TWO years ago, Rosedale went on a barnstorming run through the last month of the North Gippsland league season, winning the elimination, first semi and preliminary finals by an average margin of 78 points.

Having come from fifth on the ladder, the Blues remained rank underdogs in the lead-up to the grand final against a powerful Sale City side. Although they put up a brave fight, they were eventually beaten by five goals.

Despite the failure to negotiate the final hurdle, Rosedale's supporters look back on the club's 2010 campaign with pride. But if the Blues make the grand final this season there won't be the same ''it's just good to make it'' attitude, for this year they have established themselves as the benchmark side.

With the business end of the season looming, they sit proudly atop the ladder, just above Sale City, which has won the past two flags. Given Rosedale has won just one senior premiership since 1965 (and has never won a reserves flag), these are heady days.

''We're a very unified club at the moment, with a lot of people who've been very loyal,'' said the club's president, Mark ''Digger'' Power. ''And our netballers are also going very well. Our A-graders are on top of the ladder, and they didn't lose a game last year.''

Situated between the Gippsland cities of Sale and Traralgon, the Rosedale footy club was formed in 1884 and enjoyed its greatest period of success not long after what became the North Gippsland league (it was originally known as the Sale-Cowwarr league) began in 1955.

The Blues won four premierships between 1958 and '65 and lost another grand final in 1967. The '58 team was coached by the late Max Cordy, father of former VFL players Graeme, Neil and Brian Cordy and grandfather of Western Bulldogs forward Ayce Cordy.

The Cordy family's involvement with Rosedale goes back almost a century, as Max's father Joseph played in a premiership for the club in 1922.

During the 1970s, '80s and '90s, Rosedale's fortunes fluctuated, with the Blues spending more time in the lower half of the ladder than the top. But in 2001 the club finally made it back to the top, breaking its 36-year premiership drought with an 11-goal win over Traralgon-Tyers United. ''Our 2001 side was fairly special, that's for sure,'' said Power, who was in his first stint as club president at the time.

Two members of the 2001 team, Chris Lowe and Nick Diamond, are still playing for Rosedale, while the captain, Cameron Mayne, is now the club's chairman of selectors.

The Blues have been consistent finalists during the past decade. Their best chance to win another premiership came in 2006 when they finished on top of the ladder after the home-and-away rounds. But Cowwarr proved too good in the big game.

Rosedale's latest surge to the top of the table is partly a by-product of the club's focus on junior development. A number of players in this year's senior side were members of the under-18 teams that won flags in 2004, '05 and '07.

Power also directs much credit towards senior coach Damien Birss. A four-time premiership player at Heyfield, one of Rosedale's fiercest rivals, Birss came to the Blues after a series of knee injuries forced him into retirement.

He initially led the club for three years from 2008-10 before opting to take a break last season.

Birss came to back to Rosedale for this season after his replacement Brad Caldwell, who coached the Blues into last year's finals despite losing a host of players from the 2010 grand final side, moved to Wonthaggi to work on the desalination plant.

In a twist of fate, Caldwell lost his job prior to Christmas and decided to can his idea of playing with Wonthaggi Power in the Gippsland league. He subsequently returned to Rosedale, where he is now the club's assistant coach, working under Birss.

''The two of them work really well together,'' Power said.

''Damien has got a great knowledge of the game, and the guys play for him, they respect him, there's no doubt at all. He doesn't mess around with them. There's no bullshit.''

After a recruiting campaign resulted in a number of former players returning to the club, Rosedale began its 2012 campaign with a bang when it beat Heyfield by 120 points. An upset five-point loss to Glengarry in round five - the Blues booted 11.19 that day - has been the team's only slip-up so far.

Three weeks ago, the Blues were expected to encounter another stern test when they confronted Heyfield, which had recovered from its pasting in round one to sit third on the ladder. However, Rosedale prevailed by 80 points.

Yesterday, the Blues were aiming to make it 11 wins from 12 games when they hosted Traralgon-Tyres United. Power hopes the players will gain some more inspiration for the battles ahead when the club holds a 50-year reunion of its 1962 premiership team next weekend.

Things are going to plan off the field as well. In April, Rosedale received grants from the state government and Wellington Shire Council totalling more than $600,000, which will enable the Blues to upgrade the football and netball facilities at their home ground.

''It's huge for us, especially the new social club,'' Power explained. ''Our Rec Reserve committee had to raise $50,000 to get it over the line, before works can start, and we've managed to get that to the shire. Between the cricket club, football club and generous donations from members of the community we were able to raise the money.

''The support from the community has been terrific, and the more money we raise the better facility we'll have.''

With construction set to start after the season, Power would dearly love the first sod to be turned during premiership celebrations.

''But there's a long way to go,'' he said. ''We think that Sale City are a bit of a sleeping giant. They're getting along all right without much fuss or fanfare.

''We think we've got the cattle to get us over the line, but it's a fairly tight competition up this way, so you never know.''

By Adam McNicol

Article first appeared The Sunday Age July 8, 2012