Woodville-West Torrens Football Club
Woodville-West Torrens Football Club is an Australian rules football club playing in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). The club was formed in 1990 from a merger of the neighbouring Woodville and West Torrens football clubs and played its inaugural game in 1991. Since 1993, the Eagles have played most of their home games at Woodville's home ground of Woodville Oval, having previously used Football Park.
| Woodville-West Torrens | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Names | ||
| Full name | Woodville-West Torrens Football Club | |
| Nickname(s) | Eagles | |
| 2023 season | ||
| Leading goalkicker | Connor Ballenden (29) | |
| Best and fairest | James Rowe | |
| Club details | ||
| Founded | 1991 | |
| Colours | Blue, green and gold | |
| Competition | South Australian National Football League | |
| President | Christine Williams | |
| Coach | Sam Jacobs from 2024 | |
| Captain(s) | Joseph Sinor | |
| Premierships | 5 (1993, 2006, 2011, 2020, 2021) | |
| Ground(s) | Woodville Oval (capacity: 15,000) | |
| Thebarton Oval (capacity: 15,000) | ||
| Uniforms | ||
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| Other information | ||
| Official website | wwtfc | |
History
West Torrens had competed in the SANFL since the 1895 SAFA season, when it was originally known as the Port Natives[1] (who wore Blue and Gold) and renamed to West Torrens for the 1897 SAFA season,[2] while Woodville entered the competition for 1964 SANFL season. However, a third western suburbs team in the competition West Adelaide proved too much to handle with both sides struggling on the field following Woodville's inception.
Heading into 1964, West Torrens had won four premierships in the previous forty seasons, and were a highly competitive club, regular finalists, and played off in 8 Grand Finals - the last one being the 1953 victory over Port Adelaide.
Woodville did not win a premiership or play in a grand final in their twenty-seven seasons (1964–90), usually being close to or on the bottom of the ladder. West Torrens were also dragged down to this level by the 1970s.
Whispers had grown throughout SA football circles that a merger would save these clubs throughout the 1980s.
In 1990, the imminent admission of the Adelaide Crows into the AFL placed both club's futures as separate entities in serious doubt: West Torrens was technically insolvent, with debts of $1.1 million, and while Woodville was financially viable, club officials realised that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the club to be competitive in the foreseeable future.
It was decided at the end of the season to merge the two sides to form the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles, effectively returning to how things were prior to 1964. The club would play their home games at Woodville's home ground, Woodville Oval, and use the West Torrens Eagle emblem. The new club proved immediately competitive, and won their first premiership in 1993.
In accepting the Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy for the first time for the Eagles, captain Peter Schwarz jubilantly proclaimed:
- "This is a very sweet moment – the end result of two clubs that made a lot of tough decisions three years ago. This is for Woodville and for West Torrens. Now we are one club."
The club colours of blue, gold and green incorporate the club colours of West Torrens (blue and gold) and Woodville (green and gold). The Eagle logo of the West Torrens Football Club was adopted as the official emblem of Woodville West Torrens. It was also agreed that blue would be the primary colour of the merged club.
It took 27 years, but order was finally restored for SANFL clubs in the western suburbs in 1991.
By 2018, the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club officially surpassed Woodville's total existence as it entered its 28th SANFL season, and interestingly, the club's on-field record read very similar to that of West Torrens prior to Woodville entering the competition in 1964.
Woodville-West Torrens entered a team in the SANFL Women's League in 2019 and, as of 2021 SANFL season, are the only club to have never won a wooden spoon
Premierships
After having merged only 3 years prior, Woodville-West Torrens claimed the Holy Grail of SANFL footy, The Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy, with a convincing 73-point victory over Norwood. It would, however, prove to be the Eagles only premiership success during 1994–2005 in which they lost 5 Grand Finals – 1994 to Port Adelaide and 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005 all to Central District. After losing yet another Grand Final to their arch-rivals in 2005, the Eagles bounced back and got their first premiership in 13 years, and after 6 attempts, with a thumping 76-point victory over the Bulldogs.
