Club History

The Sandhurst Football Netball Club can trace its formation back to 1861, making it one of the ten oldest Aussie Rules clubs in Australia.  Well known and respected historian and author, Geoffrey Blainey, states in his definitive book on Australian Rules, A Game of

Our Own:

              The new code of football reached the Bendigo goldfield in 1861 when 

              J. B. Thompson, who had been secretary of the committee that drew up

              the first football rules in Melbourne in May 1859, moved to Bendigo and

              became secretary and captain of its first football club called Sandhurst.  

              Formed on June 3 1861, it promptly organised a match in the Lower

              Reserve now known as Rosalind Park.

Today, the Club boasts a long, proud and successful history having won a record 26 senior premierships whilst our reserves and thirds teams have been regular finalists for many decades.   

Since the inclusion of netball into the B.F.L, Sandhurst has been at the forefront of the initiative.  In the inaugural year of 1991, our team was Grand Finalists and since then our A Grade team has successfully contested finals on many occasions resulting in 10 premierships.   In the ensuing years BFL netball has progressed rapidly and now boasts three open age sections and a 17 & Under section.  Many Sandhurst girls have represented the League at Interleague, Regional and Zone championships.   In recent years sisters, Meredith Ball (nee Strachan) and Rebecca Bulley  (nee Strachan) progressed on to National level while former coach, Carol Byers, is currently involved with the Melbourne Vixens as well as Netball Australia. 

In 2012, the club celebrated its 150th anniversary and our book "From Cardinals to Dragons" was born.  Copies of this book is still available for those interested in the history of our club.  

On field success, whilst important, is not the only factor in a successful club. Club administration plays a major role in how the Club operates as a successful unit.  The Sandhurst Football Netball Club is continually striving to remain at the forefront of major league football and netball.