View source for Northern Bullants

{{Short description|Australian rules football club}}
{{for|the VAFA club|Preston Bullants Amateur Football Club}}
{{Redirect|Northern Blues|other uses|Northern Blues (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian football club
|color1 = #E41118
|color2 = white
|color3 = solid white
  | clubname  = Northern Bullants
  | image = File:Northern Bullants logo 2021.png
  | image_size = 150
  | fullname  = Preston Football Club Inc., trading as Northern Bullants Football Club Inc.<ref>{{cite web |title=Current details for ABN 58 535 665 522 |url=https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?abn=58535665522 |publisher=ABN Lookup |access-date=17 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250617065807/https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?abn=58535665522 |archive-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>
  | formernames = {{nowrap|Preston Juniors Football Club}} (1920s)<ref name="laborcall"/><ref>{{cite web |title=SOME FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/249944660 |publisher=Labor Call |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=8 September 1921}}</ref> <br/> Preston Knights Football Club (1996−1999)<ref name="prestongameday">{{cite web |title=PRESTON FOOTBALL CLUB |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116484 |website=GameDay |publisher=Northern Bullants |access-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728234659/https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116484 |archive-date=28 July 2024}}</ref> <br/> {{nowrap|Northern Blues Football Club}} (2012−2020)
  | nicknames = ''Bullants'', ''Tonners'', ''Ants'' 
  | formernicknames = ''Knights'', ''Blues'', ''Prestonians''<ref>{{cite web |title=JUNIOR SEMI-FINAL PROSPECTS ANALYSED |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154548650 |website=Trove |publisher=Winner |page=7 |date=19 September 1917 |quote=The Prestonians have come on rapidly lately}}</ref>
| motto     =
| season    = [[2024 VFL season|<span style="color:white">2024</span>]]
| home&away = 21st
| topgoalkicker  = John Jorgensen (25)
| bestandfairest     = Jean-Luc Velissaris
| bestandfairestname = Laurie Hill Trophy
  | founded   = {{Start date and age|1882}}
  | dissolved = 
  | colours   = {{color box|#ED1C24}} Red {{color box|White}} White
  | league    = [[Victorian Football League]]
  | coach     = [[Rohan Welsh]]
  | captain   = Liam Mackie
  | premierships = '''VFA/VFL (D1)''' (4) {{hlist|[[1968 VFA season|1968]]|[[1969 VFA season|1969]]|[[1983 VFA season|1983]]|[[1984 VFA season|1984]]}} '''VFA (D2)''' (2) {{hlist|[[1963 VFA season|1963]]|[[1965 VFA season|1965]]}} '''VJFA''' (5) {{hlist|[[Victorian Junior Football Association#Premiers|1900]]|[[Victorian Junior Football Association#Premiers|1901]]|[[Victorian Junior Football Association#Premiers|1902]]|[[Victorian Junior Football Association#Premiers|1921]]|[[Victorian Junior Football Association#Premiers|1923]]}}
  | president = Neil Howard<ref name="goback"/>
  | membership = 870<ref>{{cite web |last1=Amy |first1=Paul |title='Dire': the battle to save historic Victorian club Northern Bullants |url=https://www.codesports.com.au/afl%2Fstate-leagues%2Fdire-the-battle-to-save-historic-victorian-club-northern-bullants%2Fnews-story%2F0550b466400ee88cf1508db6fda8c0ef |publisher=CODE Sports |access-date=12 June 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250612023245/https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/state-leagues/dire-the-battle-to-save-historic-victorian-club-northern-bullants/news-story/0550b466400ee88cf1508db6fda8c0ef |archive-date=12 June 2025 |date=12 June 2025}}</ref>
  | membership_year = 2025
  | ground    = [[Genis Steel Oval]]
  | ground2   = 
  | capacity  = 5,000
  | capacity2 = 
  | trainingground = [[RMIT Oval]]
  | most recent premiership =
  | url       = [https://northernbullantsfc.com.au/ northernbullantsfc.com.au]
  | jumper     = 
  | pattern_name1 = Home 
  | pattern_b1      = _nbullants2021h
  | pattern_sh1     = _whitesides2
  | pattern_so1     = 
  | body1           = 
  | shorts1         = ED1C24
  | socks1          = ED1C24
    | pattern_name2 = Clash 
| pattern_b2      = _redcollar
| pattern_sh2     = 
| pattern_so2     = 
| body2           = FFFFFF 
| shorts2         = FFFFFF
| socks2          = FF0000
| pattern_b3      = _goldrightsash
| pattern_so3     = _hoops_gold
| body3           = 0000cc
| shorts3         = 0000cc
| socks3          = 0000cc
| pattern_name3   = Original
| current         = 2025 VFL season
}}
The '''Northern Bullants''' are a semi-professional [[Australian rules football]] club that currently competes in the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL). The club, which is based in the [[Melbourne]] suburb of [[Preston, Victoria|Preston]], plays its home games at [[Preston City Oval]].

The club was established in 1882 as the '''Preston Football Club''', the name which the club is still legally registered under. The club participated in the [[Victorian Football League|Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) between 1903 and 1911, and then since 1926. After [[World War II]], the club was known as the Bullants, and wore a plain red guernsey with a white monogram. The club later became the '''Northern Bullants'''. It was [[Australian Football League reserves affiliations|affiliated]] with the [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton Blues]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL) from 2003 to 2020, and from 2012 until 2020, the club adopted the colours and nickname of its AFL affiliate to become the '''Northern Blues'''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Landsberger|first=Sam|title=Northern Bullants in with the Blues|url=http://preston-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/northern-bullants-in-with-the-blues/|access-date=29 July 2011|newspaper=Preston Leader|date=29 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005223013/http://preston-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/northern-bullants-in-with-the-blues/|archive-date=5 October 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The alignment was terminated in 2020 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], and since 2021, the club has again operated as a stand-alone VFL club under the Northern Bullants name.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-financial-crisis-carlton-northern-blues-vfl-alignment-budget-cuts-money/news-story/d879780389f3af08048529d3aa8cb311|title=AFL 2020, financial crisis, Carlton, Northern Blues, VFL alignment, budget cuts, money|date=2020-03-26|website=Fox Sports|language=en-AU|access-date=2020-03-26}}</ref><ref name="antsback">{{cite news|newspaper=Leader|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|author=Paul Amy|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/northern-bullants-to-return-to-vfl-as-a-standalone-club/news-story/d7622838d0c7c822054326350df41b5d|date=13 October 2020|access-date=13 October 2020|title=Northern Bullants to return to VFL as a stand-alone club}}</ref>

The club's identity is also present in the [[Preston Bullants Amateur Football Club]], which is a separate entity that competes in the [[Victorian Amateur Football Association]] (VAFA), however the clubs use the same logo, colours and jumper design.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bullant Community Celebrate Luke Green’s VFL Journey |url=https://www.vafa.com.au/news/2024/04/15/bullant-community-celebrate-luke-greens-vfl-journey/ |publisher=Victorian Amateur Football Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524135115/https://www.vafa.com.au/news/2024/04/15/bullant-community-celebrate-luke-greens-vfl-journey/ |archive-date=24 May 2024 |date=15 April 2024}}</ref> Preston AFC was formerly known as the Northern Bullants and later the Northern Blues, and by their current name since 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our History |url=https://www.prestonbullantsafc.com/our-history |publisher=Preston Bullants Amateur Football Club |access-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524141438/https://www.prestonbullantsafc.com/our-history |archive-date=24 May 2024}}</ref>

== History ==
The club was formed in 1882 but little is known of its first three years before the Shire of Jika Jika changed its name in September 1885 to Preston. Preston and another local club, Gowerville, then merged and competed at lower levels of the [[Victorian Junior Football Association]] (VJFA). After a battle with the council, the club was finally granted permission in 1887 to play on Preston Park, where it has remained with the exception of one year when it played at Coburg to allow the ground to be widened.

=== 1890−1902: VJFA ===
From 1890, the club played in the First Rate Division of the VJFA and despite its remote location compared with other clubs, was the only one of the 28 teams of 1890 to survive the decade, despite finishing last or second last in five consecutive seasons.

By the late 1890s, the district was starting to grow and the struggling club gathered depth and strength. It took out the first of three consecutive First-Rate premierships in 1900, defeating [[Collingwood Football Club#Reserves team|Collingwood Juniors]] (effectively the [[Victorian Football League|League]] team's Seconds) before 5,000 people at the [[Brunswick Street Oval]]. Further premierships followed in 1901 and 1902, with no finals being played as Preston finished the requisite two games clear of its nearest rivals to claim the title. After the 1902 premiership, "Bounce" in ''The Herald'' asked: "Will the [VFL] find room for [Preston]?"<ref>{{cite web |author1=Bounce |title=With the juniors: Preston premiers again |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242005266 |website=Trove |publisher=The Herald |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=29 August 1902}}</ref>

=== 1903−1911: VFA entry ===
With the VFA keen to expand, Preston was a logical choice to join the senior body in 1903. The uniform changed from a blue jumper with yellow sash (which would have clashed with [[Williamstown Football Club|Williamstown]]) to a plain maroon jumper with navy blue knicks. Despite a reasonable opening season where it won six games, the club struggled to find players and finished last in 1904 in the middle of what was to be a 27-game losing streak.

Several other bottom-of-the list results came before a brief resurgence in 1909 under former Collingwood champion [[Charlie Pannam (footballer, born 1874)|Charlie Pannam]], but with the loss of several key players to League clubs, Preston again went on a downward spiral and won just one game through 1910 and 1911.

=== 1912−1925: Back to the juniors ===
{{see also|Preston Districts Football Club}}
[[File:Preston city oval.jpg|thumb|250px|Preston City Oval, the traditional home of the Bullants]]
With [[Northcote Football Club|Northcote]] joining the Association in 1908, pressure was applied for the two neighbouring clubs to merge and the VFA forced the issue early in 1912. Preston officials encouraged their players to move, but diverted all the club's trophies and assets to the junior '''[[Preston Districts Football Club]]''', which had acted as its [[Reserve team|reserves team]]. Northcote became known as the '''Northcote and Preston Football Club''' (or simply '''Northcote-Preston''') for the next few years, but it played its games in Northcote, retained Northcote's colours, and its team in the VFA continued to be known as Northcote.<ref>{{cite web |title=NORTHCOTE AND PRESTON FOOTBALL CLUB |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92075726/8574509 |publisher=Preston Leader |access-date=18 March 2025 |page=3 |date=13 February 2015}}</ref> The merged entity is considered a continuation of the Northcote Football Club.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Weekly Times|page=22|title=Football|date=20 April 1912|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC}}</ref>

Preston was simply promoted before its time: by 1912, the district numbered just 4,800 people spread over 8,800 acres (an average of 0.6 persons per acre). Of the other suburbs represented in the VFA, the next smallest was [[Brighton Football Club|Brighton]] with 11,000. Preston's leading player during the early VFA days was Sid Hall, a [[Half-back line|centre half-back]] regarded as the best high mark in the competition. Despite the lack of success, Preston managed to supply some fine players to League ranks in [[Percy Ogden]] ([[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]]), [[Hedley Tomkins]] and [[Bill Hendrie]] ([[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]]), [[Hugh James (footballer)|Hugh James]] ([[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]]), [[Joe Prince]] ([[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]], [[Sydney Swans|South Melbourne]] and [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]]), [[George Doull]] ([[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]) and [[Eric Woods]] ([[Melbourne University Football Club|University]]). Preston's place was taken by [[Melbourne City Football Club (VFA)|Melbourne City]] which didn't win a game in the two years before it folded.