In 2011, the Eagles became the only club since the turn of the century to defeat Central District in two grand finals, with a thrilling 3-point win – 81 to 78 on 9 October 2011. The Eagles went in as the underdogs but coach Michael Godden (in only his second year with the team and in a senior coaching position) believed his Eagles could overcome the Dogs.
Ruckman Craig Parry was named the Jack Oatey Medalist for Best on Ground for 2011.
Godden became the third coach to win a Premiership for Woodville-West Torrens, following Bruce Winter (1993) and Ron Fuller (2006). He became the second to win one at his first attempt (Winter 1993).
The Eagles became the first side to win the Premiership from a Qualifying Final loss since Sturt did so in 1976, and the only club in the competition to have won Premierships in each of the last 3 decades.
In 2015 the Woodville West Torrens Football Club celebrated their 25th season in the SANFL, and dominated the competition in U/18s, Reserves and League, taking out each Minor Premiership (the only club to ever do so) dropping just 4 games across all 3 grades throughout the minor round season. The league team with a 16–2 record from their 18 games.
Each club progressed straight through to their respective Grand Finals, and the Reserves completed a remarkable undefeated season (first team to do so since West Torrens in 1919) to take out their 8th flag. Unfortunately, the League team were dealt with 3 major season-ending injuries in their 2nd semi-final victory, ripping out their engine room including Magarey Medal Runner-up and eventual 2015 Club Champion Angus Rowntree, as well as number 1 ruckman Marc Borholm and former Reserves Magarey Medalist Angus Poole.
It proved too much to cover for the Eagles in the Grand Final, falling short to West Adelaide by 30 points. The U/18s also lost their decider.
It was a bitterly disappointing end for Michael Godden and his men after a near-perfect season, cruelled by injury at the final hurdle.
The Jade Sheedy era and going back-to-back
Before the start of the 2020 SANFL season, the club hired a new coach: former Sturt premiership player and Magarey Medalist Jade Sheedy. In Sheedy's first year in charge, the club finished minor premiers and advanced to the 2020 SANFL Grand Final where the club overcame North Adelaide by 39 points to win their first premiership in 9 years. This was the first premiership against North Adelaide. West Torrens had previously played North Adelaide in the 1949 SANFL Grand Final.
During the 2021 SANFL season, the Eagles finished 2nd behind minor premiers Glenelg who had lost only one game all season. They defeated Glenelg in the 2021 SANFL Grand Final by a margin of 67 points to claim their 5th premiership and became only the second team all year to defeat Glenelg. In doing so, the club went back-to-back for the first time in their history. Not even West Torrens had managed the feat previously.
West Torrens won 4 Premierships pre-1991, in 1924, 1933, 1945 and 1953.
Player development
In 2011, a study commissioned by the AFL identified Woodville-West Torrens as the most effective developer of AFL talent in the country.[3] From 1998 to 2010, the Eagles had 19 selected at the AFL Draft.
Notable AFL Listed Players
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Club details
Club song
The Woodville-West Torrens Football Club song is called "We're the mighty flying Eagles" and is to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic
(Verse)
We're the mighty Eagles
And we always battle through
The mighty flying Eagles
Wearing Gold and Green and Blue
Sound the Siren, turn us loose
And watch the Feathers fly
And you'll see what we can do
(Chorus)
We're the mighty flying Eagles
We're the mighty flying Eagles
We're the mighty flying Eagles
In Gold and Green and Blue
(Home Run)
