- Devonport Football Club
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Devonport Magpies 
Full name Devonport Football Club Nickname(s) Magpies Strip 
Founded 6 March 1890 Sport Australian rules football League Tasmanian State League First season 1891 Ground Devonport Oval Club song "Good old Devonport forever!" President Shane Yates Coach Glen Lutwyche Captain TBA 2011 (TSL) 10th Devonport Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Devonport, Tasmania. The club previously competed in the Northern Tasmanian Football League but from 2009 it joined the newly reformed Tasmanian State League.
Contents
Devonport joins the Northern Tasmanian Football League
The collapse of statewide football in late 2000 saw Devonport revert to a regional competition, in this case the NTFL, but with only 9 wins from 20 matches for the year the club finished 8th (out of 12), a result it failed to improve on in 2002.
In 2003, however, the Magpies surged up the ladder to qualify for the finals, while the next year they went within one game – albeit a game in which they were conclusively vanquished by Burnie – of a flag. The 2005 season brought another grand final appearance, and another loss to Burnie, albeit this time by the comparatively more respectable margin of just 17 points. Then, in 2006, hopes that it might be third time lucky were conclusively dashed on grand final day by a much more talented and cohesive Launceston side, which ultimately won with ease by 57 points. The 2007 season brought a marginal decline in fortunes as the Magpies, having topped the ladder prior to the finals, bowed out of flag contention in straight sets after defeats by eventual premiers Launceston in the second semi final, and Ulverstone in the preliminary final. Kurt Heazlewood's Baldock Medal victory as the competition's best and fairest player provided a small measure of consolation.
Devonport joins the Tasmanian State League
The Devonport Football Club accepted an invitation to join the new Tasmanian State League in 2009. After a meeting of club members, delegates and supporters, the club unanimously voted to leave the NTFL and join the new league. The club began their foray back into Statewide football with distinction in their first two seasons, with a first semi final loss to eventual premier Clarence in 2009 and a surprise Grand Final appearance the following season, again meeting Clarence at Bellerive Oval, but there was to be no fairytale as the Coastal Magpies were swept aside by the reigning premier by 57 points.
Financial ruin
Just three months after competing in a Grand Final, financial disaster was to beset the club, on 10 December 2010 the Devonport Football Club was to announce that they were facing a debt of $507,525 and faced impending collapse should a white knight not be found. AFL Tasmania's CEO Scott Wade announcing that the club had fourteen days to prove to the sport's governing body that they were able to put plans in place to reduce the debt or they would face immediate expulsion from the Tasmanian State League for poor financial management. The NTFL stating that they would not let Devonport Football Club back into their competition should this eventuate and cross-town rival East Devonport refusing to enter into amalgamation talks with the club would most likely see the club go into extinction. The club is no stranger to financial turmoil, having been in trouble for most of the previous twenty years stemming back to their appointment of former Hawthorn legend Peter Knights as senior coach in 1990. By 1998 Devonport were close to extinction with a debt of $709,067 and were only saved by an approximately $246,000 loan from the Devonport Council in order to pay off some of their creditors. Urban legend amongst football writers and punters on the North West Coast was that the club were well known to have been in almost a quarter of a million dollars debt when they joined the TSL in late 2008, but the full extent of the financial problems were not known by AFL Tasmania until the sport's governing body appointed an independent administrator to oversee the running of the club in late 2010 whereby the extent of the financial problems were fully disclosed as Devonport Council also called in their loan to the club at the same time. After a change of board of directors, the club were granted donations of approximately $200,000 by a number of North Western businessmen and other supporters in the community and as such, were granted permission to remain a member of the Tasmanian State League.
Season 2011
After being runners up to Clarence in the State League Final in 2010, there was a exodus of players at club while the coaching panel was being decided for 2011. Errol Bourn was appointed head coach after a long process but resigned due to personal reasons leaving the Magpies without a coach and players leaving. The Board then appointed former Ulverstone Under 19 Premiership Winning Coach Glen Lutwyche to the role. Due to the dire financial state of the club the board resigned in December following revelations the club was more than $500,000 in debt, with a $103,000 rescue package to meet immediate liabilities contingent on the majority of the board resigning, apart from directors Shane Yates, Shane Lee and Leon Perry. On the 4th of February, a special general meeting was called to introduce the new directors to the members and playing group. The new directors endorsed include multiple world champion woodchopper David Foster, former assistant coach Mark Fagan, former East Devonport Football Club president Peter Mitchell, former players Pat Fagan and Barry Duckett, supporter Peter McConnon, and marketing consultant Trudi Jones. Shane Yates was confirmed as the new president at this meeting. The playing group was left battered by the player exodus which included star midfielder Kurt Heazlewood moving to WA for work and forward Ben Reynolds signing at Glenorchy. The club has started to put back together there playing list by signing Ulverstone pair Justin Rodman and Tim Mee.
Stadiums, achievements and club records
- Devonport Oval – 1937–present.
- Club formed – 6 March 1890
- Colours – Black and white.
- Emblem – Magpies (Blues from 1987–1996 and Power from 1997–2000)
- TFL Statewide League/TSL premierships
1988
- TFL Statewide League/TSL runners-up
2010
- State premierships
Nil.
- NWFU premierships
1914, 1915, 1925, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1981
- Northern Tasmanian Football League premierships
Nil.
