North Hobart Football Club (The Demons) - Southern Football League

North Hobart Football Club - the demons

NHFC - A NON PROFIT ORGANISATION SUPPORTING THE YOUTH OF THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 100 YEARS

TANFL Premiers - 1902, 1905, 1908, 1914, 1920, 1923, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1945, 1947, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992. SFL Premiers 2003

FOUNDATION

The North Hobart Football Club was founded on 12th May 1881 when a group of men met at St Kilda House in Macquarie Street Hobart for the purpose of forming a club called the North Hobart Football Club. The officers bearers elected for the ensuing season were A..A.Page (Captain) V.D.Tregear (Vice Captain ). Managing Committee Messrs Thos Lloyd, F.Walton, J.McLaggan, Albert Strutt & F.Hanson. V.D.Tregear was elected Secretary and G.Huddlestone as Treasurer.

These men had been playing 12 a side pick up matches in Smith’s dairy paddock at the domain end of Campbell Street and would adjourn to the Waggon & Horses Hotel after each game for a few drinks.

Players were drawn from nearby businesses including Smiths Dairy, Chestermans Timber Mill, Copplemans Woodyard and Cleary’s Gates Quarry.

"The rather lofty name of North Hobart was chosen for this football club to match the recent electoral status recently conferred on the small township."

It is unclear who all the original players were. The names Page, Sypkes, Bennett, Lambert, Smith, Hopwood and Tregear have been identified.

OUR FIRST MATCH

The Committee decided to affiliate with the Southern Tasmanian Football Association and enter the Junior division, which comprised 12 teams. The first match was played by the club on the 4 June 1881 against City. The match was drawn.

The colours of red and blue of various shades of blue have been used continuously since 1881.

The club’s nicknames have been the REDS, ROBINS and currently the DEMONS.

LINKS WITH WAGGON & HORSES HOTEL

The Waggon & Horses Hotel‘s links with the North Hobart Football Club have continued over the years. C.H.Foster ex-policeman and grandfather of former player and President, Barrie Foster was the licensee of the hotel from 1892 till 1920. Former captain and premiership coach, John Devine held the licence from 1968 till 1982 and 200 game and premiership player, Graeme "Harry" Dwyer has held the licence since 1982.

The hotel is also claimed to be the birthplace of the Workers Political League, later to be become the Tasmanian Labor Party.

NORTH HOBART OVAL

The North Hobart Oval has variously been woodland, farmland, a refuse dump and a recreational reserve. It was cleared, re-shaped, fenced and the Ryde Street (now George Miller) Stand built to become the headquarters for football for the beginning of the 1922 season.

After negotiations with the Hobart City Council the Tasmanian Football League was granted exclusive use of North Hobart Oval as its headquarters and for all matches.

Work commenced on the main Argyle (now called Horrie Gorringe) Stand in 1923 and was completed at the beginning of the 1924 season.

PROMINENT PLAYERS and OFFICIALS

Many of the North Hobart Football Club players and officials have achieved notable success in business, professional, sporting or public life. These include the founder of Jones & Co/IXL, Sir Henry Jones, Rhodes Scholars Gollan Lewis and John Ingles played together in the 1927 senior team, the current Premier of Tasmania, Jim Bacon, the President of the Legislative Council, Ray Bailey, the current Commissioner for Police, Richard McCreadie and his deputy, Luppo Prins, Brett Allender; respected economist from JB Were and our former Club Chairman, Associate Professor Dr Bruce Felmingham.

VFL/AFL PLAYERS

The club has produced a total of 42 players who have played VFL/AFL football. These include champion goal kicker Alan Rait, Peter Jones who played senior 249 games for Carlton and later coached that club and current star players Sydney Swans Daryn Cresswell and Paul Williams.

OUR PREMIERSHIPS

Further, the club has won a total of 27 senior premierships – the first being in 1902 and the most recent in 1992.

OUR FAMILY

The NHFC family includes players and officials, both past and present,, the supporters coterie the "North Hobart Tridents", the North Hobart Junior Football Club, our valued sponsors and our members and supporters/barrackers.

The club indeed has a rich and successful heritage and provided thousands of local players with a game of football and made a substantial sporting, cultural and business contribution to North Hobart, the City of Hobart and the State of Tasmania.

