This was quite a year for Brimbank sports clubs.
There were premierships, resurgences, soccer brawls, cricket washouts, suspensions, reinstatements, glory and despair.
But before detailing those, let’s look back at what was perhaps the greatest 2103 sports story in Brimbank: the North Sunshine Roadrunners.
At 2pm on April 20, the struggling division 2 Western Region Football League side had not won a match in five years.
And in 2010, the Roadrunners lost to local rival Albanvale by a walloping 401 points, prompting media pundits to wonder if it was the worst Australian Rules football team in existence.
Former Richmond great Matthew Richardson even wandered down to Dempster Park to run a training session.
But the hapless Roadrunners had a much-improved season this year, with the number of calamitous three-figure defeats down on previous years.
Playing Laverton Magpies on that April day, North Sunshine led by 11 points at quarter-time, one point at the long break and 32 at three-quarter time.
In the final term, Laverton fought back with four goals to two, but the Roadrunners held on to win by 21 points
PICTURE GALLERY: Win for North Sunshine Roadrunners
“It was good to get the monkey off the back … it was more like a bloody silverback gorilla,” said coach Rick Charles the morning after the game. His voice was hoarse, as was that of club president Ray Portelli.
Unfortunately for the Roadrunners, it would be their only win for the season.
In division 1, Deer Park won its first division 1 flag in nearly 20 years.
The Lions, having won the division 2 flag two years earlier, missed the 2012 division 1 finals on percentage.
But they enjoyed a remarkable 2013, losing two games for the year before overcoming a 41-point deficit in the grand final to hand Spotswood its second consecutive one-point grand final loss.
PICTURE GALLERY: Deer Park wins WRFL premiership
MATCH REPORT: Deer Park beats Spotswood to win flag
In the women’s Big V division 2 competition, Keilor Thunder overcame a 1-4 start to qualify fourth for finals, before sweeping both the Werribee Devils and Casey Cavaliers en route to the premiership.
MATCH REPORT: Keilor Thunders women win premiership
The Victorian Netball League saw the City West Falcons knock off the Peninsula Waves 44-41 in the grand final.
PICTURE GALLERY: City West Falcons win premiership
MATCH REPORT: City West Falcons soar to win
In the Essendon District Football League, Hillside won the senior and reserve division 2 titles.
PICTURE GALLERY: Hillside beats Moonee Valley for flag
MATCH REPORT: Hillside storms to premiership
The Victorian Premier League saw proud soccer club Melbourne Knights have a resurgence, going from eighth in 2012 to a semi-final berth this season.
Kealba-Green Gully won the George Luscombe Shield in the North West Metro Cricket Association, while North Sunshine Eagles overtuned an FFV decision that had it expelled from the league following a melee.
PICTURE GALLERY: Kealba-Green Gully beats Pascoe Vale Central
MATCH REPORT: Kealba-Green Gully celebrating premiership
Delahey Tennis Club smashed its way to the Tennis Victoria Premier League title in April.
