North Albury Football Club
Encyclopedia
The North Albury Football Club, nicknamed The Hoppers, is an Australian rules football
club playing in the Ovens & Murray Football League
(O&MFL). They are incorporated as part of the North Albury Sports Club licensed club at Bunton Park in North Albury
, where they play their home matches. The club has won six O&MFL premierships. The Hoppers currently play in forest green guernseys with a gold vee and the "Hopper" logo on the right side. Previous guernsey designs included a dark green and gold design similar to the West Coast Eagles
' classic wingtip design (up to 2008) and a gold design with two dark green vees over the yoke. The club song is a version of "Join in the Chorus" with some words altered from the AFL Kangaroos
version.
. Bunton Park was established during the post-World War II
period in an area that was quickly becoming established with housing. Bunton Park is named after Cleaver Bunton
, long-time mayor of Albury
, rather than his famous footballing brother Haydn Bunton, although neither played for North Albury.
In the early 1980s the club was beset by financial difficulties causing it to fall in arrears in paying match payments to its players. In the meantime the club committee was endeavouring to establish a licensed club at its ground, which would allow it to serve alcohol outside of match times and house poker machines. With the establishment of the licensed club in 1984, the club's future in the O&MFL was secured.
A number of North Albury players have gone on to play in the VFL/AFL
, such as 1984 Morris Medallist Rudy Yonson
, who played a number of games with the Sydney Swans
, and most famously Brett Kirk
, who played with North Albury up to the 1998 season and then joined the rookie list of the Sydney Swans
on trial the following year, later being elevated to the main list and being an integral part of the Swans
' 2005 premiership-winning side.
North Albury traditionally play an Anzac Day
fixture against cross-town rivals, the Albury Tigers
, with the venue alternating between the two clubs.
Sooooo join in the chorus and sing it one and all, Join in the chorus, North Albury's on the ball. Good old North Albury, they're champions you'll agree, North Albury is the team to play to win for you and me HEY
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club playing in the Ovens & Murray Football League
Ovens & Murray Football League
The Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
(O&MFL). They are incorporated as part of the North Albury Sports Club licensed club at Bunton Park in North Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
, where they play their home matches. The club has won six O&MFL premierships. The Hoppers currently play in forest green guernseys with a gold vee and the "Hopper" logo on the right side. Previous guernsey designs included a dark green and gold design similar to the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
' classic wingtip design (up to 2008) and a gold design with two dark green vees over the yoke. The club song is a version of "Join in the Chorus" with some words altered from the AFL Kangaroos
Kangaroos Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
version.
History
The club was formed in the mid-1940s, and for the first few years of their existence played in the Chiltern & District Football League, then moved to the O&MFL in 1947. For a short time in the early 1950s they also played a reserves team in the Hume Football LeagueHume Football League
The Hume Football League is an Australian rules football competition in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, with clubs coming from a number of farming communities. Some players also come from the city of Albury, which is at the south of the area covered by the league...
. Bunton Park was established during the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
period in an area that was quickly becoming established with housing. Bunton Park is named after Cleaver Bunton
Cleaver Bunton
Cleaver Ernest Bunton AO OBE was a long serving Mayor of Albury, New South Wales, Australia, who came to national prominence in 1975 when he was controversially appointed to the Senate.-Early life:...
, long-time mayor of Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
, rather than his famous footballing brother Haydn Bunton, although neither played for North Albury.
In the early 1980s the club was beset by financial difficulties causing it to fall in arrears in paying match payments to its players. In the meantime the club committee was endeavouring to establish a licensed club at its ground, which would allow it to serve alcohol outside of match times and house poker machines. With the establishment of the licensed club in 1984, the club's future in the O&MFL was secured.
A number of North Albury players have gone on to play in the VFL/AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, such as 1984 Morris Medallist Rudy Yonson
Rudy Yonson
Rudy Yonson is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Sydney in the Victorian Football League .-Australian rules football career:...
, who played a number of games with the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, and most famously Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk is a former Australian rules football player of the Sydney Swans, and is known colloquially as "Kirky", "Captain Kirk", during the 2005 AFL Finals Series, "Captain Blood" and by teammates as "Hippy". Kirk is a hard working and onfield leader who has played in a premiership with the...
, who played with North Albury up to the 1998 season and then joined the rookie list of the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
on trial the following year, later being elevated to the main list and being an integral part of the Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
' 2005 premiership-winning side.
North Albury traditionally play an Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
fixture against cross-town rivals, the Albury Tigers
Albury Football Club
The Albury Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Ovens & Murray Football League.The club is based in Albury, New South Wales.Two Brownlow Medallists, Haydn Bunton senior and Denis Ryan, both started their career at Albury....
, with the venue alternating between the two clubs.
Premierships
- O&MFLOvens & Murray Football LeagueThe Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
: 1948, 1955, 1980, 1984, 1999, 2002. - Chiltern & District Football League: 1946.
Team song
Out we come, out we come, out we come to play hey Just for recreation's sake to pass the time away oh Lots of fun, heaps of fun, enjoy yourself today, North Albury boys are hard to beat, when they come out to play.Sooooo join in the chorus and sing it one and all, Join in the chorus, North Albury's on the ball. Good old North Albury, they're champions you'll agree, North Albury is the team to play to win for you and me HEY
See also
- Past and present North Albury Football Club players
Sources
- Johnston, David (20 May 2004). "Green and Gold didn't fold in '84" Border Mail
- Halloran, Jessica (10 September 2004) Never-give-up Kirk arrives The Melbourne Age