North Hobart Football Club was founded in 1885 and has played at the highest level in Tasmania since 1895 when it became a member of the senior TFL competition. Along the journey it has become the most successful Tasmanian club and an institution in the northern suburbs of Hobart. Many great Tasmanian and Australian footballers have called North Hobart Football Club home.
ACHIEVEMENTS
> North Hobart has won the most association and state premierships in club football in Tasmania:
– 28 association premierships: 1902, 1905, 1908, 1914, 1920, 1923, 1928-29, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1938-41, 1945, 1947, 1957, 1961-62, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1987, 1989, 1991-92 and 2002.
– 15 state premierships: 1914, 1920, 1923, 1929, 1936, 1939-41, 1945, 1961, 1969, 1987, 1989 and 1991-92.
> North Hobart has played in a total of 45 association grand finals, including 15 consecutively between 1928-41 and 1945.
> A total of 39 Tasmanian players who have played senior VFL/AFL football have also played with North Hobart Football Club, including: Horrie Brain, Percy Jory, Horrie Mason, Garnie Goodrick, Jim Dalton, Stan Ryan, Clyde Beattie, Alan Rait, Len Pye, Len Powell, Cliff Taylor, Tom Calder, Ted Collis, Max Davidson, Ray McVilly, Trevor Best, Peter Jones, Jim Wright, Denis Scanlon, Tony Pickett, Leigh McConnon, Peter Johnston, Shane Williams, James Manson, John McCarthy, Brett Stephens, Bob Jones, Darren Davies, Bradley Plain, Simon Minton-Connell, Jody Arnol, Chris Bond, David Noble, Mark McQueen, Romano Negri, Paul Williams, Paul Atkins, Daryn Cresswell, James Cook.
Other achievements of the club have been:
> All Australians: John Leedham and Daryn Cresswell.
> Association ‘best and fairest’ medals: Len Pye x 3, Sam Sproule, Len Powell, Max Abbott, Noel Reid, Michael Hawkins, Darryn Perry, Michael Maple.
> Leading goalkickers:
– TFL top goalkickers: G. Somers (13) 1896; A. Walton (18) 1903; T. Mills (15) 1905 and (13) 1906; W. Lee (14) 1907; G. Cook (24) 1908; S. Russell (26) 1914; W. Jack (25) 1920; L. Stevens (26) 1923; A. Rait (92) 1929, (112) 1930, (85) 1931, (102) 1932, (84) 1935, (98) 1936 and (62) 1937; T. Richardson (75) 1938; J. Metherell (61) 1939, (69) 1940 and (64) 1941; E. Collis (54) 1945; N. Clarke (51) 1956, (69) 1957 and (74) 1961; P. Cooper (45) 1958; D. Collins (77) 1962 and (58) 1967; B. Stephens (92) 1982; B. Howard (90) 1992, (104) 1995 and (70) 1997
– SFL top goalkickers: R. Devine (102) 2001 and (60) 2002.
> A total of six players/coaches from the North Hobart Football Club have been included in the Tasmanian Team of the Century, including:
– Roy Cazaly: coach (captain/coach of NH in 1932 premiership and 1933).
– John Leedham: vice captain (captain/coach of NH 1954–1959 including 1957 premiership and first Tasmanian selected in All Australian team).
– Peter Jones: 249 games for Carlton including four premierships and 1973 ‘best and fairest’ winner. Jones also coached Carlton for one year.
– Len Pye: three times TFL senior ‘best and fairest’ winner (1932, 1937 and 1938), four club ‘best and fairest’ awards and five premiership teams.
– Daryn Cresswell: a member of the NH 1991 premiership team under the coaching of Mark Yeates, who played in excess of 200 games for the Sydney Swans including winning the club’s 1994 champion player award and being selected in the 1997 AFL All Australian team for 1997.
– Paul Williams: drafted by Collingwood from North Hobart in the 1990 draft, he played in excess of 250 AFL games with both Collingwood and the Sydney Swans including winning dual ‘best and fairest’ awards with the Swans.
– Both Daryn Cresswell and Paul Williams played their junior football with the North Hobart Junior Football Club.
> Highest score: 37.24 (246) vs. South Launceston 2.5 (17) in 1991.
> Most games: 265 by Don McLeod.
> Record finals attendance: 19,425 for the 1969 grand final at North Hobart Oval: North Hobart 19.15 (129) vs. Clarence 17.15 (117).
MEMORABLE GAMES
TFL State Grand Final 1987, North Hobart Oval
North Hobart’s first premiership in the statewide league.
North Hobart 2.4 13.7 20.16 23.20 (158)
Glenorchy 5.4 10.6 12.8 16.10 (106)
GOALS – North Hobart: P. Hardman (7), S. McQueen (5), B. Plain (4), D. Perry (3), R. Christensen, D. Davies, N. Noye, M. Maple. Glenorchy: D. Pearce (6), A. Lovell (3), M. Styles (2), R. Curley (2), King, D. Ling, C. Riley.
BEST – North Hobart: P. Hardman, R. Christensen, D. Guley, D. Davies, J. Elmer, D. Perry, S. McQueen, M. Maple, C. Sutton. Glenorchy: R. Curley, G. Linton, D. Pearce, A. Lovell, S. Grace, A. Fletcher.
Umpires: G. Dawson, M.Kelly
Attendance: 17,094
Gate: $84,725
State Grand Final 1967, West Park, Burnie
Famous goal post-game led to the declaration of ‘no match’.
North Hobart 3.8 5.11 11.17 12.19 (91)
Wynyard 1.1 9.7 10.9 13.14 (92)
GOALS – North Hobart: J. Devine (5), D. Graham (2), G. Dwyer, D. Collins, T. Woolley, I. Mills, M. Arnold. Wynyard: A. West (6), D. Templar (2), L. Clarke, D. Atkins, K. King, J. Coughlan, K. Murfet.
BEST – North Hobart: J. Devine, D. Graham, I. Mills, G. Brakey, R. Smith, K. Deayton, M. Hawkins, R. Bennett. Wynyard: P. Dell, L. Clarke, D. Cox, A. West, K. King, A. Wilson, J. Neal.
Umpire: J. Pilgrim
Attendance: 8,289
Gate: $4,676
State Grand Final 1969, York Park, Launceston
Largest ever state final winning margin.
North Hobart 4.3 10.11 16.15 26.20 (176)
Launceston 2.3 3.6 3.12 6.13 (49)
GOALS – North Hobart: B. Smith (5), J. Wright (5), French (4), Arnold (3), G. Dwyer (3), Marshall (2), J. Devine, D. Graham, D. Keats, Herbert. Launceston: G. Tuthill (3), Leham (2), K. Coates.
BEST – North Hobart: J. Wright, G. Dwyer, M. Hawkins, D. Graham, B. Smith, Roberts. Launceston: B. Withers, Clemons, Rowbottom, Howell, A. Dunn, Wise.
Umpire: I. Batt
Attendance: 10,371
Gate: $6,172
TEAM OF THE CENTURY
Announced August, 2000:
Ray Bailey, Matthew Brereton, Hector Brooks, Roy Cazaly (assistant coach), Noel Clarke, Jim Dalton, Garry Davidson (assistant coach), John Devine (captain), Jack Dunn (co vice-captain), Darrel Eaton, Albert Goggins, Des Graham, Peter Jones, John Leedham (co vice-captain), Peter Marquis, Don McLeod, Jack Metherell (coach), Colin Moore, John Noble, Darryn Perry, Leonard Powell, Leonard Pye, Vern Rae, Alan Rait, Noel Reid, Stan Ryan.
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