The Wandsworth Demons are an Australian Rules Football club who play in the AFL London competition (formerly the British Australian Rules Football League). They are a founding member of the league and have been based at Clapham Common in south London since 1990.
They are one of two clubs that field sides in each of the 5 divisions; Men's Premiership, Conference and Social, and Women's Premiership and Conference. Wandsworth are one of the most successful sides in the Premiership with nine flags whilst the reserves grade side, the Clapham Demons, started playing in the Premiership in 1999 and were a founding member of the Conference in 2001. The South London Demons began in the Social Division in 2007, winning the inaugural flag. In 2014 the Demons were the first club to announce a ladies team for 2015 and in 2017 were among first clubs to introduce a second women's team for the newly created Women's Conference division.
History London, January 1990. Ex Nth Melb U19s/Reserves player (late '70s), Steve Poulsen was pronounced the first coach/manager of the Wandsworth FC by fellow BARFL committee man, a co founder of BARFL John Jelley (journalist). Fellow Tasmanian Craig Stephens (a solicitor), responded to an invite from Poulsen (BARFL/London Hawks) to attend the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair. Concentrating on the London Hawks, LH co founder Poulsen decided to hand Stephens an extensive players list and the job of club manager & the club was born. Stephens then held the first training session with Sean Angle on 14 Feb '90. The club won the first inaugural Grand Final, beating Earl's Court by just two points.
As the league was formed on the basis of promoting Australian Football overseas, not just as a recreational outlet for itinerant travellers, BARFL rules stipulated that 50% of the team had to be British. The club now fields the highest number of players picked from the London league to represent their country in the Great Britain Bulldogs.
With the number of Australians looking to play in London increasing, in 1998 Martin Tunley and Sam Percy devised the idea of starting a second team, the Clapham Demons. The West London Wildcats followed suit in 2000, and the year after that the rules for the London Conference division were forged. North London, Wimbledon and the Gryphons subsequently entered second sides as well. In 2001 the Demons and Wildcats fielded three teams for the season.
Club Evolution
In 2003 the club grew into a multi-sports outfit. The Demonettes began playing netball, and a basketball team started as well. The netball club has grown into a fully sufficient outfit with its own committee.
In 2007, Sam Percy as AFL London President encouraged clubs to each try to field a third side, and the London Social grade began, with the South London Demons winning the first flag. This grade started with thirds sides from the big clubs in London, the seconds of Wimbledon, and teams from further afield such as Bristol, Reading, and Nottingham. It has since been joined by South East London Giants.
In 2014 the Demons announced a women's team, with Wimbledon Hawks, South East London Giants and North London Lions following suit. In 2015 the women's team won the inaugural women's league after finishing the season top of the ladder.
In 2015 The Wandsworth Demons added a fourth team to their playing line-up, joining the inaugural AFL London women's league. The Wandsworth Demons women were minor premiers and premiers in their first season. And in 2017 The Wandsworth Demons were the first club in London to add a second women's team and help form the Women's Conference division, making Wandsworth Demons the only five team club in AFL London. In 2017 both women's teams played in the grand final with the Premiership women winning the 2017 season.
Recent History / Success
In 2023, the Demons won all three men's competitions for the first time, receiving flags in the Premiership, Conference and Social competitions.
The senior men's team has never missed finals. The senior men have played in 24 Grand Finals, winning ten of them. They won the premierships in 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2023.
The women's premiership side have won the Women's League three times, in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Club Jumper and Song
For the majority of the 1990s Wandsworth wore the jumpers of the Melbourne Demons club from the AFL and these were replaced with the club's own design in the early 2000s, a jumper based on a pre-season cup jumper of the WAFL side the Perth Demons.
