# List of Essendon Football Club honours

Deleted image removed: [[File:Dick Reynolds.jpg|thumb|Dick Reynolds won the club's [[best and fairest]] award on a record&#x2D;equaling seven occasions.|alt=Wearing a black long sleeved jersey with a red stripe and black shorts, a young male athlete strides with a football wedged in one arm.]] The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Thought to have formed in 1872, Essendon played their first Victorian Football Association (VFA) game in 1873, before participating in the inaugural season of the Victorian Football League (now AFL) in 1897. Headquartered at the Essendon Recreation Reserve, Windy Hill, in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon, the club has won 16 VFL/AFL premierships, which, along with Carlton, is the most of any club.
The club best and fairest award is claimed by some to have been first given in 1897; however, there is no contemporary evidence that it actually existed prior to the late 1920s. Since 1959 or 1960, it has been known as the W. S. Crichton Medal. Dick Reynolds was awarded medal on a record-equalling seven occasions between 1934 and 1943. Reynolds also won the Brownlow Medal a club-record three times, in 1934, 1937 and 1938. The medal is awarded annually to the best and fairest player in the competition, currently on the basis of a 3–2–1 match-by-match voting system used by the match umpires.
Former Richmond player Kevin Sheedy coached Essendon for a record 635 games and four premierships in 27 seasons between 1980 and 2007, thus becoming the second-longest-serving coach in VFL/AFL history. Full-forward Matthew Lloyd is the club's leading goal-kicker, with 926, ahead of ruckman Simon Madden with 575. Lloyd was Essendon's leading goal-kicker on a record 12 occasions between 1997 and 2009, kicking 100 goals in a season during 2000 and 2001.

## Year

# Premiership
* Brownlow Medalist for that year
| Year | Coach | Captain | W. S. Crichton Medal | Leading goalkicker |
| 1897 # | — | George Stuckey | — | Norman Waugh (23) |
| 1898 | — | George Stuckey | — | Charlie Moore (20) |
| 1899 | — | George Stuckey | — | Arthur Cleghorn (15) |
| 1900 | — | George Stuckey | — | Albert Thurgood (25) |
| 1901 # | — | Tod Collins | Albert Thurgood | Fred Hiskins (34) |
| 1902 | — | Tod Collins | — | Albert Thurgood (32) |
| 1903 | — | Jim Anderson | Hugh Gavin | Mick Madden (15) |
| 1904 | — | Jim Anderson / Hugh Gavin | — | Mick Madden (25) |
| 1905 | — | William Robinson | — | George Barker (29) |
| 1906 | — | Jack McKenzie | Jack McKenzie | Norman Yeo (31) |
| 1907 | — | Billy Griffith | — | Jim Martin (16) |
| 1908 | Dave Smith | Billy Griffith | Bill Busbridge | Dave Smith (26) |
| 1909 | Dave Smith | Billy Griffith | Bill Busbridge | Paddy Shea (40) |
| 1910 | Allan Belcher | Allan Belcher | — | Bert Armstrong (40) |
| 1911 # | Jack Worrall | Dave Smith | Ernie Cameron | Lou Armstrong (35) |
| 1912 # | Jack Worrall | Allan Belcher | Ernie Cameron | Jack Kirby (43) |
| 1913 | Jack Worrall | Allan Belcher | Fred Baring | Jack Kirby (29) |
| 1914 | Jack Worrall | Allan Belcher | — | Ernie Lumsden (28) |
| 1915 | Jack Worrall | Allan Belcher | — | Bill Walker (14) |
| 1916 | — | — | — | — |
| 1917 | — | — | — | — |
| 1918 | Jack Worrall | Fred Baring | — | Norm Hall (15) |
| 1919 | Jack Worrall | Allan Belcher | — | Dave Walsh (15) |
| 1920 | Percy Ogden | Percy Ogden | Jock Garden | Frank McDonald (33) |
| 1921 | Percy Ogden | Percy Ogden | — | Frank McDonald (17) |
| 1922 | Sam Gravenall | Sid Barker | Tom Fitzmaurice | Jack Moriarty (36) |
| 1923 # | Sid Barker | Sid Barker | Tom Fitzmaurice | Greg Stockdale (68) |
| 1924 # | Sid Barker | Sid Barker | Tom Fitzmaurice | Tommy Jenkins (50) |
| 1925 | Fred Maher | Frank Maher | Greg Stockdale | Tommy Jenkins (37) |
| 1926 | Fred Maher | Frank Maher | Joe Harrison | Greg Stockdale (36) |
| 1927 | Fred Maher | Frank Maher | Frank Maher | Jack Vosti (35) |
| 1928 | Charlie Hardy | Frank Maher | Norm Beckton | Greg Stockdale (39) |
