japan continued.   The Association decided to resume play and most clubs searched for a combination of pre-war players, servicemen on leave and local juniors to field teams.  Despite the somewhat haphazard recruiting, the 1945 ladder finished up remarkably similar to that of 1941.

Preston resumed in 1945 with a new jumper design, virtually the reverse of the pre-war colours, the central strip changing to white with the sides, sleeves and collar now red.  White shorts became the standard with red socks with a white top.   The club appointed former Carlton star, Frank Anderson, as captain-coach. Anderson played 155 games in 11 years with the Blues, mainly as a defender and earning interstate representation in 1941.   Anderson was a prodigious kick and in competitions against American servicemen during the war, won both punt and drop kick contests with the Australian ball, and the punt with a gridiron ball.

After a promising start to the season, Preston managed to claim second place on the ladder early in August, but the oddity of the draw saw the club with two byes in the last four rounds, and losses to Camberwell and Port Melbourne was the club slip to fifth place by the end off the season.   One highlight was the return for one match of emerging Carlton champion Bert Deacon.   Deacon had played for the Blues several times will on Army leave, and like several Association players who had joined League clubs without a clearance during the recess, he returned to his old club to play just one game to allow an official clearance to be given.    Top

1946

Anderson continued as captain-coach but like leading forward, Jack Connelly missed the first half of the season through injury.   Several other players rejoined after war service, but Preston's form slipped dramatically, the team winning just five of twenty games and finishing second last.   The Sporting Globe suggested  “eleventh position belies Preston’s true ability.  They have built up a fast moving and solid combination after opening the season with a side that perhaps appeared a little long in the tooth”.

A seven-point win over premiers Sandringham at the Beach Oval in round 13 was main highlight in a lacklustre season.     Top

1947

The 1947 season saw something of an overhaul of Preston’s playing list with several of the pre-war players at the end of their careers.   The club appointed ex-Hawthorn player, Jack Blackman, as captain-coach.   Blackman was just 23 years of age and had played 87 games with the Hawks, mostly at centre half back, and in 1944, won their best and fairest and represented Victoria.   Blackman’s father, George, was a regular player with Port Melbourne before World War 1.

The side took several games to settle down, losing the first five matches before becoming competitive in the latter half of the season.   Despite the limited success, supporters certainly got their money’s worth with seven of the next eight games being decided by a goal or less.  The run included Northcote (lost by 2 points), Oakleigh, (won by 3), Sandringham (lost by 6), Prahran (won by 2), Camberwell (won by 2), Coburg (drawn) and Yarraville (lost by 5). 

The year may also be significant in that it was the first time that material has been sighted noting "The Bullants" as the nickname for the club.   The term was used in at least one advertisement in The Preston Leader, but does not appear in Annual Reports until 1949, indicating that it may have been in popular use a couple of seasons before being officially adopted by the club.     Top

A solid recruiting campaign following the 1968 success resulted in what many judges consider to be one of the best V.F.A. teams of all time representing the Preston Football Club in 1969.   In a television interview, one of the recruits, Laurie Hill (to eventually win two Liston Trophies), ex-Collingwood and V.F.L. representative, claimed that in his experience, the Preston team was fitter than most V.F.L. teams and fully capable of beating some of them.

A second loss to Dandenong turned out to be the only defeat for the season.  15 straight victories saw the Bullants finish three games (and some 38%) clear of Dandenong in second place.  The winning sequence was Preston’s best on record, and remained the yardstick until other back-to-back premierships in 1983 and 1984 saw 23 wins in a row.   Despite an 81 thumping in round 14, Dandenong provided spirited opposition, losing by just three points in the second semi-Final and 12 in the Grand Final

The depth of the Preston side was typified when Laurie Hill and Bruce Reid were first and second respectively in the J. J. Liston Trophy.   Despite the unique "quinella", Preston’s Best and Fairest went to Dick Telford, (who scooped the pool by winning all five sponsors awards), with Bob Heard runner-up.   John Hindmarsh won the V.F.A. Seconds Best and Fairest and with his appearance as a reserve in the Grand Final joined John McArthur as the player to play in three Preston premierships.    Top

1970

The loss of a number of experienced players at the end of 1969 was worsened when Denis Dalton and Graham Perry both retired in the first few weeks of the 1970 season.  The losses were offset with the arrival two young fringe players recruited from Fitzroy.  Peter Weightman and Harold Martin were to become legends both as players and coaches at Preston. 

The influx of new players presented Alan Joyce with a tough job in reforming the side and this became evident with the 1969 powerhouse club winning just five of the first 11 games.   A late rush pushed Preston towards the finals in a cliff-hanger last round, five clubs competing for second, third and fourth spots.  Preston did their job by defeating Yarraville, but the others results didn't fall as required and the club just missed fourth place on percentage.

During the latter half of the year, it was announced that Alan Joyce was to be transferred by his employer to Western Australia at the end of the year.   Joyce totalled 92 games with Preston, all as captain-coach, and kicked 208 goals.    Top

1971

Preston went into the 1971 V.F.A. season, with high hopes, but unaware that they would feature in a Grand Final that has gone down in football folklore as one of the most controversial games ever played.   With the departure of Alan Joyce, the club returned to a non-playing coach in ex-Fitzroy star, Kevin Wright.  Wright had been captain-coach of Dandenong from 1962 to 1964, and had also established a reputation coaching Fitzroy Under 19s for several seasons.

Thirteen wins and a draw saw Preston top the ladder, but In a horror start to the final series, Dandenong stunned Preston with 12 goals in the first 23 minutes of the Second Semi-Final to run out easy winners by 74 points. A solid win over Sandringham earned a spot in the Grand Final and 14,000 spectators at Junction Oval were witness to one of the most controversial games in Association history when Dandenong full-forward "Frosty" Miller, a renowned stage for free kicks was awarded a free in the goal square before the siren sounded.   At the final siren, Preston trailed by the goal that miller kicked and Preston immediately fired in a protest claiming that umpire Jackson had no right to pay the free  kick before the game had started and demanding a replay.

At the hearing McMaster first claimed that he had blown his whistle and was amazed that the siren had not sounded when he started towards the goals.  He later changed this to say he was ‘in the act of blowing his whistle’.   Other witnesses contradicted both versions, and evidence verified that McMaster had not consulted Preston captain, Laurie Hill as to whether he was ready to commence the game.   The ATV-0 videotape was crucial to Preston's case, but mysteriously all coverage of the incident was lost.  The chief commentator for Channel 0, Phil Gibbs, was a committeeman at Dandenong.

After a two and a half hour hearing, Preston had clearly established that the siren to commence the game had not been sounded until the umpire was well down the field signalling a free kick to Miller, but despite the overwhelming logic of their case, the hearing subsequently dismissed Preston’s protest 39-5.    A small consolation came with captain Laurie Hill taking out his second J. J. Liston Trophy.     Top

1972

Preston, as in a number of contemporary years, started the season badly, with a win against Prahran being the only success in the first five rounds.     A significant change came over the season came in round 4 with the switch of Len “Skeeter” Clark, who had returned from Western Australia, from a forward flank to full-forward where he kicked 11 goals on his way to 106 for the season.