Their club song is sung to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Honour Board Club Executive Year President Vice President Treasurer Secretary 1990 C.Stephens A.Palmer R.Dilger R.Officer 1991 A.Palmer B.Neubauer L.Pybus J.Elliot 1992 X.Smith B.Neubauer 1993 B.Neubauer A.Lance/R.Dilger S.Walch 1994 S.Morgan C.Millar S.Walch F.Beattie/C.Shadbolt 1995 K.Schubert C.Shadbolt 1996 K.Schubert T.Cheshire L.Kay 1997 T.Cheshire C.Watson L.Kay 1998 C.Watson M.Maynard M.Tunley L.Kay 1999 A.Tunley L.Kay L.Kay 2000 M.Tunley S.Percy M.Adams C.Black 2001 S.Percy S.Hams I.Mobbs C.Black 2002 S.Hams J.Cumming I.Mobbs C.Black 2003 J.Cumming I.Mobbs A.Tome B.Edwards 2004 I.Mobbs B.Edwards B.Hugo R.Burgess 2005 I.Mobbs B.Edwards B.Hugo H.McGowan 2006 S.Percy M.Taylor B.Hugo T.Taseff 2007M.Taylor J.Holloway D.Lumley B.Lee 2008 M.Wallace B.Nash S.Percy G.Gilgallon 2009 M.Wallace B.Nash S.Percy G.Gilgallon 2010 B.Nash T.Donovan S.Percy M.McPartland 2011 M.McPartland E.EllisS.Percy T.Donovan 2012 M.McPartlandA.Crook S.Percy N.Collins 2013M.McPartland R.Colling S.Percy A.DeIacovo 2014 A.DeIacovo B.Nash M.McPartland J.Pearson 2015 J.Perrett M.Gates/K.O'Brien S.Percy D.Burnham 2016 J.PerrettD.Burnham S.PercyM.Casalbuono 2017 J.Perrett X.Holland/B.Valenzisi S.Percy M.Casalbuono 2018 X. Holland B.Valenzisi/S.Martin S.Percy C. Jones 2019 X.Holland C.Geoghegen/P.Lodge B.Schreiner L.Ewington 2020 X.Holland P.Lodge/D.Jordan B.Schreiner L.Ewington 2021 X.Holland D.Radis/P.Lodge A.Lonsdale L.Ewington2022 D.Radis J.Manley/L.Ewington A.Lonsdale V.Jaffer2023 D.Radis R.Leumann/C.Daniel A.Lonsdale A.Leonard2024D.RadisN.de Gorter/C.DanielA.Lonsdale/J.KirkbrideE.Palmer
Men's Premiership Year Position CoachCaptainBest and Fairest 1990 1st S.Angle 1991 2nd S.Morgan D.Hoyle 1992 1st S.Morgan 1993 3rd K.Schubert 1994 3rd P.Currie 1995 1st P.Nolan 1996 3rd P.McCulloch 1997 1st M.Woods 1998 2nd M.Adams 1999 1st M.Tunley 2000 2nd J.Cumming 2001 4th R.Leary 2002 3rd D.Posterino 2003 1st B.Lewis 2004 3rd B.Lewis 2005 3rd B.Speers 2006 3rd J.Holloway 2007 2nd G.Hoskins 2008 3rd G.Hoskins 2009 2nd G.Gilgallon 2010 1st M.Thomas 2011 2nd R.Colling 2012 2nd J.Browne 2013 4th C.Wilson/J.Perrett 2014 2nd C.Wilson 2015 C.WilsonT.Georgiou 2016 2nd F.Caldow G Rouse C.Perry 2017 1st A.Walsh/F.Caldow G.Rouse S.Drake 2018 1st F.Caldow/G.Rouse A.Jeffrey J.Pollard 2019 2nd F.Caldow/S.Milne A Jeffrey B.Irving 2020 N/A N/AN/AN/A 2021 3rd M.CorsoA.CoeA.Coe2022 M.CorsoJ.NoskeJ.Rolfe2023 1st C.CurtisJ.Noske/J.RolfeB.Irving2024C.CurtisB.Irving
Men's Conference Year Position CoachCaptainBest and Fairest 2001 3rd J.CummingJ.Toohey 2002 3rd J.Cumming 2003 2nd G.McQueen 2004 3rd J.Holloway 2005 2nd J.HollowayD.Lumley 2006 2nd G.HoskinsD.Lumley 2007 2nd D.Lumley/J.CoombeR.Ravani 2008 2nd J.Coombe/M/MeehanL.Fehring 2009 1st J.CoombeT.Edmunds/J.Stormont 2010 2nd R.CollingS.Bates 2011 2nd R.CurryB.Clohesy 2012 3rd R.CollingS.Freeling 2013 3rd M.AshtonM.Ashton 2014 2nd J.DianoA.Jeffery/M.Thompson 2015 H.Wilson 2016 A.Walsh/M.PitmanM.Skelly 2017 A.WhiteM.Skelly 