In Gold and Green and Blue
Coaches
- 1991–1992 – Neil Balme
- 1993–1997 – Bruce Winter *
- 1998–1999 – Mark Mickan
- 2000 – Paul Hamilton
- 2001–2009 – Ron Fuller *
- 2010-2018 – Michael Godden *
- 2019 - Sam Lonergan
- 2020 - Jade Sheedy *
italics current coach
* Premiership Coach
Captains
- 1991–1994 – Peter Schwarz *
- 1995–2000 – Andrew Rogers
- 2001–2006 – Gavin Colville
- 2007 – Justin Cicolella *
- 2008–2011 – Mark McKenzie *
- 2012-2014 – Luke Powell
- 2015–2019 - Patrick Giuffreda & Luke Thompson
- 2020 - Luke Thompson *
italics current captain
* Premiership Captain (Justin Cicolella was acting captain for the 2006 Premiership)
Current playing list
| Senior list | Coaching staff | ||||||||
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Head coach
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Honours
Club achievements
| Premierships | |||
| Competition | Level | Wins | Years Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANFL | Seniors | 5 | 1993, 2006, 2011, 2020, 2021 |
| Reserves | 9 | 1992, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020 | |
| Under 19s (1937–2008) | 3 | 1996, 1998, 2000 | |
| Under 17s (1939–2008) | 4 | 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000 | |
| Under 18s (2009–present) | 5 | 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021 | |
| Under 16s (2010–present) | 1 | 2022 | |
| Other titles and honours | |||
| Stanley H Lewis Trophy | Multiple | 7 | 1993, 2000, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 |
| SANFL Night Series | Senior | 2 | 1993, 1994 |
| Finishing positions | |||
| SANFL | Minor premiership | 8 | 1993, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 |
| Grand Finalists | 12 | 1993, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021 | |
| Wooden spoons | 0 | Nil | |
| SANFL Women's League | Minor premiership | 0 | Nil |
| Grand Finalists | 0 | Nil | |
| Wooden spoons | 1 | 2021 | |
League placings
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Magarey medallists
- 2021 – James Tsitas
Fos Williams medallists
Presented to best on ground for South Australia in a State match
- 2012 – Adam Grocke (representing South Australia vs Western Australia)
- 2023 – James Rowe (representing South Australia vs Western Australia)
Jack Oatey medallists
Presented to best on ground in an SANFL Grand Final
- 1993 – Steven Sziller
- 2006 – Hayden Skipworth
- 2011 – Craig Parry
- 2020 – Jordan Foote
- 2021 - Jack Hayes
Reserves Magarey medallists
- 1992 – Jason Sziller
- 1996 – Jason King
- 2003 – David Newett
- 2012 – Angus Poole
- 2015 – Matthew Appleton
- 2016 - Jake Comitogianni
Tomkins medallists (U/19s)
- 1997 – Adam O'Hara
- 1999 – Greg Chapman
- 2008 – Shane Harris
McCallum-Tomkins medallists (U/18s)
- 2013 – Paul Ventura
- 2018 - Kai Pudney
Bob Lee medallists
Presented to best on ground in an SANFL Reserves Grand Final
- 2001 – Brett O'Hara
- 2004 – Luke Spehr
- 2013 – Byron Sumner
- 2014 – Sam Martyn
- 2015 – Ethan Haylock
- 2020 – Mitch Mead
Alan Stewart medallists
Presented to best on ground in an SANFL U/18's Grand Final
- 2012 – Matthew Appelton
- 2013 – Malcolm Karpany
- 2018 - Jackson Mead
- 2019 - Michael Frederick
- 2021 - Adam D’Aloia
U16s Grand Final medal
Presented to best on ground in an SANFL U/16's Grand Final
- 2022 - Tom Luck
Ken Farmer medallists (SANFL Leading Goalkickers)
- Scott Morphett: 99 goals (1991)
- Mark Passador: 74 goals (2006)
- Michael Wundke: 63 goals (2014)
- James Rowe: 47 goals (2020)
- Daniel Menzel: 51 goals (2022)
Bob Quinn medalists
Presented to best on ground in an ANZAC Day match (Grand Final replay)
- 2005 – Luke Powell
- 2006 – Mark Passador
- 2016 – Jared Petrenko
- 2017 – Angus Poole
- 2021 – Sam Rowland
R.O. Shearman medalists
Presented to best SANFL player as voted by League coaches
- 2000 – Gavin Colville
