Ocean Grove Football Club (BFL)

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The Ocean Grove Football Club is an Aussie Rules club situated in Ocean Grove, Victoria, Australia.

1 Early History
2 Success and Club Structure
3 Notable Club Members
4 Future

[edit] Early History

The club started off in the 1960's as a joint club between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove. The Barwon Heads/Ocean Grove Football Club wore purple jumpers with gold trim and were, and still are known as the 'Grubbers'. Local legend Ray Menzies was a founding member of the Club and also the Bellarine Football League (He is now honoured with the nearby 'Ray Menzies Memorial Reserve'). Years later the club broke into The Barwon Heads Football Club and the Ocean Grove Football and Netball Club. The newly established club wore white jumpers with a red V, similar to the old south melbourne jumpers. The current strip is a red and white jumper with a white swan on the front, red shorts and socks, white shorts for away games. The origins of the nickname 'grubbers' are unknown, but may have come from a major road in the area 'grubb road', or could also be reference to a swan.

[edit] Success and Club Structure

They have won 13 premierships in the Bellarine Football League at Senior level, as well as countless other Grand Final appearances, the most recently being 2007 when they were only just beaten by Newcomb Football Club. The Grubbers also field a reserves team and U/18's in the BFL, and U/16's in the Geelong Junior Football League, who are just as successful. The club also have a junior 'feeder' club. The Collendina Cobras FC field U/14's and U/12's, and then these players prgress to OGFNC. The club is known as one of the powerhouses of the BFL, regarded as a football dynasty. The U/18's, Reserves and Seniors are renowned for being very successful.

[edit] Notable Club Members

Two players have made it from the Grubbers up to AFL level. Melbourne's Clint Bartram and Collingwood's Danny Stanley. Another former player Guy O'keefe has been drafted to the Western Bulldogs at selection 36 in the 2007 AFL draft, but is yet to make his debut. The club has seen a large number of players through the Geelong Falcons, include high 2008 draft prospect Ayce Cordy. Ray Menzies, local legend and founder of the OGFNC and BFL. Damien 'Bones' Clark, played over 300 games for the club, has captained and seen the club through many phases. Played in 8 premierships and 13 Grand Finals for the club. James Dalton, current captain and recently selected captain of the BFL interleague squad. Jeremy Polgar captains the reserve team and he is a superstar.

[edit] Future

The club sits well in the 2008 race for the premiership, and will only continue to prosper with superb young talet rising through the ranks. The names Brad Dreher, Simon Christian, Josh Milnes, Danyle Sheather, Travis Gavin and Ryan Baker are all under the age of 21 and have a long future at the grubbers and can expect a mountain of success if they stay at the club.