Essendon

Team Details

Name: Essendon
Club: Essendon Football Club
Moniker: Bombers
Founding Year: 1872
Season(s): 1897-1915, 1918-2022
Former Name(s):
Home Ground(s): East Melbourne (1897-1915, 1918-1921), Windy Hill (1922-1991), MCG (1992-1999), Docklands Stadium (2000-2022)

Team Accolades

Premiership(s): 1897, 1901, 1911-1912, 1923-1924, 1942, 1946, 1949-1950, 1962, 1965, 1984-1985, 1993, 2000
Runner-Up(s): 1898, 1902, 1908, 1941, 1943, 1947-1948, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1983, 1990, 2001
Minor Premiership(s): 1898, 1911, 1923-1924, 1942, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1962, 1968, 1984-1985, 1990, 1993, 1999-2001
Brownlow Medallist(s): Dick Reynolds (1934, 1937-1938), Bill Hutchison (1952-1953), Graham Moss (1976), Gavin Wanganeen (1993), James Hird (1996)
Leading Goalkicker / Coleman Medallist(s): Albert Thurgood (1900), Fred Hiskins (1901), Greg Stockdale (1923), John Coleman (1949-1953), Ron Evans (1959-1960), Ted Fordham (1966), Matthew Lloyd (2000-2001, 2003)
Norm Smith Medallist(s): Bill Duckworth (1984), Simon Madden (1985), Michael Long (1993), James Hird (2000)
Leigh Matthews Trophy Winner(s): Terry Daniher (1983), Tim Watson (1989)
Jock McHale Medallist(s): Dick Reynolds (1950), John Coleman (1962, 1965), Kevin Sheedy (1984-1985, 1993, 2000)
Alex Jesaulenko (Mark of the Year) Medallist(s): Gary Moorcroft (2001), Matthew Lloyd (2008), Joe Daniher (2017)
Phil Manassa (Goal of the Year) Medallist(s): Matthew Lloyd (2007), Sam Draper (2022)
Rising Star Awardee(s): Dyson Heppell (2011), Andrew McGrath (2017)

