Reflective look back at teams’ pasts

It may be the off-season, but football is never far from many throughout Geraldton.

The Great Northern Football League has been a hotbed for some of the State’s finest footballers and local fans proudly wear their colours to the grounds each week.

How has your club fared since 1997?

TOWNS FOOTBALL CLUB

A GNFL powerhouse. Have contested 18 of the last 20 grand finals, including 14 in a row between 1997-2010 — a GNFL record.

The lowest they have finished on the ladder in the past two decades is third.

Record: 1997 2nd; 1998 2nd; 1999 1st; 2000 2nd; 2001 1st; 2002 1st; 2003 1st; 2004 2nd; 2005 2nd; 2006 1st; 2007 1st; 2008 1st; 2009 1st; 2010 2nd; 2011 3rd; 2012 1st; 2013 2nd; 2014 1st; 2015 2nd; 2016 1st.

Premierships: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016.

Highest score: 40.22 (262) v Northampton, August 27, 2006 at Wonthella Oval.

Biggest win: 253 points v Northampton, August 27, 2006 at Wonthella Oval.

RAILWAYS FOOTBALL CLUB

The GNFL’s second most successful club of the past 20 years.

Should have converted more than two of seven grand finals into flags.

Have played finals 16 times and won 184 of 336 games with four draws and 148 losses — a win percentage of 55.3.

Record: 1997 4th; 1998 8th; 1999 4th; 2000 4th; 2001 5th; 2002 2nd; 2003 6th; 2004 6th; 2005 4th; 2006 4th; 2007 3rd; 2008 2nd; 2009 2nd; 2010 1st; 2011 1st; 2012 2nd; 2013 4th; 2014 4th; 2015 3rd; 2016 2nd.

Premierships: 2010, 2011

Highest score: 44.31 (295) v Mullewa, August 28, 2011 at Greenough Oval.

Biggest win: 255 points v Mullewa, August 28, 2011 at Greenough Oval.

BRIGADES FOOTBALL CLUB

Brigades have been generally competitive since 1997.

The 2007 grand final was the Hawks’ first since 1988 but recently they have made a habit of them with four straight including a flag in 2015.

In 344 games, the Hawks have won 209 with a draw and 134 defeats for a win percentage of 60.9.

Have made finals 17 times.

Record: 1997 7th; 1998 3rd; 1999 3rd; 2000 3rd; 2001 3rd; 2002 3rd; 2003 4th; 2004 5th; 2005 3rd; 2006 3rd; 2007 2nd; 2008 3rd; 2009 3rd; 2010 3rd; 20114th; 2012 5th; 2013 2nd; 2014 2nd; 2015 1st; 2016 2nd.

Premierships: 2015.

Highest score: 36.13 (229) v Chapman Valley, June 14, 2014 at Eadon Clarke Oval.

Biggest win: 178 v Chapman Valley, August 31, 2003 at Eadon Clarke Oval.

CHAPMAN VALLEY FOOTBALL CLUB

The Valley haven’t won a grand final in the past 20 years and have played finals only three times. But they are now usually competitive and survived after nearly folding in 2012.

Since 1997 the Royals have won 73 of 317 games with three draws and 242 defeats — a win percentage of 23.5.

Record: 1997 3rd; 1998 7th; 1999 5th; 2000 7th; 2001 7th; 2002 7th; 2003 7th; 2004 7th; 2005 7th; 2006 6th; 2007 7th; 2008 5th; 2009 4th; 2010 6th; 2011 6th; 2012 7th; 2013 7th; 2014 7th; 2015 6th; 2016 4th.

Premierships: Nil.

Highest score: 30.18 (198) v Mullewa, April 3, 2011 at Mullewa.

Biggest win: 176 points v Dongara, July 18, 1999 at Nabawa Oval.

ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB

Going back 20 years, Rovers were the GNFL’s dynamos but coming to the end of the most dominant era ever seen.

In 2003, Rovers missed finals for the first time since 1992 and have made the cut only four more times since. Have won 161 of 328 games with one draw and 166 losses for a win percentage of 49.2.

Record: 1997 1st; 1998 1st; 1999 2nd; 2000 1st; 2001 2nd; 2002 4th; 2003 5th; 2004 3rd; 2005 6th; 2006 5th; 2007 5th; 2008 6th; 2009 6th; 2010 4th; 2011 2nd; 2012 3rd; 2013 5th; 2014 5th; 2015 5th.

Premierships: 1997, 1998, 2000.

Highest score: 32.26 (218) v Northampton, August 19, 2012 at Northampton.

Biggest win: 177 points v Mullewa, July 30, 2011 at Greenough.

NORTHAMPTON FOOTBALL CLUB

For all their struggles, the Rams are a club where people put in.

Made the grand final in 2003 for the first time since 1979 and again for a win in 2004.

Since 1997 have played 312 games for 89 wins, two draws and 221 losses — a win percentage of 28.9.

Record: 1997 6th; 1998 6th; 1999 5th; 2000 5th; 2001 4th; 2002 6th; 2003 2nd; 2004 1st; 2005 5th; 2006 7th; 2007 6th; 2008 7th; 2009 7th; 2010 7th; 2011 5th; 2012 6th; 2013 6th; 2014 6th; 2015 7th; 2016 6th.

Premierships: 2004.

Highest score: 26.13 (169) v Chapman Valley, August 4 2001 at Nabawa Oval.

Biggest win: 109 points v Chapman Valley, July 30, 2011 at Nabawa Oval.

MULLEWA FOOTBALL CLUB

Mercurial Mullewa — at their best, a side that plays football with a verve no other team matches, but at their worst, a rabble, with players keener on settling personal scores than playing together as a team.

In the past 20 years, the Saints have played finals 12 times with two flags from three grand finals.

Have won 158 of 322 games with a draw and 163 losses for a win percentage of 49.2

Record: 1997 5th; 1998 4th; 1999 7th; 2000 6th; 2001 5th; 2002 5th; 2003 3rd; 2004 4th; 2005 1st; 20062nd; 2007 4th; 2008 4th; 2009 5th; 2010 3rd; 2011 7th; 2012 4th; 2013 1st; 2014 3rd; 2015 4th; 2016 7th.

Premierships: 2005, 2013.

Highest score: 36.30 (246) v Chapman Valley, July 22, 2012 at Nabawa Oval.

Biggest win: 272 points v Northampton, June 30, 2013 at Mullewa.