The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed the Bombers, is a professional Australian rules football club. The club plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), the game's premier competition. The club was formed by the McCracken family in their Ascot Vale home "Alisa", and while the exact date is unknown, it is generally accepted to have been in 1872. The club's first recorded game took place on 7 June 1873 against a Carlton Second 20. From 1878 until 1896, the club played in the Victorian Football Association then joined seven other clubs in October 1896 to form the breakaway Victorian Football League. Headquartered at the Essendon Recreation Ground, known as Windy Hill, from 1922 to 2013, the club moved to The Hangar in near Tullamarine in late 2013 on land owned by the Melbourne Airport. The club currently plays its home games at either Docklands Stadium or the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Zach Merrett is the current club captain.
James Albert Hird is a former professional Australian rules football player and past senior coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Kevin John Sheedy AO is a former Australian rules football coach and player in the Australian Football League. He played and coached in a combined total of 929 games over 47 years from 1967 until 2013, which is a VFL/AFL record. Sheedy was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and on 29 May 2018 was elevated to legend status.
Mark "Bomber" Thompson is a retired Australian rules footballer and former senior coach. He played 202 games for the Essendon Football Club from 1983 to 1996, captaining the side from 1992 until 1995.
Matthew James Lloyd is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Simon Madden is a former Australian rules footballer who played his entire 19-season career with the Essendon Football Club from 1974 until 1992. Madden is one of the most decorated players in the club's history and widely regarded as one of the finest ruckmen to ever play the game.
John Richard Worsfold is a former Australian rules football coach and player. He was the senior coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) between October 2015 and September 2020. He previously had a long association with the West Coast Eagles as player (1987–1998) and coach (2002–2013), captaining the club to premierships in 1992 and 1994 and coaching the club to a premiership in 2006.
Jobe Watson is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Watson, the son of three-time Essendon premiership champion Tim Watson, was drafted by Essendon under the father–son rule in the 2002 national draft, and went on to become one of the best midfielders of the modern era. A dual All-Australian and three-time Crichton Medallist, he captained Essendon from 2010 to early 2016, and was the face of the Essendon playing group during the most turbulent period in the club's history.
Barry Davis is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) with Essendon and North Melbourne, before coaching his original team between 1978 and 1980.
Verdun John Howell is a former Australian rules footballer who played senior football in Tasmania and in the VFL.
Ricky Dyson is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Matthew Knights is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is currently serving as an assistant coach with the West Coast Eagles. Knights played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002, before going on to forge a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010. He later became the head coach of the Geelong VFL Football Club from 2012–14, guiding the Cats to the 2012 VFL Premiership and the 2013 VFL Grand Final.
Victor George Belcher was an Australian rules footballer, coach and umpire in the (then) Victorian Football League.
Sydney Quinton Barker Sr. was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond, Essendon and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). His son, also named Syd Barker, had a brief league career with North Melbourne.
Robert M. 'Bob' Wilson is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Percy James Martyn was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda, Richmond and Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Dyson Heppell is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Heppell won the AFL Rising Star award in his first season in 2011, and won a Crichton Medal and All-Australian selection in 2014. He has served as Essendon captain since the 2017 season, and relinquished the captaincy before 2023 season proper having lead the side 107 times.
Brian J. Winton is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond, Essendon and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Bruce Armstrong was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Zach Merrett is a professional Australian rules footballer, currently the captain of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A medium sized midfielder standing at 1.79 metres tall and weighing 83 kilograms, Merrett is able to contribute as a hard running midfielder capable of collecting a large number of uncontested possessions whilst also being capable of winning a contested ball and clearance. He was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the twenty sixth selection in the 2013 AFL draft and made his debut in the 2014 season. Merrett is a three-time Crichton Medalist and dual All-Australian, whilst being the 41st captain of the Essendon Football Club.