2018 A.WhiteH.PearceR.Chester 2019 A.WhiteH.PearceH.Ennis 2020 N/A N/AN/AN/A 2021 J.MedwinD.Gray2022 N/A R.McBrideD.GrayT.Eastick2023 1st N.de GorterC.ArmstrongT.Maslen/I.Kirby2024C.Armstrong/J.BachI.Smith Men's Social's Year Position CoachCaptainBest and Fairest 2015 1st C.HoareT.WebsterM.Brescacin 2016 1st T.DonovanT.WebsterM.Brescacin 2017 1st T.DonovanT.UnittM.Brescacin 2018 1st R.WrightT.UnittM.Brescacin 2019 1st E.KennyT.UnittM.Brescacin 2020 N/A N/AN/AN/A 2021 2nd X.Holland/D.RadisH.DrageT.Unitt2022 2nd X.HollandH.PearceH.Pearce2023 1st X.HollandH.PearceC.Rae2024X.HollandH.Pearce/D.Radis
Women's Premiership Year Position CoachCaptainBest and Fairest 2015 1st H.WilsonJ.EdwardsT.Baxter 2016 2017 1st 2018 1stM.SkellyH.Canton/B.ValensiziC.Jefress 2019 E.HooperP.Lodge/A.GeogheganJ.Barrett 2020 N/A N/AN/A 2021 1st D.JordanN.ClarkeA.Long2022 D.JordanN.ClarkeJ.Calam2023 2nd R.FreerN.ClarkeJ.Frost2024J.EllamsT.Steen/J.Frost Women's Conference Year Position CoachCaptainBest and Fairest 2015 2016 2017 2018 J.ExelbyC.Flynn 2019 L.Ewington 2020 N/A N/AN/AN/A 2021 E.HooperA.SkimmingS.Boone2022 M.Sexton/E.HooperB.LaneS.Boone2023 J.EllamsM.CorcoranR.Boone/A.Sharp2024E.HooperM.Corcoran
Notable players Year Best & Fairest EU/ROW B&F EU/ROW Best Rookie Best Clubman Life Member 1990 H.Dunstall J.Hancock J.Padraig/P.Padraig 1991 D.Hoyle R.Bredbury R.Bredbury 1992 R.Hart/K.Shubert D.Coyle 1993 J.Roberts A.Lance 1994 C.Millar D.Connolly S.Morgan/A.Palmer 1995 G.Tanner D. Baker M.Whiles 1996 P.McKibbon C.Dobson/K.Schubert 1997 M.Adams M.Maynard J.Sullivan C.Watson T.Lineen 1998 W.Granger M.Maynard A.Bradbury C.Watson M.McCormack/M.Tunley/C.Watson 1999 N.Bolton S.Buckley S.Percy S.Percy 2000 D.Munro 2001 R.Thomson 2002 R.Harrop C.Black/S.Hams 2003 A.Bomford J.Taylor J.Cumming 2004 J.O'Hart C.Ward L.Powell I.Mobbs 2005 P.Sheehan C.Lynch P.Kasti J.Taylor J.Taylor 2006 J.O'Hart C.Walsh/J.Quick G.Cox B.Hugo/M.Maynard/J.Sullivan 2007 M.Henningsen S.Carter K.McHugo H.Simpson/J.Holloway 2008 A.Jansen J.Sharpe J.LockwoodM.Holliday/R.Frieberg M.Taylor 2009 L.Ivens C.O'Hagan/J.Stewart C.O'Hagan/J.Stewart A.Bernadi 2010 M.Brescacin J.Stewart P.O'Donoghue M.Holliday B.Nash 2011 B.Jansen B.Hayes/E.O'Murchu B.Owen 2012 R.McNay J.O'Connell A.DeIacovo R.Colling/M.McPartland 2013 N.Martin C.Horn C.Horn A.DeIacovo 2014 T.Georgiou (and league) C.Horn A.Robert J.Pearson A.DeIacovo 2015 J.Walker A.Watson A.Watson K.Grabowski M.Holliday/J.Coombe2016J.Perrett, K. Grabowski2017S.Drake T.HankinsonA.Watson O.MulcahyM.SkellyC.Wilson2018Jordan PollardM.Brescacin2019Brayden IrvingX.Holland, A.Smith2020n/an/an/an/an/a2021P. Lodge, F. Caldow2022L. Ewington2023Brayden IrvingD.Jordan, T.Unitt, E. O'Murchu, D.Radis2024Brayden IrvingR. Leumann2025Brayden IrvingB. Irving
Retired jumper numbers: K.Schubert - Number 4. Retired in 1996. M.Tunley - Number 11. Retired in 2001. S.Percy - Number 55. Retired in 2003. J.Cumming - Number 13. Retired in 2009.
References
External links Wandsworth Demons Official Site Wandsworth Demons on Facebook