MORE than 20 past players from the Bonnie Doon 2002 and 2004 premiership sides returned to their favourite football club last Saturday for a reunion.

Organiser of the 'back to' event was Chris Mitchell who said the 2002 reunion (marking 20 years since the premiership) should have been held in 2022 but due to COVID still being prevalent was put off for a year.

Main organisers for the event were Mitchell and Brendan Langlands.

Langlands had travelled from Western Australia for the weekend and Matt Huxtable came from Queensland to help celebrate which included a club function following the home games with a highlight being the annual 'ferret race' something which Langlands said he had never seen but was intrigued to watch it.

Other ex–players came from WA, Queensland, Mildura and across the state for a weekend of catch ups, fun and laughter.

In 2002 club history was made when both the Reserves and Seniors football teams won their premierships – the first time this had happened in the club's 130 history.

Langlands said it was the first time the club had won both premierships, many had tried but Doon did it.

The Seniors won the premiership again in 2004 when playing in the Benalla League as the Bulldogs.

Returning players, along with some of the stalwarts of the club watched the football matches from the balcony of the recreation reserve building.

Langlands said the date was set for this weekend but believes a reunion should be held each year and probably the last match of the year would be more suited.

He said the improvements at the club were fantastic.

"Twenty years ago we were running on a (footy) ground that was up and down a hill, now it is flat and runs east – west where it used to run north – south.

The club has had some fantastic members and supporters, the Fox family, Terry Dale, Roy and Norma Friday, the Hills Murray and Joy, just to name a few; they are just some of the families that made the footy club what it is today.

"There are a lot of people, members and families here that have to be recognised for making the improvement and the club what it is now," Langlands said.

"We wish we had this in the 1980s and early 90s, it is so well set up – it is really good," Langlands said.

Mitchell said this reunion was about more than just the premierships it was acknowledging the committees, the families, the netballers, the club itself that have made it what it is today.

Mitchell and Langlands both agreed they were content to sit and watch the games and did not have the urge to get out there and play.