The junior club played as Preston Districts from 1912 to 1915, until the name changed to Preston prior to the start of the 1916 season, something that Preston officials may have always intended in 1912.<ref name="brian"/> This effectively meant Preston Districts ceased to exist, replaced by Preston.<ref name="darebin">{{cite web |title=Preston Districts Football Club |url=https://libraries.darebin.vic.gov.au/Darebinheritage/sport-leisure/football/prestondistrictsfootballclub |website=Darebin Libraries |publisher=City of Darebin |access-date=26 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312101227/https://heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au/article/170 |archive-date=12 March 2022}}</ref>

The nucleus of Preston returned to the First-Rate Division of the Victorian Junior Football Association. Ogden returned to captain-coach the club in 1916 and 1917 while Essendon was in recess for the [[World War I|First World War]] and by 1919 Preston had re-established itself as one of the top teams in junior football. Young [[George Gough]] was recruited by [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]] as a rover. Premierships came in 1921 and again in 1923 with Preston, under the coaching of [[Bill Adams (Australian footballer)|William "Bull" Adams]], who had been refused a clearance to Fitzroy by his West Australian club, overrunning [[Yarraville Football Club|Yarraville]] in the final term despite playing one man short.

=== 1926: Rejoining the VFA ===
With the loss of [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]], [[Western Bulldogs|Footscray]] and [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] to the League in 1925, the Association accepted Preston (just proclaimed a [[City of Preston (Victoria)|city]]) and [[Camberwell Football Club|Camberwell]] into its ranks for the 1926 season.

The team used the uniform from its junior days, a broad red stripe down the chest and back with white sides and sleeves. This time the club was ready for senior ranks, raising a few eyebrows when it won nine of the 18 games in its first season as well as supplying the [[Recorder Cup]] winner, William "Bluey" Summers.  A finals appearance came the following year. Preston's first ever senior final finished in a draw with Brighton, which won the replay a fortnight later.

The club remained in the middle ranking of the Association up until the cessation of play during World War I, the highlight being a remarkable 1931 season under the legendary [[Roy Cazaly]] who sacked half the side mid-season and promoted youngsters. Needing to win 12 games straight to ensure a finals spot, Preston managed to sneak in with 11 wins and a draw, but was bundled out in the preliminary final due to several injuries (including [[Roy Cazaly|Cazaly]]).

Despite its modest finals record (the semi-final win was the only finals match Preston won), the club provided the 1934 and 1936 [[Recorder Cup]] winners in [[Danny Warr]] and [[Bert Hyde]] respectively. Leading players up to World War 2 included Summers, Warr, "Bert" Smith, Frankie "Dickie" Dowling and Bill "Socks" Maslen, the latter pair being the club's record-holders for number of senior games played. Although he was never a star with Preston, 17-year-old [[Bert Deacon]] played his first match in 1940, later becoming Carlton's first [[Brownlow Medal]]list in 1947. With the abolition of clearance agreements between the League and Association in 1938, Preston snared Footscray champion [[Alby Morrison]] as captain-coach for 1939–40 (although Morrison did obtain a clearance), and in 1941 a young Geelong ruckman, [[Jack Lynch (footballer, born 1918)|Jack Lynch]] who was switched to full-forward early in the season and finished with 133 goals. Lynch, sadly, is the only known player to have been killed during the War.

The "Bullants" nickname was first mentioned in the ''[[The Herald (Melbourne)|Herald]]'' newspaper in 1938, with an article on Association clubs adopting new nicknames, noting that "Preston will be known as the 'Bullants', because they can sting"''.''<ref>[The Herald, 25 March 1938, Sports Section - "Harry Hopman Sees"]</ref> 1930s radio commentator [[Wallace Sharland|Wallace "Jumbo" Sharland]] referred to the small Preston team in its bright uniforms as "like a swarm of busy bullants".

[[File:Preston1954_cropped.jpg|thumb|240px|Preston players in [[1954 VFA season|1954]]]]
Post-war, the uniform was changed to plain red with a "PFC" monogram, but finals appearances remained few and usually with little success. The club again was to the fore in the new [[J. J. Liston Trophy|Liston Trophy]], providing the 1949 and 1953 winners in [[Jack Blackman]] and [[Ted Henrys]].   Henrys, a moderate utility player with [[Brunswick Football Club|Brunswick]] in previous years, switched to Preston at age 26 and moved to full-back in just his second match where he made the position his own, adding three consecutive club best-and-fairest awards to his Liston and becoming one of the first two Association players to be named in the All-Australian team.

[[Bert Deacon|Deacon]] returned as captain-coach in 1952 and other leading players through the 1950s including centre-half forward Pat Foley, Kevin Pritchard, rover George Bradford, back pocket Bob "Moggie" McLachlan, and the Chard brothers, Kevin and Fred, the latter leading the goal kicking on three occasions. Despite building a solid combination, the loss of several experienced players saw the club plummet to fifteenth in 1960 and forced into Second Division when the VFA opted for two levels. The club played second division finals in 1961 and 1962, but were beaten both times.

By 1963, Preston's all-time VFA finals record stood at just one win and one draw from 18 attempts, with 13 losses in succession. Again their premiership hopes looked doomed when the Bullants went down to [[Waverley Football Club|Waverley]] in the second semi-final, but fate finally smiled when Preston beat [[Prahran Football Club|Prahran]] comfortably in the Preliminary Final and then downed Waverley to take out a long-awaited premiership, and earn promotion to Division 1.

Preston was relegated back to Division 2 at the end of 1964, and ironically it was 1963 runners-up Waverley – who had been promoted to Division 1 only to replace [[Moorabbin Football Club|Moorabbin]] after it was disqualified from the Association for being complicit in {{AFL Stk}}'s takeover of [[Moorabbin Oval]] – who defeated Preston in the final round to ensure their relegation. The return to Division 2 lasted only one year, with a minor premiership and Grand Final victory against [[Mordialloc Football Club|Mordialloc]] seeing them promoted again. With substantially more depth and keen recruiting, Preston finishing third in Division 1 in 1966.

[[Bert Hyde]], Preston's 1936 [[Recorder Cup]] winner, had lived in the area since his playing days and was an active official at Hawthorn, which was then rapidly emerging from years in the wilderness to become the power side of the 1960s. It was probably Hyde's influence that saw two Hawthorn players that were to become the cornerstone of Preston's success move to Association ranks – [[John McArthur (footballer)|John McArthur]], captain-coach of the 1965 premiership side was transferred to Western Australia on business and replaced by [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]], later to coach two AFL premiership sides. Joyce (with McArthur returning as a player) led Preston to back-to-back premierships in 1968 and 1969. Preston players won four out of six Liston Trophies between 1968 and 1971, with the award collected in 1968 by [[Dick Telford]], in 1969 and 1971 by [[Laurie Hill (footballer, born 1942)|Laurie Hill]], and in 1973 by [[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]], who was then the youngest winner of the award.

Preston was beaten by [[Dandenong Football Club|Dandenong]] in the [[1971 VFA Grand Final]], which remains one of the most controversial in football history. Field umpire Jim McMaster awarded Dandenong full-forward [[Jim 'Frosty' Miller]] a free kick before the opening bounce, resulting in a goal; Dandenong ultimately won by six points. Preston protested, and despite several opinions from leading lawmakers that McMaster had no right to award the free kick because he had not officially started the game, Preston's protest proved to be of no avail.

Preston's fortunes slumped in the early 1970s, and the club narrowly avoided relegation at [[Coburg Football Club|Coburg]]'s expense in 1973, after defeating the Lions 171–154 in a famous high-scoring final round match.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|page=54|author=Stephen Phillips|publication-place=Melbourne|date=27 August 1973|title=West waits, but in vain}}</ref> It wasn't until 1976 that Preston again played a major role in the finals, finishing second on the ladder, then crashing out after losses in the second semi and preliminary finals.

The club enjoyed a resurgence under [[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] in 1978, reaching the Grand Final where a crowd of nearly 30,000 packed the [[Junction Oval]] for what is still rated by many as one of the greatest ever Grand Finals. After a tense opening, the crowd erupted late in the second term when Martin and another of football's legendary hard men, [[Sam Kekovich]], went head-to-head in a wild brawl. Unfortunately for the Bullants, Prahran settled down much better in the second half and ran out comfortable winners.

=== 1980s ===
The club was one of the VFA's strongest in the 1980s, and it reached four Grand Finals in a row between 1981 and 1984. The team fell well short in the 1981 decider, unable to match [[Port Melbourne Football Club|Port Melbourne]] who inflicted a record Grand Final defeat (both score and winning margin) on the Bullants. The Borough kicked 23 goals to six in the second half to record its first score above 200 ever against the Bullants. The following season saw the return of [[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]], captain of Collingwood in 1982 but disillusioned with bitter infighting at the club. Shaw's influence and a number of highly rated recruits had many believing that this would be Preston's year, but again Port Melbourne proved the nemesis with a seven-point win in the Grand Final.

Further strong recruiting brought together probably the greatest depth of players ever at an Association club. Preston rewrote the record books in 1983 by becoming the first club to win the Senior, Seconds and Thirds premierships in the same year in Division 1, and repeated the achievement in 1984. Preston was a dominant force in the Seconds over that period, reaching eight of ten Grand Finals between 1978 and 1987, winning five. The club had been a perennial force in the Thirds competition since the 1950s, missing the Grand Final only nine times over a 37-season stretch between 1953 and 1989 and winning the premiership a VFA-record 13 times (eleven in Division 1 and two in Division 2); its 1980s form was particularly strong, missing only one Grand Final between 1978 and 1989.<ref>Fiddian, Marc (2004); ''The VFA; A History of the Victorian Football Association 1877-1995''; pp. 300-302</ref> Neil Jordon capitalised on the club's strong minor grade form, playing an astonishing 84 matches with the club across all three grades before ever playing in a losing side.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|author=Dennis Jose|date=24 June 1985|page=30|title=Brave Seagulls stop Preston}}</ref>

Eight straight wins in 1985 extended Preston's winning stretch to a record 23, but with the loss of Shaw to the [[Diamond Valley Football League|Diamond Valley]], retirement of a few experienced players and the movement of several promising younger players to League ranks, Preston's period of dominance was at an end. The club reached a further four finals series between 1985 and 1990, winning the minor premiership in 1990, but was eliminated from the finals by Williamstown on all four occasions. During this time, the club unearthed a new legend in [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie "Spider" Shaw]] who kicked 106 in his first season and followed up with an astonishing 146 in 1986 before an unsuccessful stint at Fitzroy.

=== 1990s: Decline ===
With the ethnic mix of the Preston area rapidly changing and the almost saturation coverage of the now [[Australian Football League]], the club's off-field position deteriorated in the 1990s, and it was constantly battling for survival. Preston was not the only club struggling, and at the end of 1994, the [[Victorian Football Association|VFA]] Board of Management merged with the [[Victorian State Football League]] (VSFL) (now controlling the [[TAC Cup|elite under-18 competition]] that had effectively replaced both the League and Association Thirds), and plans gradually evolved for the development of a new competition, which became the Victorian Football League. 

With a mounting debt, Preston entered into a merger with the [[Northern Knights Football Club|Northern Knights]] under-18 team in 1996. The combined entity was known as the '''Preston Knights''' and adopted the Knights uniform of white with black and blue hoops. The move provided some financial stability off the field, but little success on the football front.

In October 1997, the VSFL executive announced that the Preston Knights' licence with the League had been withdrawn and that Preston, after 95 years, was effectively out of the competition. A number of protest meetings were organised and the club found a willing ally in Don Gillies, an administrator appointed by the [[Government of Victoria|State Government]] to replace the long-dysfunctional [[City of Preston (Victoria)|Preston Council]], who through years of neglect had allowed the Preston Oval to degenerate to a standard well below that required for senior football. Gillies, in meeting with the VSFL, undertook to initiate significant drainage and lighting improvements at the ground and after around about a month of uncertainty, the Knights' license was reinstated when [[Traralgon Football Club|Traralgon]] announced its withdrawal from the VFL after an unsuccessful two-year trial.

