Eltham Football Club

Eltham Football Club is a founding member of the Diamond Valley Football League, now known as the Northern Football League, an Australian rules football competition based in the northern region of suburban Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The club wears a black jumper with red sash - colours made famous by the Essendon Football Club in the AFL.

History

A football team from Eltham began playing social matches at nearby Kangaroo Ground from 1900.

In 1907, Police Constable "Ike" Stephens convened a meeting with the idea of providing entertainment for the lads and an outlet for their surplus energy. Phil McGavin was the first Secretary.

In 1909, the newly founded Eltham Football Club joined the Heidelberg District Football League. The team travelled by train to Ivanhoe to play their first game. Home games were played at Lower Eltham Park.

In 1922, Eltham joined other nearby clubs Greensborough, Diamond Creek, Templestowe, Warrandyte, and Kangaroo Ground in establishing the Diamond Valley Football League.

Eltham made their first finals appearance in 1928 and won their first premiership in 1930 by defeating Heidelberg.

In 1935, Eltham defeated Epping in the Grand Final, but Epping lodged a protest over the eligibility of an Eltham player. A tribunal in Melbourne upheld the protest and ordered a replay. Eltham forfeited the replay and Epping was awarded the premiership.

Eltham left the DVFL to play in VFL Sub Districts League for seasons 1936 & 1937 before returning in 1938.

After five consecutive wooden spoons during the early 1960s, the club went through a golden period of four premierships in six seasons between 1969 and 1974.

Eltham Football Club was relegated to the new DVFL second division in 1981 but quickly responsed with the 1982 premiership and subsequent return to first division. This began a trend with Eltham "yo-yoing" between the two divisions ever since - six second division premierships and five first division wooden spoons.

In 2002 The Eltham Football Club won its last Premiership to date in Division 2. Promoted in 2003 to Division One, the Club has now again been able to establish itself as competitive in that competition.

The club boasts a thriving junior organisation with several under-age teams in the NFL. Several junior premierships have been won.

Other highlights:
* Most no. 'A' Grade games at Eltham Football Club Harry Barrett (dec.) (263)
* Most no. Open Age games at Eltham Football Club Leigh Miller (265)
* Most no. 'A' Grade games as a player/umpire Eddie Mapperson (843).
* Winner of VFL / AFL Brownlow Medal Peter Moore 1979, 1984

Premierships

eniors

(Division One)

* 1930 Eltham 7.15.57 defeated Heidelberg 7.8.50 @ Memorial Park, Greensborough
* 1932 Eltham 13.19.97 defeated Heidelberg 8.10.58 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1949 Eltham 8.8.56 defeated Greensborough 7.6.48 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1953 Eltham 9.16.70 defeated Lakeside Rovers 9.7.61 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1969 Eltham 16.11.107 defeated Diamond Creek 10.12.72 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1970 Eltham 14.13.97 defeated Diamond Creek 12.11.83 @ Epping
* 1972 Eltham 15.19.109 defeated Reservoir Lakeside 11.11.77 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1974 Eltham 10.9.69 defeated Heidelberg 9.8.62 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg

(Division Two)
* 1982 Eltham 15.13.103 defeated Macleod Rosanna 14.8.92 @ Nillimbik Park, Diamond Creek
* 1989 Eltham 18.11.119 defeated Epping 17.8.110 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1995 Eltham 10.14.74 defeated West Preston 10.10.70 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1997 Eltham 13.9.87 defeated Mernda 7.13.55 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 2000 Eltham 12.8.80 defeated Watsonia 8.6.54 @ Shelly St, North Heidelberg
* 2002 Eltham 12.9.81 defeated Mernda 7.17.59 @ Whittlesea Showgrounds, Whittlesea

Reserves

* 1947 Eltham 3.6.24 defeated Diamond Creek 3.5.23 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1971 Eltham 11.11.77 defeated Greensborough 10.8.68 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 1974 Eltham 10.13.73 defeated Templestowe 5.5.35 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
* 2000 Eltham 13.16.94 defeated Macleod 7.12.54 @ Shelley Street Reserve, North Heidelberg

Under 19

* 2007 Eltham 16.13.109 defeated Northcote Park 10.7.67 @ Preston City Oval

Honourboard

AFL / VFL footballers from Eltham FC

* Peter Moore - Collingwood & Melbourne & dual Brownlow Medallist
* Adam Simpson - Current captain of Kangaroos
* Tim Walsh - Former Western Bulldogs player
* Andrew Dale - Melbourne in 1980s
* Stephen Easton - North Melbourne & Carlton in late 1970s, early 1980s
* Darren McLaine - Collingwood in 1980s
* Alexander "Sandy" Hyslop - Collingwood in 1980s

External links

* [http://www.elthamfc.com.au/ Official club website]
* [http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=3913&pID=1 Northern Football League]
* [http://eltham.cricketvictoria.com.au/ Eltham Cricket Club website]
* [http://www.footypedia.com/00002285.htm/ Footypedia]