LAKES ENTRANCE
Current Affiliation: East Gippsland Football League (EGFL) since 1974
Club Address: P.O. Box 349, Lakes Entrance, Victoria 3909
Formed: 1891
Colours: Maroon and white
Emblem: Seagulls
Senior Premierships Since World War Two: Gippsland Football League (GFL) - 1971 (1 total); EGFL - 1988, 1994-5, 2003 (4 total)
Stewart Wren Medallists: Paul Harrison 1982; Glenn Bills 1995; D.Smith 1996; X.Ryan 2008 (4 total)
During the 1890s and up until the start of the first world war Lakes Entrance participated in a number of local competitions which tended to be funded by, and bear the names of, prominent business men of the region. Lakes Entrance won a total of eight of these competitions, and finished second five times.
Success continued between the wars, with the Seagulls known to have claimed at least five more premierships, besides finishing as runners-up on four occasions. Between 1920 and 1931 they competed in the East Gippsland Football League, but when they were controversially debarred from appearing in the 1931 grand final because of an alleged player registration irregularity, they jumped ship to the Bairnsdale-Bruthen competition. The 1934 season saw them back in the EGFL, however, which is where, apart from brief stints in the BBFL and the Gippsland Football League, they have competed ever since.
Since football resumed after World War Two Lakes Entrance have claimed another five senior flags. The first of these arrived in 1971, in the GFL, with the remainder coming in the EGFL in 1988, 1994, 1995 and 2003. The Seagulls went within an ace of another premiership when they tied the 1982 grand final with Snowy Rovers, but lost the replay. They have not always enjoyed the best of fortunes on grand final day having lost a total of nine such matches since 1976. By contrast, the reserves managed a competition record seven straight grand final victories between 1985 and 1991, and also won six in a row from 1995 to 2000.
The Redlegs seniors have contested every finals series since they last went top in 2003 but have been unable to go on with the job. The club's reserves and under eighteens have fared better, with the former winning flags in 2005 and 2007 and the latter in 2004.
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