==== Bullants revival ====
The shaky alliance with the Knights continued until 1999 when the Board announced it could not recommend continuing.<ref>{{cite web |title=VFL FIXTURE 2000 |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/766395/vfl-fixture-2000 |publisher=Essendon Football Club |access-date=18 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318131824/https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/766395/vfl-fixture-2000 |archive-date=18 March 2025 |date=5 January 2000}}</ref> A new group approached the now VFL with a proposal to resurrect the club under the name of the '''Northern Bullants''', market research having revealed that much of the club's support and player base no longer lay within the old Preston area. The revived club returned to a variation of the traditional red uniform, replacing the PFC monogram with a white bullant (although the logo actually featured a [[termite]] until it was replaced in [[2002 VFL season|2002]]). The PFC initials were later added to the back of the guernsey below the collar.

At the same time, the AFL abandoned its [[AFL reserves|reserves competition]] in favour of a restructured VFL comprising a number of AFL–VFL affiliations, AFL reserve teams and "standalone" VFL clubs. The Bullants opted not to pursue affiliation with an AFL club. 2000 and 2001 saw the stand-alone Bullants post six wins in each season, but the difficulty of having part-time players and coaching staff competing with full-time AFL counterparts was obvious in many games where the Bullants were highly competitive for much of the match but outgunned by fitter, bigger and stronger opposition late in the game.

=== 2003−2020: Affiliation ===
Just before the end of the 2002 season, proposals for affiliation were received from both Essendon and Carlton. Essendon's plans were virtual domination of the club with a jumper change, renaming as the Northern Bombers and playing several games each season at [[Windy Hill, Essendon|Windy Hill]]. Carlton's, on the other hand, was for a cooperative playing group with no change to traditional values and was accepted without major modification by the Bullants board.

The affiliated team continued under long-serving coach [[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark P. Williams]], but there was to be no instant success, the club coincidentally matching the 2001–02 result with six wins in 2003. With a few personal tensions emerging, Carlton announced its intention to withdraw from the two-year agreement at the end of the 2003 season, but subsequent negotiations between the two clubs and the VFL saw the problems resolved and a new arrangement established. Williams had already resigned, citing lack of time, (later accepting the role at Sandringham) and under the terms of the agreement, Carlton retained the right to nominate one of their assistant coaches, eventually [[Barry Mitchell (footballer)|Barry Mitchell]], as his replacement.

Carlton at the time was struggling in the AFL due to the loss of [[Australian Football League draft|National Draft]] picks because of salary cap infringements. This worked in the Bullants' favour in the mid-2000s, as Carlton opted to recruit a number of experienced mid-range AFL players recycled from other teams, who went on to provide a backbone of a very strong VFL team. The club surprised most by finishing third in 2005, then won the minor premiership with a club best 17–1 record in 2006, but suffered heavy losses in two finals to finish third.

Under coach [[David Teague (footballer)|David Teague]], the Bullants managed to finish third on the ladder in 2009, then win through to the Grand Final for the first time since the 1984 victory; but, the team was comfortably beaten by [[North Ballarat Football Club|North Ballarat]]. The Bullants reached a second consecutive Grand Final the following season, winning through to the Grand Final from sixth on the ladder, but again lost to North Ballarat. The club reached another preliminary final from sixth place in 2011.

In 2012, the club adopted many features of Carlton's identity. The club was renamed the '''Northern Blues''', and the playing colours were changed to navy blue and white, featuring Carlton's CFC monogram but in a slightly different design to the AFL club's guernsey. Home games were split between Preston City Oval and [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]]. The club retained a red and white guernsey for matches played in Preston, and when a clash guernsey was required.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/126017/default.aspx|title=Northern Blues|date=10 Nov 2011|access-date=11 Nov 2011|publisher=Carlton Football Club|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324020803/http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/126017/default.aspx|archive-date=24 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The club never made VFL finals under the Northern Blues name.

By the end of their affiliation, the Northern Blues existence as a club was thought to be reliant on the Carlton Football Club's financial backing. When the start of the 2020 AFL and VFL seasons, along with all other football, were suspended due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Carlton was forced to cut its expenses, and this included withdrawing its financial support for Northern, and ending its reserves affiliation. The Northern Blues initially announced they would be wound up and dissolved, and they were not included in revised plans for the cancelled [[2020 VFL season]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/581213/carlton-and-northern-blues-forced-to-cease-alignment|title=Carlton and Northern Blues forced to cease alignment|date=26 March 2020|publisher=Carlton Football Club|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|title=Heartbreak as Carlton call sees VFL club with 138-year history go under|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-forced-to-end-northern-blues-alignment-due-to-budget-cuts-20200326-p54e8h.html|author1=Peter Ryan|author2=Daniel Cherny|date=26 March 2020|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref> However, the club regrouped during the pandemic, and found a way to remain viable as a stand-alone senior club, earning a licence to return in that capacity for the 2021 season. The club returned to trading under the Northern Bullants name, and wearing its traditional red and white guernsey.<ref name="antsback" />

=== 2021−present: Standalone club ===
Since returning as a standalone club, the Bullants have struggled in the VFL. The club only managed a single win in [[2022 VFL season|2022]], finishing last on the ladder. It included a loss to {{VFL Wer}} in round 22 where the Bullants only scored 0.10 (10) for the game, which set a new record as the heaviest loss in its history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/clubs/biggest_losses/preston/178/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show|title=Australian Football - Northern Bullants Football Club - Biggest Losses|accessdate=22 August 2022|publisher=AustralianFootball.com}}</ref>

The club appointed former {{AFL Col}} player [[Brodie Holland]] as their coach for the [[2023 VFL season|2023 season]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ex-Collingwood star Brodie Holland appointed as Northern Bullants VFL coach |date=4 November 2022 |url=https://www.zerohanger.com/ex-collingwood-star-brodie-holland-appointed-as-northern-bullants-vfl-coach-129643/ |publisher=ZeroHanger}}</ref> The club had two wins early on in the season, but were unable to achieve anymore, finishing 20th. In round 18 they scored only 0.4 (4) against {{VFL Foo}}, equalling the lowest score in the club's VFA/VFL history and the lowest score by any club since 1919.<ref>{{cite web |title=Northern Bullants v Footscray Bulldogs |url=https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/5246 |publisher=AFL.com.au |access-date=27 May 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250527065119/https://www.afl.com.au/vfl/matches/5246 |archive-date=27 May 2025 |date=22 July 2023}}</ref> Holland resigned as coach effective immediately shortly after the club's final game of the season, and was replaced by former {{AFL Car}} player [[Rohan Welsh]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Rohan 'Woosher' Welsh has been appointed senior coach of VFL club Northern Bullants |url=https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/state-leagues/rohan-woosher-welsh-has-been-appointed-senior-coach-of-vfl-club-northern-bullants/news-story/c265064f3aa5718ef002a754f23a98a1 |publisher=CODE Sports}}</ref>

Prior to the start of the [[2025 VFL season]], the Bullants were the subject of controversy after expressing interest in signing former {{AFL|NM}} player [[Tarryn Thomas]], who had been suspended from the AFL in [[2024 AFL season|2024]] following a number of legal issues.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Peter |title=Bullants board says no to Tarryn Thomas |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bullants-board-says-no-to-tarryn-thomas-20250224-p5lej3.html |publisher=The Age |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224025846/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/bullants-board-says-no-to-tarryn-thomas-20250224-p5lej3.html |archive-date=24 February 2025 |date=24 February 2025}}</ref> Following criticism on social media and amid the threat of losing sponsors and members, the club's board ultimately chose not to proceed with signing Thomas after a meeting held on 23 February 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cross |first1=Jarred |title=Thomas' signing ruled out by VFL club |url=https://nit.com.au/24-02-2025/16440/thomas-signing-ruled-out-by-vfl-club |publisher=National Indigenous Times |access-date=24 February 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224030616/https://nit.com.au/24-02-2025/16440/thomas-signing-ruled-out-by-vfl-club |archive-date=24 February 2025 |date=24 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1893809320954884130 |user=NBullantsFC |title=The Northern Bullants Football Club have met over the weekend and decided not to proceed with the signing of Tarryn Thomas. We wish Tarryn all the best with his future. |date=2025-02-24 |access-date=2025-02-24 |author=Northern Bullants FC |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250224030905/https://x.com/NBullantsFC/status/1893809320954884130 |archive-date=2025-02-24 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On 20 May 2025, the club announced it would revert to the "Preston Football Club" name for the 2026 VFL season.<ref name="goback">{{cite web |last1=Amy |first1=Paul |title=New Bullants president says club will go back to being called Preston |url=https://www.codesports.com.au/afl%2Fstate-leagues%2Fnew-bullants-president-says-club-will-go-back-to-being-called-preston%2Fnews-story%2F6ceb0639ec11893746a950d17246414a |publisher=CODE Sports |access-date=20 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250520105238/https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/state-leagues/new-bullants-president-says-club-will-go-back-to-being-called-preston/news-story/6ceb0639ec11893746a950d17246414a?amp&nk=c9c9a24ffcc0916069075fbae9543f0b-1747738366 |archive-date=20 May 2025 |date=20 May 2025}}</ref>

== Honours ==
=== Premierships ===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| League
! style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| Division
! style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| Level
! style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| Wins
! style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| Years won
|-
| rowspan="6" | '''[[Victorian Football League]]'''
| rowspan="3" | [[Victorian Football League|Division 1]]
| [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]]
| align="center" | 4
| [[1968 VFA season|1968]], [[1969 VFA season|1969]], [[1983 VFA season|1983]], [[1984 VFA season|1984]]
|-
| [[VFL Development League|Reserves]]
| align="center" | 6
| [[1957 VFA season|1957]], [[1978 VFA season|1978]], [[1983 VFA season|1983]], [[1984 VFA season|1984]], [[1985 VFA season|1985]], [[1987 VFA season|1987]]
|-
| {{nowrap|[[VFA under-19s|Under-19s]]}}
| align="center" | 11
| [[1954 VFA season|1954]], [[1959 VFA season|1959]], [[1960 VFA season|1960]], [[1964 VFA season|1964]], [[1974 VFA season|1974]], [[1976 VFA season|1976]], [[1981 VFA season|1981]], [[1982 VFA season|1982]], [[1983 VFA season|1983]], [[1984 VFA season|1984]], [[1989 VFA season|1989]]
|-
| rowspan="3" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|Division 2]]}}
| [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]]
| align="center" | 2
| [[1963 VFA season|1963]], [[1965 VFA season|1965]]
|-
| [[VFL Development League|Reserves]]
| align="center" | 2
| [[1961 VFA season|1961]], [[1962 VFA season|1962]]
|-
| [[VFA under-19s|Under-19s]]
| align="center" | 2
| [[1961 VFA season|1961]], [[1962 VFA season|1962]]
|-
| rowspan="6" | '''[[Victorian Junior Football Association]]'''
| rowspan="3" | 
| 
| align="center" | 5
| 1900, 1901, 1902, 1921, 1923
|}

=== Other Division 1 Awards ===
* Runners-Up (6): 1971, 1978, 1981, 1982, 2009, 2010
* Minor Premierships (8): 1968, 1969, 1971, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 2006
* Wooden Spoons (7): 1904, 1905, 1907, 1910, 1911, 1964, 2022

