The Leitchville-Gunbower Football Netball Club was established in 1995, amalgamating two clubs with long and proud histories. In 1994, Gunbower went into recess before amalgamating.
History of Gunbower Football Club
The Gunbower Football Club was first recorded as playing in the Cohuna District Association in 1893. J (Brassy) Stewart captained the 1904 premiership and went on to play with St. Kilda. George Angus played in this side and went on to captain Collingwood. Competition ceased from 1914 to 1918 during WW1 and resumed in 1919 before the competition disbanded in 1921. Gunbower was then involved in several competitions, most notably the Northern District Football League which was recognised as a major league in 1954. Garry Fletcher coached the last Gunbower premiership in 1980. The Gunbower “Demons” went into recess due to a lack of player numbers at the conclusion of the 1993 season. This decision followed celebrations for the 100th year of operating.
| Premierships | League |
|---|---|
| 1901 & 1904-05-06 | Cohuna District Association |
| 1920 | Cohuna District Association |
| 1921 | Cohuna District Association |
| 1922 & 1924 – 25 | Local Competition |
| 1934 | Cohuna District Association |
| 1944-45-46 & 1950 | Cohuna District Association |
| 1954 | Northern District Football League |
| 1965 | Northern District Football League |
| 1980 | Northern District Football League |
History of Leitchville Gunbower Club
The Leitchville Football Club was formed in 1919 and developed a strong local rivalry against Gunbower. Leitchville won 14 premierships and were known as the “Maroons” or the “Village” and wore maroon jumpers with a gold V. Premiership Coaches included John Hoiles (Footscray) in 1969, Peter O’Shea (Hawthorn) 1974-75, Mick Horsburgh (Collingwood) 1989 and Craig Cleave (Geelong) 1991,1994-95.
| Premierships | League |
|---|---|
| 1926 & 1929 | Murray Valley League |
| 1931-32-33 | Cohuna & District Association |
| 1938-39 | Cohuna & District Association |
| 1969 | Northern District League |
| 1974 | Northern District League |
| 1975 | Northern District League |
| 1989 | Northern District League |
| 1991 | Northern Echuca FL |
| 1994 | Northern Echuca FL |
The beginning of the Leitchville Gunbower Football Netball Club
In 1995 the Leitchville-Gunbower Football Netball Club was established, and club members agreed on the “Bomber” colors. The merged clubs had a dream start winning the senior football Northern &Echuca Football Netball League (N&EFNL) Premiership in their first year as the Bombers. Both A & B Grade netball teams were runners up the same year. The N&EFNL went into recess at the conclusion of the 1996 season and the Bombers went solo joining the North Central FNL (NCFNL_ for the 1997 season. The club made one senior finals appearance (2001) and won a Reserves Premiership (1997) in the NCFNL before entering the Central Murray Football Netball League (CMFNL) in 2002. Strong rivalries were resumed with Cohuna Kangas, Kerang and Koondrook-Barham, drawing bumper crowds. The club finished 4th in the 2007 season after winning 15 games for the season and bowed out in the semi-finals. The reserves went through the 2007 season undefeated before losing in the grand final to Balranald.
Members then voted unanimously to enter the Heathcote & District Football Netball League (HDFNL) in 2010. Population shift from the Leitchville & Gunbower area towards Echuca, Bendigo and Melbourne was having a detrimental effect on the club’s ability to retain local players in a Swan Hill based competition. The geographic location of the HDFNL made the league a much more viable long-term option. The standard of the competition has proven to be very high for both football and netball teams. After taking a few years to find their feet, the seniors found some momentum participating in every final’s series between 2014 and 2018. In 2014, the Seniors lost the preliminary final to eventual premiers Lockington Bamawm United (LBU) in 2014 & losing Grand Finals to North Bendigo in 2015 & 2016. 2017 saw the seniors break the 22-year premiership drought by defeating North Bendigo. In 2018 the team won back-to-back premierships, again beating North Bendigo. The Reserves have played in five finals series, being runner up to White Hills in 2014 & 2019. The U/17’s has been the dominant force competing in 8 of the last 9 finals series winning the 2012, 2016, 2017 & 2018 Premierships and finishing runners-up in 2013. Our senior netball teams, although competitive, have not tasted premiership success in the Bombers colors- although both A & B Grade were runners up in 1995. Our Under 15s and 17s were both premiers in 2015 whilst our Under 13s created history by winning the inaugural 2022 grand final in the HDFNL; prior to this, finals were not played. Currently, there is a very exciting young list of local players with talent and ambition, and they continue to develop into top line footballers and netballers, representing the club with great pride.
