Our History at a Glance
1900s Social matches at Kangaroo Ground
1904 First evidence of Club being an official entity (recently discovered)
1907 Police Constable “Ike” Stephens convened a meeting with the idea of providing entertainment for the lads and an outlet for their surplus energy. Phil McGavin was the first Secretary.
1920 Eltham joined the Heidelberg District Competition. The team travelled by train to Ivanhoe for first game.
1922 Eltham transferred to the Diamond Valley Association. Some players travelled from Melbourne as there were no eligibility rules.
Foundation Member with Greensborough, Diamond Creek, Templestowe, Warrandyte, and Kangaroo Ground, defeated in Semi Final by eventual premiers Greensborough.
1928 Home games were played at Eltham Lower Park.
1930 First Senior Premiership. Capt/Coach A.Parsons President: A.Braid Eltham 7.15 d Heidelberg 7.8
1932 Second Senior Premiership Capt: H.Weidlich Coach A.Parsons Eltham 13.19 d Heidelberg 8.10
1933 J.West- leading Goal kicker (128 goals) J.West- most goals in DVFL ‘A’Grade Match (19)
1935 Eltham move from Lower Park to new ground at Central Park. Eltham defeated Epping in Final, but Epping protested over player eligibility and it was referred to a Melbourne tribunal. a re-play was ordered but Eltham declined. Epping awarded game.
1936 &1937 Left D.V.F.L. to play in VFL Sub Districts League.
1938 Returned to DVFL.
1947 First B Grade premiership (Under 17) President- Norm Bishop
1949 Third Senior Premiership Cap! G.Hunter Coach: H.Downing Eltham 8.8 d Greensborough 7.6
1953 Fourth Senior Premiership Capt: K.Headon Coach J. Harding Eltham 16.11 d Lakeside Rovers 9.7, R Kelly leading Goal kicker (64)
1958 A.Fry, H.Barrett play 200th ‘A’ Grade Games, League “Stars of the game trophy”- A.Devine
1959 “Stars of the game trophy”- A.Devine
1960 M.Jarrold plays 200th ‘A’ Grade Game
1962 A.Devine plays 200th ‘A’ Grade Game
1963 Ed.Mapperson plays 200th ‘A’ Grade Game “Stars of the game trophy”- N.Elder
1964 Old wooden change rooms burnt down.
1965 New brick change rooms built and officially opened
1968 Dennis Aspinal wins Frank Smith Medal – League ‘A’ Grade Best & Fairest Award
1969 Fifth Senior Premiership ( Capt B. Capuano Coach H. Mitchell Eltham 16.11 d Diamond Creek 10.12
1970 Sixth Senior Premiership Capt/Coach J. Walker “Stars of the game trophy”- Cliff Stewart
1971 Games transferred to Eltham Lower Park pending repair work to Central Park. B’ Grade Premiership Capt:A.Walker Coach G.Calverley
1972 Seventh Senior Premiership Capt: J. Newnham Coach R.SIocum Eltham 15.19 d Reservoir-Lakeside 11.11
1974 Eighth Senior Premiership Capt/Coach B.Massey Eltham 10.9 d Heidelberg 9.8 Jim Haines wins League ‘B’ Grade Best and Fairest Award B’ Grade Premiership Capt/Coach B.Driscoll, Under 15 Premiership DVFL Return to Central Park
1978 Under 12 Premiership DVFL , A grade “Stars of the game trophy”- Frank Traczewski
1980 Under 14 Premiership DVFL
1981 Social rooms officially opened. Under 14 Premiership WGL
1982 Ninth Senior Premiership (Div 2) Capt: W.Deards Coach H. Mann Eltham 15.13 d Macleod-Rosanna 14.8 A.McFarlane and Glen Irving (retrospective) win ‘A’ Grade Best & Fairest Div 2. Under 12 Premiership WGL Under 14 Premiership DVFL
1983 Under 12 Premiership WGL Under 14 Premiership WGL
1984 Under 16 Premiership DVFL Wayne Tesch 200 Open Age games
1986 Under 10 Premiership DVFL
1987 Ron Wilson- Leading Goalkicker (83) Div 2 Under 11 Premiership DVFL Under 10 Premiership DVFL
1988 Peter Shaw wins ‘B’Grade Best and Fairest Award (Div 2) Under 11 Premiership DVFL
1989 Tenth Senior Premiership ( Div 2) Capt; Andrew Russell Coach Peter Moore Eltham 18.11 d Epping 17.8
1990 Under 13 Premiership DVFL
1991 Under 15 Premiership DVFL
1992 Under 10 Premiership DVFL
1993 Under 11 Premiership DVFL Under 17 Premiership DVFL
1994 Under 11 Premiership DVFL Under 15 Premiership DVFL
