Club Address: P.O. Box 110, Donald 3480, Victoria

Website: http://donaldfc.vcfl.com.au

Email: mod1@inet.net.au

Colours: Royal blue and white

Emblem: Royal Blues

Senior Grade Premierships: Glowrey and Ball Trophy (GBT) - 1893-4 (2 total); Donald Trophy (DT) - 1898 (1 total); Morgan Trophy (MT) - 1899 (1 total); Watchem-Birchip Football Association (WBFA) - 1902 (1 total); Birchip Football Association (BFA) - 1906 (1 total); NCFL and precursors - 1920, 1924, 1936-7, 1939, 1949, 1963, 1979-80, 1987, 1992-3, 2002, 2004, 2006 (15 total)

A Donald football team was engaging in scratch fixtures against local rivals as early as the 1880s but its first competitive outings did not occur until 1893, when it was among five clubs to compete for the Glowrey and Ball Trophy. The fledgling club enjoyed premiership year both that year and the next, and by 1906 had claimed a total of half a dozen flags in the competition which by that stage had undergone a total of four name changes.

After world war one Donald joined the North Western District Football Association, precursor of the North Central Football League, winning a premiership in its debut season of 1920, and another four years later. The side also finished runners-up on three occasions during the 1920s.

Apart from the 1931 season when the competition went into temporary recess, and the wartime period between 1941 and 1944 Donald has competed in the NWDFA and its successors continually since 1920. Its achievements in the competition are considerable, and its tally of fifteen senior grade premierships is only surpassed by one other club.

The 1930s brought a one hundred percent success rate from three grand final appearances, with victory achieved at the expense of Woomelang in 1936, Watchem-Litchfield the following year, and Woomelang once more in 1939.

The Royal Blues’ first post-world war two premiership came in 1949 when they overcame Watchem-Corack by three straight kicks, 9.13 (67) to 6.13 (49). This proved to be Donald’s last senior grade flag for fourteen years, with the 1950s remaining the only decade of the club’s involvement in the NCFL and its precursors not to produce such a success.

Donald’s drought-breaking 1963 grand final triumph was achieved at the expense of Birchip, but far from heralding the outset of a new era of success it was followed by an even longer period - sixteen years - in the premiership wilderness. Between 1964 and 1978 the Royal Blues were regular finalists, and even qualified for a couple of grand finals, but bringing home the bacon proved beyond them. All this changed in 1979, and it could scarcely have done so in more emphatic fashion as the side crushed Charlton in the grand final by 95 points, 20.14 (134) to 5.9 (39). A second successive flag followed in 1980, although grand final opponents Wycheproof-Narraport afforded a much sterner challenge than the Navy Blues, with Donald’s final margin of victory just 13 points.

Throughout the 1980s Donald continued to flirt with success, but only once, in 1987, was it achieved. The ensuing decade spawned grand final appearances in 1992, 1993 and 1998, the first two of which ended in victory. Since the turn of the century the Royal Blues have continued to impose themselves on the competition and their tally of three senior grade premierships in eight seasons is unrivalled. The other grades have also fared well, with the reserves taking out the flag in 2007, the under sixteens in 2008, and the under fourteens in 2006.

Where now?

Back to Top

or

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Birchip Watchem ] [ Boort ] [ Charlton ] [ Donald ]