| 1929 | Charlie Hardy | Norm Beckton | Howard Okey | Keith Forbes / Len Johnson (40) |
| 1930 | Charlie Hardy | Norm Beckton | Keith Forbes | Keith Forbes (54) |
| 1931 | Garnet Campbell | Garnet Campbell | Tom Clarke | Ted Freyer (50) |
| 1932 | Garnet Campbell | Garnet Campbell | Syd Carman | Ted Freyer (52) |
| 1933 | Garnet Campbell | Garnet Campbell | Paddy Walsh | Ted Freyer (51) |
| 1934 | Charlie May | Keith Forbes | Dick Reynolds * | Ted Freyer (61) |
| 1935 | Charlie May | Keith Forbes | Keith Forbes | Keith Forbes (52) |
| 1936 | Jack Baggott | Jack Baggott | Dick Reynolds | Ted Freyer (50) |
| 1937 | Jack Baggott | Jack Baggott / Keith Forbes | Dick Reynolds * | Keith Forbes (44) |
| 1938 | Jack Baggott | Len Webster | Dick Reynolds * | Tom Reynolds (68) |
| 1939 | Jack Baggott / Harry Hunter / Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Tom Reynolds (71) |
| 1940 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Hugh Torney | Ted Bryce (48) |
| 1941 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Wally Buttsworth | Tom Reynolds (65) |
| 1942 # | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Tom Reynolds (61) |
| 1943 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds (31) |
| 1944 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Percy Bushby | Ray Powell (42) |
| 1945 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Wally Buttsworth | Bill Brittingham (48) |
| 1946 # | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Bill Brittingham (66) |
| 1947 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Wally Buttsworth | Ted Leehane (50) |
| 1948 | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Bill Hutchison (52) |
| 1949 # | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | John Coleman | John Coleman (100) |
| 1950 # | Dick Reynolds | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | John Coleman (120) |
| 1951 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Norm McDonald | John Coleman (75) |
| 1952 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Bill Hutchison * | John Coleman (103) |
| 1953 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Bill Hutchison * | John Coleman (97) |
| 1954 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | John Gill | John Coleman (42) |
| 1955 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Bill Hutchison | Hugh Mitchell (51) |
| 1956 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Bill Hutchison | Graham Willey (33) |
| 1957 | Dick Reynolds | Bill Hutchison | Reg Burgess | Fred Gallagher (34) |
| 1958 | Dick Reynolds | Jack Clarke | Jack Clarke | John Birt (31) |
| 1958 | Dick Reynolds | Jack Clarke | Jack Clarke | John Birt (31) |
| 1959 | Dick Reynolds | Jack Clarke | Hugh Mitchell | Ron Evans (78 |
| 1960 | Dick Reynolds | Jack Clarke | Reg Burgess | Ron Evans (67) |
| 1961 | John Coleman | Jack Clarke | John Birt | Hugh Mitchell (33) |
| 1962 # | John Coleman | Jack Clarke | Jack Clarke | Charlie Payne (39) |
| 1963 | John Coleman | Jack Clarke | Ken Fraser | Charlie Payne (36) |
| 1964 | John Coleman | Jack Clarke | Ken Fraser | Hugh Mitchell (32) |
| 1965 # | John Coleman | Ken Fraser | John Birt | Ted Fordham (54) |
| 1966 | John Coleman | Ken Fraser | Don McKenzie | Ted Fordham (76) |
| 1967 | John Coleman | Ken Fraser | John Birt | Alan Noonan (40) |
| 1968 | Jack Clarke | Ken Fraser | Barry Davis | Alan Noonan (51) |
| 1969 | Jack Clarke | Don McKenzie | Barry Davis | Alan Noonan (43) |
| 1970 | Jack Clarke | Barry Davis | Darryl Gerlach | Geoff Blethyn (33) |
| 1971 | John Birt | Barry Davis | Barry Davis | Alan Noonan (31) |
| 1972 | Des Tuddenham | Des Tuddenham | Neville Fields | Geoff Blethyn (107) |
| 1973 | Des Tuddenham | Des Tuddenham | Andy Wilson | Alan Noonan (63) |
| 1974 | Des Tuddenham | Des Tuddenham | Graham Moss | Alan Noonan (77) |
| 1975 | Des Tuddenham | Des Tuddenham | Graham Moss | Alan Noonan (48) |
| 1976 | Bill Stephen | Graham Moss | Graham Moss * | Geoff Blethyn (39) |
