The honour board
Twenty top grade flags, every president and award winner since 1970/71, and a history that goes back to 1850s newspaper reports.
Premiers
McIntyre Cup
- 2008/09
- 2015/16
- 2016/17
- 2019/20
- 2021/22
- 2023/24
- 2024/25
A Grade
- 1935/36
- 1936/37
- 1938/39
- 1957/58
- 1971/72
- 1974/75
- 1975/76
- 1978/79
- 1979/80
- 1983/84
- 1984/85
- 1990/91
- 1991/92
GDCA Club Championship, Beattie Shield
- 2023/24
Presidents and award winners
Batting, bowling and club champion awards for the First XI, with the club president for each season.
| Season | President | Batting | Bowling | Club champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970/71 | N. Peavey | B. Mundy | T. Sankey | |
| 1971/72 | N. Peavey | T. Sankey | M. Deverall | |
| 1972/73 | B. Fitzgerald | B. Mundy | W. Campbell | |
| 1973/74 | B. Mundy | T. Sankey | ||
| 1974/75 | B. Mundy | R. Harry | ||
| 1975/76 | L. Kays | N. Massina | T. Sankey | |
| 1976/77 | L. Kays | B. Mundy | A. Hollings | |
| 1977/78 | I. Edwards | N. Massina | D. Clifford | |
| 1978/79 | C. Dean | N. Power | H. Katala | |
| 1979/80 | H. Katala | S. Waites | H. Katala | |
| 1980/81 | A. Roberts | J. Macwhirter | M. Macwhirter | |
| 1981/82 | R. Paterson | N. Power | M. Macwhirter | |
| 1982/83 | R. Paterson | B. Mundy | G. Choate | |
| 1983/84 | J. Macwhirter | N. Power | H. Katala | G. Choate / M. Fisher |
| 1984/85 | J. Macwhirter | M. Macwhirter | G. Paterson | B. Whelan |
| 1985/86 | I. Johnson | N. Power | H. Katala | N. Power |
| 1986/87 | R. Stevens | N. Power | H. Katala | G. Sanders |
| 1987/88 | R. Paterson | G. Sanders | S. Sankey | G. Sanders |
| 1988/89 | D. McDonald | G. Paterson | S. Paterson | C. Koo |
| 1989/90 | D. McDonald | S. McIntosh | C. Hudgson | P. Palmer |
| 1990/91 | D. McDonald | G. Waites | S. Hawkins | S. Paterson |
| 1991/92 | D. McDonald | P. Tschappeller | S. Paterson | P. Tschappeller / S. Paterson |
| 1992/93 | D. McDonald | G. Sanders | Dale McDonald | Doug McDonald |
| 1993/94 | S. Lark | P. Tschappeller | S. Hawkins | S. Hawkins |
| 1994/95 | G. Roberston | S. McIntosh | S. Paterson | S. Paterson |
| 1995/96 | G. Roberston | R. Dunbar | P. Sankey | P. Sankey |
| 1996/97 | G. Roberston | P. Spence | G. Roberston | R. Chafer |
| 1997/98 | G. Roberston | R. Dunbar | R. Chafer | P. Sankey |
| 1998/99 | D. Williamson | D. Cordy | G. Williams | D. Trevillian |
| 1999/00 | D. Williamson | S. Paterson | B. Benkenstein | S. Paterson |
| 2000/01 | J. Anglin | B. Grumont | A. Traill | A. Traill |
| 2001/02 | J. Anglin | A. Traill | A. Traill | A. Traill |
| 2002/03 | G. Sanders | B. Grumont | A. Sankey | A. Sankey |
| 2003/04 | G. Sanders | T. McCaskill | T. McCaskill | T. McCaskill |
| 2004/05 | G. Dickson | T. McCaskill | R. Baker | R. Baker |
| 2005/06 | G. Dickson | S. Harman | J. Lethborg | S. Walsh |
| 2006/07 | G. Dickson | D. Trevillian | R. Baker | R. Baker |
| 2007/08 | J. DiCamillo | S. Harman | J. Lethborg | S. Harman |
| 2008/09 | J. DiCamillo | S. Harman | P. Sankey | S. Harman |
| 2009/10 | C. Jackman | S. Harman | D. Thornton | S. Harman |
| 2010/11 | C. Jackman | B. Jackman | D. Nolan | B. Jackman |
| 2011/12 | C. Jackman | J. Lock | L. Webb | J. Lock |
| 2012/13 | C. Jackman | J. Vernon | A. McClean | J. Vernon |
| 2013/14 | A. Headberry | J. Vernon | J. Vernon | J. Vernon |
| 2014/15 | A. Headberry | J. Vernon | J. Vernon | J. Vernon |
