The Sandy Bay Football Club was an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

club based in Sandy Bay, Tasmania. The team participated in the Tasmanian Football League from 1945 to 1997.

Club history

The club was founded in November 1944 as a result of a meeting called by the late Bill Barwick at Wrest Point Riviera (now

Wrest Point Casino The Wrest Point Hotel Casino is a casino in Tasmania. It was Australia's first legal casino, opening in the suburb of Sandy Bay in Hobart, on 10 February 1973. History Historically, Dunkley's Point was a camping ground held by the semi-nomadic ...

). With World War II in its final stages it became clear that some former TANFL clubs would not survive and as a result, the League's Constitution was amended to provide for district football. In 1945 four clubs, Sandy Bay, North Hobart, New Town and Hobart, took part in the revamped competition. Sandy Bay adopted the colours of Royal Blue and White, the playing jumper was Royal Blue and White with a white seagull on the breast. This was used by the club between 1945–1966 and from 1967 onwards, the club wore a Blue and White vertical striped playing jumper. Sandy Bay was given permission by the Hobart City Council to use Queenborough Oval in Sandy Bay as its home ground and a weatherboard changeroom was erected on the site of where the Graeme Mackey Stand and Pavilion would be built twenty years later. Sandy Bay's emblem was the Seagull, generally thought to be named after all the seagulls that hung around the waterfront suburb where the club was located. Sandy Bay participated in the Tasmanian Football League with a strong degree of success in its first three decades in the competition, participating in fifteen TFL Grand Finals between 1945–1978 (including eight consecutive Grand Finals from 1971–1978) and winning the Tasmanian State Premiership twice in 1946 and 1971. But after losing the 1979 TANFL Preliminary Final by 19 points to Clarence, the club's era of dominance was over. Another problem looming for Sandy Bay was that during their remarkable period of sustained success during the 1970s, the demographic of their area had begun to change to a more upmarket occupancy and as a result, their supporter base withered away badly during this time. Home games at Queenborough Oval reflected this trend where their average home attendances had fallen from a 3,823-average in

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of X (''Extrem ...

to just a 995-average by

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

. It was during this time that the Hobart Mercury and other sports commentators began to headlines calls for the club to vacate Queenborough Oval and relocate to either the North Hobart Oval or into the Kingborough region, south of Hobart. Despite improving attendances at home in 1981 and 1982, the Seagulls made the move to North Hobart Oval in 1983, where they played all of their home fixtures at the ground. Buoyed by increased attendances, the club made it all the way to the Preliminary Final, where it suffered a 53-point loss to New Norfolk. But the success of the 1983 season proved to be mirage, as the club sunk back down the ladder, struggling for attendances. With the beginning of the new TFL Statewide League competition in 1986, the Seagulls made a permanent return to Queenborough, and with solid home crowds, the club had a brilliant season. At one stage the Seaguls won 13 matches in succession under Andy Bennett, leading them into their first Grand Final since 1978. But the Seagulls juggernaut stopped in spectacular fashion on Grand Final day, where they trailed badly all day en route to a 32-point defeat at the hands of Glenorchy. From 1987 onwards, it was a case of doom and gloom for the struggling Seagulls. Their supporter base was continuing to fall and the club was struggling financially, despite a strong finish to the

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...

season, in which they made it to the First Semi Final and held a 38-point lead early in the match before being overrun by eventual premier,

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

by 33 points. The bottom fell out of the club only eighteen months later. During the 1992 season, Sandy Bay required an immediate cash injection of $70,000 in the middle of the season in order to keep the club afloat until the end of the season. A 'Save The Bay' campaign was hastily organised and charity matches took place in order to raise funds for what was now an ailing club. After various TFL and media-driven merger attempts over a number of years, the Bay moved back to North Hobart Oval in 1994, when the club made its last finals appearance. After finishing second on the ladder during the roster season, they would make it to the Preliminary Final, but the club suffered from a dreadful start to the match and despite a second half rally, ultimately bowed out to New Norfolk by 26-points. From 1995 the Seagulls battled on as more merger attempts were foist upon them, but no more success came its way. In 1997, president Bill Sorell, announced that the club would be wound up at the completion of the season. The Seagulls final home match at Queenborough took place on Sunday, 27 July 1997, when they hosted Glenorchy. Sandy Bay were beaten convincingly by 101-points. Three weeks later it would be all over for the Sandy Bay Football Club, their final match taking place at Bellerive Oval on 16 August 1997, when they suffered a 76-point defeat to

Clarence Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a loca ...

amid emotional scenes and a standing ovation from the crowd as they left the ground for the final time. A short time later, the club was wound up and closed down.

Summary

* Home ground – Queenborough Oval & North Hobart Oval * Established – 1945 * Playing colours – Blue & White * Emblem – Seagulls * Club theme song – "Seagulls, Seagulls, that's our name!" (Tune: "

California Here I Come "California, Here I Come" is a song interpolated in the Broadway musical ''Bombo'', starring Al Jolson. The song was written by Bud DeSylva, Joseph Meyer, and Jolson. Jolson recorded the song on January 17, 1924, with Isham Jones' Orchestra, ...

") * Motto – "The Game Above All" * Affiliations – TANFL & TFL Statewide League (1945–1997) * Total matches played – 1,037 (522–502–13) * includes 12 matches played in State Preliminary Finals, State Grand Finals and Winfield Statewide Cup (5–7–0)

Statistics

Club record games holder

* 315 – Bob Lahey

Record home attendance

* 7,976 – Sandy Bay v

North Hobart North Hobart is a suburb of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. As its name suggests, it lies directly north of the CBD. The main street of North Hobart is Elizabeth Street, which extends northward from the Elizabeth Street Mall in the ...

at North Hobart Oval on 19 April 1965 * 6,070 – Sandy Bay v Glenorchy at Queenborough Oval on 9 May 1964

Record match attendance

* 20,775 – Sandy Bay v New Norfolk at North Hobart Oval on 12 September 1964 ( 1964 TANFL Grand Final)

Club record score

* 30.12 (192) v Launceston 9.14 (68) at North Hobart Oval on 21 August 1994.