==Records==
===Team records===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-  style="color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center; background:#E41118;"
| '''Record''' || '''Total''' || '''League''' || '''Game'''
|-
! rowspan=3; style=text-align:left | Highest score
| 49.21 (315){{efn|name=sunshine1989|[[Sunshine Football Club (VFA)|Sunshine]] withdrew from the VFA after [[1989 VFA season#Round 9|round 9]] of the [[1989 VFA season|1989 season]], and the eight matches it had played that season – including its 49.21 (315) to 9.5 (59) loss to Preston in [[1989 VFA season#Round 5|round 5]] – were subsequently expunged from the records.}}
| rowspan=2; align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs [[Sunshine Football Club (VFA)|Sunshine]], Round 5, [[1989 VFA season|1989]] at [[Skinner Reserve]]<ref name="recordshardball">{{cite web |title=VFA-VFL - RECORDS |url=https://www.hardballget.net/leagues-vfa-vfl-records.html |publisher=Hard Ball Get |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206142225/https://www.hardballget.net/leagues-vfa-vfl-records.html |archive-date=6 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="r51989">{{cite web |title=Round 5, 1989 |url=https://www.vflfooty.com/round-5-1989 |publisher=VFL FOOTY |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406155857/https://www.vflfooty.com/round-5-1989 |archive-date=6 April 2025 |date=6 May 2009}}</ref>
|-
| 43.12 (270)
| vs [[Camberwell Football Club|Camberwell]], Round 8, [[1989 VFA season|1989]] at [[Preston City Oval]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Game by Game for 1989 |url=https://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Season/1989.php |publisher=The VFA Project |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207214744/https://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Season/1989.php |archive-date=7 December 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 32.16 (208)
| align=center | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| vs [[Ascot Vale Football Club|Ascot Vale]], [[1917 VJFA season|1917]]<ref name="brian"/><ref name="ascotvale">{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132694059 |website=Trove |publisher=Weekly Times |access-date=6 April 2025 |page=21 |date=15 September 2017 |quote=The games of September 8 produced an amazing score of 32—16 by Preston against 2—2 socred by Ascot Vale.}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan=2; style=text-align:left | Lowest score
| rowspan=2 | 0.4 (4)
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs [[Brunswick Football Club|Brunswick]], Round 14, [[1905 VFA season|1905]] at Park Street Oval<ref>{{cite web |title=Brunswick v Preston |url=https://thevfaproject.org/pages/Games/VFA1905-14-03.php |publisher=The VFA Project |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241015232049/https://thevfaproject.org/pages/Games/VFA1905-14-03.php |archive-date=15 October 2024 |date=12 August 1905}}</ref>
|-
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| vs [[Western Bulldogs#Reserves team|Footscray reserves]], Round 18, [[2023 VFL season|2023]] at [[Preston City Oval]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barbara |first1=Kiara |title=VFL Report: Round 18 |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1386091/vfl-report-round-18 |publisher=Western Bulldogs |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117142718/https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1386091/vfl-report-round-18 |archive-date=17 January 2025 |date=24 July 2023}}</ref>
|-
! style=text-align:left | Highest score conceded
| 32.19 (211)
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs {{VFL PM}}, [[1981 VFA season|1981 grand final]] at [[Junction Oval]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Northern Bullants - Highest Scores Conceded |url=https://australianfootball.com/clubs/highest_conceded/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |publisher=Australian Football |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406170531/https://australianfootball.com/clubs/highest_conceded/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |archive-date=6 April 2025}}</ref>
|-
! style=text-align:left | Lowest score conceded
| 1.2 (8)
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs [[Brighton Football Club|Brighton]], Round 15, [[1961 VFA season|1961]] at [[Preston City Oval]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Northern Bullants - Lowest Scores Conceded |url=https://australianfootball.com/clubs/lowest_conceded/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |publisher=Australian Football |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406171303/https://australianfootball.com/clubs/lowest_conceded/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |archive-date=6 April 2025}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan=4; style=text-align:left | Biggest wins
| 256 points{{efn|name=sunshine1989}}
| rowspan=2; align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs [[Sunshine Football Club (VFA)|Sunshine]], Round 5, [[1989 VFA season|1989]] at [[Skinner Reserve]]<ref name="highesthardball">{{cite web |title=HIGHEST SCORES (1897-) |url=https://www.hardballget.net/leagues-vfa-vfl-records.html |publisher=Hard Ball Get |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206142225/https://www.hardballget.net/leagues-vfa-vfl-records.html |archive-date=6 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="r51989"/>
|-
| 204 points
| vs [[Camberwell Football Club|Camberwell]], Round 13, [[1986 VFA season|1986]] at [[Camberwell Sports Ground]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Victorian Football Association: Season 1986 Division One |url=https://www.elitetograssroots.net/vfa/1986.htm |publisher=Elite to Grassroots |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406154602/https://www.elitetograssroots.net/vfa/1986.htm |archive-date=6 April 2025}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | 185 points
| rowspan=2; align=center | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| vs [[Ascot Vale Football Club|Ascot Vale]], [[1917 VJFA season|1917]]<ref name="brian"/><ref name="ascotvale"/>
|-
| vs [[Kew Football Club|Kew]], [[1925 VJFA season|1925]]<ref name="brian"/>
|-
! style=text-align:left | Biggest loss
| 181 points
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| vs [[Werribee Football Club|Werribee]], Round 22, [[2022 VFL season|2022]] at [[Chirnside Park (stadium)|Chirnside Park]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Northern Bullants - Biggest Losses |url=https://australianfootball.com/clubs/biggest_losses/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |publisher=Australian Football |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406170040/https://australianfootball.com/clubs/biggest_losses/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |archive-date=6 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rhodes |first1=Brendan |title=VFL Rd22: Blues give club something to smile about |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/829116/vfl-rd22-blues-give-club-something-to-smile-about |publisher=AFL.com.au |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824090024/https://www.afl.com.au/news/829116/vfl-rd22-blues-give-club-something-to-smile-about |archive-date=24 August 2022 |date=23 August 2022}}</ref>
|-
! style=text-align:left | Highest attendance
| 29,565
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs [[Prahran Football Club|Prahran]], [[1978 VFA season|1978 grand final]] at [[Junction Oval]]<ref name="biggestcrowd">{{cite web |title=Northern Bullants - Biggest Crowd |url=https://australianfootball.com/clubs/biggest_crowd/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |publisher=Australian Football |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406171800/https://australianfootball.com/clubs/biggest_crowd/northern%2Bbullants/178/season_from/1858/season_to/2026/league/all/competition/all/division/All/division_type/all/round_type/all/limit/500/filter/show |archive-date=6 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Preston v Prahran |url=https://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Games/VFA1978-D1-GF.php |publisher=The VFA Project |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207211820/https://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Games/VFA1978-D1-GF.php |archive-date=7 December 2024 |date=24 September 1978}}</ref>
|-
! style=text-align:left | Highest home-and-away attendance
| 13,000
| align=center | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| vs {{VFL PM}}, Round 18, [[1969 VFA season|1969]] at [[Preston City Oval]]<ref name="biggestcrowd"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Preston v Port Melbourne |url=https://thevfaproject.org/pages/Games/VFA1969-D1-R18-G04.php |publisher=The VFA Project |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209230132/https://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Games/VFA1969-D1-R18-G04.php |archive-date=9 December 2024 |date=23 August 1969}}</ref>
|}

===Head-to-head results===
''Updated to the end of round 3, 2025.''<ref name="brian"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-  style="color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center; background:#E41118;"
| '''Club''' || '''Played''' || '''Won''' || '''Lost''' || '''Drew''' || '''Win %''' || '''Highest''' || '''Lowest'''
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Ben}}
| 24
| 19
| 5
| 0
| {{Yes|'''79.2'''}}
| 30.19 (199) – [[2002 VFL season|2002]]
| 9.12 (66) – [[2008 VFL season|2008]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Box}}
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 32.15 (207) – [[2006 VFL season|2006]]
| 3.5 (23) – [[1995 VFA season|1995]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Brighton Football Club|Brighton]]
| 63
| 34
| 28
| 1
| {{Yes|'''53.9'''}}
| 22.14 (146) – [[1941 VFA season|1941]]
| 0.5 (5) – [[1908 VFA season|1908]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Brighton Football Club|Brighton-Caulfield]]
| 4
| 3
| 1
| 0
| {{Yes|'''75.0'''}}
| 28.28 (196) – [[1962 VFA season|1962]]
| 14.14 (98) – [[1963 VFA season|1963]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Brisbane Lions#Reserves team|Brisbane reserves]]
| 2
| 0
| 2
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 4.7 (31) – [[2022 VFL season|2022]]
| 2.5 (17) – [[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Brunswick Football Club|Brunswick]]
| 106
| 50
| 55
| 1
| {{No|'''47.2'''}}
| 26.16 (172) – [[1979 VFA season|1979]]
| 0.4 (4) – [[1905 VFA season|1905]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Camberwell Football Club|Camberwell]]
| 73
| 49
| 23
| 1
| {{Yes|'''67.1'''}}
| 43.12 (270) – [[1989 VFA season|1989]]
| 4.10 (34) – [[1928 VFA season|1928]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Cas}}
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 31.13 (199) – [[1986 VFA season|1986]]
| 2.6 (18) – [[2016 VFL season|2016]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Caulfield Football Club|Caulfield]]
| 18
| 13
| 5
| 0
| {{Yes|'''72.2'''}}
| 30.23 (203) – [[1981 VFA season|1981]]
| 12.11 (83) – [[1980 VFA season|1980]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Cob}}
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 25.22 (172) – [[1985 VFA season|1985]]
| 4.5 (29) – [[2004 VFL season|2004]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Collingwood Football Club#Reserves team|Collingwood reserves]]
| 23
| 12
| 11
| 0
| {{Yes|'''52.1'''}}
| 19.15 (129) – [[2011 VFL season|2011]]
| 5.7 (37) – [[2019 VFL season|2019]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Dandenong Football Club|Dandenong]]
| 61
| 32
| 28
| 1
| {{Yes|'''52.5'''}}
| 32.24 (216) – [[1984 VFA season|1984]]
| 4.11 (35) – [[1968 VFA season|1968]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Essendon Association Football Club|Essendon (Association)]]
| 18
| 5
| 13
| 0
| {{No|'''27.8'''}}
| 9.12 (66) – [[1906 VFA season|1906]]
| 2.1 (13) – [[1910 VFA season|1910]]
|-
! rowspan=2; style=text-align:left | [[Essendon Football Club#Reserves team|Essendon reserves]]
| rowspan=2 | 14
| rowspan=2 | 1
| rowspan=2 | 13
| rowspan=2 | 0
| rowspan=2; {{No|'''7.1'''}}
| 14.11 (95) – [[2000 VFL season|2000]]
| rowspan=2 | 4.6 (30) – [[2017 VFL season|2017]]
|-
| 14.11 (95) – [[2002 VFL season|2002]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Western Bulldogs|Footscray]]
| 18
| 1
| 17
| 0
| {{No|'''5.6'''}}
| 8.8 (56) – [[1905 VFA season|1905]]
| 0.8 (8) – [[1905 VFA season|1905]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Western Bulldogs#Reserves team|Footscray reserves]]
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 16.16 (112) – [[2014 VFL season|2014]]
| 0.4 (4) – [[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Fra}}
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 29.9 (183) – [[2015 VFL season|2015]]
| 4.10 (34) – [[2024 VFL season|2024]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Geelong Association Football Club|Geelong (Association)]]
| 4
| 4
| 0
| 0
| {{Yes|'''100.0'''}}
| 20.10 (130) – [[1927 VFA season|1927]]
| 10.17 (77) – [[1926 VFA season|1926]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Geelong Football Club#Reserves team|Geelong reserves]]
| 32
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 22.17 (149) – [[2004 VFL season|2004]]
| 2.9 (21) – [[2012 VFL season|2012]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Geelong West St Peters Football Club|Geelong West]]
| 40
| 28
| 12
| 0
| {{Yes|'''70.0'''}}
| 24.20 (164) – [[1981 VFA season|1981]]
| 7.12 (54) – [[1975 VFA season|1975]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL GC}}
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 0
| {{Yes|'''100.0'''}}
| 26.10 (166) – [[2010 VFL season|2010]]
| 26.10 (166) – [[2010 VFL season|2010]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Gold Coast Suns#Reserves team|Gold Coast reserves]]
| 3
| 0
| 3
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 11.10 (76) – [[2022 VFL season|2022]]
| 3.6 (24) – [[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Greater Western Sydney Giants#Reserves team|Greater Western Sydney reserves]]
| 2
| 0
| 2
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 8.7 (55) – [[2023 VFL season|2023]]
| 5.8 (38) – [[2022 VFL season|2022]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Moorabbin Football Club|Moorabbin (I)]]
| 14
| 8
| 6
| 0
| {{Yes|'''57.1'''}}
| 21.11 (137) – [[1951 VFA season|1951]]
| 3.5 (23) – [[1953 VFA season|1953]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Mordialloc Football Club|Mordialloc]]
| 9
| 5
| 4
| 0
| {{Yes|'''55.6'''}}
| 22.19 (151) – [[1978 VFA season|1978]]
| 8.19 (67) – [[1963 VFA season|1963]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL NB}}
| 37
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 23.16 (154) – [[2007 VFL season|2007]]
| 3.5 (23) – [[2004 VFL season|2004]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{AFL NM}}
| 18
| 2
| 16
| 0
| {{No|'''11.1'''}}
| 13.24 (102) – [[1908 VFA season|1908]]
| 1.1 (7) – [[1910 VFA season|1910]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Northcote Football Club|Northcote]]
| 73
| 36
| 36
| 1
| {{No|'''49.3'''}}
| 26.17 (173) – [[1957 VFA season|1957]]
| 3.6 (24) – [[1948 VFA season|1948]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Oakleigh Football Club|Oakleigh]]
| 75
| 48
| 25
| 1
| {{Yes|'''65.8'''}}
| 32.20 (212) – [[1992 VFA season|1992]]
| 5.7 (37) – [[1931 VFA season|1931]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL PM}}
| 186
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 26.22 (178) – [[1990 VFA season|1990]]
| 2.6 (18) – [[1905 VFA season|1905]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Prahran Football Club|Prahran]]
| 139
| 77
| 60
| 2
| {{Yes|'''55.4'''}}
| 32.15 (207) – [[1980 VFA season|1980]]
| 0.5 (5) – [[1904 VFA season|1904]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{AFL Ric}}
| 10
| 0
| 10
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 6.8 (44) – [[1906 VFA season|1906]]
| 2.1 (13) – [[1904 VFA season|1904]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Richmond Football Club#Reserves team|Richmond reserves]]
| 11
| 2
| 9
| 0
| {{No|'''18.2'''}}
| 12.15 (87) – [[2014 VFL season|2014]]
| 4.7 (31) – [[2017 VFL season|2017]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL San}}
| 142
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 35.19 (229) – [[1984 VFA season|1984]]
| 2.6 (18) – [[2010 VFL season|2010]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Sou}}
| 3
| 0
| 3
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 10.9 (69) – [[2024 VFL season|2024]]
| 7.4 (46) – [[2023 VFL season|2023]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[St Kilda Football Club#Reserves team|St Kilda reserves]]
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 10.10 (70) – [[2000 VFL season|2000]]
| 10.10 (70) – [[2000 VFL season|2000]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Sunshine Football Club (VFA)|Sunshine]]
| 18
| 12
| 6
| 0
| {{Yes|'''66.7'''}}
| 26.9 (165) – [[1972 VFA season|1972]]{{efn|name=sunshine1989}}
| 6.4 (40) – [[1960 VFA season|1960]] 
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Sydney Swans#Reserves team|Sydney reserves]]
| 3
| 2
| 1
| 0
| {{Yes|'''66.6'''}}
| 15.14 (104) – [[2022 VFL season|2022]]
| 9.4 (58) – [[2024 VFL season|2024]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Tasmanian Devils (2001–2008)|Tasmania]]
| 10
| 7
| 3
| 0
| {{Yes|'''70.0'''}}
| 24.15 (159) – [[2002 VFL season|2002]]
| 11.6 (72) – [[2004 VFL season|2004]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Traralgon Football Club|Traralgon]]
| 4
| 4
| 0
| 0
| {{Yes|'''100.0'''}}
| 27.14 (176) – [[1996 VFL season|1996]]
| 9.9 (63) – [[1997 VFL season|1997]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Waverley Football Club|Waverley]]
| 26
| 18
| 7
| 1
| {{Yes|'''69.2'''}}
| 34.23 (227) – [[1982 VFA season|1982]]
| 6.6 (42) – [[1970 VFA season|1970]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | {{VFL Wer}}
| 166
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 29.19 (193) – [[1984 VFA season|1984]]
| 0.10 (10) – [[2022 VFL season|2022]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[West Melbourne Football Club|West Melbourne]]
| 10
| 0
| 10
| 0
| {{No|'''0.0'''}}
| 6.13 (49) – [[1906 VFA season|1906]]
| 1.3 (9) – [[1904 VFA season|1904]]
|-
! rowspan=2; style=text-align:left | {{VFL Wil}}
| rowspan=2 | 
| rowspan=2 | 
| rowspan=2 | 
| rowspan=2 | 
| rowspan=2 | 
| rowspan=2 | 29.27 (201) – [[1941 VFA season|1941]]
| 1.1 (7) – [[1905 VFA season|1905]]
|-
| 1.1 (7) – [[1910 VFA season|1910]]
|-
! style=text-align:left | [[Yarraville Football Club|Yarraville]]
| 63
| 36
| 26
| 1
| {{Yes|'''58.1'''}}
| 29.27 (201) – [[1941 VFA season|1941]]
| 4.4 (28) – [[1960 VFA season|1960]]
|}

