Formed: 1903

Club Address: P.O. Box 249, Irymple 3498, Victoria

Website: www.irymplefc.vcfl.com.au

Colours: Navy blue and gold

Emblem: Swallows

Senior Grade Premierships: Mildura Football League (MFL) - 1905-6-7, 1912-13, 1915, 1920 (7 total); SFL - 1954, 1966, 1976, 1978, 2006 (5 total)

McLeod Medallists: Lyle Turnbull 1954; John Martin 1961; John Howden 1962; Ken Snell 1968; Kevin Coleman 1975; Brad Eaton 2005 & 2007 (6 Medallists/7 Medals)

Football teams representing Irymple were taking the field as early as the 1890s, but the town’s football club was not formally established until 1903, when it became a founder member of the Mildura Football League. Prior to world war one, Irymple was the most successful club in this competition, claiming half a dozen premierships. It added a seventh shortly after the war in 1920, but there then followed a prolonged period of disappointment which was not brought to an end until 1954, by which time the club was competing in the Sunraysia Football League, which was in effect was the MFL under another name. The Swallows had been founder members of this competition in 1945, and the 1954 grand final was their third, following defeats to University in 1947 and Mildura in 1952. In 1954 they made no mistake, however, although opponents Mildura provided stern opposition. Irymple finally got home by a narrow 4 point margin, 9.12 (68) to 9.8 (62).

Over the ensuing eleven seasons the Swallows only qualified for one senior grade grand final, losing by 34 points to Imperials in 1956. Ten years on from that defeat Irymple finally claimed a second SFL premiership courtesy of an 11.8 (74) to 6.18 (54) grand final triumph against Robinvale. Twelve months later the Eagles achieved revenge when they overcame the Swallows on grand final day by 16 points. In 1968 Irymple made it three grand final appearances in succession only to go down by 9 goals to South Mildura.

The 1970s brought a fifty per cent success rate from four grand final appearances, with the Swallows downing Imperials in 1976 and South Mildura two years later, but losing to Wentworth Districts in 1973 and Merbein in 1975.

Following their 1976 grand final victory the Swallows endured the second extended premiership drought in their history. Indeed, they did not again contest a senior grade grand final until 2005, when they suffered the agony of a 1 point loss to Imperials. The drought was finally broken in spectacular fashion the following year when Irymple scored what was probably most impressive grand final victory in its history, accounting for Robinvale by 61 points, 21.12 (138) to 12.5 (77).

The Swallows' most recent grand final appearance in 2010 was rather less notable as they succumbed heavily to Robinvale, going down in the end by more than 10 goals.

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