BUNYIP

Current Affiliation:  Ellinbank and District Football League (EDFL) since 1982

Formed:  1903

Colours:  Blue, white and red

Emblem:  Bulldogs

Senior Premierships:  West Gippsland Football Association (WGFA) - 1904-5 (2 total); Central Gippsland Football League (CGFL) - 1909, 1912, 1915 (3 total); West Gippsland Football League (WGFL) - 1936, 1938-9, 1945 (4 total); EDFL - 1990, 2000 (2 total)

EDFL Club Championships:  1987-8. 2006 (3 total)

Senior EDFL Best and Fairest Player Awards:  Glen Jose 1994; Adrian Carr 2000 (2 total)

It had been a long time between drinks for the Bulldogs when they crossed from the West Gippsland Football League to the Ellinbank and District Football League in 1982. Their last senior premiership had been won as long ago as 1945, and they had not contested a grand final for more than a quarter of a century.

At first, the run of outs continued, but after qualifying for the EDFL finals for the first time in 1986 the club quickly reclaimed the sort of pedigree it had enjoyed prior to World War Two, when premierships were frequent, and finals appearances an almost annual occurrence.

Bunyip got as far as the grand final in 1986, but went down to Warragul Industrials by 7 points in a match that produced just 7 goals. Third place in 1987 was then followed by another losing grand final appearance, this time against Ellinbank. Meanwhile the reserves went through the entire 1987 season unbeaten to claim the club's first ever premiership at that level. In 1989 the Bulldogs seniors unaccountably missed the finals, but the 1990 season saw them rediscover their bark in the most emphatic of terms as they claimed their first senior flag for forty-five years after a grand final defeat of Poowong.

Bunyip enjoyed another noteworthy phase around the turn of the century, contesting the 1999 and 2000 grand finals against Neerim-Neerim South and Buln Buln respectively, and triumphing in the latter. The seniors most recent grand final appearance came in 2006 when they lost by 11 points to Nyora.

Other recent highlights have included the thirds' back to back flags of 2002 and 2003, and grand final victories by the fifths in 2000 and 2003.

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