Just a few years ago, the Taylors Lakes Football Club was almost finished.
Teetering on the edge of collapse, its future uncertain, its momentum gone, and its community disheartened.
Fast forward to 2025, and the club has never been better.
The senior men are in the hunt for a finals berth, and the women’s program is flying.
The kids are shining in the junior program, and a beloved club figure has just been immortalised with a remarkable coaching milestone.
It’s a revival story that is not just about football – it’s about people, pride, and perseverance.
FROM THE BRINK, TO BELIEF
Ask anyone around Taylors Lakes and they’ll tell you – this turnaround didn’t happen by accident.
“We were close to finishing up a few years ago,” recalls Football Manager Kane Ingram.
“A couple of years ago, when times were tough and there were really low crowds, things were looking really dire.
“We brought in good people and great characters to get us back on our feet and going.”
The club restructured from the inside out – recruiting the right committee members, investing in juniors and community connection, and building culture through player retention.
Lionheart Reserve is now a place where people want to be, and the club has a new-found culture that is both connected and competitive.
250 REASONS TO CELEBRATE
In Round 11 of this season, the club celebrated one of its most significant milestones to date – senior coach Steve Burns notching up 250 games as coach of the senior men’s team.
“It was an amazing milestone,” Ingram said.
“Steve commands the players’ respect and has etched his name into Taylors Lakes history with what he has done as a coach.”
Premiership captain Ben Norris added, “It’s massive for the club. He’s a Taylors Lakes man that left for a few years and then came back to help us when we needed it.
"He just puts so much time into the club.”
Burns’ dedication, both past and present, is symbolic of the loyalty and leadership that has driven the club’s success.
A CLUB ON THE RISE
In their first season back in Strathmore Community Bank Division One since 2021, the senior men’s team are in finals contention and are just one place out of the top five.
They currently sit in sixth position on the ladder with a win loss record of 8-9, and a percentage of 99.64. They trail Craigieburn, who are in that fifth and final finals position, only on percentage.
With just one round left in the season, if Craigieburn lose this week and Taylors Lakes win, the Lions will be playing finals.
“I think it’s a huge accomplishment for us to come up and be as competitive as we are,” Norris said.
“We said from the start that we are not just here to fill numbers – we are here to compete.”
Their strong run has been aided by the depth of the football program.
The reserves currently sit third on the ladder with 12 wins and five losses, and the thirds only recently bowed out in a heart-breaking elimination final loss last week.
“The depth and success that has been provided by our thirds program has really helped with our reserves and senior program,” Ingram explained.
But it’s not just the men making headlines.
WOMEN'S FOOTY CHANGING THE GAME
The Taylors Lakes senior women have been a revelation.
They finished second on the ladder in the Airport Toyota Division Two competition, with nine wins and five losses, and are set for a date with the Sunbury Kangaroos in this Saturday’s preliminary final.
For a program still in its infancy, the impact has been monumental.
“The whole club is on the right trajectory,” says Norris.
“We only had a couple of junior teams a few years ago. Now there are two teams in every age group, and we’ve got a women’s program – it’s so exciting.”
BUILT TO LAST
Ingram, who has been at the club since 1994, believes the foundations are stronger than ever.
“The clubs in the best financial position it has ever been in, and the committee is as strong as it’s been since my time here started.”
This fresh, pivotal new-found stability has translated to an environment where players want to stay.
“We don’t actually lose a lot of players,” Norris highlighted. “Our player retention shows that it’s a good place to be around."
With loyal playing groups, a passionate committee, and determined coaching, Taylors Lakes has done more than survive the tough years, they have clawed their way to a course for sustained success.
