North Shore Bombers

North Shore Football Club , known informally as the North Shore Bombers is an Australian rules football club competing in the Sydney AFL league and based out of the Sydney suburb of St Leonards, New South Wales. Formed in 1903 it remains one of only three foundation clubs still in existence and generally recognised as one of the more successful clubs of Sydney AFL. The club's current home ground is Gore Hill Oval in St. Leonards, next to the Royal North Shore Hospital.

Previously nicknamed the Bears, the club has the same playing strip and now logo as the Essendon Football Club in the AFL. The 2007 Senior Coach at North Shore is Michael Hosking, the captain is Mark Livy and the club's President is Chris Dale.

History

The club formed in 1903, one of only three remaining foundation clubs, and since then has won thirteen senior premierships. The Bombers competed in 6 Grand Finals in a row from 2000-2005, winning premierships in 2001, 2004 & 2005. Although the Bombers failed to qualify for the finals in 2006, they bounced back in 2007 to take their 13th premiership.In 2008, after a slow start to the season, the Bombers finished strongly to qualify for the final 5, but were eliminated in the first finals match.

With strong junior numbers coming through the ranks, from 2006 onwards North Shore have fielded two teams in the Under 18s Premier Cup, Sydney AFL's strongest under-18s competition. One of their teams, the Bombers, took out the premiership in 2006 and 2008; while their other team, the Wildcats, took out the 2007 title undefeated. In 2008, the Wildcats changed their name to the Bears.

Senior premierships: 1904, 1910, 1921, 1952, 1961, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1991, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007.

Reserve premierships: 1912, 1913, 1950, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004

U19/U18 premierships: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 2006 (Bombers), 2007 (Wildcats)-Undefeated Premiers, 2008 (Bombers).

Past Players

The club has produced AFL players such as Ryan Davis,Russell Morris, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Henry Playfair, Phil Bradmore, Andrew Bomford, Simon Davies and Michael Byrne.

Tennis champion Pat Rafter has played a number of games for the reserves.

The club has had a number of players admitted onto senior club rookie lists with Ed Clarke, Tom Hill and Mark Livy listed with the Swans. Ryan Davis has also been rookie listed with the West Coast Eagles following a strong 2007 season and winning the Rod Podbury Medal for best on ground in the 2007 Grand Final win.

External links

* [http://www.northshorefc.com.au/ Official North Shore Bombers Website]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/north_shore.htm Full Points Footy Profile for North Shore Bombers]