NHFC History

Premierships: 1902, 1905, 1908, 1914, 1920, 1923, 1928-29, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1938-39-40-41, 1945, 1947, 1957, 1961-62, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1987, 1989, 1991-92 (27 total) Tasmanian State Premierships: 1914, 1920, 1923, 1929, 1936, 1939-40-41, 1945, 1961-62, 1969 (11 total)

William Leitch Medallists: L.Pye 1932; S.Sproule 1934; E.Reid 1945; M.Hawkins 1977; D.Perry 1993; M.Maple 1994 (6 total)

George Watt Memorial Medallists: L.Powell 1935; L.Pye 1937 & 1938; M.Abbott 1941 (3 Medallists/4 Medals)

Highest Score: North Hobart 37.24.246 v. Sth Launceston 2.5.17 at North Hobart Oval on Saturday 18th May 1991.

Most Games: 265 by Don McLeod

Record Home Attendance: 19,425 v Clarence - Grand Final 13 September 1969

Record Finals Attendance: 19,425 for 1969 grand final at North Hobart Oval:

North Hobart 19.15 (129); Clarence 17.15 (117)

On 14 May 1881 a couple of dozen of the more energetic male inhabitants of the district of North Hobart took part in a 12 a side scratch football match. So impressed were the participants by their prowess that they immediately decided to form a club, to be named after the district in which they resided, and apply for admission, as a junior member, to the Southern Tasmanian Football Association.

Matters proceeded apace and the fledgling team, adorned in the red and blue colours which were to become its trademark, took to the field for the first time on 4 July 1881 against City, the game ending in a 2-2 draw. [see footnote 1]

North Hobart remained a junior club for 15 seasons before finally gaining admission to the senior competition in 1895.

North Hobart's first senior premiership came in 1902 as the side (pictured above) won 6 out of 8 matches for the year. This was followed by a 6.9 (45) to 5.7 (37) defeat of Launceston in a match billed as being for the state premiership. (Albeit unofficially; the first official Tasmanian state premiership was not contested until 1904.) A second STFA premiership was won in 1905, and the following year the name of the competition was changed to the Tasmanian Football League to bring Hobart into line with other Australian capital cities. North Hobart were one of three founder members of the TFL along with Lefroy and Derwent.

North Hobart's first TFL premiership in 1908 was won in controversial circumstances. The premiership deciding match between North Hobart and Lefroy ended in a draw, a result which North believed entitled them to the flag on the basis of their having won a greater number of roster games than their opponents. However, "goaded by the opposition and public talk the North Hobart club requested, as the rules were unclear, to replay the match". [see footnote 2] In a tense, closely fought affair "North Hobart's play had a little more sparkle and dash than Lefroy's" resulting in a 2.7 (19) to 1.9 (15) win.

In 1911 former Ballarat and St Kilda player George Morrissey was appointed the club's first official coach and, although he spent only a single season in charge, he was later looked back upon as the initiator of the Reds' (as North Hobart were then known) renowned aggressive style of play. This style finally came to fruition 3 years later as the team survived a poor start to the season to go on to lift both the local and state premierships, the latter for the first official time. The triumphs were popularly attributed to a 'never say die spirit', an expression which the club shrewdly latched on to and translated into one of those almost indefinable building blocks which constitute a club's tradition.

With the competition going into recess because of the war from 1915-18 and being brought to a premature halt on resumption in 1919 because of an influenza epidemic it was to be 6 years before North Hobart would have the opportunity to defend their titles. This they eventually did in style, overcoming Lefroy by 20 points in the local grand final and Launceston by 24 points for the state premiership. The next couple of seasons saw a deterioration in on field fortunes but 1923 brought a repeat of the dual success of the 1920 season with New Town (10.9 to 7.6) and North Launceston (20.13 to 18.8) the victims. The state grand final defeat of North Launceston was widely regarded as one of the best matches seen in Tasmania up to that point.