| 1977 | Bill Stephen | Ken Fletcher | Simon Madden | Max Crow (38) |
| 1978 | Barry Davis | Ken Fletcher | Ken Fletcher | Wayne Primmer (47) |
| 1979 | Barry Davis | Ken Fletcher | Simon Madden | Terry Daniher (57) |
| 1979 | Barry Davis | Ken Fletcher | Simon Madden | Terry Daniher (57) |
| 1980 | Barry Davis | Simon Madden | Tim Watson | Simon Madden (45) |
| 1981 | Kevin Sheedy | Simon Madden | Neale Daniher | Tony Buhagiar (42) |
| 1982 | Kevin Sheedy | Neale Daniher | Terry Daniher | Simon Madden (49) |
| 1983 | Kevin Sheedy | Terry Daniher | Simon Madden | Terry Daniher (64) |
| 1984 # | Kevin Sheedy | Terry Daniher | Simon Madden | Paul Salmon (63) |
| 1985 # | Kevin Sheedy | Terry Daniher | Tim Watson | Mark Harvey (48) |
| 1986 | Kevin Sheedy | Terry Daniher | Glenn Hawker | Alan Ezard (47) |
| 1987 | Kevin Sheedy | Terry Daniher | Mark Thompson | Paul Salmon (43) |
| 1988 | Kevin Sheedy | Terry Daniher | Tim Watson | Paul Salmon (37) |
| 1989 | Kevin Sheedy | Tim Watson | Tim Watson | Paul Salmon (39) |
| 1990 | Kevin Sheedy | Tim Watson | Mark Thompson | Paul Salmon (43) |
| 1991 | Kevin Sheedy | Tim Watson | Alan Ezard | Simon Madden (42) |
| 1992 | Kevin Sheedy | Mark Thompson | Mark Harvey | Paul Salmon (59) |
| 1993 # | Kevin Sheedy | Mark Thompson | Gary O'Donnell | Paul Salmon (65) |
| 1994 | Kevin Sheedy | Mark Thompson | James Hird | Scott Cummings (32) |
| 1995 | Kevin Sheedy | Mark Thompson | James Hird | James Hird (47) |
| 1996 | Kevin Sheedy | Gary O'Donnell | James Hird * | James Hird (39) |
| 1997 | Kevin Sheedy | Gary O'Donnell | Sean Denham | Matthew Lloyd (63) |
| 1998 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | Damien Hardwick | Matthew Lloyd (70) |
| 1999 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird / Michael Long | Mark Mercuri | Matthew Lloyd (87) |
| 2000 # | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | Dustin Fletcher | Matthew Lloyd (109) |
| 2001 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | Jason Johnson | Matthew Lloyd (105) |
| 2002 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | Mark Johnson | Matthew Lloyd (47) |
| 2003 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | James Hird / Scott Lucas | Matthew Lloyd (93) |
| 2004 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | Adam McPhee | Matthew Lloyd (96) |
| 2005 | Kevin Sheedy | James Hird | Jason Johnson | Matthew Lloyd (59) |
| 2006 | Kevin Sheedy | Matthew Lloyd | Scott Lucas | Scott Lucas (67) |
| 2007 | Kevin Sheedy | Matthew Lloyd | James Hird | Matthew Lloyd (62) |
| 2008 | Matthew Knights | Matthew Lloyd | David Hille | Matthew Lloyd (62) |
| 2009 | Matthew Knights | Matthew Lloyd | Jobe Watson | Matthew Lloyd (35) |
| 2010 | Matthew Knights | Jobe Watson | Jobe Watson | Angus Monfries (24) |
| 2011 | James Hird | Jobe Watson | David Zaharakis | Stewart Crameri (34) |
| 2012 | James Hird | Jobe Watson | Jobe Watson | Stewart Crameri (32) |
| 2013 | James Hird | Jobe Watson | Brendon Goddard | Stewart Crameri (30) |
| 2014 | Mark Thompson | Jobe Watson | Dyson Heppell | Joe Daniher (28) |
| 2015 | James Hird / Matthew Egan | Jobe Watson | Cale Hooker | Joe Daniher (34) |
| 2016 | John Worsfold | Brendon Goddard | Zach Merrett | Joe Daniher (43) |
| 2017 | John Worsfold | Dyson Heppell | Joe Daniher | Joe Daniher (65) |
| 2018 | John Worsfold | Dyson Heppell | Devon Smith | Jake Stringer (30) |
| 2019 | John Worsfold | Dyson Heppell | Zach Merrett | Jake Stringer (33) |
| 2020 | John Worsfold | Dyson Heppell | Jordan Ridley | Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (19) |
| 2021 | Ben Rutten | Dyson Heppell | Zach Merrett | Jake Stringer (41) |
| 2022 | Ben Rutten | Dyson Heppell | Peter Wright | Peter Wright (53) |
| 2023 | Brad Scott | Zach Merrett | Zach Merrett | Kyle Langford (51) |
| 2024 | Brad Scott | Zach Merrett | Zach Merrett | Kyle Langford (43) |
| 2025 | Brad Scott | Zach Merrett | (TBA) | (TBA) |
| Source: Essendon Football Club. Last updated: 9 March 2025. |||||