Latrobe Football Club
Encyclopedia
The Latrobe Football Club is an Australian rules football
club which competed in the NWFU
between 1910 and 1986. The club has been a playing member of the NTFL
since 1987. Latrobe were one of the most successful NWFU clubs and their tally of 12 premierships in a joint record, shared with Burnie and Ulverstone. They are, however, the only club to win four successive premierships, which they achieved from 1969 to 1972.
In 1910, Latrobe were one of the foundation members of the NWFU and were premiers in just their fourth season. They had one of their strongest era in the 1920, appearing in every Grand Final from 1920 to 1924 and were to have a particularly successful team in the early 1930s winning three of the four premiership titles on offer between 1930 and 1933, only missing out in 1932 when they were losing Grand Finalists. The club had fielded two different teams in the 1931 season, Latrobe Country and Latrobe Town, to fill a spot vacated by Devonport's withdrawal, but merged again for the finals series.
After their 1933 success, the Diehards didn't win another NWFU premierships for 36 years, they began building a strong team in the 1960s, highlighted by the fact that every Wander Medal between 1964 and 1971 was won by a Latrobe player. This culminated in their drought breaking Grand Final win in 1969 under captain-coach Darrel Baldock
, who then steered Latrobe to the next three premierships.
Latrobe won the Tasmanian State Premiership
in 1970 when they defeated Clarence
by 35 points at Devonport Oval
. Latrobe also reached the Tasmanian State Premiership decider in 1971 and 1972 but lost to Sandy Bay
and City-South
respectively.
Latrobe ultimately would go on to break a 38-year premiership drought in 2010 by defeating Ulverstone
by 30 points in the NTFL
Grand Final after having previously lost the 1994 and 2000 Grand Finals to Ulverstone on both occasions.
NWFU
Premierships
NTFL
Premierships
Tasmanian State Premiership
s
Ovaltine Medal winners
Pivot Medal winners
Darrel Baldock Medal winners
All-Australian players
leading goalkickers
NTFL
leading goalkickers
Club record games holder
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 which competed in the NWFU
North West Football Union
The North West Football Union was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1910 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association representing the rest of the state...
between 1910 and 1986. The club has been a playing member of the NTFL
Northern Tasmanian Football League
The Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania.-History:The Northern Tasmanian Football League was founded in 1987 to replace the former Northern Tasmanian Football Association - no relation to the current NTFA - and the North Western...
since 1987. Latrobe were one of the most successful NWFU clubs and their tally of 12 premierships in a joint record, shared with Burnie and Ulverstone. They are, however, the only club to win four successive premierships, which they achieved from 1969 to 1972.
History
During their time in the NWFU, Latrobe were known as the "Diehards" and had royal blue and red as their club colours. The club was formed on the 19 June 1881 and until 1909 competed in the North West Football League where they claimed premierships in 1891, 1892 and 1907.In 1910, Latrobe were one of the foundation members of the NWFU and were premiers in just their fourth season. They had one of their strongest era in the 1920, appearing in every Grand Final from 1920 to 1924 and were to have a particularly successful team in the early 1930s winning three of the four premiership titles on offer between 1930 and 1933, only missing out in 1932 when they were losing Grand Finalists. The club had fielded two different teams in the 1931 season, Latrobe Country and Latrobe Town, to fill a spot vacated by Devonport's withdrawal, but merged again for the finals series.
After their 1933 success, the Diehards didn't win another NWFU premierships for 36 years, they began building a strong team in the 1960s, highlighted by the fact that every Wander Medal between 1964 and 1971 was won by a Latrobe player. This culminated in their drought breaking Grand Final win in 1969 under captain-coach Darrel Baldock
Darrel Baldock
Darrel John Baldock , commonly nicknamed "The Doc" and "Mr Magic", was an Australian rules football player and state politician who in 1966 was the first captain of a premiership-winning St Kilda Football Club. Baldock was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as a "Legend"...
, who then steered Latrobe to the next three premierships.
Latrobe won the Tasmanian State Premiership
Tasmanian State Premiership
The Tasmanian State Premiership was an Australian rules football tournament which was competed originally between the reigning TFL/TANFL and NTFA premiers, with the NWFU joining in from 1954....
in 1970 when they defeated Clarence
Clarence Football Club
The Clarence Football Club, nicknamed the Kangaroos , is an Australian rules football club playing in the Tasmanian State League, based in Bellerive, Tasmania.Before 1903, they existed as Bellerive Football Club....
by 35 points at Devonport Oval
Devonport Oval
Devonport Oval is an Australian rules football, cricket and athletics stadium in Devonport, Tasmania.It is the home stadium for the Devonport Football Club in the Tasmanian State League and for the Devonport Cricket Club in the NWTCA competition....
. Latrobe also reached the Tasmanian State Premiership decider in 1971 and 1972 but lost to Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay Football Club
The Sandy Bay Football Club was an Australian rules football club based in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia that participated in the Tasmanian Football League from 1945 to 1997.-Club History:...
and City-South
South Launceston Football Club
The South Launceston Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Tasmanian Football League. They were formed through a merger between City-South and East Launceston in 1986, former Northern Tasmanian Football Association clubs...
respectively.
Latrobe ultimately would go on to break a 38-year premiership drought in 2010 by defeating Ulverstone
Ulverstone Robins Football Club
The Ulverstone Football Club, nicknamed the Robins, is an Australian rules football club based in Ulverstone, Tasmania, Australia. The club fields three teams in the Northern Tasmanian Football League and also fields two junior teams in the AFL Tasmania North West Competition.-History:*Home ground...
by 30 points in the NTFL
Northern Tasmanian Football League
The Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania.-History:The Northern Tasmanian Football League was founded in 1987 to replace the former Northern Tasmanian Football Association - no relation to the current NTFA - and the North Western...
