ABOUT THE TOWNS AND OUR HISTORY

The Edwardstown Football Clubs history travels that back over 100 years, since our establishment in the Edwardstown area in 1919 to give the young men and return soldiers a place to gather, join the friendship that come with a local club and the competitive drive needed to play Australian Rules football.

 

Over the journey the Edwardstown FC has experience the highs and lows of local football, the Club has always strived to play in the Premier Competition available in South Australia, from the early days in Glenelg South through to the very strong and successful SAFA days where games were televised on Channel 7 on Sunday afternoon direct from the Edwardstown Memorial Oval. In recent years the senior teams have been playing in the Southern Football League before making the return to the largest competition in South Australia, the South Australian Adelaide Football League & SANFL Juniors.

 

We pride ourselves as an Inclusive and Family First Club. Teaching and developing the skills involved in Aussie Rules Football for all levels, plus life skills by living by our core values: Respect, Teamwork, Integrity, Contribution & Family, here at Edwardstown we call it ‘True Blue’.

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We offer the local and surrounding communities something for the whole family, a place to come, feel valued and enjoy time with people from all walks of life. We welcome all and we value everyone equally. this includes players, parents, families, sponsors and supporters, once you join the Edwardstown Football Club you are part of the Edwardstown Family.

 

At Edwardstown we offer a clear pathway for players and families to become involved, from the age of 5 ‘Young Townies’ through to senior football and beyond as volunteers and supporters. Players progress through the junior teams at Edwardstown Football Club onto senior football with a few being invited to higher levels at SANFL. Over the years we have had numerus Edwardstown Football Club players progress onto SANFL programs with Grace McNicol recently being our first player to reach the highest level of SANFLW, playing League for West Adelaide Football Club.

 

Edwardstown FC players drafted to the AFL

Players once in the SANFL may progress to AFL through the AFL draft. We boast an impressive list of players after playing all or the majority of their junior football at Edwardstown FC, who have gone onto play at the highest level. We are a leader in SA for the developing Junior footballers.

 

• Jordan Russell (2004 / West Adelaide / Carlton)

• Sean Rusling (2004 / West Adelaide / Collingwood)

• Adam Hartlett (2004 / West Adelaide / Carlton)

• Danyle Pearce (2004 / Sturt / Port Power)

• Hamish Hartlett (2008 / West Adelaide / Power Power)

• Matthew Martin (2008 / West Adelaide / Port Power)

• Tyson Slattery (2008 / West Adelaide / Essendon)

• Jack Carter (2009 / West Adelaide / Collingwood)

• Justin Bollenhagen (2011 / West Adelaide / Fremantle)

• Zac Bates (2013 / West Adelaide / Geelong)

• Caleb Daniel (2014 / South Adelaide / West Bulldogs)

• Izak Rankine (2018 / West Adelaide/ Gold Coast)

• Phoenix Spicer (2022 / South Adelaide / North Melbourne)

 

Edwardstown FC Premierships

We remind ourselves of the achievements and of the people who have helped to build a great Football Club at Edwardstown, which speak volumes of the tenacity, support and dedication, which players, officials and supporters have contributed over the years. 

At the end of 2021 we have achieved:

• 19 - A-Grade Premierships

• 12 - Reserves Premierships

• 12 - C-Grade Premierships

• 4 - D-Grade Premierships

• 6 - Women’s Premierships

• 33 - Junior Premierships

 

This record is regarded as one of the best in South Australian Football.

 

Edwardstown has grown significantly over the past 100 years to proudly include girls and women’s football.  The great thing about our club is how inclusive we are.  We warmly welcome everyone regardless of their ability, gender, nationality, age, background or beliefs.

 

Coach Jack Ryan

In the year 1931, the late Jack Ryan offered his services for free, and so, became the first official Club Coach. Previously, any coaching conducted in the Club was carried out by the duly elected Practice Captain and Vice Captain, who were not necessarily the same leaders on competition match days.

 

Jack Ryan, who was the most notable of EFC coaches, coached for twelve years during a period from 1931 to 1943, gained six Premierships, five of which were in consecutive years – 1939 to 1943.

 

Since that time, twenty-seven further notable coaches have trodden the well-worn path, some to bathe in glory and others that gave their utmost in their quest for the elusive Premiership. Current Club Coach Damian Salievic is also our most recent A-Grade Premiership Captain.

 

Early Formative Years

The late Stan Hancock 1962 - 1963 and again 1971 - 1972, Peter Haysman 1976 - 1979 and Ron Ingham 1986 - 1989 and 1992, all coached over four seasons or more, tasting Premiership glory in one or more years.

 

The late Errol Sterzl, the late Laurie Rusby, Neil McCann, the late Trevor Churchett, Lindsay Backman, John O’Connor, the late Ron Ingham and Mathew Dent, were all successful Premiership Coaches. The jovial late Bob Warsap 1949 - 1960, which was the longest serving Secretary with eleven years, and Treasurer for twelve years, was a great Administrator and helped initiate your present Annual Report.

 

Vic Wright 1921- 1936 served a broken period of nine years as Secretary/Treasurer and almost single handedly managed the Club’s affairs during those early formative years.

 

The late Gordon Ruxton, Lindsay Cliff and Doug Lavender were all diligent secretaries in football administration, both at Club and Association level.

 

Colin Baker and Mort Daly

The late Colin Barker served eighteen years as Chairman of the Management Committee 1939 - 1956, whilst our longest serving President was the late Mort Daly 1944 - 1956, a period of thirteen years.

 

During the last eighty years, 106 Club Life Memberships and 36 Playing Life Memberships have been awarded with the worthy recipients qualifying either as a player, or official, with at least ten or more years service to the Club.

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From Humble Beginnings to Modern Times

From our first Club’s Best and Fairest winner in Alby Blancard (now deceased), to our latest Kane Mulvaney, the Club has a proud record of fostering the beginnings of many a league career.

 

Since 2004, 13 EFC players have been drafted into the AFL. The standard of our players has become quite evident in fact that during the last twenty-five seasons Edwardstown has had fifteen players who have won Association Medals for their outstanding ability on the playing fields, and of note was the late W. K. Dunn who started with Edwardstown and then went on to win a Magarey Medal for the Sturt Football Club in 1933.

 

On the Administration side, we have progressed rapidly form the old Management Committee, to the current Board of Directors, who are now charged with the responsibility of administering a football business, turning over many thousands of dollars each financial year. From the days of the old tin shed, which stood near the main gate and spilled its cold soapy waters from the showers to run west down Nelson Street, to the Voluntary Sunday morning brigade of players and supporters who made hundreds of cement blocks to build subsequent more modern Clubrooms – until today we have a modern complex to be so justly proud of.

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In concluding this brief coverage of the Club’s history down through the years, it is well that we remember the good times had at the old smoke socials, the smokey old chop nights in the old clubrooms, the many football trips, and the joys and sorrows felt on Grand Final Days. In recent years, the Club has opened its door to incorporate other sporting Clubs. In 1984, the Edwardstown Football Golf Club was formed to give past and present players and members a Golf Club within the Football Club. South Road Cricket Club has and continues to use the clubrooms. In 1992 an Edwardstown Football Club Women's team was started and has competed with great success winning five Premierships in their short history.

 

This built up tradition, and so brought maturity to a club in which so many local people have been involved, and have felt proud satisfaction of having been a part of the over 100 Years at the Edwardstown Football Club.

 

If you would like to become one of our esteemed sponsors, please contact us via the button below, thank you.

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