Our Story
Footy Comes to Lane Cove (1880)
Australian Rules Football has been part of the Lane Cove area for longer than many people realise.
As early as 1880, the game was played at St Ignatius’ College, Riverview. The college’s founder, Fr Joseph Dalton, was from Victoria and preferred Australian Rules to Rugby, which he believed was “too rough”. As a result, Australian Rules became the school’s official sport.
Riverview even competed in the Sydney senior competition, largely because it was one of the few schools playing the game.
However, the long trip across the river for visiting teams, combined with mismatches between sides, eventually led the school to adopt Rugby as its official sport in 1891.
(With thanks to Cathy Hobbs from Riverview College for uncovering this piece of local sporting history.)
Footy Returns to Lane Cove (2007)
More than a century later, Australian Rules returned to Lane Cove thanks to Steve Chisholm, a long-time local originally from Victoria.
In 2007, Steve believed kids in the area should have the chance to play Australia’s great indigenous game close to home. He visited local schools, spoke with families and worked with AFL NSW to build support.
His efforts led to the creation of an Auskick program at St Michael’s Primary School, known as the St Michael’s Blues started even though his own son was already too old for Auskick.
Steve was soon joined by Roger Caine, and together they grew the program year by year. Before long there were enough players to form the club’s first Under 9 and Under 10 teams.
A small Auskick program was becoming a junior football club.
The Lane Cove Cats Are Born (2011)
In 2011, Steve met another Victorian with a similar vision Nick Brumley.
Nick shared the passion for growing AFL locally and helped transform the St Michael’s Blues into the club we know today the Lane Cove Cats.
From there the club’s growth accelerated.
The strength of the Auskick program gained recognition across the league. In 2013, Paul Schofield was awarded GSJAFL North Shore Auskick Coordinator of the Year and also received the NAB AFL Auskick National Volunteer of the Year award.
In 2015, Nick Brumley was also named GSJAFL North Shore Auskick Coordinator of the Year.
Participation continued to grow especially girls football, which expanded from just a handful of players to more than 100 players today.
Building a Home for Footy
The club was originally based at Burns Bay Reserve before moving to Blackman Park, which remains our home today.
In 2012, Lane Cove Council upgraded the park with a synthetic all-weather field and new storage facilities a major boost for the growing club.
As participation continued to increase, the need for a full-sized AFL oval became clear so older junior teams could play locally.
In 2018, the lower turf field at Blackman Park was upgraded to a full-sized AFL oval. At 160 metres long, it is the same length as the MCG and even larger than the SCG, allowing the club to host youth football.
In recognition of his vision and dedication, the grass AFL oval is now named Steve Chisholm Oval honouring the man who helped bring AFL back to Lane Cove.
The Club Today
Today the club has grown to almost 2,000 members, with teams across all junior age groups for both boys and girls.
As the club expanded, it evolved to better represent the wider community and became the Lane Cove Hunters Hill Cats.
What started as a small Auskick program is now one of the largest and most vibrant junior AFL communities in Sydney built on volunteers, families and a shared love of the game.
And the story is still being written.
Our club song
Sung to the tune of Carmen
We are the Cats, the greatest team all,
We are the Cats; we’re always on the ball,
We play the game as it should be played,
At home or far away,
Our banners fly high, from dawn to dark,
Down at Blackman Park (yeah!)
