Essendon Bombers #1

Red and black is synonymous with the Essendon Football Club, and the black jersey with the red sash over the left shoulder, adopted in 1875, evokes absolute devotion from its host of loyal supporters whose heart resides at Windy Hill but who now spread across Australia and, with the advent of the Internet, throughout the world. The Essendon Football Club dates its origins to a meeting held at the McCracken home in Ascot Vale in 1871, and a team began playing on a paddock in Flemington the following year. Alexander McCracken was a major influence in shaping the sport, as president of the Essendon Club from 1887 to 1903, and president of the Victorian Football League from 1897 to 1915. In 1882, because of links with the powerful East Melbourne Cricket Club, the club moved to the East Melbourne ground located near the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the custodians of the Essendon Recreation Reserve preferring to keep it solely for cricket. In 1922, when the East Melbourne ground was resumed for a railway yard, Essendon, known then as 'The Same Olds', first dallied with an amalgamation with North Melbourne but finally moved to the ground in Napier Street, Essendon. Windy Hill, as it was popularly known, became the home ground for Essendon for the next 70 years. Ensconced at Essendon, the team was first 'The Dons', but after World War II 'The Bombers' gained ground among supporters. Essendon has been a source of major innovation in Australian football. In 1886, Charles Pearson was credited with introducing overhead marking. In the 1920s, the Mosquito Fleet used the running skills of its small men to win premierships in 1924 and 1925. In 1959, the club initiated a program of physical training for each player, making the club a force throughout the 1960s, with two premierships in 1962 and 1965. Under Kevin Sheedy, who began coaching Essendon in 1981, specialised coaching and strategic planning became a feature, with premierships in 1993 and 2000 exciting outcomes. Each season has brought its heroes to celebrate: the long kicking of Albert Thurgood at the turn of the 19th century; the evergreen Dick Reynolds with three Brownlow Medals and three premierships as coach; the modest Bill Hutchison with two Brownlows; the wonderful aerial skills of John Coleman; the judgment of Jack Clarke; the strength of Michael Long on the field and as spokesman for indigenous Australian footballers; the accuracy of Matthew Lloyd; and the courage of James Hird. In 1992, as part of the national league, Essendon moved its home games to the MCG and, in 2000, to the newly completed stadium at Docklands. At the same time Essendon led the way in developing a corporate club structure but, staying close to its traditions, opened its own Hall of Fame at Windy Hill in 1996. 1872 Essendon FC thought to have formed this year at the home of Robert McCracken. 1873 Essendon plays first recorded game v Carlton 2nd 20. 1874 Essendon becomes first club to play on a full-sized ground at Flemington. 1878 Essendon joins the newly formed Victorian Football Association. 1879 Essendon plays Melbourne using a white ball, in one of the game’s earliest night games. 1880 Essendon becomes first Melbourne club to visit Geelong travelling on a ‘football special’ train 1891 Essendon wins first of four consecutive VFA premierships. 1882 Club moves to East Melbourne Cricket Ground to play its home games. Remains there until 1921 1892 Albert Thurgood makes debut. Kicks 56 goals in first season a new goal kicking record to that time. 1893 Club goes through entire season undefeated. 1896 Victorian Football League forms. 1897 Essendon become one the eight clubs to join the new Victorian Football League in its first season. Essendon wins the first VFL premiership. 1898 Club scores first 100 points tally v St Kilda. 1900 Essendon becomes first club to wear white shorts in a finals game 1901 Essendon wins second premiership beating Collingwood by 27 points 1902 Essendon kicks 1174 points in the season. The first team to reach 1000pts in a single season. 1903 Ted Kinnear becomes first Essendon player to reach 100 games, in rd 1v Fitzroy. 