With the current COVID-19 restrictions still in place and little sport being enjoyed, Chris Stewart thought it would be an opportunity to reflect on some past achievements in local sport over the past decades with significant milestones that are to be celebrated this year.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Football
Eighty years ago
The Lockington Football Club won the Mitiamo District Football League (MDFL) premiership after defeating Mitiamo 8.9 (57) to 5.8 (38).
This victory saw the club win three premierships in succession, having only joined the league in 1938.
The team was coached by Ron Gray with Hector McGregor (president) and George “Corker” Cummings (property steward) also playing a key role in the success.
There was no football played during the war years (1941-43) before Lockington rejoined the league in 1946.
Lockington finished as runner-up in both 1948 and 1949 to Mitiamo and Bamawm Extension respectively.
Jack Kirchhofer was runner-up in the league best and Fairest to F. Davis from Bamawm Extension.
Seventy years ago
Lockington suffered another premiership defeat at the hands of Pyramid Hill 7.9 (51) to 8.8 (56).
Kirchhofer was again runner-up in the league best and fairest award to A. Blow from Calivil.
A decision was made to merge the Lockington and Tennyson football clubs for the 1951 season.
The new club had immediate success in winning the 1951 premiership against Mitiamo.
In 1952, the club finished second on the ladder, but was bundled out in "straight sets", losing to Pyramid Hill and Mitiamo.
Jim McIntyre won the MDFL best and fairest.
In 1953, the club transferred to the expanding Echuca District Football League as the Union Football Club.
Co-coach Jack Walsh was transferred within the education department a few weeks into the season.
The new club had success in 1954 and 1955, winning back-to-back premierships.
In both years, Frank "Ned" McIntyre won the league medal.
The EDFL was dominated by Echuca, who won flags in 1953, ‘56, ‘57, ‘58 and ‘59.
Union FC reverted back to Lockington FC in 1959.
Sixty years ago
The club obtained the services of former Carlton player Noel "Nobby" O'Brien as coach, going on to finish as runners-up.
O’Brien starred in the preliminary final, kicking nine goals.
Fifty years ago
With new coach Trevor "Trouty" English from Rochester appointed in 1969, the club enjoyed premiership success in both 1970 and 1971, defeating Echuca South on each occasion.
English coached the club to four successive grand finals from 1969-1972, splitting the record of two wins and two losses.
The 70s provided the club with outstanding success, adding premierships from 1977-79 with coach Jim Byrne.
Forty years ago
The club appointed Peter Howes as coach, continuing on its merry way to win the premiership in 1980 and make it four in a row.
It was a rare achievement, winning six premierships in the period from 1970 to 1980.
During the course of the 80s, Lockington won further premierships in 1983, ‘85 and ‘87.
The successful coaches were Wayne Eeles (1983 and ‘85) and Wayne Bell in 1987.
Thirty years ago
With the decimation of the EDFL, clubs were faced with a new problem: what would happen under the newly formed Northern and Echuca Football/Netball League.
The Lockington, Bamawm and Bamawm Extension clubs merged to become the Lockington-Bamawm United Football Netball Club.
Limited success followed for LBU, before the reserves won the 1995 premiership flag, while the under-17s collected a couple.
The seniors were runners-up twice.
In the mid-90s there was another change to local leagues as the Northern and Echuca League was disbanded and LBU elected to enter the stronger Bendigo Football League in 1997.
The team performed well before being eliminated by Golden Square in the elimination final by 11 points.
LBU then elected to join the Heathcote District League in 2000 after two tough seasons in a row.
The club won a premiership in the under-17s competition and had a couple of grand final appearances by the seniors and reserves.
Ten years ago
At the players reunion for the 1970 and 1980 premierships, a guest speaker encouraged the current crop of players to create their own piece of history.
This was achieved in no uncertain terms as they proceeded to win four straight premierships between 2011 and 2014.
More sport news