# Cardiff Australian Football Club

The Cardiff Australian Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is an Australian rules football club based in the City of Lake Macquarie suburb of Cameron Park, New South Wales, and currently plays in the AFL Hunter Central Coast competition.

## History

The club was established on 14 November 1967 at a meeting at the Evans Oval Soccer Hall by former pupils at the Cardiff High school. They first began playing football in 1968 entering a team in the Newcastle Australian Football League Reserve grade competition. In their first season they had finished runners up, losing the Grand Final by just one point. After winning the premiership the following year in 1969, Cardiff was added to the league's First Grade competition. At the time the club was playing on a field which is now known today as McDonald Jones Stadium.
Cardiff improved quickly within the First Grade competition, making their first Grand Final in 1974 despite losing to RAAF. In 1978 the Hawks moved to their new home ground of Maneela Park in Glendale. Under the coaching of former Glenelg footballer Neil Davis, Cardiff won their first NAFL First Grade premiership over Newcastle City, and went on to win the following year in 1980 after lasting the entire season undefeated. Cardiff finished runners up in the following 1981 and 1982 seasons, losing both Grand Finals to Newcastle City and Western Suburbs. However, this would see a premiership drought lasting for 18 years until 1998 when a year after they finished runners up again, this time to Nelson Bay, they capped off another undefeated season to win the premiership.
After both the Newcastle and Central Coast leagues merged to form the Black Diamond Australian Football League in 2000, Cardiff were seen as one of the more stronger clubs inn the league early on, despite losing both the 2000 and 2001 Grand Finals to Terrigal-Avoca and West Newcastle-Wallsend. The Hawks won the 2002 premiership and went on to win the 2004, 2005 and 2006 flags but after 2007 saw a Grand Final losing streak that lasted from 2008 to 2012. 2006 saw the club lose Maneela Park, which resulted in seniors playing at Bill Elliott Oval and juniors at Hillsborough Oval. Cardiff's most recent First Grade Grand Final appearance was in 2017 where they lost to Terrigal-Avoca by 9 points.
Cardiff fielded their first Women's team in 2016 that finished their inaugural season 4th with 11 wins and 4 losses. In 2021, Cardiff introduced a second women's team which will compete in the Plate division.
Cardiff has produced one Australian Football League player, Isaac Heeney who was drafted by Sydney Swans in the 2014 AFL National Draft.