Grand Final after having previously lost the 1994 and 2000 Grand Finals to Ulverstone on both occasions.
Club details
- Home ground – Darrel Baldock Oval (Latrobe Recreation Ground)
- Established – 19 June 1881
- Playing colours – Navy blue and red
- Emblem – Demons
- Club theme song – "It's a Grand Old Flag" (Tune: "You're a Grand Old FlagYou're a Grand Old Flag"You're a Grand Old Flag" is a patriotic song of the United States. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own...
") - Affiliations – NWFL (1882–1909) NWFUNorth West Football UnionThe North West Football Union was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1910 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association representing the rest of the state...
(1910–1986), NTFLNorthern Tasmanian Football LeagueThe Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania.-History:The Northern Tasmanian Football League was founded in 1987 to replace the former Northern Tasmanian Football Association - no relation to the current NTFA - and the North Western...
(1987–present)
Premiership titles
NWFL Premierships- 1891, 1892, 1907
NWFU
North West Football Union
The North West Football Union was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1910 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association representing the rest of the state...
Premierships
- 1913, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972.
NTFL
Northern Tasmanian Football League
The Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania.-History:The Northern Tasmanian Football League was founded in 1987 to replace the former Northern Tasmanian Football Association - no relation to the current NTFA - and the North Western...
Premierships
- 2010, 2011.
Tasmanian State Premiership
Tasmanian State Premiership
The Tasmanian State Premiership was an Australian rules football tournament which was competed originally between the reigning TFL/TANFL and NTFA premiers, with the NWFU joining in from 1954....
s
- 1970.
Individual medal winners
Wander Medal winners- 1948 – Dave Jeffrey
- 1952 – Peter Gillam
- 1956 – Joe Murphy
- 1959 – Darrel BaldockDarrel BaldockDarrel John Baldock , commonly nicknamed "The Doc" and "Mr Magic", was an Australian rules football player and state politician who in 1966 was the first captain of a premiership-winning St Kilda Football Club. Baldock was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as a "Legend"...
- 1964 – Wally ClarkWally Clark (footballer)Wally Clark was an Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League .Clark, who was at Fitzroy from underage level, played as a rover...
- 1965 – Len Lawson
- 1966 – Bob Hickman
- 1967 – Bob Hickman
- 1968 – Brian Waters
- 1969 – Darrel BaldockDarrel BaldockDarrel John Baldock , commonly nicknamed "The Doc" and "Mr Magic", was an Australian rules football player and state politician who in 1966 was the first captain of a premiership-winning St Kilda Football Club. Baldock was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as a "Legend"...
- 1970 – John JillardJohn JillardJohn Jillard is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the VFL during the 1960s. He was a half back flanker and won the Charles Sutton Medal for Footscray's Best and Fairest in 1967...
- 1971 – John JillardJohn JillardJohn Jillard is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the VFL during the 1960s. He was a half back flanker and won the Charles Sutton Medal for Footscray's Best and Fairest in 1967...
Ovaltine Medal winners
- Nil
Pivot Medal winners
- Nil
Darrel Baldock Medal winners
- 2009 – Gavin Woodcock
All-Australian players
- 1971 – Darrel BaldockDarrel BaldockDarrel John Baldock , commonly nicknamed "The Doc" and "Mr Magic", was an Australian rules football player and state politician who in 1966 was the first captain of a premiership-winning St Kilda Football Club. Baldock was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as a "Legend"...
Competition leading goalkickers
NWFUNorth West Football Union
The North West Football Union was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1910 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association representing the rest of the state...
leading goalkickers
- 1920 – H. Hicks (Not available)
- 1921 – H. Hicks (Not available)
- 1922 – H. Hicks (39)
- 1937 – N. Horne (71)
- 1938 – N. Horne (61)
- 1939 – N. Horne (84)
- 1954 – A. Cole (97)
- 1970 – R. Gilham (83)
- 1986 – Tom Honner (85)
NTFL
Northern Tasmanian Football League
The Northern Tasmanian Football League is an Australian rules football competition in northern Tasmania.-History:The Northern Tasmanian Football League was founded in 1987 to replace the former Northern Tasmanian Football Association - no relation to the current NTFA - and the North Western...
leading goalkickers
- 1989 – Mark WilliamsMark Williams (Australian footballer, born 1957)Mark E. Williams is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne and Footscray in the Victorian Football League ....
(132) - 1994 – Terry Keays (117)
- 2000 – S. French (42)
Club records
Club record score- 38.22 (250) v Penguin 9.6 (60) in 2004
Club record games holder
- Rod Butler (324)
Club record match attendance
- 11,329 – Latrobe v Sandy BaySandy Bay Football ClubThe Sandy Bay Football Club was an Australian rules football club based in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia that participated in the Tasmanian Football League from 1945 to 1997.-Club History:...
at North Hobart OvalNorth Hobart OvalNorth Hobart Oval is a sports venue in North Hobart, Tasmania, used for Australian rules football.-History:North Hobart Oval started its existence as Hobart Town's brickfields in 1844 before becoming a convict women's housing site, an immigration depot and an invalid persons' depot before closing...
on 2 October 1971 for the Tasmanian State PremiershipTasmanian State PremiershipThe Tasmanian State Premiership was an Australian rules football tournament which was competed originally between the reigning TFL/TANFL and NTFA premiers, with the NWFU joining in from 1954....
Final.