1907 Club finishes bottom for the first time. 1911 Essendon wins 3rd premiership. Essendon in rd 4 kicks 20 goals for the first in the VFL (21.12.138) to beat Collingwood by 14 goals. Becomes first team to wear numbers in VFL match when it does so in finals game. Jack Worrall appointed coach of club after successful three years at Carlton. 1912 Essendon wins its 4th premiership. 1916 Club stands out of competition for two seasons during World War I in protest of the VFL refusing to put all gate receipts to the war effort. 1918 The club returns to VFL competition but wins only three games and finishes bottom. 1921 Essendon finishes bottom for second time in four seasons. After 40 seasons, the club leaves its home ground, East Melbourne Cricket Ground, at end of season and moves to Essendon Recreation Reserve, now known as Windy Hill. 1922 Essendon beat Carlton in its first game at Essendon Recreation Reserve. First new grandstand opens in August that year 1923 Essendon wins premiership. Greg Stockdale tops League goalkicking with 64 goals. 1924 Essendon wins second successive premiership. Three-time best & fairest Tom Fitzmaurice quits the club accusing teammates of taking money to throw a finals game. 1926 R James shares first Charles Gardiner medal as seconds best & fairest Player 1933 18 year-old Dick Reynolds debuts in rd 1. Goes on to play 320 games, win seven club best & fairest medals and three Brownlow medals. Is later voted the best player in Essendon history. Club finishes bottom for fourth and last time in its history. 1934 Club kicks 29.16.190 v North Melbourne, its highest score to that time. 1935 Ted Freyer sets first round goalkicking record with 12 goals v Melbourne. Keith Forbes is runner-up in Brownlow medal. 1939 Dick Reynolds appointed joint-coach with Harry Hunter part way through the season after resignation of coach Jack Baggott. 1940 Club plays finals for first time since 1926, finishes third. 1941 Essendon reaches Grand Final, but loses to Melbourne by 29 points. 1942 Club wins 7th flag after beating Richmond by 53 points. 1943 Captain Dick Reynolds wins club record 7th best & fairest award 1945 Dick Reynolds becomes first Essendon player to play 200 games when he leads club to 1 point win over Collingwood in rd 5 at Windy Hill. 1946 Club wins 8th flag after beating Melbourne by 63 points. 1947 Alan Dale wins the first Morrish Trophy as best player in VFL Thirds competition. 1948 Team kicks 7.27.69 in Grand Final to draw with Melbourne, but lose replay. 1949 John Coleman makes debut kicking 12 goals and becomes overnight sensation. Bomber aeroplane motif appears on the club’s membership tickets for the first time. Club wins premiership beating Carlton by 73 points, Coleman kicks 6. 1950 Club wins second successive flag, losing only 1 game all year. Reserves and Thirds also win the flag. In rd 1, Dick Reynolds becomes first Essendon player to reach 300 games. 1951 Club wins inaugural McClelland Cup for finishing season with the highest number of points by its three sides (Seniors, Reserves, Thirds). Champion full- forward John Coleman suspended in last game against Carlton and misses finals. Club makes 6th successive Grand Final but loses to Geelong by 11 pts. Dick Reynolds plays in second half of Grand Final, his only game for the year, his last game and 320th overall. 1952 Bill Hutchison is equal highest Brownlow vote getter but loses out on count back system favouring player with most 3 votes. Jack Jones plays his 133rd consecutive game to set club record which still stands. 1953 John Coleman kicks 10 against Richmond in rd 18, becoming only the second player in league history to kick 10 goals in a game on 10 occasions. 1954 John Coleman kicks 14 goals v Fitzroy in rd 7. The second time that season he kicks 10 or more goals in a game. He injures his knee at Windy Hill the following week and his career ends after only 98 games. 1959 Essendon becomes first club to employ a specialist fitness adviser from Melbourne University. 1961 John Coleman is appointed senior coach. 1962 Club loses only two games for the year, finishes top and wins Grand Final beating Carlton. 1964 Team kicks 28.16.184 to defeat South Melbourne by 165 points, the club’s greatest winning margin ever. 1965 Club finishes fourth but storms through finals and comfortably defeats St Kilda for 12th flag. 1969 Allan Hird appointed president after many years service as player, coach, and committeeman. 