## Honour Board

Premierships :
| 1st Grade | Reserve Grade | Under 18s | U/10s | U/11s | U/12s | U/13s | U/14s | U/15s | U/16s | U/17s | U/17s Girls |
| 1979 | 1969 | 2005 | 2006 | 2019 | 2002 | 2014 | 2005 | 2013 | 2006 | 1976 | 2016 |
| 1980 $^^$ | 1972 | 2008 | | | 2004 | 2015 | 2006 | | 2008$^^$ | 1981 | 2019 |
| 1998 $^^$ | 1976 | 2009 | | | 2005 | 2020 | 2007 | | 2010 | 1988 | 2020 |
| 2002 | 1980 | 2010 | | | 2006 | | 2008$^^$ | | | 1989 | |
| 2004 | 1985 | | | | 2008 | | 2009 | | | 1996 | |
| 2005 | 1986 | | | | | | 2011 | | | 1997 | |
| 2006 | 2001 | | | | | | 2012 | | | | |
| | 2011 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2017 $^#$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2020 $^^$ | | | | | | | | | | |
$^^$ Undefeated season
$^#$ 2nd Division
Best and Fairest :
| Year | Men's 1st Grade | Men's Reserve Grade | Men's U18 Grade | Men's 3rd Grade | Women's 1st Grade |
| 1973 | | Geoffery Sheean |
| 1974 | | Paul Redman |
| 1975 | | Michael Storck |
| 1976 | | Klaus Richter |
| 1977 | | Klaus Richter |
| 1978 | John Reinhardt | |
| 1979 | Klaus Richter | |
| 1980 | Steve Raw | |
| 1981 | Ben Jansen | |
| 1982 | Ben Jansen | |
| 1983 | Ben Jansen | |
| 1984 | Ben Jansen | |
| 1985 | Ben Jansen | |
| 1986 | Keith White | |
| 1987 | Geoff Rock | |
| 1988 | Keith White | |
| 1989 | John Hislop | |
| 1990 | Mark Roberts | |
| 1991 | Troy Baylis | |
| 1992 | Michael Gillard | |
| 1993 | Troy Baylis | |
| 1994 | Glen Crowe | |
| 1995 | Steve McCarten | |
| 1996 | Ross Hughes | |
| 1997 | Troy Baylis | |
| 1998 | Ricky Roberts | |
| 1999 | David Flynn | |
| 2000 | Troy Baylis | |
| 2001 | David Flynn | |
| 2002 | Brendan Wold | |
| 2003 | Shawn Simpson | |
| 2004 | Michael Ryan | |
| 2005 | David Flynn | | |
| 2006 | Luke Orton | | |
| 2007 | Adam Clarke | | |
| 2008 | Adam Clarke | Nathan Pearson | Wade Beard/Sam Brasington |
| 2009 | Tim Sheldon | Dustin Spriggs | Matthew White |
| 2010 | Simon O'Brien | Shane Williams | Jack Pratt/Sam Haigh |
| 2011 | Adam Clarke | James Foot | Rhys Dintino | |
| 2012 | Simon O'Brien | Josh McLeod | | |
| 2013 | Liam Gibson | Tim Brown | | |
| 2014 | Simon O'Brien | Simon Williams | | Michael Krake |
| 2015 | Tim Sheldon | Andrew Risby | | Tony Edser | |
| 2016 | Max Hillier | Jason Adlington | | | Eliza Bunner |
| 2017 | Tom Yensch | John O'Regan | | | Mollie Palmer |
| 2018 | Bryce Graetz | Michael Ryan & Callum Spoor | | | Taylah Wilks |
| 2019 | Simon O'Brien | Max Kozlik | | | Matisse Coram-Parker |
| 2020 | Izaac Hughes | David Graan & Jared Campbell | | | Danika Spamer |
| 2021 | | | | | |
| 2022 | | | | | |
| 2023 | | | | | |
Club Presidents :
| Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name |
| 1968 | Horrie Northey | 1978 | Bob Simcoe | 1988 | Alan White | 1998 | Chris Arnold | 2008 | Peter Risby | 2018 | Quinton Davis |
| 1969 | Clive Gerrish | 1979 | John Reinhardt | 1989 | Alan White | 1999 | Chris Arnold | 2009 | Peter Risby | 2019 | Damian Charleson |
| 1970 | Clive Gerrish | 1980 | John Reinhardt | 1990 | Alan White | 2000 | Paul Redman | 2010 | Peter Risby | 2020 | Warren Lovell |
| 1971 | Clive Gerrish | 1981 | Bob Simcoe | 1991 | Roy Reichert | 2001 | Paul Redman | 2011 | Peter Risby | 2021 | Warren Lovell |
| 1972 | Clive Gerrish | 1982 | Kieran Lister | 1992 | Roy Reichert | 2002 | Paul Redman | 2012 | Callan Buchan | 2022 | Matthew Plumridge |
| 1973 | Clive Gerrish | 1983 | Kieran Lister | 1993 | Roy Reichert | 2003 | Henry Kocon | 2013 | Brendan Bailey | 2023 | Matthew Plumridge |
| 1974 | Lee Northey | 1984 | Michael Storck | 1994 | David Fowler & Shane Jones | 2004 | Michael Gray | 2014 | Brendan Bailey | | |
| 1975 | John Sullivan | 1985 | Michael Storck | 1995 | Shane Jones | 2005 | Michael Gray | 2015 | Mathew Musilak | | |
| 1976 | Ric P Gregory | 1986 | Michael Storck | 1996 | Chris Arnold | 2006 | Michael Gray | 2016 | Quinton Davis | | |
| 1977 | Bob Simcoe | 1987 | Alan White | 1997 | Chris Arnold | 2007 | Paul Redman | 2017 | Quinton Davis | | |
Life Members :
| Name | Reason | Year Inducted |
