Our Club

Our Club

Our Club 

North Hobart is a very proud club, rich in history and one of the most famous football clubs in Australia. 

Founded in 1881 we are also one of the oldest and, with 28 premierships, are the second-most successful football club in a city-based football competition in Australia, behind only the Port Adelaide Magpies. 

We are Tasmania’s most successful football club. 

Also, over 55 North Hobart players have gone on to play in the VFL/AFL. 

The club has been home to greats of the game such as Alan Rait, Jack Dunn, Roy Cazaly, Jack Metherall, Darrel Eaton, John Leedham, Noel Reid, John Devine, Des Graham, Peter Jones, Mark Yeats, Darryn Perry, Paul Williams and Daryn Cresswell. 

The club has been successful in securing $1.26 million in funding from the state and federal governments and AFL Tasmania to upgrade infrastructure at the ground.
 

These upgrades include: 

• A new kiosk and cool room to replace the old 1962 kiosk on theRydges Hotel wing side of the ground; 
• A roof over the wet area on that side of the ground and that area turned into a terraced standing area;
• A new AFL-compliant coaches and media box to replace the current early 1980s coaches and media box;

Work will be completed in January 2020 and will be first used at the ground for the AFLW match between the North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos and the Adelaide Crows on March 7. 

History

In 2005, North Hobart was the first club inducted into the AFL Tasmania Hall of Fame as a Great Club.

North Hobart has won the most association and state premierships in 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, 1992 and 2003.
15 state premierships: 1914, 1920, 1923, 1929, 1936, 1939-41, 1945, 1961, 1969, 1987, 1989 and 1991 and 92.

North Hobart has played in a total of 45 association grand finals, including 15 consecutively between 1928-41 and 1945.

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, Brendon Bolton.

A total of six players/coaches from the North Hobart Football Club have been included in the Tasmanian Team of the Century:

– 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 in 1953 the first Tasmanian selected in an 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 306 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 goals – Alan Rait 689.

Most goals in a match – Rob Devine (15)

Most games: 341- Rob Devine.

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’.

With seconds to go in this epic match at West Park Burnie and North Hobart a point down, North Hobart Full-Forward David ‘Dickie’ Collins marked the ball at the top of the ten-yard square just before the final siren.

Before he could take his kick for what would have been a certain goal, the Wynyard supporters swarmed onto the ground and pulled out the goal posts.

After much debate the match was eventually called a no-match but not before it made national and international headlines.

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

NORTH HOBART 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.