The club has enjoyed great support and during the early 1980’s fielded U9’s, 11’s, 13’s, 15’s and 16’s. To help boost numbers Keith Rankin (a coach for over ten years) would collect up to a dozen boys from the Basin Boys Home, and using their bus drive them to matches. Keith tells us that the boys saw it as an honour to be able to play. Of the players who played in the 1988 senior premiership team, more than three quarters had come through the junior ranks, which was seen as testament to the benefits of a strong junior football club.

Whilst there were many people who contributed, significant contributions were made by Peter Cook, Tony McKinnon, Keith Rankin, Mick Hill, Chris Riddiford and John and Jill Graham. For some time the senior club played in the EDFL whilst the juniors played in the Dandenong Ranges (DRJFL), but eventually in 1986 the seniors joined the Yarra Valley & Mountain Districts League placing both clubs into the same league. For a short time the junior club looked at changing it’s name to “The Colts,” but this did not endure and the name returned to “The Young Bloods”.

At times, the club has struggled to make the numbers to field the necessary teams to remain in the competition, particularly when the ground was rebuilt back in 2000/01 when works took a season longer than expected and the junior club was forced to play home games at Kilsyth. A number of parents took their children to other local clubs like Monbulk or Belgrave rather than drive to Kilsyth to play home games and these children never returned to the club. Somehow despite these setbacks, the club has always managed to stay afloat and is currently in the best shape it’s been in for some time.

Premierships were won by the U16’s in 2007 and 2008 and consecutive preliminary finals were made in 2018 and 2019. A strong U12’s team also won the flag in 2009 and were runners-up in 2018.

The club has a strong and dedicated committee working to secure the future of the club and which tackle all areas of club administration and policy appropriate to juniors. A major reason for the clubs participation in the Hilltop Recreation Association has been to improve the club facilities, and this was achieved in 2014 when our new club rooms and pavilion were opened.

By improving facilities we have strengthened club numbers and now field eight teams, including three girls teams (U12, U14, U16). Financially the club is in very good shape thanks to excellent management and the on-going support of our sponsors.

The Olinda Precinct Plan currently underway promises to further improve facilities not only for our football club but for the wider community.

OFCJFC Committee 2018