Hamilton Kangaroos Football Club
| Hamilton | |
|---|---|
| Names | |
| Full name | Hamilton Kangaroos Football Netball Club Inc |
| Nickname(s) | Kangaroos |
| Club details | |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Colours | Navy Blue White |
| Competition | Hampden Football League |
| Ground(s) | Melville Oval |
The Hamilton Kangaroos Football Club is an Australian rules football club which compete in the Hampden Football League.
The club was formed by merging the Hamilton Football Club and the Hamilton Imperials Football Club in October 2012. After almost 50 years as fierce rivals, the Magpies and Imperials opted to merge after the recommendation was made in the Southern Border Review The two clubs members decided on a vote for the new name. many different ideas were throw around about the new club, a popular idea was the gaints, but this was rejected through copyright issues. The options were Hamilton united Kangaroos, Hamilton United Power, Hamilton united Hawks, Hamilton Kangaroos, Hamilton Hawks and Hamilton Power. The Hamilton Kangaroos won with 35% of the votes and the Hamilton Power finished second with 31%
The clubs inaugural year in the Hampden resulted in 4 senior wins, 2 against Port fairy and South, finishing 8th The Kangaroos had success in the under 18.5 winning the minor premiership and in reserves they finished 5th
The Hamilton Football Club was formed in 1874, regularly playing friendly matches against other towns along the railway line. After many years playing for medals and donated cup the club went into recess around 1910. Football continued in the town and it was a church aligned competition that also included teams from Penshurst and Dunkeld. After a football carnival held in Hamilton in October 1925 and a combined Hamilton team, (made up from players from the local Hamilton and District FA) defeated the premiers of the Western District Football League (Port Fairy) a petition was circulated and a Combined Hamilton side was admitted into the Western District Football League for 1926 . Their admittance caused founding club Camperdown to leave and play in a local Colac competition.
The drama began early in the 1947 season, when the Hamilton FC was languishing near the foot of the Western District league ladder. The club's administrators decided to sack the coach, Ken Block, and replace him with former Melbourne ruckman Jack O'Keefe, who was appointed caretaker coach for the rest of the season.
O'Keefe worked wonders with the team; Hamilton not only made the finals, it won the premiership with a one-point victory in the grand final. Ted Kenna, who had won the Victoria Cross two years earlier for his bravery during a Second World War battle in Papua New Guinea, booted the winning behind.
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