North Hobart did not re-emerge as a force until towards the end of the decade but when they finally did so it heralded the onset of a golden era without parallel in the history of the TFL. For 15 consecutive seasons the Robins (as they were by this stage known) contested each and every grand final for an overall return of 10 TFL and 6 state flags. The full record:

Year TFL Grand Final -State Grand Final
1928 Beat Lefroy by 30 points - Lost to City
1929 Beat Lefroy by 15 points - Beat Launceston by 9 points
1930 Lost to Lefroy -
1931 Lost to Cananore in a replay -
1932 Beat Cananore by 52 points -Lost to City
1933 Lost to Cananore -
1934 Beat Lefroy by 24 points - Lost to Launceston
1935 Lost to New Town -
1936 Beat Lefroy by 4 points - Beat Launceston by 17 points
1937 Lost to Lefroy -
1938 Beat Lefroy by 12 points - Lost to Launceston
1939 Beat Cananore by 22 points - Beat City
1940 Beat Cananore by 57 points - Beat Launceston
1941 Beat Cananore by 24 points - Beat City
1942-44 Competition suspended owing to the war.
1945 Beat Sandy Bay by 30 points - Beat Launceston

In March 1944 the TFL controversially decided that, on the resumption of full scale competition after the war, Hobart would be divided into four districts, each of which would be represented by a League club. The innovation constituted a death knell for two of the League's established clubs in Cananore and Lefroy which were replaced by Sandy Bay and Hobart. North Hobart and New Town both survived.

As the above table makes clear , the Robins initially found district football to be very much a case of 'business as usual' as they claimed the 1945 flag with some comfort. However, in 1946 their awe-inspiring sequence of grand final appearances came to an end as newcomers Sandy Bay dumped them from premiership contention in the 1st semi final.

In 1947 there was a temporary return to prominence as the Robins survived a 2nd semi final loss to Hobart to clinch another flag.

Grand final defeat by New Town in 1948 was to be North Hobart's last involvement on the final day of the season for eight years. The club's failure at this time was all the more surprising given the presence in its playing ranks of men of the calibre of John Noble, Ian Riley, Noel Clarke, Col Moore and, perhaps most notably of all, John Leedham.

Named Tasmania's first ever All Australian at the 1953 Adelaide Carnival (when he was playing at North Launceston) Leedham is regarded by many as being the best footballer ever produced in the Apple Isle. Former Glenorchy player Jim Manson expressed the view that "John's skill was complete" while others pinpointed his ball control and sense of anticipation as being particularly exceptional.

North Hobart's next flag did not arrive until 1957 and this proved to be an isolated effort. It was not until the early 1960s that the side returned to the fore on a consistent basis with consecutive grand final defeats of Glenorchy and Clarence in 1961 and 1962 supplemented by state premierships on both occasions.

In 1964 a proposal to alter the club emblem from Robins to Demons (presumably in lieu of the resemblance of North Hobart's playing uniform to that of VFL power club, Melbourne) was overwhelmingly defeated in a ballot of club members.

On the field fortunes continued to fluctuate until 1967 when, under the capable guidance of former Geelong player John Devine, the side achieved a memorable premiership from 4th spot. A win against East Launceston in the state preliminary final followed before North Hobart proceeded to West Park, Burnie for the state premiership decider and what turned out to be one of the most dramatic and controversial matches in Australian football history. The opposition was provided by NWFU premiers Wynyard, but as events were to prove the Robins had rather more than just the 20 opposition players to worry about.

With moments of the match remaining Wynyard led by a single point when Robins' player coach John Devine was awarded a free kick on the forward line. He promptly passed to full forward David Collins who marked 20 metres from goal just seconds before the final siren sounded. He never got the chance to take his kick, however, as "in wild scenes of mob rule.....the crowd swooped onto (the ground).....and the goal posts were removed from the North Hobart goal end."

ABOVE: The chaotic aftermath of the 1967 Tasmanian State Premiership final between Wynyard and North Hobart at West Park, Burnie.

Despite the best efforts of the police to restore order the last (and in all probability decisive) kick of the game was never taken leading to the TFL declaring the match void; Collins still has the ball. Wynyard coach John Coughlan laid down the gauntlet saying that his side would be prepared to take on North Hobart anywhere - "on the beach if we have to" - but the Robins refused, feeling that the crowd invasion had denied them the formality of a justly earned victory.

North Hobart lost the 1968 grand final to New Norfolk but recorded another 'double' the following year at the expense of Clarence (TFL) and Latrobe and Launceston (State premiership). More controversially, the club committee decided to ignore the wishes of the membership and alter the club's nickname from Robins to Demons.

Under the new emblem the side embarked on a sustained spell of mediocrity , dropping to 4th in 1970, a slump which perhaps helped precipitate John Devine's departure, and missing the finals in each of the following 3 seasons.

