Club History

It all started in 1888

The Yarra Glen Football Club formed 120 years ago in 1888 under the name of the Yarra Flats Football Club. Junior teams were also established. A game was reported in newspapers between Yering and Yarra Glen boys in June 1880 which was played in a paddock of a local land owner. In 1900 the Club changed its name to the Yarra Glen Football Club.

The Club wons its first premiership in 1908. In 1909 Yarra Glen formed the first Yarra Valley Association together with Warburton, Lilydale, Millgrove, Healesville and Woori Yallock.

In 1921 the Club won its first Grand Final. The 1908 competition had been played under a different system in which the team with the most wins in the home and away season took the Premiership. The club won again in 1931 and 1933. Like many sporting clubs it went into recess in 1939 due to the War.

The club was resurrected in 1946 but there was a severe shortage of players due to the war. In early 1950 the club gained more players and the club soon emerged as the social hub of the community with mothers, sisters, wives and friends keen supporters. For many years a tarpaulin was strung up between pine trees to act as the Club rooms. In the early 1950s a group of keen school boys became interested in playing and formed casual teams that played on Sundays. The Yarra Valley Boys Football League was formed soon after.

In 1958 the Players and Coach built the first club rooms on the eastern side of the ground and Yarra Glen hosted the Yarra Valley Boys Club Association Lighting Premiership.

A Premiership followed in 1968 and some around the club believe that these years produced the best team the club has ever had. The club rooms 'The Ben Whitwell Pavilion' were built in the early 1970s on the western side of the ground and were the first part of the present structure. New rooms were added to the existing rooms in 1986 which enabled the club to hold social functions in their own premises. These rooms were fully funded by the club and a number of the then committee guaranteed the loan.

Premierships followed in 1986, 1993, 1998 and 2001. In 2004 the club changed its name to the Yarra Glen Football Netball Club.

We have produced many outstanding players from our juniors, notable Ex Carlton Captain Brett Ratten of 256 games and many others that have played at top metropolitan and country leagues.