After finishing fourth on the ladder, a superb first quarter saw Preston 39 points in front at the first change of the First semi-Final, but Williamstown started to get on top in the second term.  Despite a 20 point half time deficit, ‘Town ran all over a tiring Preston side in the last half to win a high scoring game convincingly by 20 points.

After several discussions between a working group and the Preston City Council, agreement “in principle” was reached for the development of a licensed Social Club at the Preston Oval.    Top

1973

1973 saw the appointment as captain-coach of Ken Greenwood, former Carlton and Footscray player who notched up 128 V.F.L. games with the two clubs.   Greenwood’s year was interrupted by a pre-season knee injury that required a cartilage operation and restricted him to just six games for the season.   Despite the recruitment of a number of players that were to contribute great value to Preston in coming years, 1973 saw the end of a great era and Preston dangerously close to demotion at the end of an extremely even season which saw several clubs in line for relegation at various times.

Preston won its opening game against Sandringham by 105 points, which hardly gave an indication of the battles to come.    Nine consecutive defeats came late in the season, the worst run for over twenty years and after round 16, Preston were in last place, four points behind Coburg and Williamstown.     The following week saw Williamstown win their fight to avoid relegation, and Preston go down by two points in a desperate struggle with eventual Grand Finalists, Oakleigh.

This left a cut-throat last round game at Coburg with Preston holding a marginal percentage advantage over their local rivals, but needing to win to narrowly avoid relegation.  There have been few games between the two bottom Association teams that have attracted such interest, even to the point of a special radio broadcast.  In an attack-at-all-costs classic shoot-out, Preston’s accuracy was the telling factor, finally winning 27.9 to Coburg’s 22.22 and avoiding relegation by just 2.6%

The highlight of the year was 19 year-old Ray Shaw capturing the J. J. Liston Trophy in his first year of senior football after playing several games with the Seconds the previous yea.   Shaw at the time was the youngest winner of the Liston.     Top

1974

Greenwood was re-appointed captain-coach at the end of 1973, but after a pre-season dispute, was replaced by former Essendon player, Bob Syme who played 116 games with the Bombers, and coached their Reserves side for three years.   The loss of dual Liston winner, Laurie Hill, to captain-coach Watsonia, and the transfer to Collingwood of Ray Shaw and Wayne Gordon left a huge hole in Preston’s playing list but .   From what turned out to be perhaps the finest batch of recruits form the under-19 group, three players, Peter Marshall, Craig Stewart and Leigh Carlson who went on to play V.F.L. football, while a fourth, Trevor Durward was to go on and become the first ever ex-V.F.A. Thirds player to win a Liston Trophy

Preston looked to have covered its losses well after winning four of the first five games but losses were regularly interspersed with wins and the team finished sixth at the end of the season.   Both the Seconds and Thirds finished on top of the ladder after the home and away seasons.    The Seconds went on to beat Port Melbourne by 60 points to claim the Premiership, but the Thirds went down by 12 points to Port in their Grand Final.    Top

1975

Prominent official Sid Sault spotted ex-player Dick Telford, who had returned from physical education studies in Western Australia, watching Preston's final practice match a week before the first game of 1975.    Sault asked Telford whether he would like to coach Preston, and Telford, already busy with studies and work as fitness advisor to the Collingwood Football Club, replied that he may be interested in "a couple of years".   What Telford had not realised was that Preston had decided to replace current coach, Bob Syme, and that Sault’s intentions were directed towards training the following Tuesday evening!

Unfortunately the late coaching upheaval impacted Preston’s chances, the team never looking a finals chance after losses in four of the first five rounds.   In what was a disappointing year overall, both the Seconds and Thirds finished well down the ladder, making it the first season in over a decade that a Preston team was not represented in the finals.      Top

1976

Despite a more stable pre-season under Dick Telford, Preston again started the year slowly winning just five of the first ten games, but just when another mid-field ladder position seemed likely, the Bullants won the last eight games to finish in second place.     The question was how long Preston could maintain its run, and under the pressure of finals football, the side lost form as quickly as they had found it.   Two disappointing performances saw Preston crash out of the finals with losses to Port Melbourne (39 points) and Dandenong (62).

Construction of the Social Club commenced in  March and was scheduled for completion in October, but with one of the wettest winters on record, the building works were not completed until December.    Top

1977

Dick Telford resigned his coaching position to further university studies and Graeme Renwick took over the captain-coaching role.   Preston lost a wealth of experienced players when 1976 captain, vice-captain and deputy vice-captains Gary Grainger, Barry Leslie (137 games), and Peter Weightman all retired, as did George Schickert and Bob Ireland.   Predictably, the team struggled throughout the season and at one stage seemed headed for relegation before victories in rounds 16 and 17 secured the position.

In a hectic season with extra matches to celebrate the V.F.A's 100th season, a mid-season Centenary Cup was played, Preston exiting in the second round courtesy of a point to Caulfield in extra time.  Before the season, V.F.L. teams had withdrawn from the National League competition, and Preston were one of four replacement clubs invited from the Association.  Preston won its initial game against a combined N.S.W. side, 15.10 to 11.7, but were eliminated by semi-finalists, East Fremantle in the second round, 18.17 to 7.14.   To finish the festivities, the V.F.A. again organised the Lightning Premiership for non-final contenders.  Caulfield again proved Preston’s undoing, beating the Bullants in the first round on their way to making the final.     Top

1978

Harold Martin returned to Preston as captain-coach after three years in the same role with Sunshine.   Preston recruited well and this helped compensate for the loss of  Craig Stewart and Leigh Carlson (mid-season) to Collingwood, Mark McKeon to Melbourne, and Stephen Clifford to Port Adelaide.

The year produced a number of dramatic and unusual finishes with ten of the games being decided by eight points or less and Preston was in its first final for seven years when it beat leaders and premiership favourites Port Melbourne by four points in the Second Semi at the Junction Oval.   Two weeks later, 30,000 packed the ground for one of the great V.F.A. Grand Finals between Prahran and Preston.    Late in the second quarter, the game erupted when two of the V.F.A.’s legendary strongmen, Sam Kekovich and Harold Martin clashed and went toe to toe for several seconds.  Five players were ultimately reported, but unfortunately it was Prahran that settled down after the fisticuffs ceased and shot to a seven goal lead and eventually run out winners by 22 points.

Preston Seconds provided some consolation by beating Port Melbourne by a point in the Grand Final, but the Thirds could not hold off Sandringham, who had become the dominant force in the under-age competition.   In an unusual double, Trevor Durward tied for the J. J. Liston Trophy and Ray Saltmarsh tied for the V.F.A. Seconds Best and Fairest.     Top

1979

After a season packed with on-field incident in 1978, Preston’s 1979 year was an anti-climax, with an administrative blunder costing the side a place in the finals, ultimately finishing in seventh place.   Amongst the recruits was Greg Marshall from local club Bundoora.   Marshall played in two winning Seconds sides before being promoted, where he played in Preston’s win over Caulfield and the draw with Port Melbourne.   A bombshell dropped mid-season when the V.F.A issued Preston with a “show cause” as to why it should not lose points for fielding Marshall as an unregistered player.

