The Stratford Dolphins Football Club is a vibrant, not-for-profit community sporting organisation with a proud and enduring history. Since its establishment in 1963, the club has stood for more than just football—it has represented family, legacy, and a bridge uniting across generations.

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Origins

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The club’s roots trace back to 1963 when Croatian immigrants founded Plavi Jadran, meaning “Blue Adriatic.” These founding members, many hailing from the same region of Croatia, brought their passion for football to North Queensland. Many arrived to work in the tobacco and sugar cane industries across the Tablelands, Cairns, and surrounding areas.

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From the outset, the club’s aim was never political. As Djenko Lustica, a player from the inaugural 1963 team and club president in 1972, recalled: “We founded a sporting club so we could enjoy ourselves on Sunday, have a game and have a bit of a party after. We tried to show that in the name we chose—the club’s name was simply our origin, where we all came from.”

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Importantly, the club always embraced inclusivity. As Lustica reflected, “we had a policy, that any player, from anywhere, could join us.”

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Early matches 

Blue Adriatic played a friendly match against the Cairns under 21 representative team. According to The Cairns Post, the match was closely contested.

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“The Cairns Post reported the match like this:

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The curtain-raiser saw Blue Adriatic defeat the Cairns representative team by two goals to one. There was very little between these two teams, but with another game together Blue Adriatic should settle down into a very fine combination.  ​Delvale and Sakach scored for the new team while Butler scores for the juniors. One players who really stood our was left-half M. Separovic, while Sakach, Nadilo, Bacic and Delvale caught the eye.”

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Foundation

Following this brief newspaper report, Plavi Jadran was formally established and incorporated into the local Cairns competition and fixture schedule a few weeks later. By 1966, the club was officially known as Stratford and entered the 1966 Crad Evans Shield. During that season, Stratford went undefeated in the Far North Queensland competition. The Crad Evans final saw Stratford triumph over Herbert River in Ingham with a 2-1 victory. 

 

​​​Building on their early success, Stratford contested the Crad Evans Shield again in 1967. The final was played before a packed grandstand at Cairns Showgrounds against Townsville's Rips. After a determined match, Stratford eventually lost in extra time with a final score of 5-3.

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Success

1968 FNQ Premiership, did not qualify for the Crad Evans

1970 – FNQ Premiership

1971 – Stratford won trophies in the FNQ competition, but did not qualify for the Crad Evans

1972 – Stratford won Crad Evans, defeating Townsville club Olympics 4-1

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1973/1974 - Stratford was dominant in the FNQ competition in 1973 and 1974 but lost the Crad Evans in both years to Olympics.

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1973 - FNQ Premiership

1974 - FNQ Premiership

1975 – undefeated in the FNQ competition

• Crad Evans champions

• FNQ Premiership

•  FNQ Championship

• FA Cup

• Wining every carnival in FNQ including the year end Stratford 500 (as it was then)

 

• 1976 - FNQ Premiership & Crad Evans champions

• 1977 - FNQ Premiership & Crad Evans champions

• 1978 – FNQ Premiership & Crad Evans champions

• 1979 - FNQ Premiership

• 1981 - FNQ Premiership

• 1983-1985 - FNQ Premiership

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