Heidelberg Football Club
Encyclopedia
Heidelberg Football Club is an Australian rules football
club in Heidelberg, Victoria
, currently competing in the Northern Football League.
, Waverley
, South Melbourne
and Sandridge. Heidelberg's original guernsey was blue and white until adopting the current strip of yellow and black during the 1880s before the famous Richmond Football Club
was formed.
Heidelberg has competed in many different football leagues during its history. Commencing in the Melbourne Football League, the club was a founding member of Bourke-Evelyn Football League in 1890. Between 1900 and 1902, Heidelberg competed in the VFA
before transferring to the Northern Suburban Football League. The club was a founding member of Heidelberg District Football League in 1909 before transferring to the fledgling Diamond Valley Football League in 1923.
Heidelberg's dominance of the DVFL lead to the club moving temporarily to VFL Sub-Districts League in 1925 whilst still successfully fielding a second team in the DVFL (known as Heidelberg Juniors at the time). The club returned exclusively to the DVFL in 1930 and has remained in this league since with considerable success. The junior club now resides in the YJFL.
The Club has won a total 27 senior premierships including a record 19 in the Northern Football League, the first being in 1890, and the most recent in 2009.
The original home ground was at Heidelberg Park, but after a recess during the World War 2, the club moved across Beverley Road to the current address at Warringal Park.
At the end of the 1980 season the bottom four clubs were to be relegated to a newly formed Second Division in 1981 so Heidelberg having finished 13th (third last) was relegated. After three seasons in Division Two the club earned promotion with a breakthrough Grand Final victory over Northcote Park in 1983. After two respectable years in 1984/85 the club then went on to achieve Division one success in 1986 and then again in 1990.
Heidelberg became the inaugural Northern Football League Premier and Champion in 2007, going through the season undefeated. Heidelberg were the last Diamond Valley Football League Premier in 2006 after a formal audit by Football Victoria
forced the league to change its name, this was initially caused by concerns expressed by the club while attempting to transfer to the Eastern FL.
In 2009 Heidelberg completed a four peat of Premierships defeating Bundoora
in the Grand Final, (equaling the League record of 4 in a row) and making it five wins from the past six Grand Finals.
The Tigers finished runners-up in both 2010 & 2011 to West Preston Lakeside and Bundoora respectively.
Heidelberg holds the record for the longest winning sequence in DVFL/NFL history with 48 wins in a row (round 3 2008 to round 10 2010)
1923, 1928, 1929, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1950, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1964, 1986, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
1950, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1967, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
1980
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club in Heidelberg, Victoria
Heidelberg, Victoria
Heidelberg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule....
, currently competing in the Northern Football League.
History
Established in 1876, Heidelberg Football Club is one of the oldest Australian rules football clubs in the country. The club initially competed in the Melbourne Football League against other suburban clubs such as NorthcoteNorthcote Football Club
Northcote Football Club, nicknamed The Dragons, was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA from 1908 until 1987. The club's colours were green and yellow and it was based in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote...
, Waverley
Waverley
Waverley is the name of several different things:*Waverley , a novel by Sir Walter Scott**The Waverley Novels, the series of which Waverley was the first**The Waverley Overture, a work by Hector Berlioz inspired by Scott's novel...
, South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
and Sandridge. Heidelberg's original guernsey was blue and white until adopting the current strip of yellow and black during the 1880s before the famous Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
was formed.
Heidelberg has competed in many different football leagues during its history. Commencing in the Melbourne Football League, the club was a founding member of Bourke-Evelyn Football League in 1890. Between 1900 and 1902, Heidelberg competed in the VFA
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
before transferring to the Northern Suburban Football League. The club was a founding member of Heidelberg District Football League in 1909 before transferring to the fledgling Diamond Valley Football League in 1923.
The Club has won a total 27 senior premierships including a record 19 in the Northern Football League, the first being in 1890, and the most recent in 2009.
The original home ground was at Heidelberg Park, but after a recess during the World War 2, the club moved across Beverley Road to the current address at Warringal Park.
At the end of the 1980 season the bottom four clubs were to be relegated to a newly formed Second Division in 1981 so Heidelberg having finished 13th (third last) was relegated. After three seasons in Division Two the club earned promotion with a breakthrough Grand Final victory over Northcote Park in 1983. After two respectable years in 1984/85 the club then went on to achieve Division one success in 1986 and then again in 1990.