Preston claimed at a specially convened Permit Committee hearing that Marshall’s papers had been lodged correctly several weeks prior to the hearing and that they had been advised some four weeks later that a Form 3a authorising Marshall's transfer from Bundoora was missing.   The Permit Committee voted to strip Preston of all premiership points earned in games that Marshall had played and fined the club $1150.

This ultimately meant that Preston’s nine and a half wins for the year, enough to scrape into fourth place, were cut back to eight wins and seventh place   Despite the loss, Preston’s form over the season suggested that they would have had little impact in the finals if they had made it.     The Seconds fared worse, losing eight points and they dropped from second to seventh after the hearing, but they won the last eight games and the Second Semi before losing the Grand Final.   Preston also competed to the National Escort Cup series, but were eliminated by Central Districts in a match at Cramer Street on Anzac Day.   Top

1980

The 1980 season probably ranks as one of the least interesting in the 125-year history of the club.   Preston won just six games for the year and wound up in seventh place with none of the wins except perhaps for a score of 32.15 in the last round against Prahran of any note.   Likewise the losses were all predictable given Preston’s moderate position on the ladder.  

There were few highlights either on or off the field, but on a sad note, Robert Clarke, who had played fifteen games for Preston after joining from South Morang was tragically killed in a car crash just prior to the last round of the year.    Top

1981

1981 resulted in Preston suffering the most crushing defeat in V.F.A. Grand Final history, but as recompense, the season year established a playing list that Preston was to build on for the glory days ahead.    Despite finishing second at the end of the home-and-away season, things looked ominous when Port Melbourne inflicted two heavy defeats on Preston in the final round and again in the second Semi-Final.   Preston went into the Preliminary as underdogs, but struck a purple patch in the first half and at one point kicked 14 goals straight to lead by 65 points early in the third quarter, before a stunning turnaround, saw the Zebras slam  on 11 goals in 20 minutes, including a freakish eight to full-forward Rex Hunt and hit the front,  just before the final time-on period.    A desperate last-gasp rally by Preston got them across the line by seven points, 27.13 to 26.12.

Preston’s return to form seemed to have continued the following week when it trailed Port by just five points at half-time in the Grand Final.   Little did supporters expect the onslaught to come as Port Melbourne took total control of the game against a tiring and eventually totally dispirited Preston.    Nine goals to two in the third quarter set up Port with an unbeatable lead, but the torture was far from complete as the Boroughs ran wild in the last term adding another 13 goals to complete the most humiliating defeat in Preston’s history.   The final scoreboard for those with the courage left to read it saw Port Melbourne 32.19 to Preston’s 15.8.   Port’s tally remains as the highest score ever kicked against a Preston side and the only time a score of over 200 points has been recorded against the Bullants at the senior level.

The Thirds went through the season undefeated to claim the first of what was to be four consecutive premierships with first year player Neil Jordan playing in all twenty wins to start a freakish sequence of 87 consecutive games without playing in a losing Preston side.    Top

1982

After four years as captain-coach, Harold Martin left to take over the coaching role at Coburg and three other 100-game plus players, Peter Marshall, Ken Marks and Bryan Preece, had also played their last games with the Club.   Former Liston Trophy winner Ray Shaw had resigned as captain of Collingwood following political upheavals at that club at the end of 1981, and shocked the football world when he returned as captain-coach of Preston rather than linking up with another League club.  

Twelve straight victories leading up to the finals were highlighted by a new club record score of 34.23 at Waverley in Round 11 and a resounding 72 point defeat of Port at Preston.   The run had included comfortable victories against the other three finalists, and as a result of this scintillating form, the Bullants went into the finals as warm premiership fancies and they became even hotter favourites with the general public when they ran all over Coburg in the Second Semi-Final.  

But the ghosts of the previous year’s humiliation at the hands Port Melbourne were stirring when Port, after beating Geelong West in the First Semi eliminated Coburg by 20 points in the Preliminary Final to challenge for the flag.    After a nervous opening, Preston were relegated to playing catch-up football for most of the day, and although looking a chance at the last break, lapses in concentration let Port in for four goals against the wind and despite a spirited fight back, the Bullants never seriously threatened with the losing margin of seven points flattering a sub-standard performance on the day.

Geoff "Tex" Austen took out the J. J. Liston Trophy, but to add to Preston's woes at the hands of Port Melbourne, the Seconds lost both the Second Semi and Grand Final to the Boroughs after being unbeaten throughout the home-and-away season, but one bright spot was the Thirds going through the year undefeated and with a percentage hovering just under 400%.    They posted their 4oth consecutive win in the Grand Final against Brunswick.    Top

1983

With losses in two consecutive years and a total of four Grand Final defeats since 1969, Preston were being dubbed "little Collingwood" during the 1983 season and under extreme pressure to perform when it counted in the finals.   The club was to respond in glorious fashion, becoming the first in history to take out the premierships in all three grades.

Sequences of eight and then seven consecutive wins left the Bullants comfortably on top of the ladder, but Port Melbourne, Preston’s nemesis of the two previous years finished third just two points behind Geelong West and sent a shudder through the Bullants confidence when they beat Sandringham by 46 points to lie in waiting in the Preliminary Final.  

In the Second Semi-Final, Preston led Geelong West all day, and whilst never able to break away, won the game comfortably by 19 points.   The win, however, came at a huge cost when captain-coach Ray Shaw was diagnosed with a broken fibula in one leg after the semi-final.   Shaw was destined to coach the Grand Final from the sidelines with David Brine captaining the side on the day.  

To Preston’s undoubted relief, Geelong West ran all over Port and earned the right to again play Preston in the Grand Final.    Preston lead narrowly for most of the day and looked to have got on top with three quick goals in the third quarter, but Geelong West managed to reduce the margin to nine points at the start of the time-on period.    Geelong West attacked incessantly. but missed two relatively simple shots for goal before a desperate last fling was thwarted by a match-saving mark by Graham Bux in the dying seconds and Preston managed to hang on by seven points.   Emotional scenes in the Preston rooms after the siren saw many players in tears as they realised the monkey had at last been lifted from their backs.   For Shaw, it was a bitter-sweet victory, missing the game after playing in seven losing Grand Final sides.

The Seconds were again unbeaten during the home-and-away season and beat Frankston by over nine goals in the Second Semi and faced them again in the Grand Final curtain-raiser to the senior game.   Superior accuracy kept Frankston in the game, and with 45 seconds to go, the stellar year looked all in vain before a behind to the Bullants saw the scores level at the final siren, 14.20 to 16.8.   With the lease on the Junction Oval expired, the V.F.A. did Preston few favours by scheduling the replay at Frankston but the team went on to complete their share of the clean sweep with a comfortable 38 point victory.

