The club changed leagues in 2018, following an administration disagreement between the AFL Goulburn-Valley and the Picola & District Football League.[2]
History
Dookie Football Club – 1887 to 1976
The original Dookie Football Club was established in 1887.[3]
In one of Dookie's earliest recorded matches in 1891, Dookie: 6.20 – 56 defeated Katamatite: 0.0 – 0 at Dookie.[4]
In July 1903, The Dookie FC was reformed with office bearers and a committee elected. The club colors selected were – navy blue and white, with a red sash, with blue and white socks.[5]
In 1906, the Dookie Football Association was formed, with Dookie finishing on top of the ladder and winning the premiership.[6]
In 1912, Dookie FC won two premierships, defeating Caniambo in the Dookie FA and in the Katandra Wednesday FA, defeating Katandra. In 1912 and 1913 there was a Dookie Wednesday Football Club, that use to play on the Wednesday afternoon half holiday.[7]
In June 1914, after six months of negotiating for the purchase of some land suitable for a recreation reserve close to Dookie,[8] the newly established Dookie Recreation Reserve was officially opened, when Dookie hosted Devenish in a football association match.[9]
in 1915, Dookie FC wore the red and black colors.[10]
In 1915, the Katandra Football Association went into recess due to the large number of young local men who enlisted in the armed forces in World War I.[11]
In 1915, an under 18 Dookie Boys Football Club was formed for young lads to play football against Cosgrove, Pine Lodge and Yabba North State Schools. In 1919, the Dookie Line Football Association was formed from the following clubs – Benalla, Devenish, Dookie and St. James.[12]
In 1932, Dookie FC played in the Katandra District Football Association. In 1946, Dookie Firsts and Seconds played in the Central Goulburn Valley Football League. In 1947, Dookie changed from a purple jumper to a black and white stripes jumper and were coached by L Hears.[13]
Dookie Agricultural College Football Club – 1893 to 1976
Team of Dookie Agricultural College, 1905 champions
In 1908, Dookie College FC initially entered the Dookie FA, but later withdrew.[14]
Dookie College FC played in the Shepparton District Second Eighteen Football Association (SDSEFA) in 1927 and 1928.[15] In 1927, E Wuttrich (Dookie United FC) shared the best junior player award in the SDSEFA.[16] In 1929, the Control of Agricultural Education barred the Dookie College FC from re-joining the SDSEFA, as a student was injured in 1928 and was incapacitated for the year.[17] Dookie College returned to the SDSEFA competition in 1930.
G Walker, won the club's best & fairest award in 1935.[18]
In 1947, Dookie College had firsts and seconds in the Central Goulburn FL, with their thirds team playing in the Benalla and District FL.
Former 1954 world one mile record holder and running champion, John Landy, played football with Dookie College Football Club in 1949 and 1950,[21] winning the Central Goulburn Valley Football League – best and fairest award in 1950 and was a potential VFL footballer, before his running took centre stage.[22][23]
Dookie & Cosgrove merged in 1930 and entered a team in the Shepparton District Second Eighteen Football Association (SDSEFA) as the Dookie – Cosgrove FC.[24] Both Dookie FC & Cosgrove FC returned to the Katandra FA in 1931 as separate clubs.
Dookie – Yabba Football Club – 1932 to 1940
In 1932, a Yabba – Dookie Football Club was established for a "Seconds" team to compete in the Devenish – Mulwala Football Association, in which they defeated St. James in the final.
In 1933 this merged team entered the Benalla Mulwala Football League and defeated Wilby in the grand final. In 1940, they played in the Goulburn Valley Football Association.
Dookie United Football Club – 1977 to present day
Dookie United FNC was founded in 1977 from a merger of the "Dookie Football Club" and the "Dookie Agricultural College Football Club".
Both original clubs were having difficulty fielding two senior teams. In its first year Dookie United played off in the senior and reserves footy grand finals. Since 1977, Dookie have been regularly been involved in finals footy.
Since the merger, the club has successfully been able to work together as a local community to welcome and make part of the club, the new influx of students each year who attend the University of Melbourne based at the Dookie College campus.
Former Dookie United junior Luke Lowden was drafted to the Hawthorn Football Club at the 2008 AFL Draft.
Football competitions timelines
Dookie Football Club
1887 to 1905: No evidence of any formal competitions, (except for 1893) but played many friendly matches against other local towns / clubs.
