THE OFFICIAL HOME
OF THE SWANS
"Honour the Past"
South Barwon is steeped in history, which began when Barwon F.C and Belmont F.C merged in 1990 to become South Barwon. South Barwon expanded to include netball in 2000 and Womens football in 2017.
Barwon Football Club
1859 to 1990
Known as :
The Bulldogs
Established :
1856 (A Barwon team competed with Geelong, Kardinia and Corio in the late 1860s)
Club Colours:
In 1877 a Blue and White striped jersey with red sash. Blue knickerbockers. Blue cap with a whitecross. Later light blue with red and white vee.
Home ground :
In 1877 alongside the Communn-na-fienne Hotel. In 1921 Kardinia Park. They played at the Belmont Common before relocating to the Highton ground in 1959
Competitions participated in :
1877 Victorian Football Association
1919-1923 Geelong District Football League
1924-1932 Geelong Junior Football Association
1933-1938 Geelong District Football League
1949-1978 Geelong District football League
1979-1989 Geelong Football League
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Brief History
It is claimed that the Barwon Football Club was founded in late 1859, shortly after the Geelong Footbal Club which was founded in July 1859. Other records indicate that the club was established in 1856.
Barwon Football Club was supported by local manufacturers and was identified as a working-class club. Geelong Football Club was supported by pastoralists and private schools.
Barwon originally played on the common ground below the Geelong Grammar School which was located on the east side of McKillop St near Moorabool St.
Barwon Football Club played many Melbourne Clubs, including Carlton, Essendon and Melbourne Football Clubs. In 1874 Carlton defeated Barwon by three goals to nil at Princess Park. In a return match the same year in Geelong, Barwon won by one goal to nil.
Barwon Football Club and Geelong Football Club matches were generally controversial. A silver cup donated by a supporter of the game for competition amongst Geelong, Ballarat and Western Districts Football Clubs were bitter battles.
In one match between Barwon and Geelong for the silver cup, Barwon claimed victory, the Geelong players were incensed over particular incidents during the game, especially kicking of the ball into Vilamanta St, Geelong refused to admit defeat.
Relations were strained between the two clubs for two years, with Geelong declining during this period to play Barwon. By 1878 peacemaking prevailed and the teams played a game on neutral ground at Corio. Geelong won that game two goals goals to one.
The rivalry between Barwon and Geelong spurred Geelong to become a much more professional organisation, which eventually led to that club’s dominance of football in the Victorian colony over the next decade.
Barwon was a founding member of the VFA in 1877.
The club played at Kardinia Park until it disbanded in 1938
Barwon reformed under Vic Buchanan and Jack Finn after WWII, initially as an under 18 team.
Seniors commenced in 1953.
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Senior Premierships
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1886 - 1888 - 1901 - 1906 - 1921 - 1924 - 1926 - 1928 - 1957 - 1961 - 1967
1886 Grand Final Barwon 4-5 d Geelong West 3-1
1888 Grand Final Barwon 8-9 d Geelong West 6-10
1901 Grand Final Barwon United 8-11 d Chillwell 4-3
1906 Grand Final Barwon 2-10 drew with Ashby 3-4 (Barwon awarded premiership because they were top of the ladder prior to finals)
1921 Grand Final Barwon 13-11-89 d Queenscliff 5-6-36
1924 Grand Final Barwon 8-7-55 d Geelong West 6-5-41
1926 Grand Final Barwon 9-11-65 d Geelong West 9-9-63
1928 Grand Final Barwon 7-6-48 d Geelong West 6-10-46
1957 Grand Final Barwon 8-14-62 d St Marys 6-11-47
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1961 Grand Final Barwon 14-7-91 d Newtown & Chilwell 5-9-39
1967 Grand Final Barwon 11-5-71 d St Marys 6-11-47
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Belmont Football Club
1874 - 1990
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Brief History
When the club was first formed in 1874 the committee comprised W McKenzie, W Harrison, H Spriggins, A Spicer and R McDonald.
The club competed prior to WWII(1936-1939, reforming after the war, the cllub won the 1945 premiership in the GDFL and then disbanded at the end of the 1947 season.
In 1966, Merv Walker snr noticed McDonald Reserve not being used and just laying idle. He approached the then Shire of South Barwon for permission to start a football team and play on McDonald Reserve. The shire informed him before he could do this he must form a club hence “the birth of the Blues”
A public meeting for Belmont residents was held in the Thompson Hall in Thompson St and was chaired by Terry Hogan of the Geelong Football Club.
Merv Walker was elected first president, Warrick Plunkett secretary and Des Coltish appointed senior coach
In 1971 disaster struck. The clubrooms were burnt to the ground and all records and equipment lost.
A building fund was launched immediately with the committee and players conducting a door-knock in Belmont to raise new funds. New clubrooms and social rooms were built as a result of this appeal
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Senior Premierships
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1923 – 1924 – 1945
923 Grand Final : Belmont 2-16-28 d Grovedale 2-0-12
1924 Grand Final : Belmont 2-13-25 d Barrabool 3-3-21
1945 Grand Final : Belmont d
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