== Seasons ==
Source: <ref name="prestongameday">{{cite web |title=PRESTON FOOTBALL CLUB |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116484 |website=GameDay |publisher=Northern Bullants |access-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728234659/https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116484 |archive-date=28 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2006 Senior Results |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=114901 |website=GameDay |publisher=Northern Bullants |access-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728235131/https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=114901 |archive-date=28 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Northern Bullants Honour Board |url=https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/northern%2Bbullants/178 |publisher=Australian Football |access-date=6 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406163932/https://australianfootball.com/clubs/honour_board/northern%2Bbullants/178 |archive-date=6 April 2025}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
| style=background:#F0E68C|'''[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Premiers]]'''
| style=background:#C0BFBD|[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Grand Finalist]]
| style=background:#D0E7FF|'''[[List of VFA/VFL minor premiers|Minor premiers]]'''
| style=background:#96CDCD|Finals appearance
| style=background:#FFCCCC|Wooden spoon
| style=background:#FAECC8|'''[[Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal|VFA/VFL leading goalkicker]]'''
| style=background:#DDFFDD |'''[[J. J. Liston Trophy|VFA/VFL best and fairest]]'''
|}

=== Seniors ===
The 1912 to 1915 seasons overlap with the season records for the [[Preston Districts Football Club]].<ref name="brian"/>