John Devine re-assumed the coaching mantle in 1974 and the team reaped immediate dividends. Indeed, it was almost a case of déjà vu as the side fought its way through to a premiership from the 1st semi final. (There was no state premiership this year.) The next 12 seasons proved to be unusually barren, however, as the Demons failed to add to their premiership tally under a succession of different coaches (6 in all, including 2 separate spells from Devine).

The TFL commenced a statewide format in 1986 with the 6 Hobart-based clubs being joined by NTFA sides North Launceston and South Launceston. Further expansion came in 1987 with the admission of Devonport and Burnie Hawks (formerly Cooee) to the competition and North Hobart immediately enjoyed a spectacular return to the winners' enclosure. Grand final day brought an impressive 26 point defeat of Glenorchy but in the wake of the premiership a problem arose which, although comparatively new to North Hobart, was by this point in time familiar to most successful clubs in the major state competitions throughout Australia. No sooner had the dust settled after the Demons' grand final lap of honour than the recruiting nets of the VFL and other mainland Leagues were seemingly replete with North Hobart footballers, only a few of whom would be likely to make it to the top, but, more crucially, all of whom would be absent from their previous club's defence of its title in 1988. Not surprisingly in the circumstances the next 12 months were a time of consolidation.

Recovery was quick, however, and in 1989, aided in part by the return of those of the 1987 premiership side who had failed to establish themselves on the mainland, the Demons returned to the premiers' rostrum with a 30 point grand final defeat of Hobart.

Once again there was a mass exodus of players as the VFL recruiting sharks bit deep, and once again recovery was swift. After plummeting to 8th in 1990 the Demons, under new coach Mark Yeates, a veteran of 154 VFL games in 11 seasons at Geelong, finished the 1991 roster matches in 2nd spot. A 36 point qualifying final loss to Clarence might easily have proved to be a disaster but such was the tenacity and spirit cultivated by Yeates that the team bounced straight back the following week to annihilate Burnie Hawks by 53 points, 17.23 (125) to 10.12 (72). The good form continued in the preliminary final as revenge was achieved against Clarence to the tune of 21 points, 14.19 (103) to 11.16 (82), leading many observers to rate North Hobart the favourite going into the grand final against minor premiers North Launceston.

The game was closely fought for 3 quarters with the Demons managing to eke out a 2 point advantage by the final change. The last term, however, was one way traffic as North Hobart surged to a 26 point triumph, 12.14 (86) to 8.12 (60). Afterwards Mark Yeates conceded "At the start of the season I would have been happy if we'd just made the five".

Perhaps surprisingly, on this occasion the player drain was less excessive than after either of the previous 2 flags, and the side remained highly competitive throughout 1992, winning 15 out of 18 roster games to enter the finals in 2nd spot. Once there, the Demons were irrepressible, defeating Hobart 23.12 (150) to 7.11 (53) in the qualifying final, North Launceston 15.10 (100) to 14.13 (97) in the 2nd semi final, and Hobart again in the grand final by 35 points, 16.12 (108) to 10.13 (73). Mark Yeates resigned as coach after the game.

Under new coach Andy Bennett the Demons enjoyed another solid season in 1993, finishing 3rd, but in both 1994 and 1995 the team missed the finals. Given the tradition and pedigree of the North Hobart Football Club, however, there is no reason to believe that the current decline in fortunes is anything other than a temporary hiatus. Following the demise of the TFL in 2000, North Hobart, along with fellow southern powerhouse clubs Glenorchy and Clarence applied to join the expanding Southern Football League. Due to a conflict of colours with founding club Brighton, North Hobart was forced to change its colours from red and blue to black,red and blue. The Demons were accepted into the SFL in 2000 but have yet to win the premiership.

Written for publication by John Devaney.
John is the publisher of Full Points Footy, an invaluable and interesting website devoted to Australian Rules football.

North Hobart won their first senior premiership since 1992.

The Demons eclipsed the previous biggest winning margin of

103 points set in 1976 by beating Hobart by 110 points.

North Hobart won their first senior premiership since 1992. The Demons eclipsed the previous biggest winning margin of 103 points set in 1976 by beating Hobart by 110 points.

SPECIAL EDITION

29/9/03 - Our one day in September – Magnificent

The Grand final win of 110 points (NH 21.20.146 to Hobart 5.6.36) last Saturday was a record-winning margin in TFL/SWL/SFL senior Grand Final history.

