East Coast Eagles AFC

Infobox aus sport club | clubname = East Coast Eagles


fullname = East Coast Eagles Australian Football Club
emblem = Eagles
strip = Blue, Gold and White
founded = 1976
president = Gus Seebeck
coach = Glenn Garner
captain = Jon Vlatko
ground = Sydney Showground
song = We're a Happy team at East Coast
sport = Australian rules football
league = Sydney AFL
firstseason = 1999
season = 2008
position = 2nd

East Coast Eagles is an Australian rules football club competing in the Sydney AFL league and based out of the Sydney suburb of Baulkham Hills, New South Wales.

Previously known as the Baulkham Hills Falcons and wearing maroon and gold, this team wears the West Coast Eagles uniforms of blue, gold and white.

History

The history of the East Coast Eagles can be traced back to the formation of the Baulkham Hills Junior Australian Football Club in 1976. Since 1976 Baulkham Hills has fielded teams in all age groups in the major junior competition in suburban Sydney. Baulkham Hills are the most successful junior club in Sydney, having enough players to field two teams in every age group in most seasons and more often than not winning the premiership. In the mid-to-late 1980's it was not uncommon for two Baulkham Hills teams (then known as the Hawks and the Kookaburras) to play each other in grand finals.

In 1988, the club had enough numbers to field an under 19 team in the Sydney Football League. As the Sydney University club could not field an under 19 team, Baulkham Hills played in their stead. The team had a successful season, eventually finishing in fourth place after losing the first semi-final to Pennant Hills. As this team was an amalgamation of players from the Hawks and the Kookabuuras, a new emblem - the Falcons - was born. The team played in a maroon jersey with gold stripes, similar to the jersey of the Subiaco club playing in the WAFL.

In 1989, the club fielded a senior team for the first time, competing in the Sydney Football Association (Division 2) competition. The team met with moderate success in their first year, finishing fourth in a seven team competition, being knocked out of the finals race in the first semi-final.

In 1990 the club had gathered enough support from ex-junior players and disenchanted players from other clubs to field teams in the Sydney Football Association (SFA) Division 1 competition in the first grade, reserve grade and under 20 competitions. 1990 was a successful season, with the first grade team eventually losing the Grand Final to Balmain at Erskineville Oval and Doug Scholz winning the Snow Medal for the best and fairest player in the competition.

In the following year the Falcons turned the tables on Balmain and won their first senior premiership in a keenly fought match at Roger Sheeran Oval.

By 1993 the club had outgrown the SFA and was promoted to the Sydney Football League. The Falcons endured a tough couple of years in 1993 and 1994 before making the preliminary final in 1995. It was in 1995 that the club produced its first Phelan Medallist in ruckman Graham Jones.

Between 1996 and 1999 the club struggled, never finishing higher than fith on the ladder. One high point for the club during these lean years was Jarrod Crosby winning the club's second Phelan Medal in 1998.

Before the 2000 season began, the club struck up a partnership with the West Coast Eagles and was renamed the East Coast Eagles.

In 2008 the club finished the season in fourth before defeating North Shore (by 50 points), St George (by 65) and UNSW/Eastern Suburbs (by 45) to reach their second Grand Final in three years against arch rivals Pennant Hills. Despite trailing by just 17 points at half time, the Eagles ended up going down by 104 points.

Famous Players

Terry Thripp was a Baulkham Hills junior prior to playing with the Sydney Swans.

Sanford Wheeler played several games for the club in the early 00's

External links

* [http://www.eastcoasteagles.com.au/ Official East Coast Eagles Website]
* [http://www.baulko.org.au/ Official Baulkham Hills Falcons Website]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/east_coast_eagles.htm Full Points Footy Profile for East Coast Eagles]