{| class="wikitable"; style="width:100%;"
|- valign="top"
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|Year
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|League
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|{{Tooltip|Finish|Finishing position on the ladder after the home-and-away season}}
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}}
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}}
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|{{Tooltip|D|Drawn}}
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|Coach
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|Captain
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|Best and fairest
!colspan=2; style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|Leading goalkicker
!style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"|{{Tooltip|Ref|Reference}}
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1890 in Australian rules football|1890]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=1890 – Victorian Junior FA – Ladder |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139143160 |website=Trove Newspapers |publisher=The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic) |access-date=9 November 2020 |pages=18 |date=4 October 1890}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1891 in Australian rules football|1891]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 14th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 1
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=1891 – Victorian Junior FA – Final Ladder |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/227703165 |website=Trove Newspapers |publisher=Sportsman (Melbourne, Vic) |access-date=9 November 2020 |pages=6 |date=22 September 1891}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1892 in Australian rules football|1892]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1893 in Australian rules football|1893]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| Robert Paterson
| 
| Robert Smart
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1894 in Australian rules football|1894]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| Robert Paterson
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1895 in Australian rules football|1895]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 12th
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 3
| 
| Robert Paterson
| 
| J. Henry
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Victorian Junior Football Association|date=30 September 1895|page=3|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197202740 |publication-place=Melbourne, VIC}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1896 in Australian rules football|1896]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1897 in Australian rules football|1897]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 0
| 
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|title=Victorian Junior Football Association|date=6 September 1897|page=6|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9770130}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1898 in Australian rules football|1898]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0
| 
| Archie "Joe" White
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|title=Victorian Junior Football Association|date=12 September 1898|page=7|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9851178}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1899 in Australian rules football|1899]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| Archie "Joe" White
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1900 in Australian rules football|1900]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 1
| 
| Andy Allen<ref name="brian">{{cite web |last1=Membrey |first1=Brian |title=Where We Come From – A History of the Preston Football Club, 1882 to 2002 |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116485 |publisher=GameDay |access-date=26 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726002910/https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116485 |archive-date=26 July 2024 |date=28 June 2004}}</ref>
| 
| E. Burnell
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | <ref name="vjfa1900">{{cite news|newspaper=Weekly Times|title=Football Notes and Comments|date=11 September 1900|page=17|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223442211}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1901 in Australian rules football|1901]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 20
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| 
| Andy Allen
| 
| Jackso
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | <ref name="vjfa1901">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sportsman|title=Victorian Junior Football Association|date=8 October 1901|page=6|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/227532040}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1902 in Australian rules football|1902]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| 
| Andy Allen
| 
| I. "Tiny" Gilbert
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <ref name="vjfa1902">{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9061412 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=9 September 1902}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[1903 VFA season|1903]]''' 
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0
| - || W. Gates || - || Dick Knell|| align="center" | 14 ||
|-
| '''[[1904 VFA season|1904]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]] 
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 0|| - || William Dickens || - || Bob Wawn or Prideaux{{efn|"''"The Bullants: a History of Preston Football Club''" claims Bob Wawn led the 1904 goalkicking with 12 goals. Searches of records for 15 games show Wawn with 8 and Prideaux with 9. Given Preston kicked only five goals in the missing games (rounds 8, 16, 18), Wawn would almost certainly have not kicked 12, but may have led the list.<ref name="prestongameday">{{cite web |title=PRESTON FOOTBALL CLUB |url=https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116484 |website=GameDay |publisher=Northern Bullants |access-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728234659/https://websites.mygameday.app/get_file.cgi?id=116484 |archive-date=28 July 2024}}</ref>}}|| align="center" | ||
|-
| '''[[1905 VFA season|1905]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 0||- || Claude Stanlake || - || R.D. Landells|| align="center" | 19 ||
|-
| '''[[1906 VFA season|1906]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 0||- || [[Tod Collins]]; <br/> Parry Hall || - || R.D. Landells|| align="center" | 27||
|-
| '''[[1907 VFA season|1907]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 0||[[Percy Ogden]] || Arthur Hollis; <br/> [[Percy Ogden]] || - || Bill Punch|| align="center" | 29||
|-
| '''[[1908 VFA season|1908]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 8th
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 1||[[Percy Ogden]] || Fred Howard; <br/> [[Percy Ogden]] || - || Bill Punch || align="center" | 27||
|-
| '''[[1909 VFA season|1909]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 8th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 0||[[Charlie Pannam (footballer, born 1874)|Charlie Pannam]] || Charlie Pannam || - || Bill Punch || align="center" | 22||
|-
| '''[[1910 VFA season|1910]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 0||- || Bill Punch || - || Louie "Lon" Smith || align="center" | 20||
|-
| '''[[1911 VFA season|1911]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 0||[[George Sparrow]]; <br/>Billy McGee || [[George Sparrow]]; <br/>Billy McGee || - || ||align="center" |  ||
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1912 in Australian rules football|1912]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| George La Franchi
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1913 in Australian rules football|1913]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 0
| 
| George La Franchi
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7250350 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=18 August 1913}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1914 in Australian rules football|1914]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 1
| 
| George La Franchi
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10800058 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=26 July 2024 |page=6 |date=3 August 1914}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1915 in Australian rules football|1915]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0
| 
| Bill Punch
| 
| 
| 
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Footscray wins final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155524253 |publisher=Winner |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=22 September 1915}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1916 in Australian rules football|1916]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| Les Punch
| T. A. Jacobs
| align="center" | 68
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=PREMIERSHIP LIST TO DATE |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154555892 |publisher=Winner |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=13 September 1916}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1917 in Australian rules football|1917]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 1
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| H. Brendell
| Bill Eade
| align="center" | 69
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Football |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154796206 |publisher=Sporting Judge |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=22 September 1917}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1918 in Australian rules football|1918]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 0
| George Walker
| George Walker
| H. Brendell
| T. A. Jacobs
| align="center" | 26
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=JUNIOR MATCHES |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155140681 |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=9 September 1918}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1919 in Australian rules football|1919]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| Sid Hall; <br/> William Billett
| H. Brendell
| Harry Bell
| J. Piper
| align="center" | 44
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION PREMIERSHIP LIST |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/202437631 |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=1 September 1919}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1920 in Australian rules football|1920]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| 
| 
| William Thorpe; <br/> Tommy Downs
| William Hills
| align="center" | 35
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1921 in Australian rules football|1921]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| "Toodly" McDonald
| "Toodly" McDonald<ref name="laborcall">{{cite web |title=SOME FOOTBALL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/249944567 |publisher=Labor Call |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=1 September 1921}}</ref>
| 
| Vic. Davis
| align="center" | 79
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206706230 |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=29 August 1921}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1922 in Australian rules football|1922]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| 
| Les Punch<ref>{{cite web |title=V.J.F.A. Semi-Final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184798556 |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=6 September 1922 |quote=The teams will be comprised as follows − Preston, Punch (capt.)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=North Melbourne Defeat Preston |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205760651 |publisher=The Age |access-date=27 July 2024 |page=6 |date=11 September 1922}}</ref>
| Archie Dickens
| Vic. Davis
| align="center" | 56
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Junior Association |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/249949243 |publisher=Labor Call |access-date=27 July 2024 |date=7 September 1922}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1923 in Australian rules football|1923]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| [[Bill Adams (Australian footballer)|Bill Adams]]
| William "Bull" Adams
| Les Punch
| W. Routley
| align="center" | 50
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Association |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203631248 |publisher=The Age |access-date=28 July 2024 |date=10 September 1923}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1924 in Australian rules football|1924]]'''
| align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| Danny Warr
| Vic. Davis 
| align="center" | 98
| align="center" | <ref name="1924ladder">{{cite web |title=ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203668730 |publisher=The Age |access-date=28 July 2024 |page=15 |date=25 August 1924}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[1925 in Australian rules football|1925]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| [[Percy Ogden]]
| George Surtees
| Hugh Moffatt
| align="center" | 59
| align="center" | 
|-
| '''[[1926 VFA season|1926]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 0||[[Gus Dobrigh]] || [[Gus Dobrigh]] || Walter "Bolla" White || Dave Hume|| align="center" | 30||
|-
| '''[[1927 VFA season|1927]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Gus Dobrigh]] || [[Gus Dobrigh]] || Walter "Bolla" White ||Dave Hume || align="center" | 61||
|-
| '''[[1928 VFA season|1928]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0||[[Bill Adams (Australian footballer)|Bill Adams]] || [[Bill Adams (Australian footballer)|Bill Adams]] || Hec Bridgeford || Rupert Dodd|| align="center" | 40||
|-
| '''[[1929 VFA season|1929]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Jimmy Goonan]] || [[Jimmy Goonan]] || William "Bull" Adams || William Adams|| align="center" | 69 ||
|-
| '''[[1930 VFA season|1930]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 1||[[Jimmy Goonan]] || [[Jimmy Goonan]] || Gilbert "Bert" Taylor || Jack McCormack|| align="center" | 52 ||
|-
| '''[[1931 VFA season|1931]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1||[[Roy Cazaly]] || [[Roy Cazaly]] || Jack Monoghan || Harry Davie|| align="center" | 40||
|-
| '''[[1932 VFA season|1932]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Harry Hunter]] || [[Harry Hunter]] || George Smith || [[Danny Warr]]|| align="center" | 54||
|-
| '''[[1933 VFA season|1933]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 1||[[Charlie McSwain]] || [[Charlie McSwain]] || Robert Cameron || [[Danny Warr]]|| align="center" | 37||
|-
| '''[[1934 VFA season|1934]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0||[[Charlie McSwain]] || [[Charlie McSwain]] || style=background:#DDFFDD | [[Danny Warr]] || [[Danny Warr]] || align="center" | 57||
|-
| '''[[1935 VFA season|1935]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 1||[[Danny Warr]] || [[Danny Warr]] || Aub Robinson ||[[Danny Warr]] || align="center" | 42||
|-
| '''[[1936 VFA season|1936]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[Bert Hyde]] || [[Bert Hyde]] || Noel Fisher || Noel Fisher|| align="center" | 62||
|-
| '''[[1937 VFA season|1937]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Bert Hyde]] || [[Bert Hyde]] || Wyn Murray || Ed Latham|| align="center" | 28||
|-
| '''[[1938 VFA season|1938]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[Wyn Murray]]; [[Bob Muir (footballer)|Bob Muir]] || [[Wyn Murray]] || Jack Clarke || Alf Roach|| align="center" | 52||
|-
| '''[[1939 VFA season|1939]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 8th
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0||[[Alby Morrison]] || [[Alby Morrison]] || Frank "Dickie" Dowling || Albie Morrison|| align="center" | 33||
|-
| '''[[1940 VFA season|1940]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Alby Morrison]] || [[Alby Morrison]] || Bill Maslen || Albie Morrison|| align="center" | 72||
|-
| '''[[1941 VFA season|1941]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||Frank Dowling || Frank Dowling || Jack Connelly; <br/> Jack Norman || Jack Lynch|| align="center" | 133 ||
|-
| '''[[1942 VFA season|1942]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]] || colspan="10"; align="center" | ''(No season due to [[World War II]])''
|-
| '''[[1943 VFA season|1943]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]] || colspan="10"; align="center" | ''(No season due to [[World War II]])''
|-
| '''[[1944 VFA season|1944]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]] || colspan="10"; align="center" | ''(No season due to [[World War II]])''
|-
| '''[[1945 VFA season|1945]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 0||[[Frank Anderson (footballer, born 1913)|Frank Anderson]] || [[Frank Anderson (footballer, born 1913)|Frank Anderson]] || Bill Maslen || Jack Connelly || align="center" | 72||
|-
| '''[[1946 VFA season|1946]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 0||[[Frank Anderson (footballer, born 1913)|Frank Anderson]] || [[Frank Anderson (footballer, born 1913)|Frank Anderson]] || Syd Stewart || Jack Connelly || align="center" | 26||
|-
| '''[[1947 VFA season|1947]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 1||[[Jack Blackman]] || [[Jack Blackman]] || Ron Leishman || [[Ray Potter]] || align="center" | 46||
|-
| '''[[1948 VFA season|1948]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[Jack Blackman]] || [[Jack Blackman]] || [[Jack Blackman]] || style=background:#FAECC8 | [[Ray Potter]] || align="center" | 84 || 
|-
| '''[[1949 VFA season|1949]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 0||[[Jack Blackman]] || [[Jack Blackman]] || Kollen Bryce|| Bill Nathan|| align="center" | 41||
|-
| '''[[1950 VFA season|1950]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 0||[[Hugh Thomas (coach)|Hugh Thomas]] || [[Charlie Stewart (Australian rules footballer born c. 1910)|Charlie Stewart]] || Len Walker || George Bradford|| align="center" |38||
|-
| '''[[1951 VFA season|1951]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 2||[[Reg Ryan (Australian footballer)|Reg Ryan]]; [[Ray Riddell]] || [[Reg Ryan (Australian footballer)|Reg Ryan]]; <br/>Dick Goldin || [[Ted Henrys]] || Bill Harvey|| align="center" | 53|| align="center" | <ref>''The Age'', 20 September 1951</ref> 
|-
| '''[[1952 VFA season|1952]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 1||[[Bert Deacon]] || [[Bert Deacon]] || [[Ted Henrys]] || George Bradford|| align="center" | 38||
|-
| '''[[1953 VFA season|1953]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Bert Deacon]] || [[Bert Deacon]] || style=background:#DDFFDD | [[Ted Henrys]] || Pat Foley|| align="center" | 35||
|-
| '''[[1954 VFA season|1954]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0||[[Bert Deacon]] || [[Ted Henrys]] || Pat Foley || Fred Chard|| align="center" | 84||
|-
| '''[[1955 VFA season|1955]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0||[[Bert Deacon]] || Fred Lalor || George Bradford || Fred Chard || align="center" | 75||
|-
| '''[[1956 VFA season|1956]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Bert Deacon]] || Fred Lalor || Les Sweet || Fred Chard|| align="center" | 49||
|-
| '''[[1957 VFA season|1957]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0||[[Les Foote]] || [[Les Foote]] || Clem Cooper || Fred Chard|| align="center" | 84||
|-