- Northern Tasmanian Football League runners-up
2004, 2005, 2006
- William Leitch Medallists
- 1987 – David Code
- 1997 – Fabian Carelli
- 1998 – Wayne Weidemann
- Tassie Medallists
- 2009 – Kurt Heazlewood
- Darrel Baldock Medallists
- 2007 – Kurt Heazlewood
- Cheel Medallists (NWFU best and fairest player from 1923–1929)
- 1925 – W. Berryman
- Royal Medallists (NWFU East best and fairest player in 1930)
- 1930 – W. Berryman
- Wander Medallists (NWFU best and fairest player from 1948–1986)
- 1974 – C. Rheinberger
- 1976 – K. Coates
- 1978 – J. Prentice
- Lefroy Medal (Best on ground for Tasmania in representative games)
- 2010 – Ben Reynolds
- TFL Statewide League leading goalkicker
- 1988 – Chris Reynolds (111)
- 1998 – Ken Rainsford (94)
- NTFL leading goalkickers
- 2002 – Matthew Langmaid (88)
- 2003 – Matthew Langmaid (88)
- 2007 – Phillip Crowden (111)
- NWFU leading goalkickers
- 1914 – G. Foley (28)
- 1924 – P. Martyn (34)
- 1936 – A. Cooke (77)
- Record home roster match attendance – TFL Statewide League
4,046 – Devonport v Burnie Hawks – 25 April 1989 at Devonport Oval
- Record finals attendance – TFL Statewide League
17,878 – Devonport v Glenorchy – 1988 TFL Grand Final at North Hobart Oval
- Record home attendance – Tasmanian State League
Not available
- Record finals attendance – Tasmanian State League
6,123 – Clarence v Devonport – 18 September 2010 at Bellerive Oval
- Club record score
37.9 (231) v Launceston 10.6 (66) – 21 July 1996 at Devonport Oval
- Club record quarter
14.4 (88) v New Norfolk – 16 April 1988 at Devonport Oval
- Club record games holder
- 242 – Ricky Brown
Past senior coaches
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- 1890 – J. Jones
- 1891 – R. Langworthy
- 1892–1899 – T. Wingrove
- 1900 – Club in recess
- 1901–1905 – J. Savage
- 1906–1908 – S. Ashley
- 1909–1910 – Unknown
- 1911 – W. Pearce
- 1912 – A. Knox
- 1913 – A. Hennigan
- 1914 – C. Hardstaff
- 1915 – E. Hatton
- 1916–1919 – Break due to World War I
- 1920 – T. Lindley
- 1921 – A. E. Hatton
- 1922 – J. Foley
- 1923 – J. Heaney
- 1924–1926 – Percy Martyn
- 1927 – J. Dunn
- 1928 – J. Brown
- 1929 – A. Soden
- 1930 – Bill Berryman
- 1931 – R. Mather
- 1931–1935 – H. Baker
- 1936 – C. A. Eyles
- 1936 – M. Baker
- 1937 – G. Bourke
- 1937 – A. Brown
- 1938–1939 – G. Cole
- 1940 – C. Milburne
- 1941–1944 – Break due to World War II
- 1945 – P. Schmidt
- 1946 – J. O'Keefe
- 1947 – J. Jordan
- 1948 – H. Murray
- 1949 – A. Hutton
- 1950–1951 – N. Richardson
- 1952–1953 – R. Witzerman
- 1954 – A. Deaton
- 1955 – R. Cullen
- 1956 – N. Gelavis
- 1957–1958 – R. Jobson
- 1959–1963 – N. Conlon
- 1964–1965 – J. Stokes
- 1965–1967 – Peter Lyon
- 1968–1969 – T. McKay
- 1970–1971 – Geoff Martin
- 1972–1973 – R. Crosby
- 1974 – C. Hutchins
- 1975–1976 – Bob Withers
- 1976 – G. A. Green
- 1977 – J. Bates
- 1978 – J. Prentice
- 1979–1984 – N. Johnson
- 1985 – B. S. Lane
- 1986 – Mark Williams
- 1987–1989 – R. Crosby
- 1990–1993 – Peter Knights
- 1994–1996 – Andy Goodwin
- 1997–1998 – M. Brown
- 1999 – R. Spencer
- 2000–2007 – D. Perry
- 2008 – S. Reissig
- 2009–2010 – E. Bourn
- 2010–present – G. Lutwyche
Wilkinson Medal
Devonport's best and fairest award from 2001 onwards
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- 2001 – M. Langmaid
- 2002 – M. Langmaid
- 2003 – M. Lowe
- 2004 – T. Haley
- 2005 – T. McCrossen
- 2006 – M. Langmaid
- 2007 – K. Heazlewood
- 2008 – K. Heazlewood
- 2009 – C. Hardy
- 2010 – K. Heazlewood
VFL/AFL players
Notable players that went on the play in the VFL/AFL:
- Grant Birchall (Hawthorn)
- Brady Rawlings (North Melbourne)
- Jade Rawlings (Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne)
- Matthew Richardson (Richmond)
- Ben Harrison (Carlton, Richmond, Western Bulldogs)
- Dion Scott (Sydney, Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions)
- Matthew Febey (Melbourne)
- Steven Febey (Melbourne)
References
Tasmanian Football League (TFL) Clubs Burnie Dockers • Clarence Roos • Devonport Magpies • Glenorchy Magpies • Hobart Tigers • Lauderdale Bombers • Launceston Blues • North Hobart Demons • North Launceston Bombers • South Launceston BulldogsGrounds North Hobart Oval • Aurora Stadium • Bellerive Oval • KGV Oval • Devonport Oval • West Park Oval • TCA Ground • Lauderdale Oval • Windsor Park • Youngtown OvalHonours Leading goal-kickers • Premiers • RecordsCategories:- Australian rules football clubs
- Australian rules football clubs in Tasmania
- Devonport, Tasmania
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