| 2015/16 | A. Headberry | B. Grumont | T. Afridi | T. Afridi |
| 2016/17 | A. Headberry | J. Wilson | J. King | J. Wilson |
| 2017/18 | A. Headberry | D. Ward | J. Vernon | J. Vernon |
| 2018/19 | A. Headberry | J. Knight | R. Gordon | J. Knight |
| 2019/20 | A. Headberry | M. Allen | M. Allen | M. Allen |
| 2020/21 | A. Headberry | M. Allen | N. Watson | M. Allen |
| 2021/22 | A. Headberry | J. Wilson | J. King | M. Allen |
| 2022/23 | A. Headberry | J. Vernon | M. Allen | J. Vernon |
| 2023/24 | A. Headberry | R. Vernon | R. Vernon | R. Vernon |
| 2024/25 | J. Bannan / G. Hall | R. Vernon | L. Brennan | R. Vernon |
Life members
- A. Gardiner (dec.)
- Eddie Gardiner
- T. Morrison (dec.)
- Brian Mundy
- Brian Fitzgerald (dec.)
- Don Clifford
- M. Gilligan (dec.)
- Rob Paterson
- Les Kays
- Gary Sanders
- Cliff Dean (dec.)
- Gary Dickson
- Mick Kays (dec.)
- Steven Docherty
- Tom Sankey
- Peter Sankey
- Mick Deverall (dec.)
- Rob Pollock
- Ian Johnston
- Callum Jackman
- Hans Katala
- Andrew Headberry
- Norm Peavey
- Doug Peart
- Dean Markham
Kevin Sullivan Award
- S. Paterson (inaugural) 2000/01
- T. McCaskill 2003/04
- S. Harman 2008/09
- M. Allen 2019/20
- J. Vernon 2022/23
- R. Vernon 2024/25
The club song
The Pride of Gisborne Town, as it hangs on the club song honour board.
We are the Pride of Gisborne town
We wear the good old, red and white
We will always strive for victory
And we'll try with all our might
All for one, and one for all
We will bowl the final ball
Go Dragons, Gisborne Dragons
We'll hit the winning score
You'll hear our mighty roar!
From the Island Reserve to 170 years
Adapted from the club history written and compiled by life member Steven Docherty in 2004, with research by Callum Jackman.
- 1856
The Dragons begin
The year the club counts as its start, only a few years after the town itself was founded.
- 25 Mar 1858
The first match on record
The earliest newspaper report of Gisborne cricket: a match against Kyneton, which Gisborne lost heavily in two innings.
- 1859
A ground of its own
The Gisborne Express advertises the Gisborne Cricket Ground to let for grazing, "by Horse or Sheep only".
- 1860
A town full of clubs
The Defiance and Albion clubs form at the Telegraph Hotel, alongside what the paper calls "the senior club".
- 1893
A pavilion on the Island
An Easter concert raises money for a pavilion at the Island Reserve, now Gardiner Reserve, so named because Jackson's Creek once split around the oval.
- 1895
Flag on the pole
The pavilion is painted, a flag pole goes up, and the club flies its colours before the first match of the season.
- 1890s
Arthur Oakley
Over 3,500 runs in 136 matches and 425 wickets at under 6 with underarm leg breaks. He topped the club batting six seasons in a row.
- 1935/36
First GDCA flag
The first of 13 A Grade premierships, the last in 1991/92.
- 2008/09
First McIntyre Cup
The first of seven McIntyre Cup flags, with back to back titles in 2015/16 and 2016/17, and again in 2023/24 and 2024/25.
- 2026
170 years
Club historian and life member Callum Jackman's research goes online through Better Cricket, so members can explore 170 years of records.
The Gisborne score shows a good proportion of 'eggs'. If this state of things continues, it would be wise for the committee to purchase an incubator.
Gisborne Gazette, 28 January 1898