Ranked: Melbourne footy’s top dynasties since 2000

Suburban footy has featured dominant teams who have enduring legacies in their local competitions. Now we’ve ranked the top-25 era-defining teams from the first quarter of the century.

We've ranked the top local dynasties.

Debate will always surround the greatest local footy teams of all time.

Supporters will always throw forward a case for the club they support or a juggernaut they’ve seen up close.

But which local footy team has the greatest dynasty of the last 25 years?

It’s a difficult question to answer given the great variance in quality of football played across the leagues.

We’ve ranked the top-20 local footy dynasties of metropolitan footy, with the Mornington Peninsula league included, since 2000.

Check it out below.

The Roosters kickstart the top-20.

20. West Preston Lakeside (Northern, 2018-2021)

Who knows what the Roosters could have achieved if Covid hadn’t come along. West Preston-Lakeside went back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. The second triumph was historic. The club started the season 0-6, just making finals was a record-breaking achievement. It then won four finals on the bounce, stunning red-hot favourite Greensborough in the big dance. While the 2020 season was wiped out, Rob Maiorana kept his team humming into 2021, winning 11 of 12 outings to earn a “minor premiership”. Garrett McDonagh would go on to be drafted by Essendon, Ahmed Saad kicked 210 goals and Jackson Clarke, Sam Glover, Alex Federico and Luke Lirosi were outstanding.

19. St Kilda City (Southern, 2007-2010)

After missing out in the 2005 decider to Balwyn, St Kilda eventually returned to the biggest day of the year when it beat Springvale Districts in the 2007 decider. After falling short in 2008, it provided the perfect motivation for back-to-back flags.

18. Dromana (Mornington Peninsula 2012-24)

Dromana played off in six grand finals between 2012-24, winning four premierships. The Tigers won the 2018 Division 2 flag and the next season won the top flight premiership. But it wasn’t all that long ago the club was stuck on the bottom. In 1997, Dromana lost every game by an average of 47 goals. Through hard work, it turned things around to become a powerhouse club. With the likes of Jake Aarts, Billy Geurts and Sam Fowler, the Tigers won the 2024 Division 1 flag.

17. Preston Bullants (VAFA, 2013-2019)

Few clubs have risen through the VAFA ranks like the Bullants. The club entered the senior ranks in 2013 and immediately won the Division 4 premiership, coming from sixth. It followed it up by winning the Division 3 flag the very next year. It played finals in Division 2 in 2014 before going on to win a third flag in fourth years in 2015. After a couple of seasons cementing itself in Division 1, a fourth flag came in 2019 and a momentous step up to Premier C. Guided by master coach George Wakim, Dean and Sean Calcedo won two league best-and-fairests apiece, while the likes of Damon Marcon, Tom Hill and Jack Sammartino were stars.

16. Heidelberg (Northern, 2022-current)

The Tigers already have three premierships on the trot under their belt and are eyeing a record-equalling fourth this season. A flag this year would replicate the club’s four-peat heroics from 2006-2009. Heidelberg lost just one game in all three seasons, underlining their complete domination of the competition. Brody Tardio, Kieren Andrew, Brayden Sier, Nathan Honey, Lachie Wilson, Daniel O’Dwyer, Keenan Posar, Dylan Clarke, Sean Martin, Zane Barzen and Luke Bunker have played in all three.

Seaford celebrate the 2009 premiership.

15. Seaford (Mornington Peninsula, 2007-10)

A premiership three-peat from 2007-09 made the Tigers the undisputed kings of the peninsula football jungle. Seaford was the hottest team in the league when it went back-to-back-to-back — under three different coaches. Paul Kennedy was at the helm in ’07, Chris Fortnam in ‘08 and Anthony Agius in ’09. The Tigers’ bid for a fourth successive flag was scuttled by a 44-point loss to Frankston YCW in the 2010 grand final.

14. Riddell (Riddell District, 2005-2010)

Riddell has been the dominant force in the Riddell District since 2000, winning seven flags. And no club has enjoyed a sustained stretch of success like the Bombers from 2005 to 2010. First, it was back-to-back flags in 2005-06 then more glory in 2008 and 2010. Four premierships in six seasons and five grand finals in a row. Players including Mick Allen, Justin Belleville and Cam McCabe were critical players throughout. Belleville would go on to also coach his beloved club to a flag in 2022.

13. Spotswood (2007-2014)

The Woodsmen made ever grand final between 2007 and 2014. Spotswood era of dominance included a three-peat (2007-09) followed by premierships in 2011. The club’s era overlapped with the start of Deer Park’.

