North Albany Football Club

North Albany Kangas
Full name North Albany Football Club
Nickname Kangas
Sport Australian rules football
Founded 1897
First season 1897
League Great Southern Football League
Home ground Collingwood Park, Albany
President Iian Woods[1]
Head coach Michael Mustey
Captain Graham Ross
Strip
Red with White V
Ray Kenney stand and shed at Collingwood Park

The North Albany Football and Sporting Club, more often referred to as North Albany, is an Australian rules football club located in Albany, Western Australia. Nicknamed the Kangas, the club play in the Great Southern Football League,[2] with home games being hosted at Collingwood Park.[3] Since being formed in 1897, netball and association football teams have played under banners of North Albany or Kangas.

Club History

On May 13, 1897 football players from the North Ward formed a club called the North Albany Football Club. Wearing the colours of red and blue, the side played their inaugural matches at the Parade Street Oval. In 1908, North Albany competed in Albany's first formal football competition. North Albany entered the history books after claiming the first Premiership. It was in this season that the club altered their colours, with the team wearing red and white hooped guernseys.

In the late 1930s, the North Albany Football Club enjoyed a period of success. From 1936 until 1939, the club won continual Premiership flags. The club competed in their fifth successive Grand Final in 1939, only to lose the encounter.

It wasn't until 1946 that the club altered their identity. This change came in the form of the club name, with 'Towns FC' being adopted as the new moniker. This title would be dropped in 1956, with North Albany resuming as the club's official name.

Football in the Albany region had a massive overhaul in 1958 with the formation of The Southern Districts National Football League. Nineteen years later, in 1977, the North Albany Football Club move into a new home at Collingwood Park. The following season, the 'Fighting Kangaroo' became the club mascot. The aesthetic reconfiguration of the Kangas was followed with success. Another period of sustained dominance started with North Albany's 1979 Southern Districts National Football League Grand Final. Despite losing the 1979 finale, the club would go on to compete in five straight Grand Finals, winning the 1980, 1982, and 1983 editions.

In 1991 the league had an overhaul. The new titled Great Southern Football League included teams from neighbouring townships. Clubs in the GSFL represented Katanning, Mount Barker, Tambellup and Denmark.

Alan Barnett, who had played for the club in 1972 and 1973 when injury prevented him from playing on, served as Club President from 1998 to 2007, when he was awarded life membership.[4]

After a period of dominance from cross-town rivals Royals, 2005 saw a resurgence for the Kangas. The club won four back-to-back Flags, ending a 22-year Premiership drought.

Russell Hare was President of the Club in 2007.[5]

Records and Achievements

Premierships

League: 25:

  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 1983
  • 1982
  • 1980
  • 1969
  • 1966
  • 1954
  • 1952
  • 1951
  • 1948
  • 1946
  • 1939
  • 1938
  • 1937
  • 1936
  • 1930
  • 1929
  • 1925
  • 1918
  • 1913
  • 1909
  • 1908

Reserves: 16:

  • 2010
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 1997
  • 1988
  • 1985
  • 1982
  • 1981
  • 1980
  • 1979
  • 1958
  • 1938
  • 1937
  • 1931

Colts: 23:

  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2006
  • 2003
  • 2002
  • 2001
  • 2000
  • 1999
  • 1998
  • 1996
  • 1990
  • 1989
  • 1988
  • 1987
  • 1986
  • 1983
  • 1981
  • 1980
  • 1979
  • 1969
  • 1925

Under 17's: 1:

  • 2011

League Club Fairest & Best

2015 Matt Orzel
2014 Declan Mountford
2013 Luke Cameron
2012 Brent Welshman
2011 Regan Lloyd
2010 Kris Ericsson
2009 Graham Ross
2008 Graham Ross,
2007 Graham Ross,
2006 Brett Hall,
2005 Scott McKenzie,
2004 Jono Woods,
2003 Brett Hall/ Jono Woods,
2002 Brett Hall,
2001 Brett Hall,
2000 Mat Bateman
1999 Boydan Coyne,
1998 Mat Bateman,
1997 Murray Gomm,
1996 Steve Deegan,
1995 Mick Mustey,
1994 Nathan Ashton,
1993 Jono Woods,
1992 Brad Hitchcock,
1991 Gerard Cameron,
1990 Jono Woods
1989 Ray Mountfield,
1988 Gerard Cameron,
1987 Rob Sutton,
1986 Andrew Partington,
1985 Rob Sutton,
1984 Keith Wynne,
1983 Brian Stamp,
1982 Keith Wynne,
1981 Keith Wynne,
1980 Kim Allsop
1979 Graeme Evans,
1978 Ollie Galante,
1977 Les Holt,
1976 Clive Bonney,
1975 Rod Gillies,
1974 Peter Stephen,
1973 Peter Stephen,
1972 Rod Gillies,
1971 Graham Wellington,
1970 Gary Adams
1969 Gary Adams,
1968 Peter Stephen,
1967 Peter Stephen,
1966 Peter Stephen,
1965 Len Edwards,
1964 Edward Thompson,
1963 Edward Thompson,
1962 Edward Thompson