Honours

Club

* Tasmanian Football League ** Premierships (8): 1946, 1952, 1964, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978 ** ''Runners-Up (8)'': 1945, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1986 * Tasmanian State Premierships (2): 1946, 1971

Individual

Medal winners: William Leitch Medalists * 1946 – Ernie Pilkington * 1950 – Bill Smart * 1953 –

Terry Cashion Terence Robert Cashion (7 April 1921 – 8 October 2011) was an award-winning Australian rules footballer from Tasmania who played numerous representative matches for the state and also played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football Leag ...

* 1956 – Bob Lewis * 1959 – Murray Steele (Tied) * 1963 –

Geoff Whitton Geoff Whitton (born 1 February 1942) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Early career Whitton played his early football at Tasmanian club Sandy Bay and he won a William Leit ...

* 1969 – Roger Steele * 1970 – Roger Steele * 1971 –

Rodney Olsson Rodney Stuart Olsson (born 23 April 1942) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who played with Hawthorn in the VFL during the 1960s. Olsson was a ruck-rover for Hawthorn but when he started his career he played as a half forward ...

* 1973 –

* 1982 –

Tony Martyn Tony Martyn (born 9 March 1957) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL), Port Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and with TANFL club Sandy Bay. He ...

* 1983 –

* 1986 – Andy Bennett * 1988 –

Michael Seddon Michael Seddon (born 13 May 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the early 1980s. Recruited from Tasmanian Football League club Sandy Bay, Sedd ...

(Tied) * 1995 – Geoff Wiggins (Tied) George Watt Medal winners * 1947 – A.Neil Clarke * 1950 – R.Toulmin * 1951 – R.Toulmin * 1961 – B.Beckett * 1969 – L.Pilkington * 1976 – John Mundy * 1978 – Henri Pastoor * 1986 – Craig Randall & Mark Radford. V. A. Geard Medal winners * 1975 –

* 1980 – Alistair Davies * 1982 – Peter Sherwood * 1983 – Robert Newton * 1985 – Sam Synnott D. R. Plaister Medal winners * 1987 – Paul Burnell Lefroy Medal winners * 1954 – Gordon Bowman * 1959 – Rex Geard * 1971 – Kerry Doran * 1981 – Chris Saunders * 1982 –

Competition leading goalkickers

TANFL & TFL Statewide League Leading Goalkickers: * 1947 – Lance Collins – (50) * 1948 – Ian Westell – (57) * 1950 – Ian Westell – (83) * 1952 – Ian Westell – (66) * 1954 – Ian Westell – (68) * 1955 – Ian Westell – (88) * 1969 –

Brent Palfreyman Brent Avis Hardcastle Palfreyman (born 20 January 1945) is a former Australian first-class cricketer who played for Tasmania. He was born at Hobart in 1945. Palfreyman never played Sheffield Shield cricket, his six first-class appearances all c ...

– (51) * 1970 –

– (67) * 1973 – Rod Adams – (96)

Sandy Bay Football Club: Senior Coaches

*1945: Jack Rogers *1946:

Lance Collins Lance Kitchener Collins (19 June 1916 – 3 January 1988) was a leading Australian rules footballer of the 1940s, playing for Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Born in Beulah, Victoria, Collins joined Victori ...

*1947:

*1948: Ernie Pilkington *1949: Ernie Pilkington *1950: Jack Rogers *1951:

Bert Lucas Albert William Leslie "Bert" Lucas (3 April 1922 – 21 February 1988) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton and South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Lucas had his early career interrupted by the war b ...

*1952: Gordon Bowman *1953: Gordon Bowman *1954: Gordon Bowman *1955: Gordon Bowman *1956: Gordon Bowman *1957: Gordon Bowman *1958: Gordon Bowman *1959:

*1960:

*1961:

*1962:

Stan Booth Stan Booth (3 December 1933 – 30 August 2007) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1950s. Booth was a rover and often rested on the half forward flank, contributing ove ...

*1963: Rex Geard *1966: Rex Geard *1967: Ray Giblett *1968: Ray Giblett *1969: Ray Giblett *1970:

*1971:

*1972:

*1973:

*1974:

*1975:

*1976:

Paul Sproule Paul Sproule (born 16 December 1944) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club and Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL), as well as for the Hobart Football Club and Sandy Bay Foot ...

*1977:

*1978:

*1979: Graeme Mackey *1980: Graeme Mackey *1981: Graeme Mackey *1982: Gary Linton *1983:

*1984:

*1985: Tim Maxwell *1986: Andy Bennett *1987: Andy Bennett *1988: Andy Bennett *1989: Shane Williams *1990: Shane Williams &

*1991: Paul Jeffrey *1992: Paul Jeffrey *1993: Chris Fagan *1994: Chris Fagan *1995: Michael Hibberd & L.Spaulding *1996: Lance Spaulding *1997: Troy Clarke

Bibliography

Club profile at Fullpointsfooty.net
*''Football: The People's Game'' by B. T. 'Buck' Anderton (2004)

References

{{TFL clubs Australian rules football clubs in Tasmania Australian rules football clubs established in 1944 Australian rules football clubs disestablished in 1997 1944 establishments in Australia 1997 disestablishments in Australia Sport in Hobart Tasmanian Football League clubs Sandy Bay, Hobart