AFL Tasmania's Chief Executive, Scott Wade, has announced that the Great Club selected for induction into the 2012 Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame are the Sandy Bay / Lefroy Football Clubs.
The Lefroy Football Club were known as the 'Blues' and wore a dark and light blue strip. The club played their home games at North Hobart Oval as well as the Tasmanian Cricket Association ground. From 1898 to 1941 the Lefroy Football Club played at the highest level available in Tasmania and was an important member of the Tasmanian Football League enjoying premiership success on nine occasions at regional level and also collecting two Tasmanian State Premierships in 1912 and 1924.
In 1941 football went into recess for three seasons due to World War Two restrictions and player shortages. Upon resuming in 1945 the Tasmanian Football League (TFL) moved to 'district football' and the Sandy Bay Football Club commenced. The Seagulls, as Sandy Bay were nicknamed, drew from the remnants of Lefroy's playing group and then quickly built a premiership with victory in the first year of District Football in 1946.
The old players of Lefroy formed an association to carry on the name of the Club and from 1953 supported Tasmanian football with the awarding of a 'Gold Medal' for the best and fairest player representing Tasmania. The Lefroy Medal is still awarded to this day to the best player each year in Tasmanian representative games.
In the period from 1945 until 1997 the name Sandy Bay carried on a great football tradition which is filled with tremendous tragedy and triumph. The Club quickly rose to prominence after the resumption of football from World War Two, winning the 1946 TFL and State premierships. Further success followed in 1952 under the leadership of Tasmanian football Icon, the late Terry Cashion, and then again in 1964. The 1970s proved to be the Club's golden era with no less than five regional and a state premiership being won under the coaching of Rod Olsson and Paul Sproule.
Although the Sandy Bay Club is now in recess and the Lefroy Club has long gone from active participation in football, the combined Clubs' history of achievements will live on as one of the Great Clubs of Tasmanian Football.
The Great Club will officially be inducted at the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame Induction dinner on the Friday 6th July 2012 at Wrest Point. Tickets are available for purchase from AFL Tasmania by calling 03 6230 1800.
Last Modified on 12/06/2012 16:47