Good afternoon, my name is Leith Dawes and I would like to extend a warm welcome to everybody here today for the last round of the HFL season at the Heathfield Oval.
We would especially like to welcome Lofty Legend Roger Brooks who is doing us the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member coin for today’s match against Lobethal. Today he is joined by his wife Hella.
Roger, or “Chook”, grew up in Longwood where his parents who were dedicated Hills people with his dad working for the Council and helping many others to clear this land we play on for the Heathfield Oval. He married his wife Hella and they moved to Coromandel Valley. Their married life took quite the journey up through the riverland and ended in Kynton Victoria close to his daughter and her family farm.
Attending Scotts Creek and Heathfield Primary Schools and then Oakabank High School, upon leaving education he furthered himself with a course in motor mechanics and worked at United Holden in Pirie Street.
Rogers football prowess is long and has a lot of depth and history that we are very proud to honour at Mt Lofty Football Club.
Beginning at Aldgate Football Club he quickly saw the light and moved to Heathfield and later Heathfield/Aldgate United where he became instant great mates with Johnny Coventry and many others. He was a 1961 and 1962 premiership player and between 1962 and 1964 he represented the Sturt District Rep Team. Roger captained this team in 1964 and won Association Goal Kicking as well as Best and Fairest.
In 1965, played for Heathfield in metro league and in 1966 for U17s with East Torrens Association team. He also captained the association team in a curtain raiser for Sturt vs Collingwood at Adelaide oval.
1967 to 1977 saw the incredible achievements of our Heritage Club era which we refer to as “The Golden Years”. Heathfield Aldgate United set an Australian football record back then of playing 87 unbeaten matches. This equates to a massive 9 premierships and Chook alongside Johnny Coventry and the late Herman de Roos. Within that period, he won Best and Fairest and leading goal kicker.
Football skills staying in the Brooks genes, Rogers granddaughter now plays AFL for Hawthorn. Before hanging up the boots in 1992, Roger played a few seasons for Kenilworth with his late son Jason.
Roger, on behalf of everybody at Mt Lofty, we sincerely thank you for your history which is forever woven into the heritage fabric of our club that makes it what it is today.
1967 A Grade Premiers
1977 HAU A Grade
1977 HAU A Grade Premiers
HAU – Mark Radbone, Roger Brooks, Geoff Hampton, Warren Foster (Coach)
– Over the last few days on our Socials we have been ‘Stepping Back In Time’ reminiscing of past years. Here are some of the articles that were posted. –
Don’t forget the Reunion this weekend. Get in early as it is looking like standing room only.
1950 Womens unofficial team Who do you know! Our Lofty Legends team has found all the names bar one! Third from left, back row! If you know who this is, please email legends@mtloftydevils.com.au to help keep our historical records up to date!
Back row, L to R: John Hampton, Joyce Hampton, (name unknown), Mrs Sillett, Silvia Chaplin, Mrs Cocker, Mrs Meyer, Klari Chillingsworth, Pat Williams, Maxine Chillingsworth and Barb Coventry
Young girl in front of Klari Chillingsworth is Wendy Roberts
Front row L to R: Dora Fuller, Nell Blackmore, Thelma Coventry, Cliff Chaplin, Ray Williams, Bob Longmire and Janet White
1966 Opening of Heathfield Oval
What an event for the community! A lot of red tape and dedication by many community members, eventually the Heathfield Oval was opened!
Fun Fact – Heathfield High School was originally a speedway before it was a school, then an oval. And in 1962 locals gained approval from the government to clear the site of the Heathfield oval and locals literally calved out the Heathfield Oval by hand! 1966 our oval was officially opened and the first footy match played on it’s turf! So while you’re playing, remember the hard work that went into you even having an oval to begin with!
Pics in order: Chairman of Heathfield Community Club Stan Evans (in HAU guernsey) with SANFL Chairman Mr A Kenny officially opening the oval, Foundation Stone 1966 | trial match view from current clubrooms balcony | trial match view from top end goals
1986 A and B Grade Premierships
What a day for Mt Lofty! Nothing could be darker that day for Mt Barker!
