Castlemaine Football Club

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Castlemaine
Names
Full nameCastlemaine Football Netball Club[1]
NicknameMagpies
2025 season
After finalsN/A
Home-and-away season7th (3 wins/7 losses)
Leading goalkickerMichael Hartley (17)
Best and fairestBailey Henderson
Club details
Founded1859 (1859)
Colours    Black and White
CompetitionBendigo Football League (BFL)
CoachBailey Henderson
PremiershipsBFL: 4 (1926, 1952, 1992, 2000)
GroundCamp Reserve, Castlemaine (capacity: 7,000)
Uniforms
Home
Other information
Official websitecastlemainefnc.com.au

The Castlemaine Football Netball Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia and is currently a member of the Bendigo Football League.

The club is notable for several reasons. Formed in 1859, it is the second oldest documented football club in Australia after the Melbourne Football Club and it has produced many notable Australian rules footballers.

History

Foundation

The first recorded football match on the Camp Reserve was in September 1855 between a team of Army soldiers and a team of goldminers.[2] The "Castlemaine Football Club" was formed on 15 June 1859 at the Supreme Court Hotel, Castlemaine and chaired by T Butterworth with reference from an article in the Castlemaine Mail newspaper[3] Castlemaine played its first match on 22 June 1859 on the Cricket Ground Barkers Creek.[4]

Records for the foundation date was discovered in 2007 which rewrote history; as many had previously believed that the Geelong Football Club had been formed earlier.[5]

Competition

The club was formed in an era before codified rules organised competition, but according to some sources, including Graeme Atkinson, "football" was popular in the goldfields region; and, without a league to participate in, the club was an irregular competitor during its first decade.

Timeline

Uniform

The original uniform was a white cap with royal-blue Maltese cross.

1925

In 1925, Castlemaine joined the Bendigo Football League, coached by the West Australian champion Phil Matson, Castlemaine made the 1925 Grand Final, but lost to South Bendigo by 14 Points: 7.12 (54) to 6.4 (40).[9][10][11][12]

Tragedy

In June 1953, Castlemaine footballer, Ian Brown accidentally received a knock to his head in an inter-league match between Bendigo Football League and Ballarat Football League and died in the Ballarat Hospital the following day.[13]

Football Premierships

Seniors

Bendigo Football League

  • 1926 - Castlemaine: 13.18 - 96 d Sandhurst: 8.16 - 64[22]
  • 1952 - Castlemaine: 15.9 - 99 v Sandhurst: 9.16 - 70[23][24][25]
  • 1992 - Castlemaine: 14.13 - 97 d Golden Square: 14.8 - 92
  • 2000 - Castlemaine: 12.11 - 83 d Kangaroo Flat: 9.17 - 71
Reserves
  • 1956, 1981, 1996,
Thirds
  • 1960, 1965,

Alumni

Castlemaine players in the VFL/AFL

The following 47 footballers played with Castlemaine FC, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or were drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut. Not 100 percent sure if Jack Titus actually played with Castlemaine FC.

