Australian Football

Whittlesea

Whittlesea Football Club began life in 1904 and commenced its involvement in formal, organised competition the same year when it was a foundation member of the Whittlesea District Football Association. In 1906 it crossed to the Bourke Evelyn Football League where it would remain until 1932, claiming a total of four premierships during that time. The club won a Panton Hill and District Football League flag in 1932 and then embarked on an unsuccessful initial stint in the Diamond Valley Football League (precursor of today's Northern Football League) from 1934 to 1939.

The most successful phase in Whittlesea’s history was the forty season period between 1947 and 1986 when it lined up in the Panton Hill Football League. The club was particularly strong in the 1950s, which spawned four senior grade premierships. Further flags followed in 1960, 1973 and 1974.

Between 1987 and 1991 the club was a member of the Riddell District Football League. During this time it operated under the name of the Northern Eagles, and was successful in procuring a senior grade flag in second division in its debut season. The 1992 season saw the club returning to the Diamond Valley Football League and reverting to its original name of Whittlesea, whilst retaining the Eagles emblem. In 2007 the DVFL was replaced by the Northern Football League. To date, the Eagles have won three senior grade NFL flags, all in Division Two, in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The 2010 grand final saw Whittlesea down Lower Plenty by 14 points, 9.17 (71) to 9.3 (57). In 2013 the Eagles scored a 17.14 (116) to 14.13 (97) grand final triumph over Fitzroy Stars, and most recently, in 2015, they overcame Lalor in a thriller by 3 points, 14.13 (97) to 14.10 (94).

The 2016 season saw Whittlesea win 5 of their 18 home and away matches to end up in ninth place on the ten team Division One premiership ladder. A year later this result was precisely duplicated, with the Eagles avoiding the wooden spoon only on percentage. The stay of execution lasted just a single season as in 2018 the side won just twice in 18 starts to tumble to last place and, with it, relegation to Division Two.