The Woodend/Hesket Football Club, known as the Hawks, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Riddell District Football League.
The club is 65 km north west of Melbourne in the township of Woodend.
The club first played as Woodend-Hesket in 1978 following the merger between Woodend FC and Hesket FC. The Senior Club plays home games at the Gilbert Gordon Oval, Woodend.
The club's main feeder team is the Woodend Junior Football Club (Woodend Hawks) who were established in 1973 and play their home games at the Woodend Racecourse and Recreation Reserve.
Hesket FC history
Formed in 1873 the Hesket club participated in the local competitions including the Hesket and District Football Association in 1926. Hesket joined the Riddell Football League in 1936.
The colours were red and white. In 1936, Clarrie O'Connor won the Harry O. White medal for the best and fairest player in the Riddell District Football League.
In 1971 the club went into recess after the season, only to reform in 1975 in the RDFL 2nd Division.
The club merged with Woodend in 1978.
Football timeline 1891–Romsey District Football Association 1892–1902: Club active, but did not play in any official competitions 1903–Romsey Lancefield District Football Association 1904–Gisborne District Football Association 1905–1909: Club in recess 1910–1911: Romsey Football Association 1912–Woodend Football Association 1913–1914: Club in recess 1915–Romsey & District Football Association 1916–1920: Club in recess. World War One 1921–1922: ? Football Associations 1923–Rochford Junior Football Association. Runner up 1924–1925: ? Football Associations 1926–Hesket District Football Association 1927–1930: ? Football Associations 1931–1935: Woodend Junior Football Association Runner up: 1932 Runner up: 1935 1936–Riddell District Football League. 1937–1945: Club in recess. Withdrew from the RDFA in 1937 / World War Two 1946–1971: Riddell District Football League 1972–1974: Club in recess 1975–1977: Riddell District Football League–Division Two 1978–Merged with the Woodend Football Club & played in the Riddell District Football League.
Football premierships Seniors ? Football Associations 1910, 1921, 1925, Hesket District Football Association 1926: Hesket: 4.12–36 d Lancefield: 3.8–26 Riddell District Football League 1960
Woodend fc history
The Woodend Football Club was initially formed in 1880 and then reformed in 1895 and participated in the local competitions including the Riddell District Football League from 1912 to 1921, 1923–1939 and from 1953 to 1977.
Mr. N. Jongebloed was President of Woodend Football Club between 1886 and 1905.
In 1889, R. McCubbin won a gold locket as Woodend's best all round player and G. McCubbin won a gold medal for the best back player.
Woodend FC initially played on the Volunteer Reserve, which became the Woodend Racetrack and Recreation Reserve in 1902.
From 1925 Woodend played against local Castlemaine sides until returning to the Riddell DFL in 1953. The colours were navy blue.
Former Woodend player, Percy Bowen played in ten local premierships between 1905 and 1927 and played for 22 consecutive years.
After finishing last in 1977 the club merged with Hesket in 1978.
Football timeline 1880 – 1894: Club active, but did not play in any official competitions. 1895 – Woodend Football Association 1896 – Kyneton District Football Association 1897 – 1898: Club in recess 1899 – ? Kyneton District Football Association 1900 – 1901: ? Football Association 1902 – Romsey Lancefield District Football Association 1903 – Kyneton District Football Association 1904 – Gisborne District Football Association 1905 – Kyneton District Football Association 1906 – Gisborne District Football Association 1907 – Half Holiday (Wednesday) Football Association 1908 – Gisborne District Football Association 1909 – 1910: Kyneton District Football Association 1911 – 1912: Gisborne District Football Association 1913 – Woodend Football Association 1914 – 15: Riddell District Football Association 1916 – 1919: Association / Club in recess due to World War One 1920 – 1921: Riddell District Football Association 1922 – Woodend Football League 1923 – 1925: Riddell District Football Association 1926 – 1929: Kyneton Football League 1930 – 1939: Riddell District Football Association 1940 – 1941: Castlemaine Football League 1942 – 1945: Association / Club in recess due to World War Two 1946 – 1952: Castlemaine Football League 1953 – 1977: Riddell District Football League 1978 – Merged with the Hesket Football Club & played in the Riddell District Football League.
Football premierships Seniors Other Football Associations 1889, 1893, 1900 Woodend District Football Association 1895 Kyneton District Football Association 1896 Gisborne District Football Association 1904 Riddell District Football League 1914 – Woodend defeated Riddell 1930, 1931, 1937, 1954, 1964
Runners-up Romsey Lancefield District Football Association 1902
Juniors Riddell District Junior Football Association 1928 – Woodend: 9.16 – 70 d Gisborne: 4.9 – 33
Woodend/hesket fnc – football premierships
Seniors Riddell District Football League – Division Two 1978, 1983 Riddell District Football League – Division One 2002, 2007
Reserves Riddell District Football League 2008
Under 18's Riddell District Football League 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011
Woodend/hesket fnc – netball premierships
A Grade Riddell District Football League – A Grade 2023, 2024
References
Books History of Football in the Bendigo District – John Stoward –