Mighty Flying EaglesEst. 1946Hatherleigh, South Australia
Mighty Flying EaglesEst. 1946Hatherleigh, South Australia
Est. 1946
Timeline
1946
Hatherleigh Football Club is founded, giving the district its own team in blue and gold.
1947
Hatherleigh enters the Mid South East competition — the league the Eagles have called home ever since.
1947
G.W. (George) Thompson serves as the club's foundation president, 1947–1950. His portrait hangs in the clubrooms.
1949
Hatherleigh reaches its first A Grade grand final, going down to the "Murphies" (Glencoe). The club's first A Grade premiership would not come until 1971.
1961
The start of an era: the first of 15 Senior Colts premierships won between 1961 and 2022.
Premiership1964
Hatherleigh's reserves side wins the club's first B Grade premiership — the first of eight B Grade flags to 2026.
Premiership1971
Hatherleigh defeats Glencoe 11.9 (75) to 7.11 (53) in wet conditions at Mt Burr to win the club's first A Grade premiership — 22 years after losing the 1949 grand final to Glencoe. Coach: Wayne Johnson.
Premiership
1973
Captained by Peter Watts and coached by Warren Mills, the 1973 Senior Colts win the premiership.
Premiership
1976
Millicent Mayor Gladys Smith opens the nine-hole Hatherleigh Golf Course on 6 March 1976. The Hatherleigh Sport and Recreation Centre is made official on 15 November.
1979
Hatherleigh's Senior Colts beat Tantanoola by 11 points in the grand final on 22 September 1979 — the day the Tigers, in grand finals in all four grades, finished runners-up in every one.
Premiership1986
The B Grade side wins the club's second B Grade premiership, 22 years after the first in 1964.
Premiership
1986
Craig Skeer kicks 24 goals for Hatherleigh against Tarpeena on 9 August 1986 — a Mid South East goal-kicking record — on the way to 117 goals as the A Grade leading goal kicker.
2002
Coach Simon Beggs and captain Mat Faulkner lead Hatherleigh to the A Grade premiership against Nangwarry at Kalangadoo — the club's first A Grade flag since 1971 — little more than two years after March 2000, when the club almost folded.
Premiership2005
Hatherleigh defeats Port MacDonnell 17.6 (102) to 12.10 (82) to win the A Grade premiership — the club's second flag in four seasons.
Premiership
2008
A third A Grade flag inside seven seasons — and the B Grade side wins its premiership too, making it a club double.
Premiership2013
The A Grade premiership returns to Hatherleigh.
Premiership2018
The B Grade side wins the premiership — the start of back-to-back flags.
Premiership2019
B Grade premiers again, going back-to-back for 2018–2019.
Premiership2021
The B Grade side claims the premiership.
Premiership2021
A two-metre, half-tonne red gum eagle carved by Millicent artist Ant is installed at the front of the clubrooms, donated by eSmart Electrical, Bowman Earthmovers, 3MP and South East Property Sales and Management.
2022
B Grade go back-to-back for 2021–2022 — four B Grade flags in five seasons. In their first season in the Limestone Coast Women's Football League under-16 competition, the U16 Girls win the premiership — the start of four straight flags (2022–2025) with just one loss.
Premiership2024
The Eagles return to the top of the MSEFL.
Premiership2024
After 48 years, the Hatherleigh Golf Course closes at the end of June 2024. The final Phil Keatley Cup is played on 23 June.
2025
Hatherleigh defeats Robe 7.14 (56) to 6.3 (39) in the A Grade Grand Final to go back-to-back — and the U16 Girls complete four premierships in a row.
Premiership2026
A third straight A Grade premiership, plus the club's eighth B Grade flag and A Reserve and B Grade netball flags — in the club's 80th year.
PremiershipHonour board
Football
Netball
Netball
Football
Netball
Netball
Football
Football
Netball
Netball
Football
Netball
Premiership teams
2026
A Grade Premiers
2025
A Grade Premiers
2024
A Grade Premiers
2013
A Grade Premiers
2008
A Grade Premiers
2005
A Grade Premiers
2002
A Grade Premiers
1971
A Grade Premiers
Honour boards
Honour roll being compiled
We’re gathering the full list from club records. Can you help fill the gaps? Get in touch with names, years or photos.
ContributeHonour rolls
Every life member since 1961, football best & fairest winners since 1986, netball since 1991, and the Raelene Smith Award — searchable by name.
The CMT Fitzgerald Award is Hatherleigh’s Club Person of the Year acknowledgement.
The award is named in honour of Con Fitzgerald, a generous benefactor of the Hatherleigh Football Club and the Hatherleigh complex. Following Con’s passing, the award was donated annually by his wife, Terry Fitzgerald, in his memory. Terry was also the mother of Barry Jones, and following the passing of Con and Terry, the Jones family has proudly continued the tradition of donating the award each year.
The recipient is selected by the presidents of the affiliated clubs that make up the Hatherleigh complex. It is awarded to a person who, either during the current year or over a long period of time, has made an outstanding contribution to the running, development or betterment of Hatherleigh for the benefit of all members.
It is, quite simply, recognition of someone who has given their time, effort and commitment to help make Hatherleigh a better club and community.
From the archives
Read online
The club history book by Greg Davis, published in 1993. Turn the pages online or download the searchable PDF.
Club song
Sing it loud after every win. Here's the Hatherleigh club song, words and all.
Play the club song
Chorus
We're the Mighty Flying Eagles, We're the Mighty Flying Eagles, We're the Mighty Flying Eagles, And we'll win the flag this year!
Verse
Down at Hatherleigh there's a mighty football team, We're known as the Eagles and they always reign supreme, We play to win and never lose in every game we play, And we'll win the flag this year!
Archive
2025
2011
2008
1986
1986
History 21 January 2005
History 912 September 2002
History 21 January 1986
History 21 January 1973
History 41 January 1971
Premierships 1
Premierships 1
Premierships 3
Premierships 8
Premierships 1
Premierships 1
History 8
History 8Got a piece of Hatherleigh history?
Photos, premiership programs, clippings, jumpers or video — we’d love to include them in the archive, with credit to every contributor.
