History

Beaconsfield Football Club

The Beaconsfield Football Club, nicknamed the Eagles or less formally Beacy, is an Australian rules football club in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL). It is based at Holm Park in the southern-eastern Melbourne suburb of Beaconsfield, Victoria.

Club Colours

In the initial match, the Beaconsfield team was referred to as the Yellow and Black men but there is no description or evidence of the jumper design. The 1909 team photo shows a number of the players wearing jumpers with a star in the centre and the team photo has the heading Beaconsfield Stars. A picture of young Beaconsfield footballers from the same era also shows them with jumpers with the star on them. The team photos from the 1920’s show the players wearing a dark jumper with a sash but the colours are unknown. In the 1931 team photo the players are in a tri-coloured striped jumper. In the late 1940’s the club jumper was a royal blue with a gold Vee, and by the premiership year of 1953 this had changed to a royal blue jumper with a yellow BFC monogram. It then became royal blue and gold vertical stripes in the mid 1950’s. The club changed to the Tiger’s black with gold sash in 1965 when Richmond made two sets available as part of a player transfer deal. This stayed as the uniform for the rest of the club’s time in the South West Gippsland FL. The uniform had to change again when entering the West Gippsland League in 1993 and the club reverted to the royal blue and gold vertical stripes. The most recent change occurred in 2000 with the Navy, Gold & White West Coast Eagles jumper being adopted.

AFLW Players

Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs)
Georgia Gee (Carlton)
Tylah Hanks (Melbourne)
Samantha Johnson (St Kilda & Melbourne)

Games Record

Troy Cashman is the club’s games record holder with 344 senior games, along with 4 Senior premierships (1999, 2001, 2003, 2004). He also shares the record of 5 Senior Best & Fairest with Peter Smith.

VFL/AFL Players

Austinn Jones (St Kilda)
Barry Allan (North Melbourne)
Michael McKenna (Richmond & Footscray)
Brandon White (St Kilda)
Chris Newman (Richmond)
Brendan Fevola (Carlton & Brisbane Lions)
Shane Tuck (Richmond)
Jake Aarts (Richmond)
Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs)

Our History

21 April 1890

BFC is born

On the 21 April 1890, at a public meeting held at Gissing’s Gippsland Hotel, Beaconsfield (now the Central Hotel), it was agreed to form a football club.

20 June 1890

First Game

The first game was played against Cranbourne. This was held at the Beaconsfield ground, located in the centre of the racetrack adjacent to the Gippsland Hotel on the Princes Highway. Cranbourne won that initial match 3.9 to 1.6 and the Beaconsfield team for that game was captained by Mr W Keating.

End Of 1890

Early Days

Beaconsfield then went on to play Berwick and Pakenham, and had return matches against these three clubs during 1890. The club did not win any of these “friendly” matches during this initial season. Details are very sketchy after this, but photos of Beaconsfield teams of 1909, 1926 & 1931 indicate that the club was competing during these early years playing in the Berwick Football Association and then the Beaconsfield & District Football Association.

1909

1909 Team Photo

The 1909 team photo shows a number of the players wearing jumpers with a star in the centre and the team photo has the heading Beaconsfield Stars. A picture of young Beaconsfield footballers from the same era also shows them with jumpers with the star on them. In the Thirties the club played in the Dandenong & District Football Association against clubs as far flung as Pakenham, Gembrook, Clayton, Ferntree Gully and Belgrave. At this time the club’s home ground was located just east of the Central Hotel with the racecourse bordering it.

1947

War Years

After a recess during the war years, the club reformed in 1947 as Officer-Beaconsfield, competing in the Dandenong & District Football Association. In 1948 it reverted to the Beaconsfield Football Club playing at Beaconsfield Recreation Reserve, later known as Perc Allison Oval.

1953

First Premiership

BFC achieved its first premiership in 1953 when it defeated Keysborough in the B Grade Grand Final under Captain-Coach Mick Mears

1954

Early Years

1954 Beaconsfield was a foundation member of the South West Gippsland Football League, along with Rythdale-Cardinia, Cranbourne, Berwick, Tooradin-Dalmore, Narre-Hallam and Officer. It is interesting to note that in the initial year, the season only lasted from 1st May to the Grand Final on September 4th and a membership ticket at Beaconsfield was 10s (ten shillings). Beaconsfield did not enjoy too much success in the 50’s and 60’s.