| Senior Football | A Grade Netball | |
| 2023 | Jobee Warde | Madison Elliott |
| 2022 | Jobee Warde | Gemma Gundry |
| 2021 | Tom Brereton | Ash Bradley |
| 2020 | COVID- no competition | COVID |
| 2019 | Logan Prout | Emmalea Wishart |
| 2018 | Jack Gleeson & Matt Ladson | Jordyn Holman |
| 2017 | Matt Ladson | Jodie Lake |
| 2016 | Tom German | Jodie Lake |
| 2015 | Tim Lincoln | Lauren Dehne (Menz) * |
| 2014 | Jye Keath | Jodie Lake |
| 2013 | Russell Lee | Lauren Menz |
| 2012 | Tyler Jones | Jodie Lake |
| 2011 | Josh Edgar | Jodie Lake |
| 2010 | Tyler Jones | Melanie Brereton |
| 2009 | Dale Reyne & Wayne Wishart | Melanie Brereton |
| 2008 | Keiran Treacy | Kate Donehue |
| 2007 | Shaun Gilbert | |
| 2006 | Matthew Hawken | Jodie Lake |
| 2005 | Lee Pollock | Jan Farrell |
| 2004 | Keiran Treacy | Jodie Lake |
| 2003 | Brendan Jennings | Jodie Lake |
| 2002 | Robert Bruns | Jodie Lake* |
| 2001 | Paul McGowan | |
| 2000 | Chris Waterson | |
| 1999 | Jason Keath | Sophie Bruns |
| 1998 | Shannon Dehne | Melanie Brereton |
| 1997 | Anthony Devitt | Melanie Brereton |
| 1996 | Craig Cleave | Melanie Brereton* |
| 1995 | Steven Hore | Melanie Brereton |
| Amalgamation of Leitchville & Gunbower FNCs |
| Seniors | Reserves | Under 17s |
| 2018 Leitchville Gunbower | 1997 Leitchville Gunbower | 2018 Leitchville Gunbower |
| 2017 Leitchville Gunbower | 1960 Leitchville | 2017 Leitchville Gunbower |
| 1995 Leitchville Gunbower | 1956 Leitchville | 2016 Leitchville Gunbower |
| 1994 Leitchville | 1945 Leitchville | 2012 Leitchville Gunbower |
| 1991 Leitchville | 1992 Leitchville | |
| 1989 Leitchville | 1975 Gunbower | |
| 1980 Gunbower | ||
| 1974-75 Leitchville | ||
| 1969 Leitchville | ||
| 1965 Gunbower | ||
| 1974-75 Leitchville | ||
| 1954 Gunbower | ||
| 1944-45-46 & 1950 Gunbower | ||
| 1938-39 Leitchville | ||
| 1934 Gunbower | ||
| 1926 & 29 Leitchville | ||
| 1920-21-22, 24-25 Gunbower | ||
| 1901 & 1904-05-06 Gunbower |
| A Grade | B Grade / A reserve | Under 17s | Under 15s | Under 13s |
| 1983-84 | 1996 | 2015 | 2015 | 2022 |
| 1970, 77, 79-80 | 1981-83-85 | 1991 | 1980,83,89 | |
| 1978-79 | 1980-84, 89 | 1975-76, 78 | ||
| 1968 | 1972,74-75,78-79 | |||
| 2015 | ||||
| Leitchville and Gunbower | |
| 1935 | Bruce Calverly (Seniors) |
| 1936 | Des Calverly (Seniors) |
| 1945 | Albert Hawken Leitchville (Seniors) |
| 1947 | Alby Morris Leitchville (Seniors) |
| 1959 | Glen Bow Leitchville (Seniors) |
| 1960 | Sar McGillivray Gunbower (Seniors) |
| 1962 | Greg Hardie Leitchville (Seniors) |
| 1965 | Sar McGillivray Gunbower (Seniors) |
