BELGRAVE
Current Affiliation: Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League (YVMDFL) since 1966
Home Ground: Reserve Road Oval, Belgrave
Formed: 1909
Colours: Black and white
Emblem: Magpies
Senior Premierships: Evelyn Football Association - 1911 (1 total); Mountain District Football League (MDFL) - 1948, 1950-1-2-3-4 (6 total); YVMDFL - 1975-6 (2 total); YVMDFL Division Two - 1999 (1 total)
Senior Competition Best and Fairest Player Awards: MDFA Best and Fairest - I.Gray 1934; T.Bourke 1954; B.Gillies 1958 (3 total); Ramage Medal - P.Ferguson 2001 (1 total); Wandin Medal - G.Meyers 1982; L.Ivanoff 1984; S.Fitzgerald 1990 (3 total)
| MINI-BIOGRAPHIES: | Alan Dale |
Belgrave's 1911 premiership-winning team. (Photo © Belgrave Football Club.)
In 2009 the Belgrave Football Club will celebrate its centenary. The club began life as a member of the Evelyn Football Association, winning a premiership under the captaincy of George Hayes in only its third year. Between the wars Belgrave participated in a number of different competitions, often challenging strongly for the premiership, but never quite succeeding.
Far and away the most successful period in Belgrave's existence came shortly after World War Two when the seniors contested seven successive MDFL grand finals for six wins. Among the key members of these premiership winning combinations were the Argoon brothers, Don and Keith, Alan Burt, Ted Fitton, Jack Graham, Les Hayes, Mick James, Jack McSween, Jack Needs, Denis O'Donohue, Jack Paterson, Don Pitts, Ron Prendergast, Harry Preston, Fred Rafton, Hugh Robertson, Jim Stump and John Taylor.
In 1966, Belgrave was among a dozen foundation members of the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League which came about as a result of a merger between the Mountain District Football League and the Yarra Valley Football Association. The Magpies fielded some very strong teams during the 1970s, reaching the preliminary final in 1974 before claiming successive flags in 1975-6.
Belgrave's most recent premiership was won in 1999 in division two, the YVMDFL having added a second tier twenty-one years earlier.
In 2006, the Magpies endured a horror season, winning just 1 of their 18 division one home and away matches to succumb to relegation to division two. The 2007 season brought considerable improvement as the side won 11 and drew 1 of its 18 matches to qualify for the division two finals in 3rd place. Victories over Yarra Glen in the 1st semi final and Alexandra in the preliminary final earned the 'Pies a crack at minor premiers Thornton Eildon in the 'big one' but they failed to do themselves justice and lost heavily.
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