1974

Premiership 1974

Premierships were achieved in 1974, 1980 and 1981(all under the late legendary Coach Jim Read, a member of St Kilda’s only premiership). The club competed in 12 Senior final series over a 20 year period. Life Member Brian Southorn was a member of these three premierships, continuing the family tradition established by his father Dick Southorn, in the 1953 side.

1980

Premiership 1980

1980 SWGFL, They defeated Berwick in the grand final by 50 points

1981

Premiership 1981

Final score1981 SWGFL 10.13 (73) 13.12 (90)

1993

 West Gippsland Football League

In 1993 the club moved to the country atmosphere of the West Gippsland Football League and incorporated their U/15 & U/17 teams along with the revived Netball club into a busy family Saturday.

1999

Premiership 1999

The club enjoyed immediate success at Reserves and Junior team level but it had to wait until 1999 for their initial Senior premiership in West Gippsland under Coach Russell Rowe. Winning 16.11 107 to 9.10 64 against Tooradin.

2001

Premiership 2001

It was followed up with another Senior premiership in 2001 when coached by Leigh Clifford. The club also won five Reserves, three U/17’s & three U/15 premierships during this eight year period in the West Gippsland League.

2002

Mornington Peninsula Nepean League

A major VCFL restructure saw Beaconsfield join the Mornington Peninsula Nepean League in 2002

2003/2004

Premiership 2003/2004

Senior premierships were achieved in 2003/2004 under Leigh Clifford, as part of the Peninsula Division.

2006

Casey Cardinia Division

The club is now part of the Casey Cardinia Division which closely resembles the area and clubs covered under the former South West Gippsland League, and won its first premiership in that division with the U/18’s team in 2006.

2010

120th Anniversary Year

The senior team returned to the finals after a 4 year absence in 2010 under Coach Austinn Jones who returned to Beaconsfield after a stellar AFL career, and a successful stint coaching Narre Warren & Gippsland Power. The club celebrated its 120th anniversary year in style with the Seniors, Reserves & U/18’s all making the Grand Final. The U/18’s were the only winners on the day, capping off an unbeaten season.

2013

Holm Park Reserve

After 64 years at our home at Perc Allison Oval, the football club made the momentous move up the road to Holm Park Reserve in 2013, when state of the art facilities including 2 major ovals, enabled all of the club’s teams to share the one great venue. Having played a wonderful season, the Seniors made the Preliminary Final and the club was hounoured to host that match.

2014

Senior Premiership

The final year of the Casey-Cardinia FNL in 2014 saw Beaconsfield win its 9th Senior premiership against its first ever rivals in Cranbourne.

2015

South East Football Netball League

The club then became part of the inaugural South East Football Netball League in 2015 featuring 9 clubs,

2016

First Female Senior Team

In 2016 fielded a women’s senior football team that made the Grand Final in its first ever season.

2017

Premiership 2017

Our U/19’s managed back-to-back premierships and our Seniors finished fourth. Club great Scott Meyer achieved his fourth Senior Best & Fairest in a row while also taking out the League Best & Fairest (Norm Walker Medal) for the third time.

The 2017 season saw the Beaconsfield Women’s team premier in the South Eastern Division 2 competition,

2019

AFL Outer East FNL

Beaconsfield joined a new competition in 2019 known as AFL Outer East FNL. This comprised of 3 divisions made up of 7 teams from SEFNL and all 18 of the existing Yarra Valley MDFNL teams. Beaconsfield was in the Premier Division along with Berwick, Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Wandin, Woori Yallock, Epwey-Tecoma, Olinda-Ferny Creek and Healesville. Beaconsfield finished third with Narre Warren becoming the inaugural Premiers and our U/18’s (Thirds) lost its Grand Final to Berwick.

2023

Premiership 2023

Our Thirds team (U/19.5) provided the on-field highlight in taking out the Division One premiership for our first flag in the Eastern FNL.