| 1966 | John Toll Gunbower (Seniors) |
| 1987 | Kevin Williams Gunbower (Seniors) |
| Leitchville Gunbower | |
| 1995 | Steven Hore (Seniors) |
| 1996 | Melanie Brereton (A Grade netball) |
| 2001 | Mark O’Shea (Reserves) |
| 2002 | Jodie Lake (A Grade netball) |
| 2004 | Bianca Jones (U17 netball) |
| 2010 | Phillipa Hodge (U17 netball) |
| 2014 | Jodie Lake (A Grade netball) |
| 2021 | Madison Elliott (U17 netball) |
| Gunbower Football Club | |
| 1902-11 | George Angus Collingwood (157 games) Also Captain Coach from 1909-1911. |
| 1950 | M.D. (Dick) McGillivray Essendon FC (1) |
| 1967 | John Toll Melbourne FC (2) |
| 1977 | Andy McGillivray Geelong FC (6) |
| Leitchville Football Club | |
| 1920 | Ernie Vernon St Kilda (3) |
| 1944 | Bruce Calverly Fitzroy (89) 1944 Premiership player. |
| 1944 | Don Calverly Fitzroy & Richmond (52 & 18) |
| 1963-65 | Greg Hardie Carlton FC (24) |
| 1977-81 | Jeff Fehring Geelong & St Kilda (19 & 17) |
| 1978-92 | Neville Bruns: Geelong FC (223) |
| 1982-88 | Craig Cleave: Geelong FC (48) |
| Leitchville Gunbower Football Netball Club | |
| 2019 | Marty Hore: Melbourne FC (14) |
| 2016 | Club awarded the Syd Wickham Cup – most successful club in Netball & Football. |
| 2011 | Rowan Pollock Leading Reserves goal kicker (66), Jackson McEwen GCJFL U14 League Medal |
| 2016 | Syd Wickham Cup- Champion Club, Adam Decicco League Rising Star Award |
| 2017 | Hayden Harmer – Leading reserves goal kicker (59), Blake Dye Leading U17 goal kicker (71) |
| 2017 | Matt Perri – Leading senior goal kicker (108), Hayden Harmer Reserves goal kicker (76), Jackson McEwen League Rising Star |
| 2018 | Matt Perri – Leading senior goal kicker (68) |
| 2019 | Logan Prout & Bronte Gundry – League Rising Star Award |
| A Reserve | B Grade | B Reserve | Under 17 | Under 15 | Under 13 | |
| 2023 | Kelly Rayson | Sarah Reid | Tilly Cole | Lillie Taylor | Jordie Spittal | Milla Ryan |
| 2022 | Jordie Spittal | |||||
| 2021 | ||||||
| 2020 | COVID | |||||
| 2019 | ||||||
| 2018 | ||||||
| 2017 | Gemma Gundry | Hayley Corcoran | Sarah Reid | Macey Brereton | Ellah Gelletly | |
| 2016 | Gemma Gundry | Carmen Dye | Grace Jones | Courtney West | Bronte Gundry | |
| 2015 | Meg Dye | Zoe Dye | Sherry Nuttal | Emily Hay | Molly Bruns | |
| 2014 | Melanie Brereton | Zoe Dye | Sallie Hawken | Courtney West | ||
| 2013 | Molly Hancock | Zoe Dye & Marnie Garrow | no team | Kalarni Walerys | ||
| 2012 | Tess McGillivray | Denikka Greaves & Jo Farrant | Emily Colvin | Phillipa Hodge | ||
| 2011 | Jackie West | Sherry Lanyon | no team | Emily Prout | Josie Gundry EDNA- Demi Hore & Ally Todd | |
