Heidelberg Football Club

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 1880s prior to the Richmond Football Club being formed. H

eidelberg 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 before transferring to the Northern Suburban Football League. The club was a founding member of Heidelberg District Football League in 1909 before transferring to the fledgling Diamond Valley Football League in 1923.

Heidelberg’s dominance of the DVFL led to the club moving temporarily to VFL Sub-Districts League in 1925 whilst still successfully fielding a team in the DVFL (known as Heidelberg Juniors at the time).

The club returned exclusively to the DVFL in 1930 and has remained in this league since with considerable success whilst the Junior club now resides in the YJFL. The Club has won a total 27 senior premierships including a record 19 in the Northern Football League, the first being in 1890, and the most recent in 2009.

The original home ground was at Heidelberg Park, but after a recess during World War II, the club moved across Beverley Road to Warringal Park in 1946 where they have remained ever since.

The club’s darkest hour came at the end of the 1980 season when it was announced that the bottom four clubs of that season would be relegated to the newly formed Division 2. Heidelberg having finished 13th (third last) was demoted to second division for the 1981 season. After three seasons in Division 2 the club earned promotion with a breakthrough Grand Final victory over Northcote Park in 1983 under new coach Mick Sullivan.

The match was played in terrible conditions at Diamond Creek however the Tiger’s snuck home by 7 points in the end to clutch the club’s first Premiership since 1964 albeit in Division 2.

After two respectable years in 1984/85 the club went on to achieve success in the top flight in 1986 and became the first club to win a Premiership after gaining promotion from second division.

Four years later in 1990 and again under the leadership of playing coach Mick Sullivan Heidelberg upset Bundoora in the Grand Final to secure its 14th DVFL flag.

Following the club’s celebrated 1990 Premiership the club went through a hard period on the field and at times during the mid 90’s was fighting for Division 1 survival. The retirements of some of the club’s greatest players from the mid to late 80’s and early 90’s left a huge hole in the club’s playing stocks but to the credit of the playing group and committee Heidelberg survived relegation.

The late 90’s and early 2000’s was truly the beginning of what was the ultimate “rebuilding phase” for the Heidelberg Football Club. The Tiger’s made a handful of finals appearances during this time and were unlucky never to have reached the Grand Final.

Finally, in 2004 after 14 years of tireless work the club secured that elusive senior Premiership. A young captain by the name of Blair Harvey in his third year at the club led the Tigers to a comprehensive 52-point victory over Bundoora played out in miserable conditions at Epping.