Kleemann Medalists

 2013 Luke Cameron 
2010 Kris Ericsson[6]
2009 Graham Ross[7]
2006 Brett Hall[8]
2003 Brett Hall & Jono Woods
1995 Jono Woods
1986 Rob Sutton
1985 Rob Sutton
1984 Gerard Cameron
1980 Rob Sutton
1979 Peter Walsh
1967 Peter Stephen
1965 Ted Thompson
1964 Ted Thompson
1961 Ted Thompson
1960 Barry Loo

League Leading Goalkicker

2005 Doug Roberts (66)
1994 Troy Cox (71)
1980 Chris Elliot

Charlie Punch Medal (Reserves Fairest & Best)

2010 Adam Ditchburn & Jordan Willox
2009 Kael Sumich
2008 Mark Chambers
2006 Mark Chambers

Reserves Leading Goalkicker

2009 Boyden Coyne (27)

Rod Gillies Medal (Colts Fairest & Best)

2006 Jayden Woods
2004 Warwick Durack

AFL players

Former AFL players Tarkyn Lockyer (Collingwood) and Ryan Brabazon (Sydney), Jason Mandzij (Gold Coast) started their football careers playing for the Kangas.

Former AFL players Allen Daniels (Footscray & WA), Brad Wira (Footscray, Fremantle & WA), Brad Bootsma (Fremantle & WA) and Bill Shenfield (Fitzroy) have all played football in the red and white.

Jeremy McGovern was drafted by the West Coast Eagles in the 2011 rookie draft.[9]

WAFL players

Some significant WAFL players that have played at the North Albany Football Club include Ron Boucher[10] (Swan Districts & WA), Peter Stephen (East Fremantle & WA), Stuart Hillier (West Perth & WA), Ray Nott (Claremont & WA), Doug Roberts (Claremont) and Matt Orzel (Claremont).

Other notable players

Ex-player and club stalwart Braden Barber since exiting the club in 2011, Barber has gone on to coach the Belmont under 7s to three straight premierships and in the year 2015 was asked to join the illustrious ranks for the Dianella Dogs "C" grade third division Sunday League coaching squad When asked about how the North Albany football club help him achieve these dizzying heights, Barber responded with his usual class "I am a true servant of the game and will always look back on my time with the football club (North Albany) as my foundation years to move on to bigger and better things with teams like the Dogs (Sic) " Barber is now retired from all forms of the sport to spend more time on his greatest passion, Fly fishing

One time Kangas player and footballing nomad Trevor Sutton played in WA, SA, Qld, NSW, Victoria and North Territory, representing both Queensland and NSW at state level. In 1982, playing for Deniliquin in the Murray Football League (NSW) Sutton kicked 249 goals, an Australian record.[11]


Gordon Collis ex-Carlton player and Brownlow medalist coached the North Albany Football Club for two years, winning a Premiership in 1969.

AFL pre-season games

In 2003 the West Coast Eagles held a pre-season Community Camp in Albany, using Collingwood Park for training and practise games during their stay.

In 2008 Collingwood Park hosted a pre-season AFL game between West Coast and Collingwood, drawing a big crowd.[12]

The Collingwood Park Cricket Club, which calls Collingwood Park home, is a hugely successful club in the region winning many A Grade and B Grade premierships. In recent years the Collingwood Park CC A Grade has won titles in 2007-08,[13] 2006–07,[14] 2005-06[15] and 2003-04[16]

The newly formed North Albany Bears Soccer Club, made up of predominately NAFC players, won the Albany Soccer Association Trophy in its first year of competition.

References

Coordinates: 35°0′4.25″S 117°55′7.36″E / 35.0011806°S 117.9187111°E / -35.0011806; 117.9187111

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