The Thirds were left with just one player from the all-conquering 1983 side after the V.F.A. dropped the age limit from under 19 to under 18 in a attempt to even out the competition     The strength of junior football in the district again came to the fore when they again finished on top of the ladder and after a minor hiccup when they lost to Dandenong in the Second Semi, the hat trick came with comfortable wins in both the Preliminary and Grand Finals.    Top

1984

If people were surprised that Preston could take out all three premierships in 1983, they were stunned when the club repeated the dose in even more emphatic fashion in 1984   This effort was even more meritorious given a number of experienced players decided that the 1983 premiership was the peak of their career and opted for retirement or coaching careers at junior levels and remarkably, the back-to-back senior premiership came with just seven of the 18 members of the victorious 1983 side still available

A first round loss, and three moderate wins against lower clubs followed by another loss to Geelong West  gave no hint of the blitzkrieg to follow as the next two weeks saw the Bullants register consecutive 200 point plus scores for the only time in the Club’s history to kick off a winning streak which was to extend to Round 9 in 1985, a total of 23 consecutive victories and a record for clubs remaining after North Melbourne and Footscray joined the V.F.L. in 1925.

Preston went into the finals as probably the hottest favourites in V.F.A. history and moved into the Grand Final with a six-goal win over Geelong West, full-forward Russell kicking ten goals from a dozen kicks.   From the V.F.A.’s viewpoint however, the game was a disaster after the V.F.L. were allowed to stage an elimination final featuring Collingwood at the M.C.G. on the same day and just 4,000 people attended the Junction Oval.

Over-confidence looked Preston's major concern, and in a move designed to fight off any complacency, Shaw asked Footscray legend, Ted Whitten, to take the pre-match address on Grand Final day.   Shaw's worries were confirmed when Frankston kicked the first five goals, but he rallied his troops with an outstanding individual effort and such was the Bullant dominance, Preston had cruised to a two goal lead by quarter time.      Preston slowly built on this lead for the rest of the game without being challenged and ran out easy winners.   In what turned out to be his last game for Preston, Shaw finally featured in a premiership after playing in seven consecutive losing Grand Final sides and missing the 1983 triumph with a broken leg.   He collected the ATV-0 award for best on ground, and Neil Jordan won the Norm Goss Medal.  

The Seconds lost three games throughout the year (their first home and away losses since 1981), and lost the Second Semi Final to Port Melbourne before beating Geelong West to challenge again for the premiership.   In the curtain-raiser to the senior game, they got supporters right into the party mood by beating Port Melbourne comfortably.   The Thirds seemed to have lost their dominance, finishing third at the end of the season but went to win the elimination and qualifying finals. to set up a Grand Final against Port Melbourne, who had beaten Preston comfortably in the last round.    Preston made a mockery of this result by defeating Port by 82 points, 22.18 to 9.14 to record their fourth straight premiership.     Top

1985

Ray Shaw’s contract had expired at the end of 1984, and it was no surprise when he received a big offer to captain-coach Port Melbourne as well as assistant coaching roles at League clubs.   Preston's premierships had come at a price, and with an accumulated loss of $110,000 at the end of 1984, the Club could not match the offer and refused a clearance to another V.F.A. side, and Shaw, keen to continue his playing days, moved to Greensborough, who co-incidentally had won the last two Diamond Valley League titles.    Peter Weightman, who had coached the Thirds, then the Seconds, to premierships in the previous two years, took Shaw’s place. 

The 1984 playing list underwent a major overhaul with a number of the ex-V.F.L. players heading for the country and several younger players attracted to League clubs.  Just four players from the 1984 premiership side were left for the second round match with Port Melbourne, but Preston's prospects again looked bright after they opened the season with eight consecutive wins before a loss to Williamstown ending the club record sequence of 23 straight successes.   The match saw Neil Jordan play in his first losing side at Preston in four and a half years, during which time he ran up a personal record of 86 winning sides plus the drawn Seconds Grand Final of 1983

The loss signalled the end of the boom period for Preston, with a mixture of wins and losses leaving the side third position at the end of the home and away games.   Heavy conditions in the latter part of the season saw a young side lacking physical strength struggling against quality opposition.   Preston lost captain and vice-captain David Brine and Mick Warren before the first semi-final against Williamstown, and then deputy captain, Terry Wight and Best and Fairest winner, Gratz Salvador in the first quarter and although fighting it out to the bitter end, the depleted Bullants fought the game out to the end, but a more accurate Williamstown came out on top by 11 points.     First year player Jamie "Spider" Shaw kicked 106 goals to lead the V.F.A. goal kicking list.   The Seconds again went through the season as undefeated premiers, but the dream run of the Thirds came to end when they were defeated in the Preliminary Final.    Top

1986

Another significant turnover of players saw Preston well down the ladder midway through the year before a late recovery allowed them to play a minor part in the finals.   With League football spreading into Sundays, the boom days of the V.F.A. were well and truly at an end and no “name” recruits were included, the majority being local and Thirds players.    One exception was former player Leigh Carlson, who after a distinguished career at Collingwood and Fitzroy spent 1985 and the first few games of 1986 as a “fly-in” player for Burnie in Tasmania before tiring of the travel and re-joining his original club

The differences between top and bottom clubs were becoming even wider and after just one win from the first four rounds, Preston followed up by a new club record score, winning margin, and individual goal kicking record in a massive 202 point thrashing of Camberwell on May 18.   Jamie Shaw’s 18 goals against Camberwell came on his 20th birthday and smashed his own club record of 13 set earlier in 1986.    The score and winning margin remained records only until the return match against Camberwell on July 20, but Shaw could only manage 13 goals on this occasion.     Preston's "record" scores were put into context later in the year when Williamstown recorded the all-time high VFA score of 55.17.342 against the hapless Camberwell side.

Despite being in the bottom half of the ladder mid-season, Preston won nine of the last ten games to grab a First semi-Final berth.   The Bullants had beaten Williamstown comfortably twice throughout the year, but by finals time, the Seagulls were on a roll and despite Shaw's 10 goal haul, they defeated Preston by 10 points on their way to the 1986 premiership.   Williamstown went on to emulate Preston’s 1983 and 1984 achievement of winning all three premierships, and unfortunately for the Bullants, in doing so beat Preston in both the Seconds and Thirds Grand Finals.   Despite the 'Towns dominance in the final series, Preston's solid home and away season allowed them to share the Club Championship.

Shaw set a new and still standing club record of 145 goals, the fifth highest tally ever recorded in V.F.A. history.    Top

1987

The viability of many Association clubs received a severe setback when ATV-10 decided to discontinue live television coverage after 17 years of broadcasting games.   This, combined with the rapid expansion of Sunday V.F.L. games, saw the death knell of many clubs over the next two or three years.   

As expected, Preston lost the services of Jamie Shaw to Fitzroy, a loss that they were never able to come to terms with during what became the poorest season for nearly a decade.   Preston’s final chances were severely dented early in the year with losses in the first four rounds before opening their account against Coburg.   Wins were fairly evenly interspersed with losses with the one highlight being the defeat of the top side Port Melbourne by 14 points on July 19 after Preston had led by 68 points at three quarter time.

