Essendon (VFL)

Introduction
Team Name and Jumpers
Team Photos
Player Photos
Lists
Results during Charles Boyles Work Period 1925-63
Home Grounds
Interesting Articles
Memorabilia
External Links

Introduction

1950 Argus Badges

Essendon is a middle class suburb in Melbourne’s north west. Essendon is further north than North Melbourne and the Moonee Valley Racecourse and has the Essendon airport, Melbourne’s only international airport until Tullamarine airport was opened in the late 1960’s. The Melbourne Olympics and the 1964 Beatles tour arrived in Melbourne through Essendon.
Essendon Football Club was founded in the early 1870’s and in the 1890’s was one of the Associations strongest teams. The team won four premierships in a row, (1891, 1892, 1893 and 1894) and early champion Albert Thurgood played with Essendon in 1892-94 before returning to Essendon, who were now playing in the breakaway VFL competition and played from 1899-1902 and in 1906. Essendon won the first ever VFL premiership and won again in 1901.

From 1900 to 1921 a rival Essendon Football team was formed which played in the VFA. To differentiate the teams, people began to refer to the VFL team as the “Same Olds”. The “Same Olds” won premierships in 1911 and 1912.

Ground Issues and amalgamation talks with North Melbourne (then playing in the VFA) led to the club playing at a new ground (later called Windy Hill) and the transfer of a number of North Melbourne players (for example Syd Barker, George Rawle and rover Charlie Hardy) to the club. Rover Hardy became a member of what became known as Essendon’s mosquito fleet of agile small players and Essendon surged to back to back VFL premierships in 1923 and 1924.

From 1927 until 1939 Essendon did not reach the finals and usually placed in the middle of the ladder. Dick Reynolds though won three Brownlow medals for the club (1934, 1937 and 1938) matching the feat of Fitzroy’s Haydn Bunton (1931, 1932, 1935).

1940 was a turnaround year. In the next 12 seasons (1940-1951) Essendon would miss the finals only once (1945) and would win four premierships.

Grand Final losses in 1947 and 1948 brought a young John Coleman into the team for the 1949 season. Coleman’s 100 goals added that extra magic to an already successful team and Essendon won premierships in 1949 and 1950.

Injuries to Coleman and the retirement of Reynolds added to frustration in the 1950s as from 1952-62 were finalists nearly every second year, 1953,55,57,59, 60 and. In 1962 Essendon were able to convert a finals appearance into a Premiership and there were to do so again in 1965.

The era of Kevin Sheedy in the 1980’s saw premierships in 1984 and 1985 and a further waves of new players brought premierships in 1993 and 2000.