Having spent four decades playing home matches at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, Essendon moved to the Essendon Recreation Reserve (later known as Windy Hill) in 1922, kick-starting a seven-decade love affair with the Essendon community and their spiritual home.
On opening day, round one, 1922, against Carlton, in front of a newly-built grandstand packed to the rafters, Essendon recorded the first of 418 wins at Windy Hill (1922-91), which proved a fortress that few visiting teams were able to penetrate. Of its 628 games at the venue, Essendon produced a 67.28 per cent winning record and celebrated many famous victories at the ground.
While based at East Melbourne, Essendon had won its first eight VFA/VFL premierships and had often attracted the biggest crowds of a weekend, despite its close proximity to the MCG. But on November 29, 1920, the Victorian Railways announced that it would be reclaiming the land on which the East Melbourne ground stood to make way for a holding yard. The club was given six months to find a new home.
Despite taking the name of the Essendon district from its inception, the football club had never actually played home games in Essendon. The closest it had come was when it initially played on a paddock at the back of club founder Robert McCracken’s Ascot Vale property. Therefore, many local citizens felt the time was right to bring Essendon ‘home’ to the suburb. There were also offers from the Royal Agricultural Society to house the club at the Showgrounds in Ascot Vale, VFL rival Collingwood tried enticing them to Victoria Park, and VFA club North Melbourne offered to merge the clubs and play home games on its Arden Street ground.
Just as it appeared the North proposition was a fait accompli, in stepped Essendon councillor Arthur Showers. Showers, fearing a North Melbourne takeover, found a legal loophole which stipulated that the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve had been a Crown Grant to the citizens of North Melbourne, meaning Essendon would have no right to occupy the ground. The merge was scuttled. The Essendon Council agreed to spend as much as £15,000 to add a new brick grandstand and spacious training quarters alongside the Essendon ground, as well as a new outer fence and an inner one around the playing arena. The oval itself was enlarged to make it one of the biggest in the VFL.
On opening day, 6 May 1922, the suburb experienced scenes that many had hoped, but doubted, they would ever get to witness. All roads led to the ground on the hill, where the new grandstand was decorated with flags and the local brass band entertained the masses. When the Essendon players emerged from their dressing room, it was reported that “the roar of welcome was carried on the wind and heard as far south as Puckle street [in Moonee Ponds].”
Fittingly, there was a chilling wind sweeping across the ground; the first sign of what all visiting teams would soon come to understand, and hate, about playing at Windy Hill.
This moment is the third of a virtual series presenting the Bombers' best 30 moments over 150 years, which fans can vote on for their chance to win prizes. Click here to view and vote, and see the schedule and prizes below.
SCHEDULE OF MOMENTS
Round 1 (May 6-9) - 1872-1939
Round 2 (May 10-14) - 1940-1959
Round 3 (May 15-19) - 1960-1979
Round 4 (May 20-24) - 1980-1989
Round 5 (May 25-29) - 1990-1999
Round 6 (May 30 - June 3) - 2000-2021
Round 7 (June 4-9) - Finals round
PRIZES
Round 1 – One 2022 merchandise pack, including an Essendon New Era Black on Black 9FORTY Snapback cap ($40) and an Essendon Heritage Bar Scarf ($30)
Round 2 – One Essendon Fibre of Football Scarf ($80)
Round 3 - One Essendon Football Club 150-year anniversary commemorative mosaic ($295)
Round 4 – One Essendon Football Club 150-year anniversary commemorative mosaic ($295)
Round 5 – One 2022 team-signed guernsey ($500)
Round 6 – One copy of the Red & Black Collection special 150th anniversary book ($329)
Round 7 – One copy of the Red & Black Collection special 150th anniversary book ($329) and one 2022 team-signed guernsey ($500)