The Seconds, coached by Ray Saltmarsh, provided a bright spot by coming from third-last mid-season to win 12 consecutive games including the Grand Final against Brunswick.   Leo Brunier, a first year recruit from the Goulburn Valley, won the A.A. Todd Medal for the V.F.A. Seconds Best and Fairest.   The Thirds were again runners-up. 

Off the field, after two years of reasonable trading results to bolster a poor financial position, the Club lost its two major sponsors and this combined with depleted attendances and a severe downturn in Bingo revenue resulted in a loss of over $48,000 and accumulated debts of just over $170,000.    In a desperate bid to survive, the Club initiated a public appeal to raise $200,000, but 1987 closed with Preston’s survival in 1988 very much in doubt.     Top

1988

The 1988 season was a nightmare for the V.F.A. with the financial problems experienced by many clubs seeing a decimation of the Second Division competition, with just seven teams lining up at the start of the season.   Early in March, rumours circulated that Preston had debts approaching $250,000 although the 1987 Annual Report established the actual figure at $172,000.   Senior coach Peter Weightman lashed out at rival clubs "for chasing more than half the senior list of players on the premise that Preston will go to the wall before the season starts".    The timing of the rumours was unfortunate to say the least, and although the players largely stuck with the Club, meaningful recruiting was impossible.

The off-field problems did not affect the playing performances and after losing the first game to Brunswick, five straight wins saw Preston, to the surprise of most, and disappointment of some of their many critics, heading the ladder.   In round 5, Preston’s fortunes were bolstered enormously when Jamie Shaw returned from Fitzroy and immediately settled in his old form, kicking 10 goals against Prahran.    Shaw was to figure in a mid-season court battle of Preston were stripped of four premiership points for playing him after he announced his unavailability because of his mother's serious illness for an interstate match.    The Supreme Court subsequently overturned the V.F.A.'s decision.   The court victory was to little avail as Coburg and then Williamstown smashed the Bullants out of contention in the finals.

Shaw’s 105 goals from just 15 games included a remarkable individual effort against Frankston when kicked 15 of Preston’s 21 goals.   The tally was the third time he had topped the century and led the V.F.A. goal kicking.  The Thirds again won their way to the Grand Final, again to suffer the disappointment of finishing runners-up.    Top

1989

The V.F.A. was forced to revert to a single competition, with a number of struggling Second Division clubs forced back to the higher level and as a result, new record scores came at a regular rate, even for many of middle-rlist clubs.   Peter Weightman was re-appointed coach, but resigned just before Christmas to take on a specialist coaching role with Hawthorn's Under-19 team.  Former Collingwood champion and Brownlow Medallist, Len Thompson took on the coaching role.

The 1988 Annual Report suggested Preston had played on emotion during the season, and perhaps a letdown was inevitable.   Heavy losses in the first four round effectively ended any finals prospects, but were followed by a new club record score when the Bullants kicked 49.21 against the hapless Sunshine.   Jamie Shawkicked 19 goalsin the record win, but the score remained official for only a few weeks when Sunshine withdrew and the V.F.A. annulled all games in which they had played.   Not to be outdone, Preston quickly re-established a new record kicking 43.12 against Camberwell, but this time Shaw's haul restricted to just 15 goals.   Apart from these huge wins, it was an ordinary year for the Bullants, with the early losses seeing the team never climb higher than sixth on the ladder. 

The Thirds won 11 games, including a 60.24.384 to 0.4.4 demolition of Camberwell, to finish in fifth position at the end of the home and away games.    They struck form with a vengeance to win their way into the Grand Final against hot favourites, Coburg, and went on to write another chapter in their proud history, becoming the first V.F.A. team to win a premiership from fifth placing by hanging on in a nail-biting Grand Final at Essendon to win by a point.    Top

1990

Preston appointed Neil Jordan as captain and coach, and in a move not seen since the 1920's when Ern Hannah was both player and secretary, Jordan was also appointed General Manager of the Club.   Mixed results in the opening four rounds were followed by ten straight wins. 

This left Preston on top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season, but it was noted by it was noted by critics that Preston, like many times in the past, relied on a fleet of small players, a scenario blamed for many of the fade-outs in finals matches.   The prediction of impending doom proved true as Preston lost form completely and were thrashed by Springvale and Williamstown, the two sides they had beaten comfortably in the last two home and away games.  Jamie Shaw's five goals in the Preliminary Final took his tally to 103 for the season.

1991

The retirement of several experienced players, financial pressures that precluded active recruiting, and the loss of Jamie Shaw with a severe knee injury for the year saw the start of a bleak decade for Preston on the field.

The Victorian State Football League announced preliminary plans for the integration of V.F.A. and A.F.L. Reserves to develop an elite local competition in Victoria.   The plans were to be altered radically over the ensuing years and it was not until 2000 that the new senior competition finally commenced, but the V.F.L. Thirds competition was abandoned in favour of a new "elite" under 18 competition played under the auspices of the newly formed Victorian State Football League.

With Neil Jordan again as captain-coach, an inexperienced Preston were able to apply pressure to most teams, but not able to sustain it for four quarters.  The only highlight for the year was a stirring round four win by 13 points over the eventual premiers, Dandenong, but from that point, wins were scarce and heavy defeats common.   The lack of depth in the playing list saw 1991 as the first season since 1975 that Preston had not been represented in the finals by at least one of the three teams.    Top

1992

Neil Jordan continued with multiple roles, now adding the management of Preston's bingo operations to his roles as player, coach and General Manager.   The V.F.A. were re-admitted to the A.N.F.C. and as a result, the 16 man teams of the last twenty or more years reverted back to 18.

After the poor performance in 1991, the Club re-asserted itself to finish third in the V.F.A. Club Championship.   The senior team improved to finish with eight wins and remained in contention for the finals until round 16, when three consecutive losses saw the team slip down to eighth place.     The highlight of the year actually came in a game in which Preston were comprehensively beaten, but where they managed to kick 17 goals straight before the only point came when rover Mark Sedgwick's kick bounced across the face of the goals in the dying seconds

The Seconds finished third at the end of the home and away series and beat Werribee and Sandringham before going down to Frankston by 39 points in the Grand Final.   The Thirds managed to finish third at the end of the home and away season, but with injuries and three key players on Northern Knights duties, they lost both finals to finish third in what was to be their last finals appearance.    Preston fared well in the V.F.A. Best and Fairest awards, Anthony Cardamone winning the Todd Medal for the Seconds, and Jason Trompf  the A. A. Gillon Medal for the Thirds.    Top

1993

The V.F.A. clubs voted for an independent commission of management and signed an agreement with the Victorian State Football League to oversee the last days of the V.F.A. as a body and to restructure a new competition for 1994.   The V.F.A. issued a statement that it expected all 12 clubs to have a future in the proposed new competition, but did not expand on what that role would be.  The Association President, Tony Hannaberry, perhaps let slip the unofficial position when he publicly suggested prior to the season that Preston and Coburg should merge.

