Australia and the World Past and Present

Essendon’s culture combines exceptional past successes, a strong sense of pride and very high expectations from supporters. These strengths can also become weaknesses when the club struggles.

Essendon has long seen itself as one of the AFL’s powerhouse clubs.

Along with Carlton and Collingwood, Essendon was one of the dominant clubs of the VFL era. It currently shares the record for the most VFL/AFL premierships alongside Carlton and Collingwood (16 each).

This history has created a culture where success is expected. Rebuilding periods are often met with impatience.

Many former players and administrators have remarked that there is a constant awareness at Essendon of the club’s history and expectations.

One of the most distinctive features of Essendon culture is the influence of former players and officials.

For decades, important roles were often filled by people with strong existing ties to the club. Figures like Kevin Sheedy, James Hird and Tim Watson often dominated.

Critics have often argued that the club has historically looked inward rather than outward for solutions.

Supporters, however, see it as loyalty and preservation of the club’s traditions.

The influence of Kevin Sheedy remains enormous.

Sheedy coached Essendon from 1981 to 2007, won four premierships and helped to transform the club into a commercial powerhouse.

Even years after his departure, many observers believe the club still measures itself against the standards of the Sheedy era.

Essendon places great emphasis on its past.

Club legends such as Dick Reynolds, John Coleman, Kevin Sheedy and James Hird remain central to the club’s identity.

This can inspire players, but it can also create pressure. New generations are constantly compared with greats of the past.

The supplements saga of 2012–2016 became one of the defining moments in the club’s modern culture.

The club endured investigations by the AFL and ASADA, player suspensions, leadership turmoil and intense media scrutiny.

Over the past two decades, a recurring criticism has been that Essendon sometimes behaves like a successful club because of its history rather than its current performance.

The club continues to attract large crowds and maintains one of the AFL’s largest memberships.

What makes Essendon’s culture unique is the combination of historic success, deep institutional memory and an intense loyalty to former players. Few AFL clubs carry such a strong sense of their own history.