History of club

The Northern Bullants and the Northern Suburbs have a deep rooted connection through past players, supporters, staff and the community. It’s through this connection that the lifeblood of the club has been kept alive. The Bullants have persevered through many struggles and due to the passion of its community it has survived once again. 

The Ants were officially formed in 1885 however our history dates back to 1882. In the early days the Bullants were quite successful claiming 5 VJFA premierships. It was in 1926 where the Bullants joined the VFA as a standalone club. The “Bullants” name was then adopted in 1930 due to their ‘swarming’ playing style. 

The bullants through the years built its success on the backs of many legendary players including Carlton’s first brownlow medalist, Bert Deacon, Hawthorn premiership coach, Alan Joyce, Collingwood captain/Bullants Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Shaw and widely known Roy Cazaly. All players including these legends, supporters, staff and the community created the sturdy foundations that continue to be built upon to this day, foundations which allowed the club to enjoy six VFA premierships

The 1990’s created a tumultuous time for the Bullants and the VFA;  Like all things with a good foundation however, they can be maintained and rebuilt with ease. It was in these times that a beneficial merger with an under 18’s team the Northern Knight was struck. The Bullants then rebranded to the Northern Bullants.

In 2002 an affiliation with Carlton FC was formed. This mutually beneficial affiliation saw the Bullants achieve multiple successful football seasons, especially with two consecutive Grand final appearances under the tutelage of current-day Carlton coach, David Teague. This affiliation later grew into a merger and the Bullants were rebranded into the ‘Northern Blues’.  Some VFL champions then played for the Bullants in this time, such as Ahmed Saad, Kane lambert, Alex Johnson and Andre Gianfagna.

It is now that the Covid-19 pandemic has called a close to this merger between Carlton and Bullants. Now with nothing but the sturdy foundation to rebuild from, we have a unique opportunity to stand alone and are asking you to be a part of this rich history like the many before us.