The Murray Kangaroos Football Club, officially nicknamed the Kangaroos, was an Australian rules football club which competed in the Victorian Football League between 2000 and 2002. The football club was a joint venture between the North Melbourne Football Club and the Ovens and Murray Football League and served as North Melbourne's reserve side.
The Ovens and Murray region was formerly zoned towards North Melbourne, and the club enjoys good support in the area.
History Following season 1999, the AFL reserves competition was terminated leaving AFL clubs without a place to field their reserves players. The Kangaroos, together with the Ovens and Murray Football League launched their own stand-alone VFL club in the Victorian Football League called the Murray Kangaroos. The club's home games were split between Coburg City Oval in Melbourne, and Lavington Oval in Albury-Wodonga./www.footballvic.com.au/vfl/vfl_clubs.htm
The side was made up with players from the Kangaroos, topped up with players from the Ovens and Murray League, and offering a second chance to players from the statewide under-18s Murray Bushrangers team who had missed out on the draft.
At the end of 2002, the Kangaroos disbanded the club citing pressure from the AFL, and cost-cutting measures (the club cost around $100,000 a year to field). North Melbourne instead decided to align with the Port Melbourne Football Club in a short-term deal.http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,5287609%255E20322,00.html
Honour roll Club records Highest Score26.18 (174) v Essendon, Round 9, 2002, Windy HillLowest Score5.9 (39) v Sandringham, Round 16, 2000, Lavington Sports Ground5.9 (39) v Coburg, Round 18, 2000, Lavington Sports GroundGreatest Winning Margin96 points v Essendon, Round 9, 2002, Windy HillGreatest Losing Margin93 points v Coburg, Round 20, 2001, Coburg City OvalLowest Winning Score13.10 (88) v Preston 9.12 (66), Round 16, 2001, Lavington Sports GroundHighest Losing Score17.14 (116) v Box Hill 22.13 (145), Round 5, 2002, Box Hill City Oval17.14 (116) v Preston 18.14 (122), Round 11, 2002, Coburg City Oval
Seasons PremiersGrand FinalistMinor premiersFinals appearanceWooden spoonVFL leading goalkickerVFL best and fairest YearLeagueCoachCaptainBest and fairestLeading goalkickerGoals 2000 VFL 14th 6 13 0 Ross Smith Stuart Cochrane Kent Kingsley 34 2001 VFL 4th 13 7 0 Paul Hamilton Mark Hilton Leigh Harding 53 2002 VFL 7th 10 9 1 Paul Hamilton Adam Lange Rodney Tregenza 54
References