- 2006 – Justin Cicolella
- 2016 – Jared Petrenko
- 2022 – Riley Knight
Best and fairest
- 1991 – Scott Morphett
- 1992 – Robert Pyman
- 1993 – Andrew Rogers
- 1994 – Jason Sziller
- 1995 – Andrew Rogers
- 1996 – Andrew Rogers
- 1997 – Steven Hall
- 1998 – Nick Pesch
- 1999 – Gavin Colville & Adam Pearce
- 2000 – Gavin Colville
- 2001 – Gavin Colville
- 2002 – Justin Cicolella
- 2003 – Justin Cicolella
- 2004 – Gavin Colville
- 2005 – Mark McKenzie
- 2006 – Mark McKenzie
- 2007 – Leigh Treeby
- 2008 – Mark McKenzie & Luke Powell
- 2009 – Mark McKenzie
- 2010 – Justin Cicolella
- 2011 – Mark McKenzie
- 2012 – Angus Rowntree
- 2013 – Phil Raymond
- 2014 – Scott Lewis
- 2015 - Angus Rowntree
- 2016 – Jared Petrenko
- 2017 - Joseph Sinor
- 2018 - James Boyd
- 2019 - Jordan Foote
- 2020 - Joseph Sinor
- 2021 - James Tsitas
- 2022 - Riley Knight
- 2023 - James Rowe
Life Governors
The highest individual honour that is bestowed by the club
- Bob Hank
- Lindsay Head
- Fred Bills
- Malcolm Blight
- Andrew Payze
- Andrew Rogers
- Bob Simunsen
- Ron Fuller
- Justin Cicolella
- Luke Powell
Club records
- South Australian Premiers: 9 – 1924, 1933, 1945, 1953, 1993, 2006, 2011, 2020, 2021
- South Australian Night Series Winners: 4 – 1983, 1988, 1993, 1994
- Home Ground(s): Woodville Oval (Maughan Thiem Kia Oval) (1992–present)
- Former Home Ground(s): Football Park (AAMI Stadium) (1991), Thebarton Oval (Adelaide Airport Stadium) (2012– 2014)
- Record Attendance: 42,719 v Norwood at Football Park, 1993 SANFL Grand Final
- Record Attendance Minor Round: 15,126 v Port Adelaide at Football Park, 1994 SANFL ANZAC Day
- Record Night Attendance at Thebarton Oval: 4,566 v Port Adelaide, Round 1, 2012
- Most Games: 266 by Justin Cicolella (1998–2012)
- Most Goals in a Season: 99 by Scott Morphett in 1991
- Most Goals for the Club: 312 by Mark Passador (2003–10)
- Most Goals in a Game: 12 by Andrew Taylor vs North Adelaide in 1994[4]
- Most Years as Coach: 9 by Michael Godden (2010–18)
- Most Premierships as Coach: 2 by Jade Sheedy (2020, 2021)
- Most Years as Captain: 8 by Luke Thompson (2015–22)
- Most Premierships as Captain: 2 by Luke Thompson (2020, 2021)
- Most Best & Fairest Awards: 5 by Mark McKenzie (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- SANFL Magarey Medallists: James Tsitas (2021)
- SANFL Ken Farmer Medallists: Scott Morphett (1991), Mark Passador (2006), Michael Wundke (2014), James Rowe (2020), Daniel Menzel (2022)
- Highest Score: 30.14 (194) v North Adelaide in 1994
- Longest Winning Run: 14 (1993–94 – last 7 games in 1993, first 7 games in 1994)
- Longest Winning Run in a Season: 12 (2004)
- Longest Losing Run: 8 (1997)
Home grounds
The Woodville-West Torrens Eagles first home ground was SANFL league headquarters Football Park in their inaugural season of 1991. In 1992 the new club moved permanently to the Woodville Oval (former home of the Woodville Warriors). Due to Woodville Oval also being the home of the Woodville Cricket Club who play in the South Australian Grade Cricket League, the Eagles use West Torrens' former home ground Thebarton Oval as their pre-season training base. Thebarton, which had lights installed for night games since the 1950s (the lights were upgraded in 2011–12), is occasionally used as an alternative playing venue for the club, with the team having played a handful of games at the venue since 2006.
- Football Park (AAMI Stadium) (1991)
- Woodville Oval (Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval) (1992—present)
- Thebarton Oval (Adelaide Airport Stadium) (2006—present)
References
- "27 Oct 1896 - FOOTBALL. - Trove". Advertiser. 27 October 1896.
- "20 Mar 1897 - FOOTBALL. - Trove". Advertiser. 20 March 1897.
- afl.com.au
- SANFL – History of the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club
External links