Percy Bentley
Jack Titus
Ron Barassi Senior
Dustin Martin
PlayerVFL/AFL ClubsVFL/AFL CareerNotes/References
Arthur CumminsCarlton1897
John EverardEssendon1905
Bill SewartEssendon1905-151911 & 1912 VFL Premierships
Len BoweEssendon1907-151911 & 1912 VFL Premierships
Bill JohnsonEssendon, Carlton1907-121908 VFL Grand Finalist
Norm OliverCollingwood1909-111910 VFL Premiership
Gil EbbottSt Kilda1911
Victor JacksonCollingwood1912
Bob CurtayneSt Kilda1920-21
Frank GleesonSt Kilda1920
Percy BentleyRichmond, Carlton1925–401932, 1934 VFL Premierships
Jack TitusRichmond1926–431932, 1934 VFL Premierships
Jack FincherRichmond, Footscray1927-331927-28-29 VFL Grand Finalist
Bert SmedleySt Kilda1928-29
Harry CrapperMelbourne1930–31
Norm McPhersonSouth Melbourne1931-2
Matt CarlandEssendon, Footscray1932 & 38
Les BogieFootscray1934-36
David WilkieEssendon1934
Ron Barassi, Sr.Melbourne1936–401940 VFL Premiership
Ron McCannCollingwood19361936 Stawell Gift winner[26]
Darrell WilkinsSt Kilda1936
Jack ShowellSt Kilda1936-38
Arthur SangerCarlton1938-471945 VFL Premiership
Fred BurgeRichmond1942-501942 & 1944 VFL Grand Finalist
Bert HarperEssendon1943-521946 & 1950 VFL Premierships
Ray BowerRichmond, Essendon1944-47
Jeff PattersonSouth Melbourne1951-54
Vin WilliamsFitzroy1952-59
Graham MinihanSt Kilda1953–59
Bud AnnandSt Kilda1956–62
Brian McMillanRichmond1962–641962 VFL Night Premiership
Kevin DelmenicoFootscray1966–70
Robert ThompsonEssendon1968–711968 VFL Reserves Premiership
Peter HallCarlton1971
Peter FyffeCarlton1970–73
Mark CrossFootscray1974
Warren JonesCarlton, St Kilda1978–851982 VFL Premiership
Lazar VidovicSt Kilda1989–97
Rod KeoghMelbourne, St Kilda1990–981997 AFL Grand Finalist
Adrian BassettCarlton1990-92
Paul StarbuckSydney, Carlton1990
Steven OliverCarlton1992–94
Tom KavanaghMelbourne, Fitzroy1993–94
Heath CulpittCarlton1999–2001
Dustin MartinRichmond2010–242017, 2019, 2020 AFL Premierships
Kane FarrellPort Adelaide2018-

References

  1. "Current details for ABN 89 082 492 568". abr.business.gov.au. Australian Government. November 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  2. "1855 - FOOTBALL". Trove Newspapers. Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 28 September 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  3. "Castlemaine Football Club starts 150th celebrations". 15 June 2009.
  4. Mt Alexander Mail, June 1859
  5. Real Footy
  6. R H Beckett. "1934 - How she was played". The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954). p. 30. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  7. "1931 - Castlemaine Preparations". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954). 4 April 1931. p. 54. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  8. "1931 - SIX CLUBS IN NEW ASSOCIATION Football Competition For Midlands". The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956). 13 February 1931. p. 30. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  9. Country Matches: Bendigo Grand Final: South Bendigo Win Premiership, The Age, (Monday, 5 October 1925), p.7.
  10. Bendigo Matches: South Bendigo Premiers, The Argus, (Monday, 5 October 1925), p.17.
  11. 'Half-Forward', "In the Presence of 12,000 Spectators, South Bendigo Win Premiership of Bendigo League", The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 10 October 1925), p.88.
  12. Bendigo League Premiership Won by South Bendigo, The Australasian, (Saturday, 10 October 1925), p.37.
  13. "1953 - CASTLEMAINE FOOTBALLER KILLED AT BALLARAT". The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954; 1998 - 2002). 29 June 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  14. "1895 - SPOR.TING NOTES: FOOTBALL". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 14 September 1895. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  15. "1897 - Football". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 13 September 1897. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  16. "1915 - Grand Final won by Castlemaine". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 30 August 1915. p. 1. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  17. "1915 - Football Notes". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 3 September 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  18. "1904 - Football". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 1 September 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  19. "1904 - PREMIERSHIP LIST". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 1 September 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  20. "1904 - Football". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 31 August 1904. p. 2. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  21. "1909 - FOOTBALL; - WEDNESDAY ASSOCIATION. CENTRALS V. CASTLEMAINE". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 19 August 1909. p. 1. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  22. "1926 - At Their Second Attempt, Castlemaine Win Bendigo Football League Premiership". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954). 9 October 1926. p. 68. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  23. "1952 - £2070 Gate At B.F.L. Grand Final". The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954; 1998 - 2002). 29 September 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  24. "1952 - CASTLEMAINE BENDIGO FLAG". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954). 27 September 1952. p. 10. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  25. "1952 - 'Maine In Grand Final". The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954; 1998 - 2002) 'Maine In Grand Final. 15 September 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  26. "1936 - CASTLEMAINE FOOTBALLER WINS STAWELL GIFT". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954). 18 April 1936. p. 68. Retrieved 19 August 2025.