It appears that Australian Rules football first took place in Broadford in August 1884 when the Broadford Football Club played a match against Tallarook.[1][2][3]
In 1906, the Broadford Junior Football Club was formed and played in the Central Mernda Football Association.[4]
Broadford moved from the Waranga North Eastern Football Association (WNEFA) to the Hume Highway Football Association in 1939, which ultimately caused the WNEFA to fold.[5]
Broadford FC wore a black guernsey, with a red sash up until 1977, when it joined the Riddell District Football League and was forced to change its guernsey colours to a royal blue and white stripes design, as existing RDFL club, Riddell Football Club already wore the black and red guernsey.
In 2004, Broadford FNC was warned by the VCFL to clean up its act after ten players had fronted the tribunal during the year. One opposition player had his jaw broken in a behind the play incident. The Broadford coach, Paul Tilley, was suspended for two years because of his actions.[6]
On 6 December 2023 during a Special General Meeting, the Broadford Football department voted to go into recess for the 2024 football season, while the netball department will play in the Northern FNL winter competition.
The Broadford Independents Football Club was formed in April, 1904[8] and initially played in the Broadford Shire Football Association.[9]
This club played competition football in 1904 and 1906 and won the Central Mernda Football Association premiership in 1906[10] and wore blue and white colours.[11]
The Broadford Independents Football Club and the Broadford Junior Football Club merged in 1907[12] and the Central Mernda FA folded prior to the 1907 football season.
It wasn't until 1931 that "The Independents" reformed as a new club and joined the Hume Highway Football Association and they played there from 1930 to 1938, playing in five grand finals in 1931, 1933, 1934, 1936 and 1937, winning premierships in 1931, 1933 and 1937.
It appears that the Broadford Independents Football Club went into recess prior to the 1939 football season and did not reform after World War Two and the Broadford Football Club moved from the Waranga North Eastern FA to the Hume Highway FA and played there in 1939 and 1940.
The following footballers played with Broadford, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut.
^"1884 - Tallarook". Seymour Express and Goulburn Valley, Avenel, Graytown, Nagambie, Tallarook and Yea Advertiser (Vic). 1 August 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^"1884 - Correspondence". Seymour Express and Goulburn Valley, Avenel, Graytown, Nagambie, Tallarook and Yea Advertiser (Vic). 15 August 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
^"1884 - Tallarook". Seymour Express & Goulburn Valley, Avenel, Graytown, Nagambie, Tallarook and Yea Advertiser (Vic). 22 August 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^"1906 - Football". The Broadford Courier and Reedy Creek Times (Broadford, Vic). 27 April 1907. p. 2. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
^"1926 - Won Gordon Shield". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. 18 August 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
^"1927 - Broadford Wins Premiership". Alexandra and Yea Standard and Yarck, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express (Vic). 23 September 1927. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
^"1929 - Waranga-North-Eastern Association". Alexandra and Yea Standard and Yarck, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express (Vic). 27 September 1927. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2024.