| '''[[1958 VFA season|1958]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 12th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 1||[[Les Foote]] || [[Les Foote]] || Jim Cusack || Laurie Rymer|| align="center" | 44||
|-
| '''[[1959 VFA season|1959]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||Pat Foley || Claude Howard<ref name="goback"/> || Ron Dangaard || Gerry Walsh || align="center" | 45||
|-
| '''[[1960 VFA season|1960]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 14th
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 0||Pat Foley || Claude Howard<ref name="goback"/> || Bob McLachlan || Kevi Bergin || align="center" | 17||
|-
| '''[[1961 VFA season|1961]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D2)]]}}
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0||Bert Edmonds || Bob McLachlan || George Hancock || Ray Murnane|| align="center" | 35||
|-
| '''[[1962 VFA season|1962]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D2)]]}}
| style=background:#D0E7FF; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0||Bert Edmonds || John O'Keefe || Graham Pinfold || Jim Lambie|| align="center" | 38 || align="center" | <ref>''The Age'', 17 September 1962</ref> 
|-
| '''[[1963 VFA season|1963]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D2)]]}}
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0||[[Charlie Stewart (Australian rules footballer born c. 1910)|Charlie Stewart]] || George Hancock || Bob Stewart || Bruce Waddell|| align="center" | 38||
|-
| '''[[1964 VFA season|1964]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 1||[[Charlie Stewart (Australian rules footballer born c. 1910)|Charlie Stewart]] || Graham Pinfold || Bob Treloar || John Walker || align="center" | 50|| align="center" | <ref>''The Age'', 22 September 1964</ref> 
|-
| '''[[1965 VFA season|1965]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D2)]]}}
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0||[[John McArthur (footballer)|John McArthur]] || [[John McArthur (footballer)|John McArthur]] || Ray Murnane || style=background:#FAECC8 | John Walker || align="center" | 116 ||
|-
| '''[[1966 VFA season|1966]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || Bob Treloar || style=background:#FAECC8 | John Walker || align="center" | 84 || 
|-
| '''[[1967 VFA season|1967]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || Denis Dalton || style=background:#FAECC8 | John Walker || align="center" | 83 || 
|-
| '''[[1968 VFA season|1968]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0||[[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || style=background:#DDFFDD | [[Dick Telford]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]]|| align="center" | 41||
|-
| '''[[1969 VFA season|1969]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0||[[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || Dick Telford || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]]|| align="center" | 69||
|-
| '''[[1970 VFA season|1970]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0||[[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]] || [[Laurie Hill (footballer, born 1942)|Laurie Hill]] || [[Alan Joyce (footballer)|Alan Joyce]]|| align="center" | 62|| 
|- 
| '''[[1971 VFA season|1971]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1||[[Kevin Wright (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Wright]] || [[Laurie Hill (footballer, born 1942)|Laurie Hill]] || style=background:#DDFFDD | [[Laurie Hill (footballer, born 1942)|Laurie Hill]] || Bob Baird|| align="center" | 46||
|-
| '''[[1972 VFA season|1972]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0||[[Kevin Wright (Australian rules footballer)|Kevin Wright]] || [[Laurie Hill (footballer, born 1942)|Laurie Hill]] || [[Len Clark (footballer)|Len Clark]] || style=background:#FAECC8 | [[Len Clark (footballer)|Len Clark]] || align="center" | 107 || align="center" | <ref>''The Age'', 3 October 1972</ref> 
|-
| '''[[1973 VFA season|1973]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Ken Greenwood]] || [[Ken Greenwood]] || style=background:#DDFFDD | [[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || [[Len Clark (footballer)|Len Clark]]|| align="center" | 85 ||
|-
| '''[[1974 VFA season|1974]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 0||[[Bob Syme]] || [[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || Noel Zunneberg || [[Len Clark (footballer)|Len Clark]] || align="center" | 40||
|-
| '''[[1975 VFA season|1975]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0||[[Dick Telford]] || [[Noel Zunneberg]] || Gary Grainger || [[Noel Zunneberg]]|| align="center" | 37||
|-
| '''[[1976 VFA season|1976]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 0||[[Dick Telford]] || Gary Grainger || George Shickert ||Craig Stewart|| align="center" | 51||
|-
| '''[[1977 VFA season|1977]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 0||[[Graeme Renwick]] || [[Graeme Renwick]] || Craig Stewart || [[Leigh Carlson]]|| align="center" | 44||
|-
| '''[[1978 VFA season|1978]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1
| [[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || [[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || Harold Martin || Bruce Gonsalves || align="center" | 50||
|-
| '''[[1979 VFA season|1979]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0||[[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || [[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || Paul Bolger || Kalev Vann|| align="center" | 50||
|-
| '''[[1980 VFA season|1980]]''' || align="center" | {{nowrap|[[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]}}
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || [[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || Brett Cooper || John Frazer|| align="center" | 52||
|-
| '''[[1981 VFA season|1981]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Harold Martin (footballer)|Harold Martin]] || Peter Marshall || Adrian Marcon || Shane Halas||align="center" | 69||
|-
| '''[[1982 VFA season|1982]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0||[[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || [[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || style=background:#DDFFDD | [[Geoff Austen]] || Shane Halas|| align="center" | 76||
|-
| '''[[1983 VFA season|1983]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0||[[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || [[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || Geoff Austen   ||[[John Bourke (Australian footballer)|John Bourke]] || align="center" | 51 ||
|-
| '''[[1984 VFA season|1984]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#F0E68C; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0||[[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || [[Ray Shaw (Australian footballer)|Ray Shaw]] || David Brine || Shane Halas|| align="center" | 58||
|-
| '''[[1985 VFA season|1985]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || [[David Brine (footballer)|David Brine]] || Gratz Salvador || [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]]|| align="center" | 106 ||
|-
| '''[[1986 VFA season|1986]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || [[David Brine (footballer)|David Brine]] || [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]] || style=background:#FAECC8 | [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]] || align="center" | 145 ||
|-
| '''[[1987 VFA season|1987]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| align="center" | 8th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 1||[[Peter Weightman]] || [[David Brine (footballer)|David Brine]] || Glenn Reeves || Darren Murphy; <br/> Shane Halas|| align="center" | 31||
|-
| '''[[1988 VFA season|1988]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA (D1)]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || [[David Brine (footballer)|David Brine]] || Rod Dunbar || style=background:#FAECC8 | [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]] || align="center" | 105 ||
|-
| '''[[1989 VFA season|1989]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 0||[[Len Thompson]] || Neil Jordan || Rod Dunbar || [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]]|| align="center" | 60||
|-
| '''[[1990 VFA season|1990]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| style=background:#D0E7FF; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1||Neil Jordan || Neil Jordan || Joe Lumicisi || style=background:#FAECC8 | [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]] || align="center" | 103 ||
|-
| '''[[1991 VFA season|1991]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 0||Neil Jordan || Neil Jordan || Joe Lumicisi || Max Graziano|| align="center" | 37||
|-
| '''[[1992 VFA season|1992]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0||Neil Jordan || Neil Jordan || Matt Burrows || [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]]|| align="center" | 73||
|-
| '''[[1993 VFA season|1993]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0|| [[David Dickson (footballer)|David Dickson]] || Glenn Reeves || Paul King || [[Jamie Shaw (footballer)|Jamie Shaw]]|| align="center" | 81||
|-
| '''[[1994 VFA season|1994]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || Glenn Reeves || Simon Taylor || Shane Dupuy|| align="center" |  39||
|-
| '''[[1995 VFA season|1995]]'''  || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || Simon Taylor || Jamie Dobbs || Craig Shearer|| align="center" | 37||
|-
| '''[[1996 VFL season|1996]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || Simon Taylor || Matt Dobell || Tony Wilson|| align="center" | 27 ||
|-
| '''[[1997 VFL season|1997]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0||[[Peter Weightman]] || Phillip Plunkett || Robert Maiorana || Paul Eccles|| align="center" | 52||
|-
| '''[[1998 VFL season|1998]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark Williams]] || Phillip Plunkett || Kristian Pascoe || Dean Grainger || align="center" | 33||
|-
| '''[[1999 VFL season|1999]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 2||[[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark Williams]] || Phillip Plunkett || Kristian Pascoe || Shannon Gibson|| align="center" | 29||
|-
| '''[[2000 VFL season|2000]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 16th
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 0||[[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark Williams]] || [[Shannon Gibson]] || Brett Zorzi || Scott Grainger|| align="center" | ||
|-
| '''[[2001 VFL season|2001]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 14th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 0||[[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark Williams]] || [[Shannon Gibson]] || Brett Zorzi || [[Shane Watson (footballer)|Shane Watson]] || align="center" | 45||
|-
| '''[[2002 VFL season|2002]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 13th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 0||[[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark Williams]] || [[Shannon Gibson]] || [[Cameron Ramsay]] || Scott Grainger || align="center" | 34||
|-
| '''[[2003 VFL season|2003]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Mark Williams (Australian footballer born 1964)|Mark Williams]] || [[Shannon Gibson]] || [[Shane Watson (footballer)|Shane Watson]] || style=background:#FAECC8 | [[Nick Sautner]] || align="center" | 82||
|-
| '''[[2004 VFL season|2004]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 12th
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 0||[[Barry Mitchell (footballer)|Barry Mitchell]] || Brett Zorzi || Brett Zorzi; <br/> Jarrod McCorkell || [[Ricky Mott]] || align="center" |  19||
|-
| '''[[2005 VFL season|2005]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 2nd
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1||[[Barry Mitchell (footballer)|Barry Mitchell]] || [[Frankie Raso]] || [[Glen Bowyer]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2006 VFL season|2006]]'''|| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#D0E7FF; align="center" | 1st
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0||[[Barry Mitchell (footballer)|Barry Mitchell]] || [[Frankie Raso]] || [[Daniel Harford]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2007 VFL season|2007]]'''|| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0||[[Barry Mitchell (footballer)|Barry Mitchell]] || [[Frankie Raso]] || [[Adam Iacobucci]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2008 VFL season|2008]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 8th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[David Teague (footballer)|David Teague]] || Josh Vansittart || [[Jason Saddington]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2009 VFL season|2009]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0||[[David Teague (footballer)|David Teague]] || [[Adam Iacobucci]] || [[David Ellard]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2010 VFL season|2010]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#C0BFBD; align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[David Teague (footballer)|David Teague]] || [[Adam Iacobucci]] || Jarrod McCorkell || || ||
|-
| '''[[2011 VFL season|2011]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#96CDCD; align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0||[[Darren Harris (footballer born 1968)|Darren Harris]] || [[Adam Iacobucci]] || [[Brock McLean]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2012 VFL season|2012]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Robert Hyde (footballer)|Robert Hyde]]; <BR>[[Darren Harris (footballer born 1968)|Darren Harris]] || Brent Bransgrove; <BR>[[Andre Gianfagna]] || [[Adam Marcon]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2013 VFL season|2013]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0||[[Luke Webster]] || Brent Bransgrove; <BR>[[Andre Gianfagna]] || [[Kane Lambert]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2014 VFL season|2014]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 11th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0||[[Luke Webster]] || Brent Bransgrove || Tom Wilson || || ||
|-
| '''[[2015 VFL season|2015]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 14th
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 0||[[Luke Webster]] || Brent Bransgrove || [[Brad Walsh (footballer)|Brad Walsh]] || || ||
|-
| '''[[2016 VFL season|2016]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 13th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0||[[Josh Fraser]] || Tom Wilson || Tom Wilson || || ||
|-
| '''[[2017 VFL season|2017]]''' || align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 9th
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0||[[Josh Fraser]] || Tom Wilson || [[Cam O'Shea]] || || ||
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2018 VFL season|2018]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]] 
| align="center" | 12th
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 0
|[[Josh Fraser]]
|Tom Wilson
|Tom Wilson
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2019 VFL season|2019]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 10th
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 0
|[[Josh Fraser]]
|Tom Wilson
|[[Hugh Goddard]]
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2020 VFL season|2020]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| colspan="4"; align="center" | ''(No season)''
|[[Josh Fraser]]
|Tom Wilson
| colspan="3"; align="center" | ''(No season)''
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2021 VFL season|2021]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 18th
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0
| [[Josh Fraser]]
| Tom Wilson
| 
| Tynan Smith
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |last1=Rhodes |first1=Brendan |title=Bullants name new coach as Fraser returns to Pies |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/684282/bullants-name-ben-hart-as-new-coach-as-josh-fraser-returns-to-pies |publisher=AFL.com.au |access-date=22 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622014345/https://www.afl.com.au/news/684282/bullants-name-ben-hart-as-new-coach-as-josh-fraser-returns-to-pies |archive-date=22 June 2024 |date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2022 VFL season|2022]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 21st
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 0
| [[Ben Hart (Australian footballer)|Ben Hart]]
| Tom Wilson
| Tom Wilson
| Jack Boyd
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |last1=Higgins |first1=Ben |title=Ben Hart is excited by what the Northern Bullants can achieve in 2022 |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/vfl/ben-hart-is-excited-by-what-the-northern-bullants-can-achieve-in-2022/news-story/c3aacfef90679995eef6ec3a3bbf52c3 |publisher=Herald Sun |access-date=21 June 2024 |date=8 December 2021}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2023 VFL season|2023]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | 20th
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 0
| [[Brodie Holland]]
| Matthew King; <br/> Liam Mackie
| Jean-Luc Velissaris
| [[Brandon Ryan]]
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Daniel |title=NEW LOOK ANTS BEGIN HOLLAND ERA |url=https://northernbullantsfc.com.au/club_news/new-look-ants-begin-holland-era/ |publisher=Northern Bullants |access-date=21 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320132209/https://northernbullantsfc.com.au/club_news/new-look-ants-begin-holland-era/ |archive-date=20 March 2024 |date=25 March 2023}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2024 VFL season|2024]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| style=background:#FFCCCC; align="center" | 21st
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 0
| [[Rohan Welsh]]
| Matthew King; <br/> Liam Mackie
| Jean-Luc Velissaris<ref>{{cite web |title=JL goes back-to back! |url=https://x.com/NBullantsFC/status/1832712837766238509 |website=Twitter |publisher=Northern Bullants FC |access-date=8 September 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240908100719/https://x.com/NBullantsFC/status/1832712837766238509 |archive-date=8 September 2024 |date=8 September 2024 |quote=After another impressive season where he led the VFL in disposals, Jean-Luc Velissaris is awarded the 2024 Laurie Hill Trophy as our Best and Fairest}}</ref>
| John Jorgensen
| align="center" | 25
| align="center" | 
|-
| align="center" | '''[[2025 VFL season|2025]]'''
| align="center" | [[Victorian Football League|VFL]]
| align="center" | TBD
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
| [[Rohan Welsh]];<br/>Rocky Iannello{{efn|Rocky Iannello was appointed as the acting head coach for [[2025 VFL season#Round 1|round 1]] of the [[2025 VFL season|2025 season]] because [[Rohan Welsh]] had been hospitalised with a severe foot infection.<ref name="welsh">{{cite web |last1=Amy |first1=Paul |title=Northern Bullants coach Rohan Welsh to miss first round of VFL season with a severe foot infection |url=https://www.codesports.com.au/afl%2Fstate-leagues%2Fnorthern-bullants-coach-rohan-welsh-to-miss-first-round-of-vfl-season-with-a-severe-foot-infection%2Fnews-story%2Ffe9e29402338077df3e3a9a85345d0c9?amp&nk=991d264ae899cbac648d66e3acc25a36-1747227596 |publisher=CODE Sports |access-date=14 May 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250514130010/https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/state-leagues/northern-bullants-coach-rohan-welsh-to-miss-first-round-of-vfl-season-with-a-severe-foot-infection/news-story/fe9e29402338077df3e3a9a85345d0c9?amp&nk=991d264ae899cbac648d66e3acc25a36-1747227596 |archive-date=14 May 2025 |date=20 March 2025}}</ref>}}
| Liam Mackie
| 
| 
| align="center" | 
| align="center" | 
|}

