Heidelberg Football Club

Infobox australian football club
clubname = Heidelberg Football Club


fullname = Heidelberg Football Club
nicknames = Tigers, Bergers
season = 2008
position = 1st
topgoalkicker = Chris Hall
bestandfairest = Anthony Franchina
founded = 1876
colours = color box|Yellow Yellow and color box|Black Black
league = Northern Football League
chairman = Trevor Barrot
coach = Phil Plunkett
captain = Blair Harvey
ground = Warringal Park
ground2 =
ground3 =
capacity =
capacity2 =
capacity3 =
url = [http://www.heidelbergfc.com.au www.heidelbergfc.com.au]

Heidelberg Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Heidelberg, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.

Established in 1876, Heidelberg Football Club is one of the oldest Australian Rules Football Clubs in the country. The club initially competed in the Melbourne Football League against other suburban clubs such as Northcote, Waverley, South Melbourne and Sandridge. Heidelberg's original guernsey was blue and white until adopting the current strip of yellow and black during the 1880's before the famous Richmond Football Club was formed.

Heidelberg has competed in many different football leagues during its history. Commencing in the Melbourne Football League, the club was a founding member of Bourke-Evelyn Football League in 1890. Between 1900 and 1902, Heidelberg competed in the VFA's second division before transferring to the Northern Suburban Football League. The club was a founding member of Heidelberg District Football League in 1909 and transferred to the fledgling Diamond Valley Football League in 1923. Heidelberg's dominance of the DVFL lead to the club moving temporarily to VFL Sub-Districts League in 1925 whilst still successfully fielding a "junior" team in the DVFL. The club returned exclusively to the DVFL in 1930 and has remained in this league since with considerable success. The junior club now resides in the YJFL while the club also fields a successful woman's team in the VWFL.

Heidelberg's on-field performances rank amongst the finest with the total of 25 senior premierships, the first being in 1890, and and the most recent being in 2008.

The original home ground was at Heidelberg Park, but after a recess during the World War 2, the club moved across Beverley Road to the current address at Warringal Park.

In 1981 the league was split into two divisions and Heidelberg were relegated having finished third last in 1980. This stint was to last three years until the club's 1983 Grand Final victory which would see them return to Division 1 where they have remained ever since.

Heidelberg became the inaugural Northern Football League Premiers and Champions in 2007, going through the season undefeated. Ironically Heidelberg were to be the last Diamond Valley Football League Premiers in 2006 after a formal audit by Football Victoria forced the league to change its name. In 2008 Heidelberg completed a hat trick of Premierships defeating Montmorency in the Grand Final.

Premierships

Northern Football League (Formerly Diamond Valley Football League)

Division 1

*Seniors: (17)

1923, 1928, 1929, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1950, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1964, 1983*, 1986, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008

*Reserves: (12)

1950, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1967, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008

*Thirds: (1)

1981

Division 2

*Seniors: (1)

1983

*Reserves: (1)

1981

Bourke-Evelyn Football League

*Seniors: (1)

1890

Northern Suburban Football League

*Seniors: (2)

1905, 1908

Heidelberg District Football League

*Seniors: (5)

1910, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1920

League Best & Fairest Winners

Team of the Century

Aussie rules team | title = Heidelberg Team of the Century
backpocket1 = F.Clarke
fullback = R.Blackbourn
backpocket2 = A.Viola
halfbackflank1 = K.Dixon
centrehalfback = B.McMahon(V.C.)
halfbackflank2 = S.Delanty
wing1 = W.Twomey
centre = R.Perkins
wing2 = N.Papagianis
halfforwardflank1 = M.Kemp
centrehalfforward = C.Hodgson
halfforwardflank2 = W.Elsworth
forwardpocket1 = R.Stokes
fullforward = J.Philippe
forwardpocket2 = R.Guldon
ruck = G.Austen
ruckrover = G.Dixon
rover = J.Clancy(Capt)
interchange1 = K.Hart
interchange2 = C.Hall
interchange3 = R.Young
interchange4 = D.Hogan
interchange5 =
interchange6 =
coach = M.Sullivan

Emergencies: Dean Haydock, Michael Sullivan, Andrew Harwood, Paul May.

Notable Players

*Fred Clarke (Richmond)
* John Murphy (Fitzroy, North Melbourne & South Melbourne)
* Brian Wilson (Footscray, North Melbourne, Melbourne & St Kilda)
*Jim Edmond (Footscray, Sydney & Brisbane Bears)
*Anthony Franchina (Carlton)
*Geoff Austin (Fitzroy & Collingwood)
*Mick Twomey (Collingwood}
*Pat Twomey (Collingwood)
*Justin Murphy (Richmond, Carlton, Geelong & Essendon)
*John Wise (Collingwood)

External links

* [http://heidelbergfc.com.au Heidelberg Football Club homepage]
* [http://www.footypedia.com/00000207.htm Footypedia]
* [http://www.nfl.org.au Northern Football League Website]
* [http://www.dvfooty.com Old DV website]