Team History

Season Ladder Finals Performance Brownlow Leader(s)
1897 VFL Season 2nd Premiers
1898 VFL Season 1st Runners-Up
1899 VFL Season 4th Qualified for finals
1900 VFL Season 3rd Qualified for finals
1901 VFL Season 2nd Premiers
1902 VFL Season 2nd Runners-Up
1903 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals
1904 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Carlton (Semi Final)
1905 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Fitzroy (Semi Final)
1906 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Fitzroy (Semi Final)
1907 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals
1908 VFL Season 2nd Runners-Up
1909 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Carlton (Semi Final)
1910 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Collingwood (Semi Final)
1911 VFL Season 1st Premiers
1912 VFL Season 3rd Premiers
1913 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals
1914 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals
1915 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals
1918 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals
1919 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals
1920 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals
1921 VFL Season 9th Did not qualify for finals
1922 VFL Season 2nd Knocked out by Fitzroy (Preliminary Final)
1923 VFL Season 1st Premiers
1924 VFL Season 1st Premiers George Shorten (6)
1925 VFL Season 2nd Knocked out by Collingwood (Semi Final) Frank Maher (4)
1926 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Melbourne (Preliminary Final) Garnet Campbell (4)
1927 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Greg Stockdale (3)
1928 VFL Season 5th Did not qualify for finals Norm Beckton, Frank Nash (2)
1929 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Keith Forbes, Paddy Walsh (2)
1930 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Keith Forbes (3)
1931 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Howard Okey (11)
1932 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Howard Okey (8)
1933 VFL Season 12th Did not qualify for finals Bill Lowenthal (17)
1934 VFL Season 10th Did not qualify for finals Dick Reynolds (19)
1935 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Keith Forbes (17)
1936 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Dick Reynolds (15)
1937 VFL Season 10th Did not qualify for finals Dick Reynolds (27)
1938 VFL Season 7th Did not qualify for finals Dick Reynolds (18)
1939 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Dick Reynolds (19)
1940 VFL Season 3rd Knocked out by Melbourne (Preliminary Final) Hugh Torney (24)
1941 VFL Season 4th Runners-Up Wally Buttsworth (12)
1942 VFL Season 1st Premiers
1943 VFL Season 2nd Runners-Up
1944 VFL Season 3rd Knocked out by Richmond (Preliminary Final)
1945 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals
1946 VFL Season 1st Premiers Bill Pearson (13)
1947 VFL Season 2nd Runners-Up Bill Hutchison (13)
1948 VFL Season 1st Runners-Up Bill Hutchison (17)
1949 VFL Season 4th Premiers John Coleman (15)
1950 VFL Season 1st Premiers Bill Hutchison (15)
1951 VFL Season 3rd Runners-Up Bill Hutchison (16)
1952 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Bill Hutchison (21)
1953 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Footscray (Semi Final) Bill Hutchison (26)
1954 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals John Gill (14)
1955 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Geelong (Semi Final) Bill Hutchison (20)
1956 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Jack Clarke (10)
1957 VFL Season 2nd Runners-Up Jack Clarke (11)
1958 VFL Season 5th Did not qualify for finals Johnny Birt, Jack Clarke, Jeff Gamble (15)
1959 VFL Season 4th Runners-Up Hugh Mitchell (14)
1960 VFL Season 3rd Knocked out by Collingwood (Semi Final) Johnny Birt (10)
1961 VFL Season 7th Did not qualify for finals Johnny Birt (9)
1962 VFL Season 1st Premiers Ken Fraser (19)
1963 VFL Season 5th Did not qualify for finals Ken Fraser (13)
1964 VFL Season 3rd Knocked out by Geelong (Semi Final) Ken Fraser (19)
1965 VFL Season 4th Premiers Ken Fraser (16)
1966 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by St Kilda (Preliminary Final) Jack Clarke (8)
1967 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Johnny Birt (13)
1968 VFL Season 1st Runners-Up Barry Davis (14)
1969 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Barry Davis (18)
1970 VFL Season 11th Did not qualify for finals Barry Davis, Paul Sproule (7)
1971 VFL Season 11th Did not qualify for finals Barry Davis (18)
1972 VFL Season 5th Knocked out by St Kilda (Elimination Final) John Williams (18)
1973 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by St Kilda (Elimination Final) Graham Moss (25)
1974 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Graham Moss (12)
1975 VFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Graham Moss (18)
1976 VFL Season 10th Did not qualify for finals Graham Moss (48)
1977 VFL Season 9th Did not qualify for finals Simon Madden (25)
1978 VFL Season 10th Did not qualify for finals Ken Fletcher (8)
1979 VFL Season 5th Knocked out by Fitzroy (Elimination Final) Terry Daniher (13)
1980 VFL Season 7th Did not qualify for finals Merv Neagle (20)
1981 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by Fitzroy (Elimination Final) Merv Neagle (15)
1982 VFL Season 4th Knocked out by North Melbourne (Elimination Final) Tony Buhagiar (14)
1983 VFL Season 4th Runners-Up Simon Madden (22)
1984 VFL Season 1st Premiers Simon Madden (14)
1985 VFL Season 1st Premiers Tim Watson (15)
1986 VFL Season 5th Knocked out by Fitzroy (Elimination Final) Glenn Hawker (15)
1987 VFL Season 9th Did not qualify for finals Leon Baker (7)
1988 VFL Season 6th Did not qualify for finals Simon Madden (16)
1989 VFL Season 2nd Knocked out by Geelong (Preliminary Final) Tim Watson (16)
1990 AFL Season 1st Runners-Up Greg Anderson, Darren Bewick (13)
1991 AFL Season 6th Knocked out by Melbourne (Elimination Final) Alan Ezard (9)
1992 AFL Season 8th Did not qualify for finals Derek Kickett (13)
1993 AFL Season 1st Premiers Gavin Wanganeen (18)
1994 AFL Season 10th Did not qualify for finals Sean Denham (9)
1995 AFL Season 4th Knocked out by Richmond (Semi Final) Michael Long (16)
1996 AFL Season 6th Knocked out by Sydney (Preliminary Final) James Hird (21)
1997 AFL Season 14th Did not qualify for finals Matthew Lloyd (7)
1998 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by North Melbourne (Qualifying Final) Damien Hardwick (9)
1999 AFL Season 1st Knocked out by Carlton (Preliminary Final) Mark Mercuri (22)
2000 AFL Season 1st Premiers James Hird (16)
2001 AFL Season 1st Runners-Up Jason Johnson (16)
2002 AFL Season 5th Knocked out by Port Adelaide (Semi Final) Jason Johnson (9)
2003 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by Port Adelaide (Semi Final) James Hird (19)
2004 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by Geelong (Semi Final) Adam McPhee (12)
2005 AFL Season 13th Did not qualify for finals James Hird (8)
2006 AFL Season 15th Did not qualify for finals Scott Lucas, Brent Stanton (7)
2007 AFL Season 12th Did not qualify for finals Scott Lucas (11)
2008 AFL Season 12th Did not qualify for finals Mark McVeigh (13)
2009 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by Adelaide (Elimination Final) Jobe Watson, Jason Winderlich (10)
2010 AFL Season 14th Did not qualify for finals Jobe Watson (16)
2011 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by Carlton (Elimination Final) Jobe Watson (15)
2012 AFL Season 11th Did not qualify for finals Jobe Watson (30)
2013 AFL Season 9th Did not qualify for finals Jobe Watson (17)
2014 AFL Season 7th Knocked out by North Melbourne (Elimination Final) Dyson Heppell (14)
2015 AFL Season 15th Did not qualify for finals Dyson Heppell (10)
2016 AFL Season 18th Did not qualify for finals Zach Merrett (19)
2017 AFL Season 7th Knocked out by Sydney (Elimination Final) Zach Merrett (15)
2018 AFL Season 11th Did not qualify for finals Dyson Heppell (13)
2019 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by West Coast (Elimination Final) Zach Merrett (16)
2020 AFL Season 13th Did not qualify for finals Zach Merrett (13)
2021 AFL Season 8th Knocked out by Western Bulldogs (Elimination Final) Darcy Parish (26)
2022 AFL Season 15th Did not qualify for finals Zach Merrett (17)