Preston continued to struggle with heavy debts, deteriorating playing conditions and a rapid loss of esteem within the V.F.A. organization.   Many players were lost to Diamond Valley clubs, but recruiting was bolstered by the first of the players graduating from the Northern Knights.   Neil Jordan moved to captain-coach Oakleigh after 12 seasons with the club, and 1971 Grand Final player, David Dickson took over as coach after successfully managing several junior teams.

After a promising start to the year when the first three games resulted in victories, and five wins were posted in the first eight games, a mid-season slump saw five consecutive losses and Preston's finals chances disappear.  The Seconds finished mid-list, but the Thirds, struggling to compete with the Northern Knights, finished second last in perhaps their worst ever result.   Utility Paul King won the Best and Fairest and became the only player to ever win the Preston club's Best and Fairest awards for the Seniors, Seconds and Thirds.    Jamie Shaw, with 81 goals, topped the goal kicking for the fifth time in what was to prove to be his last year at the Club   

1994

Preston re-appointed David Dickson as coach for 1994, but he was forced to resign in January due to a work promotion.   "Dicko" in later years established a formidable reputation as coach of the Victorian Metropolitan TEAL (TAC) Cup team, bringing several championships home to Victoria in recent years.

Again it was to be Peter Weightman who stepped into the breach after a break of five seasons following his period of coaching from 1985 to 1988.   Again rumours started to emerge, possibly fuelled from high places, that Preston and Coburg may be forced to merge.   To make matters worse, both clubs had poor seasons; Preston finishing with just five wins and again no team was to represent the club in the finals.  

The Northern Knights made it back-to-back premierships with a 14 point win over the Geelong Falcons in the Grand Final with eleven players being drafted into A.F.L. ranks.    Top

Death of the Victorian Football Association 

Prahran announced during the 1994 season that it withdrew its senior team to concentrate on the Under-18 competition in an effort to regroup financially.    The original concept of the new-look "V.F.L". was to link the   under 18 V.S.F.L. Competition sides to eight clubs representing zones in metropolitan and country areas.    Although the final structure of the new competition was supposedly not to be decided until after the 1994 season had finished, it was well known that the selected clubs and their respective zones were Williamstown (Western), Port Melbourne (North West), Preston (Northern), Springvale (Eastern), Frankston (Southern), Sandringham (Central), Werribee (Geelong Peninsular) and Box Hill (a new and unnamed zone).

Given that Prahran had already withdrawn, this left Coburg, Oakleigh and the Dandenong Redlegs on the outer, and immense lobbying of these clubs took place to convince them to continue in a new role with under-18 sides only.  Both Oakleigh and Dandenong had unsuccessful amalgamation talks with Springvale and a bitter battle ensued over the plans to include Port Melbourne as the north-western club at the expense of Coburg, who had represented the area since 1925.

Coburg won its battle to survive, but like Prahran, both Oakleigh and the Dandenong Redlegs withdrew from the new competition to concentrate on their districts under-18 teams.  The V.S.F.L. however, was still adamant that the competition would be reduced to eight teams and Preston was under immense pressure to consolidate its shaky position.

The summer months saw the death of the Victorian Football Association, the oldest football body in Australia and arguably in the world.  The V.F.A.'s Board of Management entered into discussions with the Victorian State Football League, and plans gradually evolved for the development of a new competition.  This ironically became the Victorian Football League, the original title of a competition which had broken away from the V.F.A. and which had been a rival, sometimes bitterly so, for over 90 years.    Top

1995

The new "V.F.L." competition commenced with just nine teams leaving two byes during the season, and the old V.F.A. Thirds competition was abandoned in favour of the emerging Under-18 competition, now known as the TAC Cup.

Preston started the season well, before one of the wettest seasons on records saw the team unable to train on the ground, poor attendances and heavy playing conditions.   The sub-standard lighting also restricted training sessions when the ground was available.  Rumours continued to revolve around merger between Preston and Coburg despite denials by both clubs, Coburg identity Phil Cleary being quoted as saying "Coburg is Coburg, Preston is Preston, and that's that".

Again eleven players were drafted from the Northern Knights after they made it a hat-trick of premierships, beating Eastern Ranges 12.20 to 7.21 in the Grand Final.   The Knights were regularly playing matches at Cramer Street and after extensive negotiations following the end of the season, a written proposal to combine the two clubs and field teams in both the TAC Cup and the V.F.L. called the Preston Knights was presented to the V.S.F.L. Board.   Several players showed their support for the concept by signing 1996 season contracts before the V.S.F.L. decision was made and one player spoke the V.S.F.L. Executive Officer, Ken Gannon to put the player's case.   The V.S.F.L. accepted the proposal in December, and the new Preston Knights name was born.     Top

1996

The new Preston Knights team took the field in the Knights' white uniform with navy and black horizontal strips, the first major change in club colours since being forced from the V.F.A. in 1912.   The success of the merger, especially in the acceptance of the name and jumper, and even down to the merging of the Bingo sessions of the two clubs surprised many of Preston's rivals, and many envious eyes from other teams appraised the new entity.    The V.F.L., although it had still not managed to eliminate a metropolitan team, stuck to its policy of attempting to align with the under-18 competition by introducing the first two country teams since 1887 in North Ballarat and Traralgon. 

Almost by definition, the team was young, but this was slowly becoming a trend in the competition as the availability of experienced A.F.L. players had almost totally dried up.   The new Knights side took several weeks to settle down, losing the first eight games before thrashing Traralgon.   From that point, home wins and away losses balanced out until the end of the season, leaving the team with six wins and in ninth place on the ladder.

The highlight for the new Club was the under-18s 25-point victory over the Geelong Falcons at the M.C.G on Grand Final day saw the Preston Knights name emblazoned on the scoreboard as the V.S.F.L. premiers for 1996.    Top

1997

Prior to the 1997 season, the retirement or transfer of several experienced players saw Preston with probably the youngest team list to ever represent the club. Second year player, Phil Plunkett, was elected captain and of 37 players used during the year, 18 were in their first season of senior football.    However, the old adage "the inexperience of youth knows no bounds" proved true and the Preston Knights shocked the football world by winning five of the first seven games and briefly heading the ladder.

From that point, however, the superior physical strength of the more experienced sides saw the young Knights struggle to stay competitive with six consecutive losses before posting a win over the wooden-spooners, Traralgon.    Victories over bottom sides Coburg and Williamstown were the only other wins for the year, and North Ballarat, Werribee and Box Hill all turned first round away losses into comfortable victories over the Knights on their home turf.

The under-18 team's record run of four premierships came to an end, but only after a titanic battle that saw them go down by five points in the preliminary final.

Before the season started, the V.S.F.L. attempted to broker a merger between Werribee (aligned with the Geelong under-18 side) and Williamstown.  A side-effect of the merger would have seen Port Melbourne, still without an under-18 alignment and in conflict with the V.S.F.L. stated policy, linked to the Geelong Falcons.   With opposition from both clubs and prominent State and Federal politicians, the merger failed, but it was clear to all observers that the V.S.F.L. was still intent on removing one Melbourne based team, but no one at Preston quite envisaged the battle for survival to be waged later in the year.    Top

The Battle To Survive

Russell Ford, the president of the Preston Knights Football Club was enjoying a quiet evening at home on Tuesday, October 22, 1998.   Ford was aware of a meeting of the Victorian State Football League executive that night, but there was no forewarning of a telephone call from the V.S.F.L.'s Chief Executive Office, Ken Gannon, abruptly informing him that the Preston Knights license with the League had been withdrawn and that the Club after 95 years was effectively out of the competition.    Gannon went on to add that the meeting was still in progress, but that the reasons for the executive's decision would be faxed the following day.   The fax and justification never arrived; the V.S.F.L. instead relying on vaguely worded press releases to support its case.

