Eltham Football Club

Eltham Football Club
Names
Full name	Eltham Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Panthers
2016 season
Leading goalkicker	Josh Merkel
Best and fairest	Gavan Connelly
Club details
Founded	1909
Colours	Black and      Red
Competition	Northern Football League
Chairman	Greg Wilson
Coach	Mario Bandera
Captain(s)	Bradyn Taglieri, Josh Merkel
Ground(s)	Eltham Central Park
Other information
Official website	elthamfc.com.au

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

History

The Eltham Football Club began playing social matches at nearby Kangaroo Ground, Diamond Creek and Greensborough from around 1904. Phil McGavin was listed as Secretary in 1904.

In 1907, Police Constable "Ike" Stephens convened a meeting with the idea of providing entertainment for the lads and an outlet for their surplus energy. .

Eltham continued to play social games however World War One saw these stop. After the return of the men in 1918-19, Eltham returned to the football field.

In 1920, the Eltham Football Club joined the Heidelberg District Football League. The team travelled by train to Ivanhoe to play their first game. Home games were played at Eltham Park, now called Eltham Lower Park.

In 1922, Eltham joined other nearby clubs Greensborough, Diamond Creek, Templestowe, Warrandyte, and Kangaroo Ground in establishing the Diamond Valley Football League.

Eltham made their first finals appearance in 1928 and won their first premiership in 1930 by defeating Heidelberg.

In 1930, Eltham Central Park was opened, although this was only used by the footballers for training until 1935, when the club formally moved their home games there and this has been the club's home ever since.

In 1935, Eltham defeated Epping in the Grand Final, but Epping lodged a protest over the eligibility of an Eltham player. A tribunal in Melbourne upheld the protest and ordered a replay. Eltham forfeited the replay and Epping was awarded the premiership.

Eltham left the DVFL to play in VFL Sub Districts League for seasons 1936 & 1937 before returning in 1938.

After five consecutive wooden spoons during the early 1960s, the club went through a golden period of four premierships in six seasons between 1969 and 1974.

Eltham Football Club was relegated to the new DVFL Second Division for Season 1981, but quickly responded with the 1982 premiership and subsequent return to the First Division. This began a trend with Eltham "yo-yoing" between the two divisions – six Second Division premierships and five First Division wooden spoons.

The 2002 Second Division premiership was the Panthers last success,gaining promotion to Division 1. Has competed in the top Division since 2003. Competing in their first finals series in the top division since 1977 in 2010.

The club boasts a thriving junior organisation with numerous under-age teams in the NFL. A large number of junior premierships have been won, many of these in Division 1..

Other highlights:

• Most no. 'A' Grade games at Eltham Football Club Harry Barrett (dec.) (263)
• Most no. Open Age games at Eltham Football Club David Brown 308
• Most no. 'A' Grade games as a player/umpire Eddie Mapperson (843).
• Winner of VFL / AFL Brownlow Medal Peter Moore 1979, 1984

Premierships

Seniors

(Division One)

• 1930 Eltham 7.15.57 defeated Heidelberg 7.8.50 @ Memorial Park, Greensborough
• 1932 Eltham 13.19.97 defeated Heidelberg 8.10.58 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1949 Eltham 8.8.56 defeated Greensborough 7.6.48 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1953 Eltham 9.16.70 defeated Lakeside Rovers 9.7.61 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1969 Eltham 16.11.107 defeated Diamond Creek 10.12.72 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1970 Eltham 14.13.97 defeated Diamond Creek 12.11.83 @ Epping
• 1972 Eltham 15.19.109 defeated Reservoir Lakeside 11.11.77 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1974 Eltham 10.9.69 defeated Heidelberg 9.8.62 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg

(Division Two)

• 1982 Eltham 15.13.103 defeated Macleod Rosanna 14.8.92 @ Nillimbik Park, Diamond Creek
• 1989 Eltham 18.11.119 defeated Epping 17.8.110 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1995 Eltham 10.14.74 defeated West Preston 10.10.70 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1997 Eltham 13.9.87 defeated Mernda 7.13.55 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 2000 Eltham 12.8.80 defeated Watsonia 8.6.54 @ Shelly St, North Heidelberg
• 2002 Eltham 12.9.81 defeated Mernda 7.17.59 @ Whittlesea Showgrounds, Whittlesea

Reserves

(Division One)

• 1947 Eltham 3.6.24 defeated Diamond Creek 3.5.23 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1971 Eltham 11.11.77 defeated Greensborough 10.8.68 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg
• 1974 Eltham 10.13.73 defeated Templestowe 5.5.35 @ Warringal Park, Heidelberg

(Division Two)

• 2000 Eltham 13.16.94 defeated Macleod 7.12.54 @ Shelley Street Reserve, North Heidelberg

Under 19

(Division One)

• 2007 Eltham 16.13.109 defeated Northcote Park 10.7.67 @ Preston City Oval

Honourboard

AFL / VFL footballers from Eltham FC

• Marcus Bontempelli – Current Western Bulldogs Footballer
• Josh Caddy – Current Geelong Cats Footballer
• David Zaharakis – Current Essendon Footballer
• Nick Vlastuin – Current Richmond Footballer
• Daniel Currie – Former Sydney Swans and North Melbourne Footballer now with Gold Coast Suns Football Club
• Peter Moore – Collingwood & Melbourne & dual Brownlow Medallist, AFL and Collingwood Hall of Fame
• Adam Simpson – North Melbourne. Captain 2004 -09, Premiership's 1996 & 1999. Currently Coach of West Coast Eagles Football Club
• Andrew Dale – Melbourne in 1980s
• Stephen Easton – North Melbourne & Carlton in late 1970s, early 1980s
• Darren McLaine – Collingwood in 1980s
• Alexander "Sandy" Hyslop – Collingwood in 1980s
• John Caulfield - Richmond 1963
• Jack Twyford - South Melbourne, Richmond (1932 Premiership side) & Collingwood
• Don Fraser - Richmond 1920's
• Tom Butherway - Fitzroy 1937
• Stephen Easton - North Melbourne and Carlton
• Matthew Ryan - Collingwood, Sydney, Brisbane

External links

• Official club website
• Northern Football League
• Footypedia