1995 Eleventh Senior Premiership (Div 2) Capt: Paul Smith Coach: Grant Wilmot Eltham 10.14 d West Preston 10.10
1996 Under 11 Premiership DVFL Under 13 Premiership DVFL
1997 75 th Anniversary Celebration – Heidelberg Town Hall. Extension to social rooms, new canteen built
1997 Twelfth Senior Premiership (Div 2) Capt: Paul Smith Coach: Ray Spratt Eltham 13.9 d Mernda 7.13 Under 17 Premiership DVFL
1998 Under 15 Premiership DVFL Under 13 Premiership DVFL
1999 “Stars of the game trophy” Div 2 – Mark Minney
2000 Thirteenth Senior Premiership (Div 2) Capt: Mark Minney Coach: Garry Jessop Eltham 12.8 d Watsonia 8.6. B Grade Premiership Coach: Wayne Freeman. Under 17 Premiership DVFL Under 13 Premiership DVFL Under 12 Premiership DVFL
2002 Fourteenth Senior Premiership (Div 2) Capt: Craig McKay Coach: Wayne Freeman Eltham 12.9 d Mernda 7.17
2004 Under 17 Premiership DVFL Under 11 Premiership DVFL
2005 Under 12 Premiership DVFL Under 10 Premiership DVFL (Div 3)
2006 New home team change rooms opened. Record five DVFL Junior Premierships – Under 17 Premiership DVFL Under 14 Premiership DVFL Under 12 Premiership DVFL (Div 2) Under 11 Premiership DVFL Under 10 Premiership DVFL (Div 3) David Brown plays 200th A grade game
2007 Eltham Central Park resurfaced, ground unavailable for entire season. Eltham playing their home games at various other venues. Diamond Valley Football Leaque becomes the Northern Football League. Under 19 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 13 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 12 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1). Mark Minney plays 200th A grade game
2008 Club returns to Eltham Central Park. Under 13 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 12 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 2).
2009 Under 15 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 14 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 13 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1).
2010 Eltham Seniors first Division 1 finals appearance since 1977. Under 17 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 15 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1), Under 14 Premiership N.F.L. (Div 1).
2011 David Brown plays 300th Open Age game. Under 16 Premiership Div. 1, Under 14 Premiership Div 3
2012 Under 16 Premiership (Div 1), Under 13 Premiership (Div 2), Under 10 Premiership (Div 1)
2013 All three Senior Sides contested Divison 1 Finals Series. Under 10 Premiership (Div 4), Under 11 Premiership (Div 1), Under 17 Premiership (Div 1) and undefeated champions
2014 Under 11 Premiership (Div2), Under 12 Premiership (Div 3), Under 13 Premiership (Div 2), Under 17 Premiership (Div 2) Club fielded junior girls football sides for the first time. Lachie Richardson 200th A Grade Games
2015 Under 11 Blue Premiership
2016 Under 14 Blue, Under 12 Blue Premierships.
2017 Under 19 Premiership (Div1) Under 13 Blue, Under 12 Blue and Under 11 Blue Premierships.
2018 Senior Womens team competed for the first time. Under 13 Red Under 12 Red Premierships.
2019 Under 19 Premiership (Div1) Under 16 Girls Red and Under 11 Red Premierships
2020 . New change rooms and Social rooms renovations at Central Park completed. No season due Covid 19 restrictions
2021 Season cancelled prior to Finals (Covid) – Reserves (Div 2) awarded Minor Premiership for being on top of ladder at time of season cancellation. Under 17 Premiership, Under 13 Blue Premiership and Under 11 Blue Premiership
2022 Reserves Premiership (Div 2) Senior Women Premiership (Div 2) Matthew Williamson 200th Open Age game. Under 14 Blue Premiership
Other highlights:
Most no. ‘A’ Grade games at Eltham Football Club Haig Barrett (263)
Most no. ‘A’ Grade games as a player/umpire Eddie Mapperson (843).
Winner of VFL / AFL Brownlow Medal Peter Moore 1979, 1984