1970 Club finishes 11th, lowest position since finishing bottom (12th) in 1933. 1972 Club celebrates is centenary. Former Collingwood champion player Des Tuddenham is appointed captain coach. Team plays first ever finals match at VFL Park. Geoff Blethyn kicks 107 goals, the first 100 goal Essendon player since Coleman 20 years earlier. Club secretary Bill Cookson retires after 29 years in the role. 1973 Social Club built along with new Allan T Hird Stand. Former great John Coleman dies suddenly at just 44 years of age. Champion WA recruit Graham Moss is runner-up in Brownlow medal in first season. Club records highest ever points tally of the season: 2443. 1976 Graham Moss wins the Brownlow medal and his third successive best & fairest award. Colin Stubbs appointed club president. 1978 Former club champion Barry Davis takes over as senior coach. Captain Ken Fletcher wins his first the best & fairest medal in his 12th season. 1980 Club appoints former Richmond player Kevin Sheedy as senior coach. Reserves player W Valli win best & fairest in Reserves competition (Gardiner Medal) and under 19s player P. Lane wins best & fairest in thirds competition (Morrish Medal). Tim Watson wins the first of his four best & fairest medals. 1981 Former players Greg Sewell and Barry Capuano replace club president and general manager Colin Stubbs and Roy McConnell who step down. Club wins its first night premiership (Escort Cup) defeating Carlton. 1982 Club loses Elimination Final, its sixth straight finals loss. Neale Daniher named captain but doesn’t play a game owing to injury. Former champion Bill Hutchison dies aged only 59. 1983 Bombers reach the Grand Final, first since 1968, but are beaten by a then record 83 points by Hawthorn. Seconds win Army Reserve Cup over Collingwood. 1984 Club turns tables on Hawthorn beating them in the Grand Final to record 13th flag and first in 19 years. Club also wins its second Night Premiership, the first club to win both in same season. Paul Salmon hailed as new Coleman after kicking 63 goals in 13 games before injuring his knee. Simon Madden wins his fourth best & fairest medal. 1985 Back-to-back flags as club again beats Hawthorn, this time by 78 points. Club wins special one-off Premier’s Cup to mark Melbourne’s 150th anniversary. Frank Zoccali wins Morrish Medal for best player in U19s competition. 1986 Bombers play in 6th successive finals campaign but lose in Elimination final to Fitzroy by a single point. Members asked to vote on committee being reduced from 15 to 8. General manager given full voting rights in the new board of nine. Testimonials for Simon Madden and Gary Foulds. 1987 A sub-committee investigates the club’s long term viability of playing home games at Windy Hill. Tim Watson returns to football in rd 5 after a year on sidelines with knee injury. Brisbane Bears and West Coast Eagles join the league. 1988 Simon Madden plays 300th game in last game of season, only the second Essendon player to reach the milestone. Is also runner-up in the Brownlow medal. Glenn Hawker reaches 200 in same game. Club clocks up 1000th league wins. 1989 Club wins McClelland Trophy when its three sides (Seniors, Reserves and U19s) lead league aggregate points tally. 1990 Club wins Pre-season Cup over North Melbourne and finishes the season on top of ladder, but gets beaten by Collingwood in the first AFL Grand Final. Fans’ favourite Paul Vander Haar plays 200th game in preliminary final win over West Coast. 1991 After 70 seasons the club plays its 628th and last home game (v Brisbane) at Windy Hill, but fans unaware it is the final home game until season has ended. Tim Watson retires after 282 games, two premierships and four best & fairest awards (but later returns to play in 1993 and 1994).Coach Kevin Sheedy declines offer to coach Sydney. 1992 Future champion James Hird makes debut in rd 1 v St Kilda to begin one of the great Essendon careers. Simon Madden retires after club record 378 games and then record 575 goals. 