We have searched high and low but are unable to locate an official sitting of the B Grade! If you have one, please email legends@mtloftydevils.com.au
Email legends@mtloftydevils.com.au if you wish to contribute your own stories, photos and to stay connected with your clubs heritage
It is with great honour we share Mt Lofty Life Member Jeff Pistola has won the 2026 AFL National Community Football Media Award.
Jeff’s commitments to our club(s) spanned over 37 years including being involved in multiple Premierships plus a rare achievement which was to have coached Mt Lofty at every level from Under 10’s through to A Grade (the only available teams at the time) after which he looked to focussing on building a media team focussing purely on Hills football. This has grown into the CALL OF THE WILD team now know today and I think we all agree is 2nd to none!
The understanding, knowledge of the game and players, along with your passion to bring this to our community is something to be admired.
Congratulations again to Jeff ‘Pistols’ Pistola on this massive award, well deserved mate!
Register your interest legends@mtloftydevils.com.au and join us as we celebrate the rich history of our incredible club!
📅 Saturday, 22nd August 2026 ⏰ 1:00 PM 📍 Upstairs in the Clubrooms ☕ Afternoon tea provided by the Lofty Legends
As we gather at our final home game of the season against Lobethal, we’ll be bringing together past and present players, volunteers, supporters, families, and friends to celebrate the people and moments that have shaped our club.
We’ll also be recognising some remarkable milestones:
🏆 80 Years – 1946 Stirling FC A Grade Premiers (Post-WWII)
🏆 60 Years – 1966 Heathfield-Aldgate United FC competing in the Adelaide Metro League & the opening of Heathfield Oval
🏆 50 Years – 1976 HAU A & B Grade Premiers
🏆 40 Years – 1986 Mt Lofty FC A & B Grade Double Premiers
🏆 20 Years – 2006 Mt Lofty FC A Grade, B Grade & Senior Colts Triple Premiers
🏆 10 Years – 2016 Mt Lofty FC Inaugural Women’s Team
Whether you played, volunteered, supported from the sidelines, or simply have great memories of the club, we’d love to see you there.
A great excuse to reconnect with mates and celebrate the club we all love.
We would especially like to thank David Le Monnier, or Max as he is affectionately known throughout the club, who is doing the honour of tossing the commemorative Life Member coin for last weekends match against Mt Barker Football Club.
Max the son of Roy and Lorina and brother of Anne, John, Barbara and Mel. Max grew up in Leslie Creek Road Mylor and went to school at Heathfield primary and high schools.
Roy was Max’s greatest supporter, to be honest Roy only saw one person on the field and he rode every bump, cheered for every mark or goal.
The connection you feel when you meet Max is evident in his lifelong friendships with Dennis Bishop, Dave Brine and brothers Dennis and Barry Earl. Together they were teammates in Mt Lofty Football Clubs first ever premiership of any grade in 1980.
After talking with the Earl brothers yesterday, they shared their memory of what that game meant to them, to their friendship and to their passion for this great club. In 1981, the Mt Lofty Under 16 team had lost their first 4 games by an average of 15+ goals. Max had been out injured and came back against undefeated Payneham. In that game, Max kicked 10 goals, the team won and they went on to win the premiership against Payneham. Mt Lofty’s first since 1978. The brothers say; that game against Payneham changed their lives and more than half the team went through to playing A grade at Mount Lofty.
Max played his first A grade match at the ripe age of 17 and the following year he was ceremoniously presented with number 13 guernsey from retiring 360 A grade games great; Herman de Roos.
Having played in the 1986 and 1990 A grade premierships with the club, notched up 240 senior games, coached junior teams for ten years, junior umpiring and a Vice Presidency, meant that not only was Max part of such a great community, it became part of him. So many hours spent playing, being involved and going above and beyond for mateship, there was a connection and a way of life that we can only envy in this fast paced time in which we now find ourselves living.
Max is well respected throughout the club and if you ever get a chance to buy him a beer, you will definitely be rewarded with regaling a tale or three of the good ol days! Good onya Maxi.
On behalf of everybody at Mt Lofty, we thank you sincerely for all you have done for the Mt Lofty District Football Club.