12. Northcote Park (Northern, 1997-2002)

Technically, the Cougars’ dynasty only lasted three years in the 2000s, winning a hat-trick between 2000-02. However, overall Northcote Park won four straight flags from 1999 to 2002 to be the millennium’s first superpower. It won a fifth in six years if you include 1997. Coached by Steve Easton and Vinny Hanlon, Matt and Joe Amad, Brett Jeffrey and Saad Saad were the local guns, complemented by ex-AFL talents including Peter Dean, Brent Heaver and Michael Gale.

11. Old Xaverians (VAFA, 2000-2010)

A remarkable run over an extended period. The millennium started with a sixth premiership in a row to cap a dominant period to end the 90s. Further premierships came in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010. Old Xavs climbed the mountain the mountain again in 2013 and 2016. There were further grand final appearances in 2002, 2006 and 2012.

Dingley celebrate in 2019.

10. Dingley (Southern, 2015-2021)

The Dingoes reached the top of the Southern league in dominant fashion when they won three flags in a row between 2017 and 2019. They missed out in 2018 but were back a year later. If not for Covid, Dingley was top in 2021 when the season was cancelled, they could have reached even greater heights.

9. Aberfeldie (Essendon District, 2013-2019 )

Abers won three flags in four years including going back-to-back in 2015-16 and before climbing the mountain again in 2018. They played off in grand finals every other year.

8. Narre Warren (Mornington Peninsula 2005-2013)

From 2005 in the Casey Cardinia division of the Mornington Peninsula league, the Magpies played in eight grand finals in nine seasons and added another six premiership cups to their collection. They also appeared in two South East league grand finals 2017-18. They made history in 2019 by becoming the first team to win the Outer East league’s Premier division flag — and went on to win the 2022 and 2024 flags.

7. Sorrento (Mornington Peninsula 2008-14)

Sorrento is Shark territory during winter. Since 2000, they’ve won seven premierships. Under Troy Schwarze’s coaching from 2007, Sorrento’s success peaked, including seven grand finals from 2008-14. Their last flag was in 2017, with runner-up finishes in 2018-19.

Sorrento’s 2012 premiership.

6. Balwyn (Eastern, 2012-2016)

Dan Donati delivered a flag in his first season in charge of the Tigers in 2012 before repeating in 2013. After losing the grand final to Norwood in 2014, Balwyn would lose just two games on their way to the premiership in 2015, savaging Norwood by 111 points, and made it four titles in five years in 2016 with a narrow win over Vermont.

5. St Kevin’s (VAFA, 2017-23)

A powerhouse in Australia’s biggest competition. SKOB reached every grand final during this year, either side of the Covid pandemic, to stake its claim to one of the greatest runs in VAFA history. Premierships were won in 2017 (under Shannon Grant), 2018 (Tom Williams and Guy Martyn) and 2022 (Anthony Lynch). Lynch remains in charge today as the club looks to climb the mountain again.

4. Heidelberg (Northern, 2004-2012)

The Tigers’ first dynasty of the millennium. They won four consecutive Diamond Valley/Northern league Division 1 premierships between 2006 and 2009, add in a 2004 triumph and it’s five flags in six seasons. It lost one game in three years from 2007 to 2009. Underlining Heidelberg’s dominance, it reached nine straight grand finals, losing three in a row after it’s four-peat. Local guns like Blair Harvey, Dale and Danny Nolan, Chris Hall and Dean Haydock formed the backbone and ex-AFL recruits such as Justin Murphy, Jess Sinclair, Ty Zantuck and Anthony Franchina added unmatched talent.

3. Vermont (Eastern, 2005-09)

Won a three-peat of flags and four in five seasons between 2005 and 2007 before claiming the crown again in 2008 under David Banfield in arguably the state’s best local competition at the time, also playing off in the 2008 decider. In 2009, they started 2-5.

Vermont captain Brad Cullen and coach, David Banfield hold up the 2002 premiership cup. Photo: Joanna Fincham

2. Frankston YCW (Mornington Peninsula 2010-2017)

In the Mornington Peninsula league, Frankston YCW’s dominance has been a constant. The Stonecats’ impressive record includes seven premierships between 2010-2017. They won a hat-trick of flags (2010, 2011 and 2012) and then asserted their authority by winning four flags on the spin in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, driven by the likes of Kyle Hutchison, Bundy Barry, Byron Barry, Craig Nankervis, Ash Eames, Anthony Bruhn and Brenton Credlin. Since 2000, they’ve claimed nine flags, with additional victories in 2003 and 2022.

1. Deer Park (Western, 2013-2019)

An era unlike any other in modern local footy. The Lions won the Division 2 flag in 2011 and quickly became the talk of the footy world with a big recruiting drive. Two years later, they emerged as one of Melbourne’s biggest forces going onto win seven straight flags under coach Marc Bullen. Since then, the Lions have moved to the Essendon District league and won the 2023 Division 1 (the second tier) flag.