Macleod Football Club
Encyclopedia
Macleod Football Club is an Australian rules football
club in Rosanna, Victoria
, currently competing in Division 1 of the Northern Football League.
Interest in forming a club gathered momentum and at the next meeting it was decided unanimously to begin fund-raising and purchase jumpers and socks for the newly-formed Macleod Football Club. Nick George, who later became Macleod’s first captain, suggested the colours be blue and white as he had played at North Melbourne
in the VFL
for two years. The colours registered were royal blue jumpers with a white collar and cuffs, royal blue socks with white tops. Later the jumper changed to royal blue and white vertical stripes, as per the North Melbourne jumper.
It was decided to play homes games at De Winton Park, Rosanna
, because Macleod Cricket Club did not have a fence. The club attracted young men from Rosanna and Greensborough
and had no problems getting enough numbers to form a senior team (but no reserves) for the 1947 season.
In the early 1960s, there was a tug of war between committee members with half wanting to rename the club Rosanna and the other half wanting to retain the name Macleod. Eventually there was a compromise and the club was renamed Macleod-Rosanna in 1962.
They won their sole first division senior premiership in 1971. After 1971, the club fell on some hard times and despite the best efforts of coaches, players, committees and supporters, slipped back into second division where it remained until winning the premiership in 2009 to earn promotion back into Division 1. In the 1980s, the club was held together by stalwarts such as the Hansen family, the Pearn family, the Boland family and the Melican family. It contested the 1982 second division grand final but was beaten by Eltham
.
By the mid-1990s, the club was starting to emerge as a force again in the DVFL. It started a successful under-19s side that won a premiership in just its second season (1993, under Jamie Boland) and many of those players have gone on to represent the club with distinction. Former Collingwood
ruckman and DVFL star Derek Shaw
was appointed coach in 1998 and the club, which had dropped the name ‘Rosanna’ from its name and reverted back to Macleod, made the finals for the first time since 1982 and followed up again in 1999. It also contested finals in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. The Kangaroos were Division Two Runners Up in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and premiers in 2009. Coached by Wayne Harmes in 2006 and 2007 and by Cristian Brandt in 2008 - present
The Macleod Senior Best and Fairest award is named after Tom Melican Sr, a club stalwart and six-time best and fairest.
, Mark Richardson
, Robert Scott
, Tony Woods
, Ron McKeown
and the latest great star Michael Hurley
. MJFC’s under-17s won four successive YJFL Division 1 under-17 premierships (a League record) in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. In recent years there has been a tremendous influx of some of the most talented players in the Diamond Valley
area coming to Macleod seniors. The junior club started an Auskick
program in 2002 and there is now a clear pathway from the bottom to the top in the area.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club in Rosanna, Victoria
Rosanna, Victoria
Rosanna is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule...
, currently competing in Division 1 of the Northern Football League.
History
In 1946, Macleod F.C formed from humble beginnings Mr Harold Busbridge, who was the station master at the Macleod railway station, approached some local identities with the view to forming a football club in the local area.Interest in forming a club gathered momentum and at the next meeting it was decided unanimously to begin fund-raising and purchase jumpers and socks for the newly-formed Macleod Football Club. Nick George, who later became Macleod’s first captain, suggested the colours be blue and white as he had played at North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in the VFL
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
for two years. The colours registered were royal blue jumpers with a white collar and cuffs, royal blue socks with white tops. Later the jumper changed to royal blue and white vertical stripes, as per the North Melbourne jumper.
It was decided to play homes games at De Winton Park, Rosanna
Rosanna, Victoria
Rosanna is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule...
, because Macleod Cricket Club did not have a fence. The club attracted young men from Rosanna and Greensborough
Greensborough, Victoria
Greensborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Greensborough had a population of 20,214....
and had no problems getting enough numbers to form a senior team (but no reserves) for the 1947 season.
In the early 1960s, there was a tug of war between committee members with half wanting to rename the club Rosanna and the other half wanting to retain the name Macleod. Eventually there was a compromise and the club was renamed Macleod-Rosanna in 1962.
They won their sole first division senior premiership in 1971. After 1971, the club fell on some hard times and despite the best efforts of coaches, players, committees and supporters, slipped back into second division where it remained until winning the premiership in 2009 to earn promotion back into Division 1. In the 1980s, the club was held together by stalwarts such as the Hansen family, the Pearn family, the Boland family and the Melican family. It contested the 1982 second division grand final but was beaten by Eltham
Eltham Football Club
Eltham Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Eltham, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.-History:A football team from Eltham began playing social matches at nearby Kangaroo Ground from 1900....
.
By the mid-1990s, the club was starting to emerge as a force again in the DVFL. It started a successful under-19s side that won a premiership in just its second season (1993, under Jamie Boland) and many of those players have gone on to represent the club with distinction. Former Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
ruckman and DVFL star Derek Shaw
Derek Shaw
Derek Shaw is an English businessman, who is a former chairman of English football club, Preston North End. He is the owner of Ribble Valley Shelving Limited.-Background:...
was appointed coach in 1998 and the club, which had dropped the name ‘Rosanna’ from its name and reverted back to Macleod, made the finals for the first time since 1982 and followed up again in 1999. It also contested finals in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. The Kangaroos were Division Two Runners Up in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and premiers in 2009. Coached by Wayne Harmes in 2006 and 2007 and by Cristian Brandt in 2008 - present
The Macleod Senior Best and Fairest award is named after Tom Melican Sr, a club stalwart and six-time best and fairest.
Jumper
The jumper Macleod wears are White, Blue and Yellow panels. Accompanied by Blue shorts and Blue socks. In 2010 the club introduced a clash jumper that would be worn when teams wore a similar jumper to theirs.Junior club
Macleod formed a successful association with Macleod Junior Football Club and, in 1997, both clubs agreed to wear the same colours – royal blue, white and gold panels – and sing the same theme song. The club has a strong link to the MJFC which fields sides from under-9s to under-17s in the Yarra Junior Football League. MJFC puts almost 300 players on the field each week and has produced AFL players such as Matthew Collins, Jarrod MolloyJarrod Molloy
Jarrod Molloy was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.A key position player, Molloy was trialled in both attack and defence as his career wore on, with most success enjoyed near the goalmouth....
, Mark Richardson
Mark Richardson (footballer)
Mark Richardson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Australian Football League .Recruited from Macleod, Richardson came from a strong footballing family...
, Robert Scott
Robert Scott (footballer)
Rob Scott is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Geelong Football Club and North Melbourne in the AFL....
, Tony Woods
Tony Woods
Tony Woods is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League who commenced his career with Fitzroy in 1988. In 1992 he moved to Collingwood, playing 18 games before moving to Hawthorn in 1995...
, Ron McKeown
Ron McKeown
Ron McKeown is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian/Australian Football League ....
and the latest great star Michael Hurley
Michael Hurley (Australian rules footballer)
Michael Hurley is an Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . A key position utility, 1.93m tall and weighing , Hurley predominately played in the forward and backline in his AFL career to date.-Junior career:A good junior cricketer and...
. MJFC’s under-17s won four successive YJFL Division 1 under-17 premierships (a League record) in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. In recent years there has been a tremendous influx of some of the most talented players in the Diamond Valley
Diamond Creek, Victoria
Diamond Creek is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik...
area coming to Macleod seniors. The junior club started an Auskick
Auskick
Auskick is a national program in Australia to develop and promote participation in Australian rules football by children. It has proven to be popular with both boys and girls....
program in 2002 and there is now a clear pathway from the bottom to the top in the area.