The first Grand Final between the sides was played in 1897 with Hobart 1.3.9 defeating North Hobart 0.6.6. at the TCA.

This was the first and only season that the name Hobart appeared in the senior southern competition until the introduction of district football in 1945. In the 59 years since 1945, Hobart and North Hobart have met only four times in grand finals – Saturday’s made it five. The results have been:

1947 - North Hobart 13.7.85 d Hobart 19.9.69
1960 – Hobart 6.7.43 d North Hobart 6.3.39
1989 – North Hobart 18.22.130 d Hobart 16.4.100
1992 – North Hobart 16.12.108 d Hobart 10.13.73

Prior to Saturday’s result the greatest winning margin was in 1976 of 97 points when Sandy Bay 21.10.136 defeated Glenorchy 5.9.39.

The victory also exceeded North Hobart’s previous club record winning Grand Final margin of 57 points in 1940 when North Hobart 18.8.116 defeated Cananore 7.17.59.

Brendon Bolton and the team are to be congratulated on their outstanding efforts. The result was a fitting reward for their dedication and hard work over the season.

Congratulations also to Robbie Devine on winning the President’s Medal as the best player in the grand final. His effort of kicking 7 goals 5 behinds was meritorious

Season 2003 also resulted in many other highlights.

ON FIELD

1. The club senior team won 13 out of the 18 roster games played for the season. In achieving this result the club defeated every team on at least one occasion.

2. The senior team participated in their second consecutive senior Grand Final.

3. The club’s senior, reserve and under 19 teams all made the final 5. The Reserves teams progressed to the Preliminary Final.

4. A total of 45 players played senior football. The average age of the senior list is 21 years.

5. The inspiration and leadership displayed by club coach Brendon Bolton has been outstanding.

His focus on the team performance and the improvement in all players, including a great interest in the North Hobart junior Football Club, has impressed all supporters of the club.

6. Brendon Bolton won the WELLER ARNOLD MEDAL as the best player for the SFL in the representative match against the NTFL.

This was the 3rd consecutive year a North Hobart player has won this award. The other winners were Steve Woods (2001) and Luke Curtain (2002). They join previous North Hobart winners Colin Moore, Noel Clarke, Percy Cooper, John Noble, Peter Marquis and Romano Negri

7. Brendon also won the Horrie Gorringe Medal as the Best & Fairest Player in the SFL PREMIER LEAGUE for 2003.

8. A total of 7 North Hobart registered players played for the TASSIE DEVILS team in the VFL. They were Kent Abey, Matthew Drury, James Jenkins, Kane Richter, Simon Taylor, Leigh Walker & Brent Williams.

9. In addition Paul Langé and Bill Morrison played for the Tassie Mariners. Morrison also toured Ireland with the All Australian Under 17 side.

OFF THE FIELD:

1. The Board were pleased to welcome four new Directors, namely former player and respected accountant Geoff Harper joined the Board as Treasurer – John Corba, David Patmore and Simon Porter . Each of these gentlemen had not been previously been involved with the club in an official capacity.

2. The Board secured a major sponsor for the first time in 3 years. We are indebted to Mark Brudenell and John Corba from WAKEFIELD QUALITY CARS for their support.

We urge all members to consider WAKEFIELD’S QUALITY CARS when purchasing your next car – “THEY DO TRY HARDER”

3. For the 3rd consecutive year the club will trade at a profit. There is still a way to go before all our debts are extinguished.

4. Under the excellent management of Club Director Nigel Reid, ably assisted by his wife Vanessa, the Social Club has had an outstanding year.

5. The continued outstanding efforts of our army of volunteers. Their special efforts have assisted the club to successfully cater for the VFL matches and the SFL finals series at North Hobart Oval.

6. The continuation of the Annual Year Book. The 2003 publication, launched by former player and 2003 Archibald Prize winner Geoff Dyer, received excellent reviews from the media, members and the football community.

7. A close relationship and co-operation with the North Hobart Junior Football Club.

8.The Sponsorship/Marketing Committee activities continue to grow and will exceed the financial result of 2002. A total of 84 sponsors have made a significant contribution to the club in 2003.

The Board pay a tribute to our many volunteers for their support and hard work.

Contact AFL Southern Tasmania - 6230 1806
PO Box 520, North Hobart TAS 7002
or email admin@southernfootball.com.au