Although seemingly insignificant at the time, Preston's cause received an unexpected boost several months earlier when the Kennett State Government replaced the Preston Council with an administrator.  In-fighting had hindered the Council for some years, and a number of ethnic influences not conducive towards Australian Rules football dominated.   Partly as a result of this, the playing surface, lighting and conditions generally at Cramer Street had deteriorated to the point where performances were regularly affected and the V.S.F.L. quite rightly regarded at the Oval as sub-standard.  

Fortunately for Preston the administrator appointed by the State Government, Don Gillies, was born and bred locally and played many games for North Reservoir under-age teams including several in finals at Cramer Street.   In Gillies, the club had an ally in the political arena, albeit local, and he immediately issued a statement expressing astonishment at the alignment of the under-18 team to Port Melbourne, demanding to know reasons for the V.S.F.L.'s decision and promising to support the improvements required at Cramer Street.   At a meeting at the Preston Town Hall on November 7, the V.S.F.L. agreed to delay action on both the alignment of the under-18 side and the withdrawal of the Preston Knights licence.

Gannon at this stage said the Knights would have a chance to put their case, and that the V.S.F.L. would supply both the club and the Council with reasons revealing why the licence had been revoked.   Rumours emerged that the Preston Knights were over $100,000 in debt.   The Club did not deny this, but pointed out that over $70,000 in past debt had been paid off over the previous two years and issued a challenge to the V.S.F.L. to table a statement of the financial position and outstanding debt levels of all clubs.

A hastily organised rally at Cramer Street on Sunday, November 9 saw between 1,000 and 1,500 attend in support of the Club and questions started to be asked in the media about the unlikely alliance between Port Melbourne and the Knights under-18 team.   In front of an appreciative crowd, many players, led by captain Phil Plunkett, signed contracts for 1998 with no financial inducement included.

After another 10 days of parry and thrust, Traralgon dropped a bombshell and withdrew from the V.F.L. to join the new Gippsland LaTrobe Valley Football League.   At this point, the V.S.F.L. stance suddenly softened, their statement in announcing Traralgon's withdrawal saying "it was now up to Preston to prove their financial viability next Wednesday" and that the Club had been "thrown a lifeline".

With the continued support of the Council, Preston pressed its case, and on Friday, November 28, Russell Ford announced to a packed and emotional Social Club that the Preston Knights licence for season 1998 had been issued.   The press noted that the V.S.F.L. and the Chief Executive "could not be contacted for comment".   Top

1998

After the post-season traumas of 1997, the players emerged as a tight knit group and the Preston Knights surprised most of their critics by making the finals for the first time since 1990.   Recruiting was again mostly from the under-18 team and bolstered by the return of players that had been either been drafted or spent time as top-up players in the ailing A.F.L Reserves competition.   Peter Weightman retired with the distinction of being the club's longest serving coach after his second coaching stint, and the role went to Mark Williams, a former Footscray  and Carlton player who later spent several years at Sandringham.

Don Gillies' promises on upgrading the facilities at Cramer Street came to fruition and the long-awaited drainage work commenced early in the year and saw four of the first five games scheduled away from home and the Preston Knights playing their round 5 home game at Coburg.    A solid mid-season left the Knights on the edge of the final five and needing to win against an equally desperate Sandringham at Cramer Street in the second last round.  

After a fierce physical battle, the Knights hung on by four points to seal a place in the finals, but with the almost impossible qualifying final mission of playing North Ballarat on their home ground where they had not been beaten for nearly two seasons.   The Knights battled hard on the unfamiliar ground, but North Ballarat were too strong, running out winners by 28 points.   Top

1999

After the encouraging performances of the previous season, the Preston Knights slumped to one of their worst years on record in 1999.   Draws against Sandringham and Box Hill in the opening four rounds held out some hope, but the solitary win for the year was a surprise 31 point win in round 14 at Port Melbourne.    Some consolation came with Shane Mitchell winning the Todd Medal for Best and Fairest in the V.F.L. Reserves competition.

Given that estimated expenditure to remain viable in the revised competition being planned by Football Victoria was conservatively estimated at around $300,000, the Preston Knights committee at the end of 1999 considered that as directors of an incorporated company that the Club could not continue to trade in its current form.   Aa suggestion was put to members prior to the Annual General Meeting that the Club continue by fielding a Reserves side and supplying Collingwood with up to 10 top-up players per week.

The plan had been rubber-stamped by the V.F.L, but prior to the A.G.M, a new group nominated for most of the senior positions and was elected unopposed.   A new Committee was formed under president Jill Macek and the formal association with the Northern Knights T.A.C. Cup team dropped.   Market research in the late 1990s indicated that the Club's player and supporter base had moved well out of the traditional boundaries of the now defunct City of Preston, and the name of the Northern Bullants Football Club was adopted to reflect the broader spread of support in the northern suburbs and a return to the traditional Bullant emblem and red and white colours.     Top

2000

As well as the sweeping changes at Cramer Street, the new millennium saw the most significant change to the competition structure since the loss of eight clubs to the V.F.L. in 1897.   There had been plans in place for some years to combine A.F.L. Reserves and the existing V.F.L. teams to develop a senior competition to rival the local leagues in South and Western Australia.   The initial plan was to move each A.F.L. Reserves side to a V.F.L. club (which probably would have meant Collingwood players moving to Preston), but opposition from some A.F.L. clubs, concerned at losing control of their Reserve players saw a conglomerate of existing A.F.L. sides, combinations of V.F.L and A.F.L. clubs, and stand alone V.F.L. teams.    The mixture got even more confusing when the Western Bulldogs opted to split players between Williamstown and Werribee.

Rather than seek affiliation, the Northern Bullants decided to stand independently of alignment with an A.F.L. team in the belief that the youth of the northern suburbs would be far better served and have substantially better chances of playing football at a senior level without having to compete with up to 20 full-time players on an A.F.L. list.

Two V.F.L. administrative decisions hit the Northern Bullants hard - firstly to force home games where A.F.L. players were involved to Victoria Park, and then to schedule three Bullant home games on Monday night at Waverley Park, meaning minimal gate takings, and no canteen or bar revenue.   The former decision was made on the basis of the visitors change rooms at Cramer Street being too small after some 70 years of use.   Other clubs with smaller rooms were not affected, the V.F.L.'s doubtful reasoning being that these clubs had plans for expansion in place whereas the Bullants did not.

