Preston Bullants Amateur Football Club

In late 2008, following a YJFL Colts premiership, a number of parents of junior players at PBJFC announced the formation of a new senior club − known as the Northern Bullants − to allow a pathway for players once they passed the junior football age.^[3][4] The club joined the VAFA for the 2009 season in Division 1 of the under-18s competition.^[5] However, the team folded at the end of the 2010 season.^[4]

The club resumed playing in 2011, fielding an under-19s team in Division 3. That team continued in 2012 alongside a new team in the Premier B Thirds competition.^[5] The club was also renamed to the Northern Blues, although it retained its red and white colours.^[4]

On 30 October 2012, the VAFA announced the Blues would field a senior team for the first time in 2013, entering Division 4.^[6] The club defeated Eley Park in the Grand Final later that year, and was promoted to Division 3 for 2014, where they went back-to-back with a premiership over Richmond Central.^[7]

In 2016, the club was renamed to the Preston Bullants and defeated St John's in the Division 2 Grand Final.^[7]

Preston introduced a women's team in 2018, coached by former Darebin mayor Vince Fontana. The women's team won the Division 3 Grand Final in 2019, and the men's team won the Division 1 Grand Final the same year.^[7][8]

The Bullants did not win a game in the 2021 season, which was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however the club declined relegation.^[9] At the end of the season, inaugural coach George Wakim stepped down and was replaced by under-19s coach George Cotsonis.^[10] The club's first win in 931 days came in round 1 of the 2022 season against UHS-VU, the club they defeated in the 2019 Grand Final.^[11] However, that would be Preston's only win in 2022, and the club would be relegated to Division 1 for the 2023 season.

Cotsonis departed as senior coach in June 2023, and was replaced by Tom Hill, a former Greater Western Sydney and Western Bulldogs-listed player.^[12] The club ultimately avoided relegation for the 2024 season as part of the VAFA's aim to keep all divisions at 10 teams each.^[13]

Although they are separate entities, Preston AFC maintains close links with the Northern Bullants, who compete as a standalone side in the VFL. Both clubs use the same logo, colours and jumper design, and the Northern Bullants were also known as the Northern Blues from 2012 until 2020.^[2]

A number of Preston AFC players have joined the Northern Bullants, including many who played for the club in the VFL Development League before that competition was disbanded in 2017.^[2]

In 2022, Preston AFC became the first VAFA club to play a curtain-raiser for a VFL club, with the senior women's side hosting Parkside at Preston City Oval before the VFL game between the Northern Bullants and Carlton.^[14]