Heidelberg became the inaugural Northern Football League Premier and Champion in 2007, going through the season undefeated. Heidelberg were the last Diamond Valley Football League Premier in 2006 after a formal audit by Football Victoria
Football Victoria
AFL Victoria is the state-level sport governing body for Australian rules football in the state of Victoria, Australia...
forced the league to change its name, this was initially caused by concerns expressed by the club while attempting to transfer to the Eastern FL.
Eastern Football League (Australia)
The Eastern Football League is an Australian rules football League, based in the eastern suburbs of metropolitan Melbourne....
In 2009 Heidelberg completed a four peat of Premierships defeating Bundoora
Bundoora Football Club
Bundoora Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Bundoora, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.-History:*1975–1980 P.H.F.L Premiers as Bundoora A 1980*1981–1981 D.V.F.L Division Two, Premiers 1981...
in the Grand Final, (equaling the League record of 4 in a row) and making it five wins from the past six Grand Finals.
The Tigers finished runners-up in both 2010 & 2011 to West Preston Lakeside and Bundoora respectively.
Heidelberg holds the record for the longest winning sequence in DVFL/NFL history with 48 wins in a row (round 3 2008 to round 10 2010)
Division 1
- Seniors: (18)
1923, 1928, 1929, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1950, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1964, 1986, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
- Reserves: (12)
1950, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1967, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
- Thirds: (1)
1980
Notable players
- Fred Clarke (Richmond)
- John MurphyJohn Murphy (Australian rules footballer)John Murphy was a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League .- Playing career :...
(Fitzroy, North Melbourne & South Melbourne) - Brian WilsonBrian Wilson (Australian rules footballer)Brian Wilson was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Early in his career, he played in the centre and later became a forward pocket...
(Footscray, North Melbourne, Melbourne & St Kilda) - Jim EdmondJim EdmondJim Edmond is a former Australian rules footballer.Debuting in the Victorian Football League in 1977, Edmond was the former captain of Footscray Football Club between 1983 and 1985. He also won the goalkicking in 1981 with 25 goals...
(Footscray, Sydney & Brisbane Bears) - Anthony FranchinaAnthony FranchinaAnthony Franchina is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Debuting in 1997, Franchina became a regular first-team midfielder at the Carlton Football Club...
(Carlton) - Geoff AustenGeoff AustenGeoff Austen is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League .Austen, who was the son of league footballer Cecil, spent most of the 1970s in a struggling Fitzroy team...
(Fitzroy & Collingwood) - Bill Twomey, Sr.Bill Twomey, Sr.William 'Bill' Patrick Twomey was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League . His sons Mick, Pat and Bill all played league football with Collingwood....
(Collingwood) - Pat TwomeyPat TwomeyPat Twomey was an Australian rules footballer, who played in the Victorian Football League, .Pat Twomey joined Collingwood in 1947, he had two stints with the Magpies, punctured by a spell with country club Warragul. Pat mainly played across the centreline or on a flank and started as a winger...
(Collingwood) - Shane KerrisonShane KerrisonShane Kerrison is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Australian Football League. He was a late inclusion in Collingwood's team for the 1990 Grand Final, replacing Alan Richardson, and was one of the best afield in the Pies victory over Essendon...
(Collingwood) - Justin Murphy (Richmond, Carlton, Geelong & Essendon)
- John Wise (Collingwood)
- Pasi SchwalgerPasi SchwalgerPasi Schwalger is a Samoan football player. He is a goalkeeper, last playing for Werribee City Bees. However, since December 2009 he has been training with suburban Melbourne Australian rules football club Heidelberg Football Club...
(Samoan National Soccer Player) - Ty ZantuckTy ZantuckTy Zantuck is an Australian rules footballer.The 188 cm Zantuck is a strong unit, weighing in at 93 kg. He began his career at the Richmond Football Club as a tough, solid defender after being drafted in 2000...
(Richmond & Essendon) - Jess SinclairJess SinclairJess Sinclair is an Australian rules footballer who formerly played in the Australian Football League, Sinclair was a dashing half back flanker who had played for first the Fremantle Dockers, and later the Kangaroos.-Fremantle career:...
(Fremantle & North Melbourne) - Renato SerafiniRenato SerafiniRenato Serafini is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy and Carlton in the VFL during the 1970s.Serafini played mostly as a fullforward and topped Fitzroy's goalkicking in 1975 after kicking 34 goals in the season. Like his younger brother Laurie, he was recruited to...
(Fitzroy & Carlton) - Blair McDonoughBlair McDonoughBlair McDonough is an actor who is best known for playing the role of Stuart Parker in the Australian TV soap opera Neighbours. He first shot to fame in 2001, when he finished runner-up in the inaugural season of the reality TV series Big Brother Australia...
Television personality