The opening game saw a hard-fought six point win over the 1998 and 1999 premiers, Springvale.   Any celebrations were cut short with thumping losses against Coburg by 105 points and Sandringham (131 points) in rounds two and three, the first time since 1910 that a Preston side had lost consecutive games by over 100 points.   Serious doubts started to emerge over the ability of stand-alone clubs to compete with affiliated teams fielding anything up to 15 full-time footballers and just four wins for the season left the new-look Bullants languishing towards the bottom of the ladder.     Top

2001

Football Victoria prior to the season identified Cramer Street as one of eight key centres around Melbourne for the development of junior football and after several proposals were considered, Football Victoria and the Darebin Council agreed to jointly fund the construction of new training rooms and an administration area.  The new complex was still twelve months away, however, and the existing change rooms under the stand were combined into enlarged visitors and umpires rooms.  This left the Northern Bullants in unsatisfactory temporary accommodation located behind the scoreboard, but least home games against A.F.L. affiliated teams returned to Cramer Street prior to the new home rooms being built.

The season proved to be a case of "so near but so far".   The Northern Bullants posted six wins from the 20 matches played, with eight of the 14 losses by 20 points or less, many of which were lost late in the game when the greater fitness and strength of the full-time A.F.L. players took its toll on the best endeavours of their part-time Bullant opponents.   A small piece of history was made when the Northern Bullants featured in A.F.L. curtain-raisers for the first time with games against Carlton at Princes Park and Geelong at Geelong.   Top

2002

The V.F.L. competition structure remained identical to that in place for 2001, but from the start of the season, it became apparent that the gap between the teams with an A.F.L. component, either affiliated or Reserves, and the stand-alone clubs had grown to an alarming level.   The Northern Bullants provided one bright spot by winning four games in succession midway through the year, but the Bendigo Diggers remained winless for the second season in succession and Frankston, now unable to field a Reserves side, did not open their account until round 11.   By the end of the season, the four Victorian stand alone clubs were firmly entrenched in the last four positions on the ladder and a huge question mark hung over the viability of these clubs to compete at the highest level.

The Bullants team remained reasonably stable and by 2002 represented one of the most experienced playing lists in the competition, but six wins for the season and dwindling sponsorship saw the club again in a shaky position by the end of the season.   Carlton, Essendon and Geelong had continued to field their own Reserves teams in what was proving an expensive exercise and it was no shock that before the end of the season, both Carlton and Essendon approached the Bullants with proposals for affiliation.

Essendon's overtures involve wearing of the red-and-black colours, a change of name to the Northern Bombers and for several home games to played at Windy Hill and was immediately rejected.  Carlton's proposal involved no changes to the day-to-day operation of the two clubs other than a request to play a maximum of two curtain-raisers at Optus Oval and after several weeks discussions, an agreement was struck for the two teams to co-operate in fielding a team in the V.F.L.    Top

2003

Huge dramas emerged pre-season when Carlton were found guilty of repeated breaches of the A.F.L. salary cap resulting in massive fines and a disqualification from participating in the A.F.L. draft for two seasons.  The latter penalty was to impact the potential playing strength of the Northern Bullants dramatically with no draft recruits available and Carlton forced into a number of trade deals with other clubs in an attempt to bolster their playing list.

The only recruit of note was leading full-forward Nick Sauntner who approached the club after stints with Sandringham, Springvale and Frankston.   The new alliance took some time to settle down with the Carlton group rarely training with their Preston team-mates.   It wasn't until round seven that the Bullants finally notched a win, Sauntner's ten goals from as many kicks proving the difference in a 63 point margin over Werribee.   

Four successive wins followed, the run broken by a loss to a Coburg side loaded with senior A.F.L. players on Richmond's "bye" weekend.   From that point, the Bullant's form slipped dramatically, the only other win coming against an embattled Coburg in the final round.   Sauntner finished with 84 goals to lead the V.F.L. goal-kicking for a record equalising fifth time.  Shane Watson in his final year of senior football capped off a fine career.

With many regulars of previous seasons now competing with A.F.L. players for a senior spot, the Reserves in most weeks fielded highly talented teams, winning 17 and drawing one of the home-and-away rounds.   A big win over Port in the Qualifying Final went to waste as Williamstown kicked the opening seven goals on Grand Final and ran all over a shell-shocked Bullant side to record a decisive victory.    Top

2004

After a disastrous season for Carlton, the club declared that it would not continue with the agreed two-year alliance, but with subsequent changes of personnel on both sides and renegotiations brokered by Football Victoria, the two clubs patched up their differences and a new two-year deal was struck and signed.    Part of the new agreement was for Carlton to supply the senior coach and one of their assistants in Barry Mitchell was appointed to the role. 

In a topsy-turvy start, the Bullants smashed the 2003 premiers, Geelong by 85 points in the opening match (the last to be played at Optus Oval as a curtain raiser), but losses in eight of the next nine games saw the Bullants tumble to the bottom of the ladder.    A mid-season revival included the first win at Werribee since 1984, largely due to superior accuracy.   The victory over Williamstown a fortnight later ended a run of 13 consecutive losses to the Seagulls, but the mid-season sparkle soon faded with the last three matches were all played in atrocious conditions, the Bullant supporter's outlook not helped by consecutive losses.

Brett Zorzi and Jon McCormick shared the Best and Fairest Award, the second tie in the club's history, and  Zorzi's effort equalled Ted Henry's club record of three awards.   Daniel Harford finished third in both the Bullants Best and Fairest and the J.J. Liston Trophy.    Top

2005

Two wins and three losses by round five saw the season very much "on the line", but not even the most optimistic of supporters could have envisaged that it would be another 13 rounds before the Bullants would again taste defeat.   The run included the Bullants post their first win in Tasmania, a scrambling draw against an equally inaccurate Frankston and a two-point thriller over the second placed Bendigo Bombers.   A brave bid to go through the season undefeated at home came horribly unstuck against the second-placed Werribee when the Bullants inexplicably coughed up a 46 point three-quarter time lead to go down by three points.

The V.F.L. introduced a rule restricting affiliated clubs to 12 A.F.L. listed players during finals after the A.F.L. home-and-away season was completed.   The Bullants defeated their Qualifying Final opponents, Sandringham at Beach Road for the first time in several years, but the new rule and a run of injuries forced seven changes the following week.   Sandringham, by comparison, fielded 14 of the previous year's premiership side and humiliated the inexperienced Bullant side by 87 points at Port Melbourne.

Tasmania managed to win its elimination final and the Bullants flew into Hobart to take on the locals before a highly emotional crowd estimated at 11,000.    A revitalized side gave Tasmania a lesson, quickly establishing a break on the (non-functioning) score board to keep the crowd quiet and then extending the lead at all breaks to win by 73 points.

The V.F.L.'s finals scheduling came under criticism when they inexplicably scheduled the Bullants preliminary final on the Saturday, leaving the Bullants coming off an interstate trip with just a five day break and against Werribee with the luxury of a week off after defeating Bendigo.   Whether the fixturing had its effect is hard to know, but the Bullants showed little sparkle from the opening bound, and apart from a brief second quarter revival, trailed Werribee all day, eventually going down by 25 points to end the first finals campaign since 1997.   Top