| 2010 | Jackie West | Eliza Behrens | no team | Morgan McEwen | Phillipa Hodge EDNA- Sydonny Fry | |
| 2009 | Morgan McEwen | Kalarni Walerys | ||||
| 2008 | Mandy Gundry | Jaynika Gladman | Gemma Gundry EDNA Chloe Morris & Denika Greaves | |||
| 2007 | Zoe Toll | Chloe Thomson | ||||
| 2006 | Mandy Gundry & Alex Thomson | Sam Opie | Kelsey Poole | Ellie Hore | Holly Minogue | |
| 2005 | Zoe Toll | Jaynika Gladman | Kate Donehue | Ellie Hore | Meg Dye | |
| 2004 | Leesa Windridge | Kim Dye | Bianca Jones* | Elle Florance | Hannah Donehue | |
| 2003 | Christie-Jo Gall | Di Jennings | Chloe Thomson | Bianca Jones # | Kate Donehue | |
| 2002 | Amy Dehne | Simone Jones | ||||
| 2001 | Jodie Lake | |||||
| 2000 | Kim McGillivray | Hayley O’Brien | Stephanie Crawford | Amy Dehne | ||
| 1999 | Melissa Dehne | Amy Dehne | ||||
| 1998 | Kim McGillivray | Kara Dehne | Freya Hildebrand | Renee Hipwell | ||
| 1997 | Sally Ayres | Emily Dunne | ||||
| 1996 | ||||||
| 1995 | Kirsten McNamara | Jannali O’Brien | Allira O’Brien |
| Reserves | Under 17s- Under 18s (from 2021) | Under 15s | Under 13s | |
| 2023 | John Hogan | Bruce Barnstable | ||
| 2022 | Warren Ellwood | Oskar Smartt | ||
| 2021 | John Hogan | Oskar Smartt | ||
| 2020 | COVID | COVID | ||
| 2019 | Hugh McGillivray | Jed Brereton | ||
| 2018 | Ashton Dye | Josh Hawken | ||
| 2017 | Jack Lunghusen | James Kervin | ||
| 2016 | James Brereton | Charlie Hancock | ||
| 2015 | Jack Dye | Oliver O’Shea | ||
| 2014 | Randy Munzel | Adam Decicco | ||
| 2013 | Brady Walerys & Joel Perry | Jackson McEwen | ||
| 2012 | Brad Morris | Jack Lunghusen | ||
| 2011 | Shane Kervin | Joel Helman | Jackson McEwan | Logan Prout & Brady Hore |
| 2010 | Craig Taylor | Brady Walerys | ||
| 2009 | Brodie McGillivray | Ken Gamble | ||
| 2008 | Daniel Tuohey | Joel Perry | ||
| 2007 | Shane Kervin | Chris Worthy | Bed Edwards | Joel Donehue |
| 2006 | Brodie McGillivray | Matt Pollock | Chris Worthy | Ben Edwards |
| 2005 | Emmett Hipwell | Hamish Hooper | No team | Jack Dehne |
| 2004 | Josh Emonson | Hamish Hooper | Brandt Gladman | Tyler Jones |
| 2003 | Mark O’Shea | Matt Williams | ||
| 2002 | Leigh Verhey | Brendan Hancock | Josh Power | |
| 2001 | Mark O’Shea | Brendan Jennings | ||
| 2000 | Rob West | Brendan Hancock | ||
| 1999 | Rob Gundry | Brendan Jennings | Michael Kervin | |
| 1998 | Mark O’Shea | Luke Cleave | Brendan Jennings | |
| 1997 | Peter Jones | Chris Jennings | ||
| 1996 | Anthony Power | |||
| 1995 | Mark O’Shea |
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