OUR HISTORY IN BRIEF
1954 - FORMATION OF OUR CLUB
E. J. (John) Weatherson first held discussions directed towards the formation of an old boys’ football club in 1947, two years after he left Trinity Grammar School. However, the lack of a ground meant that it was not until 1953 that the formation of the Club was assured - in late 1953 the VAFA approved a ground at Yarra Bend for the team to play in its newly formed E Section competition in 1954.
Shortly after the first world war there had been an earlier attempt to form an Old Trinity club in the Victorian Metropolitan Amateur Football Association – which was re-named the VAFA in 1954. In 1928 the team merged with Old Haileybury, but the merger lapsed in 1935, and Old Haileybury continued on its own.
1950s & 60s
The 50s and 60s were obviously difficult but we persisted despite just having one team and being in lowly E Section.
However, our Reserves started in1965 and success for the Club came rapidly.
· The Reserves played finals for seven straight years from 1967 to1973, including four consecutive grand-finals (1967 to 1970) – which brought three premierships in a row in 67, 68 and 69.
· In 1968, the Club's earned its first ever promotion – from E Section to D Section by the Seniors being runners up to AMP.
· In 1970 we won our first ever Senior’s premiership in D Section, and promotion to C Section.
· 1971 brought promotion to B Section as runners up to Tooronga Malvern.
· Legendary coach Alec Gardiner arrived in 1974 and led the Firsts to the B Section premiership, and promotion to A Section for the first time - where we stayed for three years.
1980s
The late 70s and early 1980’s were entirely forgettable as we plummeted back to E Section. However, our recovery was well underway by 1985 when we won the D Section premiership. We were back in B Section by 1987 and in 1989 our U19s won the Section 3 premiership in their first year.
1990s
The 1990’s were exhilarating yet frustrating and various home-ground changes (four?) did not help. Rob Stanley, our longest serving President, was very entrepreneurial and a recruiting whiz but to no ultimate avail. B Section was pretty much a doddle but A Section was always something else. Twice B Section premiership coach Alan Johnson, a former Melbourne legend, tried everything in his four year tenure, including playing, but we could not stay up.
2000s
A fourth B Section premiership in 1999 led back to A Section in 2000 where we were to stay for a remarkable nine years. Our first ever A Section finals appearance (and first ever finals victory) came in 2004 – a win in the first semi-final, followed by a loss in the preliminary final. Despite our longevity in A Section, that was destined to be our only finals appearance in the 2000s.
The years 2005 – 2008 brought an annual struggle to avoid relegation, and we finally succumbed in 2008. But we immediately bounced back, earning promotion back to A Section in 2009 from 4th position with wins in the B Section 1st semi & preliminary finals (followed by a loss in the grand final).
2010s
Our time back Premier Section (renamed that from A Section in 2010) again turned into an annual battle to avoid relegation. We did that in 2010 [check position in 2010] & 2011 (finishing 8th), but slipped to 9th in 2012 and were again relegated to Premier B. But once again we bounced back the following year after topping the ladder, losing the first semi-final, winning the preliminary, (by one point) and losing the grand final.
Promotion back to Premier A in 2014 heralded our most successful period in the top section. We played in two grand finals in 2015 & 2016. Heartbreakingly losing both by narrow margins of 8 points and 7 points, despite having more shots on goal in both matches. We made the finals again in 2018, but after winning the first semi-final, went down in the preliminary.
Other highlights of the 2010s were:
· The U19s winning the Section 2 premiership from 3rd in 2014
· The formation in 2017 of an Old Trinity Women’s team for the first time – and the team finishing fourth in their first year. Fittingly it was decided that their Best & Fairest award should be named the “Joan Martin Medal”.
2020s
The Covid pandemic saw the 2020 season cancelled. In 2021 our annual battle against relegation resumed, and we were spared an almost certain drop when Covid intervened again and the season was abandoned with us sitting on 1 win from 11 games. But it was a temporary stay of execution, and 2022 saw a 9th place finish, and relegation to Premier B. 2024 brough more heartbreak in B, when we won the first semi but denied ourselves promotion by losing the preliminary final. But we made amends in 2025, winning the premiership and promotion back to Premier A Section. The Thirds were also premiers in Division 1.
2024 brought a Reserves premiership. Remarkably it was the Reserves first premiership in 63 years. There had only ever been three other Reserves premierships – the three-peat in 1967, 1968 & 1969!