1993 Tim Watson is talked out of retirement and returns to Windy Hill. Club wins 15th premiership, over favourites Carlton with a young side, six of whom have played 25 games or fewer. Club also wins night series Foster’s Cup, Essendon FC and Social Club merge to form Essendon Football and Community Sporting Club, Club wins McClelland Trophy for 6th time. Gavin Wanganeen wins Brownlow medal. 1994 Tim Watson becomes only the fourth Essendon player to play 300 games and retires at season’s end. Scott Cummings leads club goalkicking with 32 goals, the lowest since 1971. Club membership jumps to 19,720, a 70% increase on the previous year. League expands finals competition from top 6 to top 8 teams but Essendon finish 10th and miss out on defending premiership. 1995 Matthew Lloyd makes debut in round 14 and goals with first kick in football. Michael Long comes second in Brownlow Medal. Membership breaks 20,000 for first time ever. First Anzac Day game between Essendon and Collingwood is played at MCG and ends in a draw. 1996 James Hird wins Brownlow Medal and third consecutive club best and fairest. Club misses out on Grand Final spot after 1 point loss to Swans in Preliminary Final. Club opens its Hall of Fame, the first of any League club. 1997 Mark Harvey plays his 206th and last game in rd 22. Kevin Sheedy coaches his 400th game in the same round. Club drops to 14th on the ladder, its lowest ever finish to that time (in a 16 team league). 1998 Michael Long returns to football after 370 days recovering from a knee reconstruction. Kevin Sheedy breaks Dick Reynolds’ 416 game coaching record in round 16. 1999 Essendon lose second preliminary final by 1 point to miss place in Grand Final against Kangaroos who they had twice beaten during the year. 2000 Club moves to Colonial Stadium (now Etihad Stadium) at Docklands for home games. Team records best season of any club in league history, winning pre-season cup and 16th Premiership and loses only once in 25 games. Matthew Lloyd kicks 109 goals, the first Essendon player to reach 100 goals since 1972, and highest tally in 50 years. Membership breaks 30,000 for first time. 2001 Club reaches Grand Final but loses to Brisbane Lions. Michael Long retires. Matthew. Lloyd kicks 105 goals to reach 100 goal milestone for second successive year. 2002 Paul Salmon returns to Essendon after six seasons at Hawthorn to add to his 209 games for the Bombers between 1983 and 1995. Season disrupted by a number of injuries to senior players. Essendon’s best player of all time, Dick Reynolds, dies aged 87. 2003 Club wins only five games to half way point of season but finishes strongly winning eight of last 10 games to scrape into finals but goes out in first semi-final to Port Adelaide. 2004 Club again scrapes into 8th spot and goes out in first semi-final to Geelong. 2005 Kevin Sheedy clocks up 25th season as coach. Former champion and assistant coach Mark Harvey accepts assistant coaching position at Fremantle FC. Club slumps to 13th with only eight wins for season 2006 Evergreen fullback Dustin Fletcher plays 250th game in rd 11. Dean Rioli plays his 100th game in last game then retires owing to chronic knee problems. David Hille is appointed captain standing in for injured Matthew Lloyd. Barry Davis Is inducted into Hall of Fame. Club finishes lowest position ever at 15th but stays off bottom owing to Carlton. 2007 Club does not re-new coach Kevin Sheedy’s contract, he leaves Windy Hill after 27 years and four premierships. Is replaced by another former Richmond champion Matthew Knights. Five-time club champion James Hird retires after 253 games. Club finishes 12th. 2008 Former coach Kevin Sheedy is inducted into Essendon Hall of Fame. 2009 Club reaches finals for first time since 2004 but loses to Adelaide by 96 points. Essendon greats and 2000 premiership players Scott Lucas and Matthew Lloyd retire after round 22 after both playing 270 games. Lloyd?s 946 career goals a record at Essendon. 2010 Angus Monfries is leading goal-kicker with 24 goals, the lowest since 1921. Dustin Fletcher moves to second on Essendon?s all-time games played list when he plays his 321st game v Richmond in round 9. Essendon coach Matthew Knights is sacked the day after round 22 loss to Bulldogs and on 28 September the club names former club champion James Hird as his replacement.