The Red & Black Project

You may not recognise him in the street, but you certainly know his work and have likely sung his song on many an occasion. Kevin Andrews is the man who penned the most famous of songs, the Essendon theme song (he even sings it for me in this episode!). Having been forced to endure a troubled and nomadic childhood, Andrews came under the influence of Bombers Hugh Mitchell and Jeff Gamble, and it was at Gamble's parents' home - 13 Grandview Road, Niddrie - where the famous song was penned on a notepad in the late-1950s.
His connection to Essendon went further than that. In 1985, Andrews was goal umpire for the VFL Grand Final, signalling many a goal during the Bombers' thrashing of Hawthorn.  
This podcast is proudly brought to you by the Essendonians & the Essendon Past Players & Officials Association.

Relive Dan Eddy's 2019 chat with Bomber number 820, Simon Madden, which originally aired on Essendon's 'Fabric of the Essendon Football Club' podcast series celebrating the club's 150-year anniversary in 2022. One of Essendon's, and the game's, greatest ruckmen—some say THE greatest—Madden won four Crichton Medals (1977, 1979, 1983-84), was selected in six VFL Teams of the Year, was a triple Essendon leading goalkicker (1980, 1982, 1991) with a career total of 575 goals, was Bombers skipper (1980-81), a regular Victorian representative, won two premierships (1984-85) from four Grand Final appearances, and, in one of the most dominant Grand Final performances of all-time, won the 1985 Norm Smith Medal. His 378 games in red and black was a club record for more than two decades, before eclipsed by Dustin Fletcher (400 games). Madden is a Legend of the Essendon Football Club, was selected at No. 5 in the Champions of Essendon, is ruckman of the Bombers' Team of the Century, and is a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame. On top of all that, he's a great storyteller (most of it true!).

As one of just 25 men in 152 years to have held the title of president/chairman of the Essendon Football Club, Neil McKissock is in select company. As the 19th president of the Bombers (2004-06), McKissock, a life-long supporter of the club who grew up idolising John Coleman and Bill Hutchison, oversaw a changing of the guard at Bomberland as the club struggled to replicate the on-field successes of the 1980s, '90s and early-2000s. As a member of the Essendon board since the late-1990s, McKissock drew on his business career in the finance sector to help grow the Essendon Football Club from a suburban footy club engulfed in a crippling salary cap drama into one of the most powerful and recognisable sporting organisations in Australia. 
In this interview, McKissock provides a fascinating insight into what's involved in running an AFL club in the 21st century.  

A member of Essendon's famed Baby Bombers, David Calthorpe reflects with raw honesty and openness on his 92-game career at Windy Hill (1992-98), which included the 1994 pre-season premiership, an EJ Whitten Medal as best Victorian State of Origin player, and of course, that famous 1993 flag alongside a number of his childhood mates from in and around the East Keilor area of Melbourne's northern suburbs. Calthorpe—a tagger, and one of the best endurance runners at the club—walked out on the Bombers after 1998 and joined the Leigh Matthews-coached Brisbane Lions for 1999 (nine games), before playing one final season at North Melbourne in 2000 (13 games). He later returned to Essendon in off-field roles alongside then coach, Matthew Knights, where, as Calthorpe reveals, the ending left a bitter taste in his mouth.    

Former West Australian recruit, Colin Hebbard, reminisces about his 85-game career at Windy Hill (1957-61), which coincided with two Grand Final appearances in 1957 and 1959 - both losses to Melbourne - under legendary coach Dick Reynolds.  A versatile player, Hebbard was equally at home on a half-back or half-forward flank, and also spent time in the centre where he played alongside the likes of Bill Hutchison, Jack Clarke, Ian Shelton and Ken Fraser. Returning home to West Perth at the tender age of 25, Hebbard represented WA in State football and later became Essendon's WA-based recruiter (1970s-90s), helping to secure the signatures of notable fan favourites Bill Duckworth, Tony Buhagiar, Graham Moss and Leon Baker. 
He is a life member of the Essendon Football Club.

From his hometown of Perth in Western Australia, Tony 'The Budgie' Buhagiar reflects on his four seasons at Windy Hill (1981-84), which coincided with the rise of the Bombers under Kevin Sheedy. Buhagiar burst onto the VFL scene after a successful career with East Fremantle (1973-80), which included two premierships. Wearing the number 20 red and black guernsey, the diminiative rover became a fan favourite at Essendon and was a member of the club's losing 1983 Grand Final against Hawthorn. The following year, he was dropped for the Grand Final, after playing in the preliminary final, and never played another game for the club. There was one final season with Footscray (1985), before he returned to WA and later served on the board of the Fremantle Dockers (2000-09).

A product of Essendon's fruitful Wimmera recruiting zone during the 1970s, Russell Ellen played 35 games for the Bombers (1973-77). His time at Windy Hill coincided with the careers of champion ruckman, Graham Moss, and an emerging Simon Madden, meaning Ellen, a tall, lanky ruckman himself, was in and out of the senior team. He went on to play 108 games at West Perth in Western Australia, before a successful business career took him to all corners of the globe. Now based permanently back in WA, Ellen—along with a number of former Bomber players—help run the WA Bombers supporter group, one of the largest Essendon supporter bases outside of Victoria. 

Enjoy a laugh with Bomber number 888, Bill Duckworth, one of Essendon's most popular players and funniest storytellers, as he reminisces about his 126 games in red and black (1982-90), which included 64 goals, two premierships (1984-85) and the 1984 Norm Smith Medal. The West Australian also represented his home state in State of Origin football (1987), then, after returning to WA, won a stunning 11 premierships with amateur club, North Beach: one as a player and 10 as coach.

Relive Dan Eddy's 2019 chat with Bomber number 936, Gary O'Donnell, which originally aired on Essendon's 'Fabric of the Essendon Football Club' podcast series celebrating the club's 150-year anniversary in 2022. One of Essendon's finest servants, O'Donnell toiled away in the under-19s and reserves for years before earning a senior game, and from there he never looked back. He won the Crichton Medal in a premiership year (1993), a Michael Tuck Medal for best player in the 1994 pre-season Grand Final, represented Victoria nine times, and also captained the Bombers (1996-97). Adding to his impressive resume, O'Donnell coached the Dons for one game (2006) when Kevin Sheedy was unavailable—a draw with Carlton. 

Relive Dan Eddy's 2019 chat with Bomber number 696, Alec Epis, which originally aired on Essendon's 'Fabric of the Essendon Football Club' podcast series celebrating the club's 150-year anniversary in 2022. Dubbed 'The Kookaburra' because he loved a chat - on and off the field! - Epis, recruited from Western Australia, is one of the Bombers' finest contributors.  He played 180 games (1958-68) and won two premierships (1962 & 1965), starring alongside Ian 'Bluey' Shelton and Barry Davis on one of the strongest half-back lines in football history. He later served on the club's committee and, for many years, mentored up-and-coming players including goalkicking great, Matthew Lloyd.