Windy Hill, Essendon
Encyclopedia
Windy Hill is an Australian rules football
ground located in Essendon
, a northwestern suburb
of the Melbourne
metropolitan area.
Windy Hill is the home base of the Essendon Football Club
, one of the eighteen teams that makes up the Australian Football League
. The phrase 'Windy Hill' is therefore often used to refer to the club itself. The club first played its home games there in 1922, having previously used the East Melbourne Cricket Ground
, and used it continuously until 1991, after which it moved to the Melbourne Cricket Ground
. Their current home ground is Etihad Stadium, located at the Melbourne Docklands, which they moved to in 2000.
Windy Hill is located on Napier Street, and is now primarily the team's training facility and administrative headquarters as well as the home to the Essendon Cricket Club. The ground also hosts the Grand Finals of the Essendon District Football League
senior divisions. Over time a few of the stands and the manual scoreboard were demolished. Facilities include a gymnasium, an indoor swimming pool and lawn bowls/croquet club which is open to the public, as well as a bistro and the now famous Bomber Shop where fans can purchase merchandise.
The name "Windy Hill" was bestowed on the ground in the mid 1950s by Melbourne "Sun News Pictorial" football columnist Lou Richards. Richards, who had been captain of Essendon's great rival Collingwood, had experienced the vagaries of the variable winds around the ground and the naming was typical of his expansive, humorous writing style.
. After spending many years closed to the general public due to safety concerns, the Showers Stand has now been demolished, making way for more open space at the ground. Removal of the stand was conducted in late 2007.
player Leigh Matthews
broke the behind post after running into it during play in a 1982 game.
The record attendance for the venue was set on 7 May 1966
when Essendon defeated Collingwood in front of 43,487 spectators.
The playing field dimensions are 164.5 metres (180 yd) long and 139.8 metres (153 yd) across.
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...
ground located in Essendon
Essendon, Victoria
Essendon is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley...
, a northwestern suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
metropolitan area.
Windy Hill is the home base of the Essendon Football Club
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, one of the eighteen teams that makes up the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. The phrase 'Windy Hill' is therefore often used to refer to the club itself. The club first played its home games there in 1922, having previously used the East Melbourne Cricket Ground
East Melbourne Cricket Ground
The East Melbourne Cricket Ground was a sports venue located at the corner of Wellington Parade and Jolimont Parade, in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
, and used it continuously until 1991, after which it moved to the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. Their current home ground is Etihad Stadium, located at the Melbourne Docklands, which they moved to in 2000.
Windy Hill is located on Napier Street, and is now primarily the team's training facility and administrative headquarters as well as the home to the Essendon Cricket Club. The ground also hosts the Grand Finals of the Essendon District Football League
Essendon District Football League
The Essendon District Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne, which was established in 1930.The EDFL consists of 24 senior clubs, 10 clubs in A Grade and 14 clubs in B Grade...
senior divisions. Over time a few of the stands and the manual scoreboard were demolished. Facilities include a gymnasium, an indoor swimming pool and lawn bowls/croquet club which is open to the public, as well as a bistro and the now famous Bomber Shop where fans can purchase merchandise.
The name "Windy Hill" was bestowed on the ground in the mid 1950s by Melbourne "Sun News Pictorial" football columnist Lou Richards. Richards, who had been captain of Essendon's great rival Collingwood, had experienced the vagaries of the variable winds around the ground and the naming was typical of his expansive, humorous writing style.
R.S. Reynolds Stand
Built when Essendon relocated from the old EMCG. Remained unnamed until 1950, when it was named in honour of Essendon's greatest player, "King" Dick Reynolds.Alan T. Hird Stand
Opened in 1973, it houses the club's Social Club. Named after former club president and player Allan Hird, who was also the grandfather of club legend James HirdW.H. Cookson Stand
Originally named the Memorial Stand, it was built in 1963. Was designed by Essendon player Jack Clarke.W.R. Crichton Shelter
Located in the outer, it was mainly a standing room only stand, with limited seats at the front. It was removed to make way for the Essendon Bowls Club, who had lost their greens with the construction of the leisure centre. Removed approximately 1994.A.F. Showers Pavilion
The ground included a significant heritage stand, the A.F Showers Stand. Built in 1939, it was the last major football stand to be built in Melbourne prior to World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After spending many years closed to the general public due to safety concerns, the Showers Stand has now been demolished, making way for more open space at the ground. Removal of the stand was conducted in late 2007.
W.G. Brew Scoreboard
Located in the school end pocket, behind the croquet club. Was removed in the late 90's/early 00's along with the reminder of the outer and hill, which were reduced to about fence level around the school end of the ground.Other
There was also a small open concrete stand located next to the Cookson Stand. This was removed to make way for a car park. It housed the main camera position for television broadcast.Playing Days
During the days as Essendon's home ground, Windy Hill had the reputation of being a violent place for players, and was the site of several ugly incidents, The most famous of these being The Battle Of Windy Hill, when a bench-clearing brawl broke out between players, team officials, trainers, spectators and police at half-time during a match between Essendon and Richmond on May 18, 1974. Another famous incident is when HawthornHawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
player Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
broke the behind post after running into it during play in a 1982 game.
The record attendance for the venue was set on 7 May 1966
1966 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1966.-Premiership season:In 1966, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
when Essendon defeated Collingwood in front of 43,487 spectators.
The playing field dimensions are 164.5 metres (180 yd) long and 139.8 metres (153 yd) across.