Our History

Pre-1970s

• Turner Football Club and Acton Football Club are the predecessors of the Belconnen Football Club and West Canberra Football Club, respectively. Acton wins the League’s inaugural premiership in 1924 and a further 5 premierships (3 of those as the combined Queanbeyan-Acton). Turner joins the League in 1948.

1970

• Turner Football Club fields teams for its last season and is succeeded at the end of the year by the Belconnen Football Club (BFC). BFC’s club premises at Jamison, affectionately known as “the Shed”, are opened.

1971

• BFC enters teams for its first season and adopts navy blue jumper with white monogram.

• Adopts club song “We are the mighty, fighting Blues”.

1974

• West Canberra Football Club (WCFC) enters the Canberra AFL competition, adopting the black and white Magpie colours from Acton Football Club.

1978

• Stage one of the Kippax clubhouse, the home of WCFC, is completed.

1979

• BFC loses the Grand Final to Ainslie in their most successful season since joining the League.

1986

• BFC and WCFC amalgamate to form the Belconnen Magpies, adopting the black and white stripes. The team alternates between the Kippax and Jamison clubhouses.

1987

• The amalgamation between BFC and WCFC dissolves at the end of the season.

1988-1990

• BFC continues to field teams in the Canberra AFL League, reverting to its navy blue and white colours, while WCFC fields teams in the Monaro League using its black and white colours.

1990

• BFC relocates to the Western Districts Rugby Club in Jamison after selling "The Shed" in 1989.

1991

• BFC again affiliates with the WCFC, moving to Kippax and becoming the Belconnen Magpies permanently, continuing with black and white jumpers.

1998

• Belconnen Magpies adopt their current black, white, and teal strip.

1999

• Belconnen Magpies field a women’s team for the first time, finishing in first place in the second “trial year” for women’s football in Canberra.

2000  

• Belconnen Magpies is an inaugural member of the newly formed Women’s Grade.

2001

• Belconnen Magpies begin playing senior, reserves, and U18 home games at Manuka Oval.

2002-2004

• Belconnen Magpies win three consecutive men’s senior premierships.

2009

• Belconnen Magpies win their fourth men’s senior premiership with a six-point victory over Ainslie.

2013

• All grades of the Belconnen Magpies start playing home games at the newly redeveloped Kippax Oval, nicknamed "The Nest."

2017

• The Magpies Sports Club relocates from Kippax to the Brindabella Golf Club (later the Burns Golf Club), which becomes the new home for the Belconnen Magpies’ social activities.

2020

• Belconnen Magpies win their first women’s senior premiership.

2023

• Belconnen Magpies win their fifth men’s senior premiership, defeating Ainslie by 39 points.

AFL/AFLW Players from Belconnen Magpies

Cooper Bell (Gold Coast Suns)

Brett Allison (North Melbourne and Sydney)

Don Pyke (West Coast)

Elise O’Dea (Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and Carlton)

Jack Steele (GWS and St Kilda)

Heather Anderson (Western Bulldogs and Adelaide)

Logan Austin (Port Adelaide and St Kilda)

Talia Radan (Adelaide, Melbourne and West Coast)

Hannah Wallett (GWS)

Jodie Hicks (GWS, Richmond)

Emily Pease (GWS)

Ally Morphett (GWS and Sydney)

Teagan Germech (GWS)

AFL/AFLW Coaches from Belconnen Magpies

Don Pyke (Adelaide)

Bec Goddard (Adelaide, Hawthorn)