The Ovens and Murray region was formerly zoned towards North Melbourne, and the club enjoys good support in the area.

Following season 1999, the AFL reserves competition was terminated leaving AFL clubs without a place to field their reserves players.

The Kangaroos, together with the Ovens and Murray Football League launched their own stand-alone VFL club in the Victorian Football League called the Murray Kangaroos.

[1] The side was made up with players from the Kangaroos, topped up with players from the Ovens and Murray League, and offering a second chance to players from the statewide under-18s Murray Bushrangers team who had missed out on the draft.

At the end of 2002, the Kangaroos disbanded the club citing pressure from the AFL, and cost-cutting measures (the club cost around $100,000 a year to field).