===Grand finals===
{| class="wikitable"
| style=background:#C0FFC0|'''[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Premiers]]'''
| style=background:#fcc|[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Runners-up]]
| style=background:#FFFFC0|Drawn
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; text-valign:center"
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=3%| Year
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=10%| League
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=10%| Grade
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=10%| Opponent
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=16%| Score
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=15%| Venue
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=3%| Attendance
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=10%| Date
! style="background:#E41118; color:#FFFFFF; border:solid #FFFFFF 2px"; width=2%| Report
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1900 in Australian rules football|1900]]''' 
| [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| Seniors
| align=left| [[Collingwood Football Club#Reserves team|Collingwood Juniors]]
| 3.3 (21) d. 1.6 (12)
| align=left| 
| 
| align=left| 15 September 1900
| <ref name="vjfa1900">{{cite news|newspaper=Weekly Times|title=Football Notes and Comments|date=11 September 1900|page=17|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223442211}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1901 in Australian rules football|1901]]''' 
| [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| Seniors
| colspan="5" | ''(No grand final required as Preston was at least two games clear of the second-placed club)''
| <ref name="vjfa1901">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sportsman|title=Victorian Junior Football Association|date=8 October 1901|page=6|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/227532040}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1902 in Australian rules football|1902]]''' 
| [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| Seniors
| colspan="5" | ''(No grand final required as Preston was at least two games clear of the second-placed club)''
| <ref name="vjfa1902">{{cite web |title=VICTORIAN JUNIOR ASSOCIATION |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9061412 |publisher=The Argus |access-date=25 July 2024 |date=9 September 1902}}</ref>
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[1916 in Australian rules football|1916]]''' 
| [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| Seniors
| align=left| [[Collingwood Football Club#Reserves team|Collingwood Juniors]]
| 2.9 (21) d. 2.6 (18)
| align=left| [[East Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| 5,000
| align=left| 14 October 1916
| <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Sporting Judge|title=Football|date=21 October 1916|page=1|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154797571}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Follower |title=Williamstown Premiers |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74835868 |publisher=The Prahran Telegraph |access-date=26 July 2024 |date=21 October 1916}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1921 in Australian rules football|1921]]''' 
| [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| Seniors
| align=left| [[Port Melbourne Railway United Football Club|Port Melbourne Railway United]]
| 9.8 (62) d. 6.15 (51)
| align=left| Dandenong
| 
| align=left| 1 October 1921
| <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Argus|title=PRESTON PREMIERS|date=3 October 1921|page=11|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4644885}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1923 in Australian rules football|1923]]''' 
| [[Victorian Junior Football Association|VJFA]]
| Seniors
| align=left| [[Yarraville Football Club|Yarraville]]
| 9.15 (69) 7.10 (52)
| align=left| [[Richmond Cricket Ground]]
| 5,000
| align=left| 27 September 1923
| <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Preston wins by 17 points|date=28 September 1923|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203639771}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1957 VFA season|1957]]''' 
| [[Victorian Football League|VFA]] 
| [[VFL Development League|Reserves]] 
| align=left| [[Moorabbin Football Club|Moorabbin]]
| 11.12 (78) d. 5.12 (42)
| align=left| {{nowrap|[[St Kilda Cricket Ground]]}}
| 
| align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|10|5}}
| <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne|date=7 October 1957|title=Runaway win in seconds|page=37}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1963 VFA season|1963]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D2]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] || align=left| [[Waverley Football Club|Waverley]] || {{nowrap|11.14 (80) d. 9.15 (69)}} || align=left| [[Toorak Park]] || 15,000 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1963|9|15}}||<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne|page=46|author=Scot Palmer|date=16 September 1963|title=Preston earns senior ranking}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1965 VFA season|1965]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D2]]|| [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Mordialloc Football Club|Mordialloc]] || {{nowrap|15.12 (102) d. 9.10 (64)}} || align=left| [[Toorak Park]] || 10,000 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1965|9|12}}||<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne|page=44|author=Bob Crimeen|date=13 September 1965|title=Pennant for Preston}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1968 VFA season|1968]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Prahran Football Club|Prahran]] || {{nowrap|15.8 (98) d. 12.12 (84)}} || align=left| [[Punt Road Oval]] || 18,000 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1968|9|22}}||<ref name="1968GF">{{cite news|author=Noel Pascoe|title=Heard was star for Preston|page=48|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|date=23 September 1968|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1969 VFA season|1969]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Dandenong Football Club|Dandenong]] || {{nowrap|12.11 (83) d. 10.11 (71)}} || align=left| [[Punt Road Oval]] || 10,000 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1969|9|21}}||<ref name="1969GF">{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|page=29|author=Mike Smith|date=22 September 1969|title=Preston wins final for second year}}</ref>
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[1971 VFA Grand Final|1971]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Dandenong Football Club|Dandenong]] || {{nowrap|14.14 (98) d. 13.14 (92)}} || align=left| [[St Kilda Cricket Ground]] || 14,529 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|9|26}}||<ref>{{citation|title=Dandenong in dicey Grand Final win|first=Terry|last=O'Halloran|date=27 Sep 1971|newspaper=The Age|page=21|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1978 VFA season|1978]]''' 
| [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] 
| [[VFL Development League|Reserves]] 
| align=left| {{VFL PM}}
| 10.13 (73) d. 10.12 (72)
| align=left| [[Toorak Park]]
| 
| align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1978|9|16}}
| <ref name="SF2">{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|page=29|author=Marc Fiddian|date=11 September 1978|title=Bullants nip Port|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[1978 VFA season|1978]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] ||[[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] || align=left| [[Prahran Football Club|Prahran]] || {{nowrap|21.15 (141) d. 17.17 (119)}} || align=left| [[St Kilda Cricket Ground]] || 29,595 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1978|9|24}}||<ref>{{cite news|title=Prahran steps on the Bullants|author=Marc Fiddian|date=25 September 1978|newspaper=The Age|page=27|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[1981 VFA season|1981]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Port Melbourne Football Club|Port Melbourne]] || {{nowrap|32.19 (211) d. 15.8 (98)}} || align=left| [[St Kilda Cricket Ground]] || 20,180 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1981|9|20}}||<ref name="1981GF">{{cite news|title=Port storms to Grand Final record|author=Marc Fiddian|date=21 September 1981|newspaper=The Age|page=29|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[1982 VFA season|1982]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Port Melbourne Football Club|Port Melbourne]] || {{nowrap|21.15 (141) d. 20.14 (134)}} || align=left| [[St Kilda Cricket Ground]] || 20,732 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1982|9|19}}||<ref name="1982GF">{{cite news|title=Port scores a hat-trick|author=Marc Fiddian|date=20 September 1982|newspaper=The Age|page=29|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1983 VFA season|1983]]''' ||[[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Geelong West Football Club|Geelong West]] || {{nowrap|14.10 (94) d. 12.15 (87)}} || align=left| [[St Kilda Cricket Ground]] || 14,719 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1983|9|18}}||<ref>{{cite news|title=Bullants rally for first flag in 14 years|author=Marc Fiddian|date=19 September 1983|newspaper=The Age|page=23|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#C0FFC0;" rowspan="2" | '''[[1983 VFA season|1983]]''' 
| style="background:#C0FFC0;" rowspan="2" | [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] 
| style="background:#C0FFC0;" rowspan="2" | [[VFL Development League|Reserves]] 
| style=background:#FFFFC0; align=left| {{VFL Fra}}
| style=background:#FFFFC0; | {{nowrap|14.20 (104) drew 16.8 (104)}}
| style=background:#FFFFC0; align=left| [[Toorak Park]]
| style=background:#FFFFC0 | 
| style=background:#FFFFC0; align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1983|9|18}}
| style=background:#FFFFC0 | <ref name="GF1">{{cite news|title=Bullants rally for first flag in 14 years|author=Marc Fiddian|date=19 September 1983|newspaper=The Age|page=23|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|-
| style=background:#C0FFC0; align=left| {{VFL Fra}}
| style=background:#C0FFC0 | 18.15 (123) d. 12.13 (85)
| style=background:#C0FFC0; align=left| [[Frankston Park]]
| style=background:#C0FFC0 | 
| style=background:#C0FFC0; align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1983|9|25}}
| style=background:#C0FFC0 | <ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne|page=23|date=26 September 1983|title=In brief}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1983 VFA season|1983]]''' 
| [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] 
| [[VFA under-19s|Thirds]]
| align=left| ''unknown''
| ''unknown''
| align=left| ''unknown''
| 
| align=left| {{dts|format=my|1978|9}}
| <ref name="GF1"/>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1984 VFA season|1984]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] ||align=left| [[Frankston Football Club|Frankston]] || {{nowrap|19.21 (135) d. 12.9 (81)}} || align=left| [[St Kilda Cricket Ground]] || 8,664 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|1984|9|23}}||<ref name="1984GF">{{cite news|title=Bullants win flag double|author=Michael Reid|date=24 September 1984|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|page=75|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>
|- style="background:#C0FFC0;"
| '''[[1984 VFA season|1984]]''' 
| [[Victorian Football League|VFA D1]] 
| [[VFA under-19s|Thirds]]
| align=left| {{VFL PM}}
| ''unknown''
| align=left| ''unknown''
| 
| align=left| {{dts|format=my|1978|9}}
| 
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[2009 VFL season|2009]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFL]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] || align=left| [[North Ballarat Football Club|North Ballarat]] || {{nowrap|14.7 (91) d. 10.8 (68)}} || align=left| [[Etihad Stadium (Melbourne)|Etihad Stadium]] || 14,026 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|2009|9|25}}||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/VFL/2009/|title=Victorian Football League (VFL), 2009|publisher=Australian Football.com|access-date=7 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402174508/http://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/VFL/2009/|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref>
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| '''[[2010 VFL season|2010]]''' || [[Victorian Football League|VFL]] || [[Victorian Football League|Seniors]] || align=left| [[North Ballarat Football Club|North Ballarat]] || {{nowrap|20.13 (133) d. 13.8 (86)}} || align=left| [[Etihad Stadium (Melbourne)|Etihad Stadium]] || 11,000 || align=left| {{dts|format=dmy|2010|9|19}}||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/VFL/2010/|title=Victorian Football League (VFL), 2010|publisher=Australian Football.com|access-date=7 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125644/http://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/VFL/2010/|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref>
|}

== Club song ==
The club song is sung to the tune of "[[The Yankee Doodle Boy]]", which is also the basis for the {{AFL Haw}}/{{VFL Box}} and {{VFL San}} club songs.

: ''We’re from Northern, we’re the Bullants''
: ''The good old red and white, are we''
: ''All good stickers for the red and white''
: ''Always we fight for victory, at Northern''
: ''We’re the best in the competition,''
: ''We won’t give up while there’s a chance''
: ''We’re a team of champions, full of fighting spirit''
: ''That’s why they call us the Bullants<br />''

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Fiddian, Marc ''The Bullants: a History of Preston Football Club'' Preston Football Club, Melbourne 1983.
* Membrey, Brian ''Where We Come From – the History of the Preston Football Club '', Vols 1 and 2, 2002

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Preston Football Club}}
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[[Category:Victorian Football League clubs]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs in Melbourne]]
[[Category:1882 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Australian rules football clubs established in 1882]]
[[Category:Sport in the City of Darebin]]
[[Category:Victorian Junior Football Association clubs]]