Nunawading Football Club

Nunawading Football Club logo

Nunawading Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 20 km east of Melbourne in the suburb of Blackburn North, Victoria. Nunawading Football Club colours are Maroon with gold lightning strikes, gold lion emblem and maroon shorts and are affiliated with the Eastern Football League.

Timeline of the Nunawading F.C

"Nunawading Football Club" was first used in 1894, when the Mitcham, Box Hill and Surrey Hills Football Clubs merged to play in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association (now the Victorian Amateur Football Association). The three teams were struggling to field sides at that time and joined together for two seasons, before going their separate ways again in 1896. Surrey Hills however, continued to use the Nunawading title until 1907.

The current Nunawading Football Club was established in 1927 as the Tunstall Football Club. Home games were played at the Nunawading Recreation Reserve in Silver Grove. The club played in the Box Hill Reporter District Football Association before moving to the Ringwood District Football League in 1928 and remaining until 1932. From 1933 until 1961 the club played in the Eastern Suburbs Football League. The first premiership was won in 1938 in B Grade. In 1943, the suburb of Tunstall changed its name to Nunawading and the club soon followed. The second premiership was won in 1955, also in B Grade.

In 1962 the club affiliated with the newly established Eastern District Football League as a foundation member. By 1974 the club moved to Mahoneys Reserve in Forest Hill, as the Nunawading Recreation centre was being built. Finally, in 1996 the decision was made to move to Koonung Park in Springfield Road, Blackburn North as there were no social facilities at Mahoneys Reserve. During this period the only premiership success were the 1962 (Under 16), 1976 (Under 17) and 1987 (Reserves).

After a lean period which included five successive wooden spoons, the club recovered somewhat in 2001, to narrowly miss the finals by percentage.

In 2002, the club achieved its first senior premiership in forty seven years, defeating Heathmont by ninety three points in Fourth Division and promotion to Third Division.

Third Division 2003-2008 The club finished seventh in the first two seasons before improving to fifth and missing out on percentage.

2006 saw the Seniors play finals after defeating Waverley Blues in the First Semi lost to the eventual premier South Croydon by twelve points in the Preliminary Final. The Reserves won the premiership by three points.

2007 the Seniors lost to Upper Ferntree Gully in the First Semi.

2008 the Seniors finished 2nd on the table after home and away but lost both Finals.

The Reserves won the Grand Final defeating Mooroolbark by sixty one points.^[1]

Unfortunately on the eve of the 2010 season, Nunawading were forced to request a demotion back to Division Four. This request was granted with Kilsyth taking their place in Division Three. ^[2]

Senior Premierships (3)

• • Eastern Suburbs Football League:
• 1938 B Grade (as the Tunstall Football Club)
• 1955 B Grade (as Nunawading Football Club)

• • Eastern Football League
• 2002 Fourth Division

Reserves 1987, 2006, 2008

Juniors 1976 (U/17), 1962 (U/16)

External links

• Nunawading Football Club (Official Site) - http://www.nunawadingfc.com/
• Eastern Football League (Official Site) - http://www.efl.org.au/
• Leader Newspaper Nunawading Page - http://tools.leadernewspapers.com.au/football/nunawading
• Leader Newspaper Article 27 Aug 2008 - http://www.leadernews.com.au/article/2008/08/27/41979_efl_story.html
• Leader Newspaper Article 20 Aug 2008 - http://www.leadernews.com.au/article/2008/08/20/41481_footy_home.html

Notes

1. ^ "History of NFC". http://www.nunawadingfc.com/historyofNFC.php. 
2. ^ [tt_news=1967&tx_ttnews[backPid]=15&cHash=5ab1c15dac "Nunawading and Kilsyth swap grades"]. http://www.efl.org.au/index.php?id=16&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1967&tx_ttnews[backPid]=15&cHash=5ab1c15dac.