CLUB HISTORY

The junior football club began its history in 1969 when it became separate to the senior club. The inaugural President was the late Jack Johnstone, who held the reins for 3 seasons. Prior to 1969, the senior Club was in control of the junior ranks. The juniors have always competed in the Dandenong & District Junior Football League which began in 1963. The Club has a celebrated and proud history which continues to this very day. The Club initially played home games at Dunblane Oval, but later moved to Ross Reserve, Memorial Drive where they have stayed until this day. The Club provides Teams in every age group from Under 9’s through to Under 16’s. The Under 15’s and Under 16’s were playing their home matches on the senior ground at Moodemere Street, but due to ground conditions, they were asked to find other accommodation which saw the teams’ go to Greaves Reserve in Dandenong West, home of the Dandenong Demons, a Southern Football League side. Now the older Age Groups play their games at Alex Nelson Reserve.

The Club has competed in 113 Grand Finals, winning 57 Premierships. There has been at least one team compete in a finals campaign every year since our inception, which is a good indication of the continuing strength of the Club. There have been 40 League Best & Fairest winners, 28 Runner’s-Up, 40 Third placings, 52 League Leading Goal kicker’s and 37 Best Conducted Club awards.

The Juniors have many celebrated names that have been involved with the Club at one time or another. David ‘Spanner’ Spence played his junior football at the Club, and then coached juniors before going on to coach the senior club into 3 Grand Finals of which 2 were successful campaigns. ‘Spanner’ was then appointed Coach of the Sydney Swans Reserve Grade team.

Peter Chandley, one of the most successful junior coaches the club has ever had, coached teams to 10 Grand Finals, winning 5 of them. Peter is a Life Member of both the Junior and Senior Clubs’. He coached at the Club for 13 years as well as being involved on the Committee including time as President.

There have been a number of players who have gone on to play in the VFL & AFL. Robert Bell, Michael Plant and Ray Jamieson played at South Melbourne. John Blair played at South Melbourne, Fitzroy and St.Kilda and later went on to win a Grogan Medal for the Best & Fairest in the Queensland Football League. Patrick Foy who started his junior career at Noble Park played at South Melbourne. Darren Bennett who played for West Coast Eagles and Melbourne then went on to play American football as a kicker. Rick Norman played for North Melbourne and the Brisbane Bears. David Neitz, the longest serving Captain of the Melbourne F.C. Brothers, Paul (South Melbourne, St.Kilda and Collingwood) and Tony Morwood (Sydney Swans). To add to this list we have Premiership players, Shane Morwood (Sydney Swans & Collingwood), Darren Millane (Collingwood), Steven Icke (North Melbourne & Melbourne) and the latest addition is Adam Ramanauskas (Essendon). In 2009, Shane Savage was drafted to the reigning Premiers, Hawthorn.

Another junior, Doug Ensor, kicked over 350 goals in 3 seasons including 208 in one year. He has been entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest number of goals kicked in a game of football by an individual when he kicked 60 of the team’s 69 goals in one match.

The Club has a proud history and continues to provide a game of football for over 160 children every year.

NOBLE PARK FOOTBALL
CLUB JUNIORS
is an affiliated club of:
Noble Park Football Social Club Ltd
46–56 Moodemere Street
Noble Park Vic 3174

03 9547 0455

Pictured on this page:
Unfurling of the U16s
Premiership Flag 2007