Caulfield Football Club

The Caulfield Football Club were an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA from 1965 until 1987. Nicknamed The Bears, they were based in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield and wore a blue and white guernsey.

History

The suburb first had a team in the VFA during 1962 season after Brighton had relocated there. Brighton merged with local club South Caulfield and they played in the VFA as Brighton-Caulfield. The club dropped Brighton from their name in 1965 on the request of the local council and Caulfield Football Club was formed. They replaced their maroon and gold team colors with blue and white hoops and replaced Brighton's Penguin emblem with a Bear.

Caulfield initially played in the 2nd division and failed to make the finals during the rest of the 1960's. In 1971 they managed to lure former Richmond premiership player Tony Jewell to coach the club. They also recruited his teammates Paddy Guinane and Neville Crowe to the playing group. With VFL players in the team they had immediate success, topping the 2nd division ladder and dropping just 3 games in the home and away season. Caulfield however lost their preliminary final and thus missed out on playing in the grand final. They went one better the following season and made it to the decider which they lost to Geelong West. The Geelong club had been unbeaten all season but Caulfield had put up a fight, leading by 12 points at 3 quarter time.

In 1973 they got their first and only premiersip, defeating Brunswick 18.20 (128) to 14.22 (106) in the grand final. Their full forward John Logan kicked 6 goals. This victory earned them promotion to the 1st division and they remained there until 1982. In their first season back in the 2nd division they made the grand final, losing to Northcote by 5 points. Caulfield played their last season in 1987 before financial problems forced them out of the league.

In 1988 the club merged with local club Ashburton to form Caulfield/Ashburton, and won the premiership in the South East Suburban FL first division - but the club then folded for good just prior to the 1989 season.

"This club has no relationship with the current Caulfield FC playing in the Southern FL"

VFA Premierships

* 1973 (2nd division)

Notable players

* Neville Crowe (Richmond)
* Paddy Guinane (Richmond)
* Tony Jewell (Richmond)
* Hassa Mann (Melbourne)

External links

* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/caulfield.htm Fullpointsfooty]