| Troy Baylis | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Shawn Simpson | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Shane Williams | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Ryan Sneddon | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Paul Cooksley | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Nick Kocon | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Liam Gibson | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Ken Saxby | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Jeremy Kocon | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Greg Walker | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Glenn Summers | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Brendan Wold | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Ben Stewart | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Andrew Risby | 200+ Games | 2017 |
| Peter Risby | 10+ years Service | 2017 |
| Brian Page | 10+ years Service | 2017 |
| Quinton Davis | 200+ Games | 2019 |
| Adam Clarke | 10+ years Service | 2019 |
| Wayne Reid | 10+ years Service | 2020 |
Games Played Top 6 :
| Name | Games Played |
| Adam Dugan | 367 |
| Nick Kocon | 333 |
| Paul Redman | 329 |
| Brian Phillips | 327 |
| Liam Gibson | 318 |
| Glenn Summers | 307 |
League/AFL Awards :
| Year | Name | Award | Comments |
| 2000 | Troy Baylis | Elliot Davey Medal | First Grade B&F |
| 2000 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Championship | |
| 2001 | Shawn Simpson | Elliot Davey Medal | First Grade B&F |
| 2001 | Christan David | Chris Arnold Medal | Reserve Grade B&F |
| 2002 | David Healey | Black Diamond Cup Leading Goalkicker | 102 goals |
| 2003 | Phillip Jauncy | Under 18 Best and Fairest | |
| 2003 | Nick Kocon | Under 18 Sporting Pulse Player Award | |
| 2004 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Championship | |
| 2004 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Administration Award | |
| 2005 | Tom Biviano | Reserve Grade Leading Goalkicker | |
| 2005 | Murray White | Under 18 Leading Goalkicker | |
| 2005 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Championship | |
| 2005 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Administration Award | |
| 2006 | Michael Ryan | Black Diamond Cup Leading Goalkicker | 92 goals |
| 2006 | Michael Ryan | Carlton Draught Player of The Year | |
| 2006 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Administration Award | |
| 2007 | Tim Sheldon | Elliot Davey Medal | First Grade B&F |
| 2008 | Michael Ryan | Black Diamond Cup Leading Goalkicker | 108 goals |
| 2008 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Championship | |
| 2009 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Championship | |
| 2010 | Michael Ryan | Black Diamond Cup Leading Goalkicker | 72 goals |
| 2010 | Michael Ryan | Coach of The Year | |
| 2010 | Matthew White | Under 18 Leading Goalkicker | 54 goals |
| 2010 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Championship | |
| 2011 | James Foot | Granland Medal | Reserve Grade B&F |
| 2011 | Paul Redman | James Arnold Volunteer of The Year | |
| 2011 | Cardiff Hawks | Club Administration Award | |
| 2012 | Isaac Heeney | Alan McLean Medal | National Carnival B&F |
| 2012 | Isaac Heeney | Most Outstanding Young Footballer | |
| 2012 | Isaac Heeney | Jim Stynes Scholarship | |
| 2014 | Isaac Heeney | Rising Star | |
| 2014 | Isaac Heeney | TAC Cup Team of The Year | |
| 2014 | Isaac Heeney | Harrison Medal | TAC Cup B&F |
| 2014 | Isaac Heeney | Under 18 All Australian | |
| 2014 | Micahel Krake | Chris Arnold Medal | Reserve Grade B&F |
| 2015 | Max Hillier | Rising Star | |
| 2016 | Max Hillier | Most Outstanding Young Footballer | |
| 2017 | Tom Yensch | Elliot Davey Medal | First Grade B&F |
| 2017 | Marcus De Leur | Black Diamond Cup Coaches MVP | |
| 2017 | Michael Ryan | Reserve Grade Leading Goalkicker | |
| 2017 | Josh Murphy | Reserve Grade Leading Goalkicker | |
| 2018 | Lachlan Price | Rising Star | |
| 2018 | Taylah Wilks | Rising Star | |
| 2018 | Michael Ryan | Black Diamond Plate Leading Goalkicker | |
| 2018 | Miles Petersen | Grand final 400m Winner | |
| 2019 | Izaac Hughes | Maurice Goolagong Trophy | 58 Goals |
| 2019 | Eloise Petersen | Rising Star | |
| 2019 | Izaac Hughes | Grand final 100m Sprint Winner | |
| 2019 | Jaden Newton | Under 13 John Holmquest Trophy | Best and Fairest |
| 2020 | David Graan | Chris Arnold Medal | Reserve Grade B&F |
| 2020 | Brendan Wold | Reserve Grade Leading Goalkicker | 25 Goals |
| 2020 | Danika Spamer | Rising Star | |
| 2020 | Billy Jo Towers | Rookie of The Year | |
| 2020 | Danika Spamer | Rookie of The Year | |
| 2020 | Danika Spamer | Women's Best and Fairest | |
| 2020 | Max King | Under 13 John Holmquest Trophy | Best and Fairest |
| 2020 | Tameka Chambers | Under 13 Girls Best and Fairest | |