Ovens & Murray Football Netball League

Ovens & Murray
Football Netball League
Formerly
List
    • Ovens And Murray Football Association (1893–1910)
    • Rutherglen And District Football Association (1911–1913)
    • Ovens And Murray Football Association (1914–1925)
    • Ovens And Murray Football League (1926–1992)
    • Ovens And Murray Football Netball League (1993–present)
SportFootball (1893–present)
Netball (1993–present)
Founded1893; 131 years ago (1893) in Rutherglen, Victoria
No. of teams10
Country Australia
ConfederationAFL Victoria Country (2012–present)
Netball Victoria (1993–present)
Most recent
champion(s)
Wangaratta Rovers (16)
Most titles Albury (22)
Level on pyramid3
AFL North East Border
Established 2012
Leagues
Ovens & Murray
Tallangata & District
Ovens & King
Upper Murray
Wangaratta & District Junior
Albury Wodonga Junior
AFLNEB Youth Girls

The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League (OMFNL or O&MFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing ten clubs based in north-eastern Victoria, the southern Riverina region of New South Wales and the Ovens and Murray area. The name comes from the Ovens River, the river in the part of north-eastern Victoria covered by the league, and the Murray River, which separates Victoria and New South Wales.

The league features three grades in the Australian rules football competition, with these being Seniors, Reserve-Grade and Under 18s. In the netball competition, there are four grades, with these being A-Grade, B-Grade, C-Grade and Under 16s.

Currently a home and away season consisting of eighteen rounds is played. The best five teams then play off according to the McIntyre system, culminating in the O&MFNL Grand Final, which from 1995 to 2017 was held at the Lavington Sports Ground in the Albury suburb of Hamilton Valley.

History

[edit]

Beginnings of the O&MFA

[edit]

Organised competition in the area started as the "Ovens & Murray Football Association" in 1893, with the following foundation clubs – Beechworth Wanderers, Chiltern, Eldorado, Rutherglen, Wangaratta City and Wangaratta West End,[1] with Beechworth Football Club winning premierships in 1893 and 1894 and Rutherglen winning thirteen O&MFA flags between 1895 and 1915.[2]

In 1910, the O&MFA had only three teams – Albury, Excelsior and Rutherglen with Rutherglen winning the premiership.[3]

Then in 1911, both Excelsior and Rutherglen applied to enter the Rutherglen and District Football Association. As a result, the O&MFL folded, with local teams attempting to apply to play in the Rutherglen & DFA. A ballot took place at a Rutherglen & DFA meeting on 29 April at Mackay's Hotel, Rutherglen which resulted in Balldale, North Albury, Rutherglen, South Albury and Wodonga being refused admission to join the association. Corowa, Excelsior and Lake Rovers were club's that were admitted.[4] In 1911, the Albury Football Club was planning to divide the club into South Albury and North Albury teams, but as they were not admitted into the Rutherglen & DFA, the club went into recess in 1911. Rutherglen FC also went into recess in 1911.[5]

Albury FC and Rutherglen FC were admitted into the Rutherglen & DFA in 1912.[6]

In 1913, the Rutherglen & DFA consisting of the following teams – Albury, Balldale, Border United, Howlong, Lake Rovers and Rutherglen,[7] with Albury defeating Rutherglen in the grand final at the Albury Sportground.[8]

The competition reformed under the Ovens & Murray Football Association banner again in 1914, involving the following five teams: Albury, Border United, Howlong, Lake Rovers and Rutherglen. Balldale FC entered the Coreen & District Football League in 1914.[9]

In 1915, Beechworth Football Club and Wangaratta Football Club returned to play in the O&MFA. Howlong Football Club entered the Chiltern & District Football Association and went onto win the premiership, while Rutherglen defeated Lake Rovers in the O&MFA grand final played at Rutherglen.[10]

After a three-year break due to World War I, the O&MFA reformed for the 1919 season with only four clubs, Border United Football Club (Corowa based), Howlong, Lake Rovers and Rutherglen.[11] Albury Football Club was reformed in early 1919 and played in the Albury Senior Football Association with two teams – South Albury and North Albury,[12] with St. Patrick's FC defeating South Albury Football Club in the grand final on the Albury Sportsground.[13]

In 1920 the O&MFA didn't reform; "It seems strange that the O&MFA has apparently been allowed to die a natural death" with only two club's present at the O&MFA – AGM.,[14][15] with some clubs moving to play in the Chiltern & DFA and Coreen & DFA.

The competition reformed in 1921 with Lakes Rovers, Rutherglen, St Patricks, Corowa, Springhurst and Wahgunyah. In 1922, larger town clubs Benalla and Wangaratta joined the OMFA whilst Wahgunyah and Springhurst moved to the Chiltern DFL.

In 1924, Lake Rovers Football Club amalgamated with the Rutherglen Football Club.[16] and Albury FC and the Diggers FC also decided to amalgamate in 1924 and apply for admission into the Ovens and Murray Football League as Albury Football Club.[17]

In 1926, the O&M name was changed from an association to a league, its present form. Around this time the clubs contesting the league included Wangaratta, Hume Weir (which drew many of its players from workers constructing the Hume Dam at the time), Yarrawonga and two clubs from the town of Albury, St Patricks and Albury club). These two clubs were largely divided amongst sectarian lines, St Patricks being Roman Catholic and Albury being Protestant and, after much tension, in 1929 the two clubs agreed to disband and form two new clubs, East Albury Football Club and West Albury Football Club, with the player base to be drawn geographically.

Haydn Bunton in a photo that became the basis of a statue outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Following the 1930 season, a 19 year old West Albury player, Haydn Bunton, who has sometimes been described as the best ever player of Australian rules,[18] was recruited by VFL club Fitzroy. Bunton won Brownlow Medals in 1931, 1932 and 1935, before transferring to Subiaco in the WANFL, where he won Sandover Medals in 1938, 1939 and 1941. Bunton has remained one of only four triple Brownlow medallists, and the only player to have been awarded three Brownlows and three Sandovers. (Bunton Park, where North Albury Football Club is based, was named after his brother Cleaver Bunton, who was elected president of the O&MFL in 1930 and would serve in that role until 1969. Cleaver Bunton was also mayor of Albury for 30 years.)

In 1930 Hume Weir Football Club and Ebden Rovers Football Club merged to become the Weir United Football Club.

East Albury Football Club and Weir United Football Club merged in 1933 to become the Border United Football Club (Albury based) and wore green and white jumpers.[19] In 1933 West Albury Football Club changed its name to the Albury Football Club and remained in the West Albury colours of maroon and blue.[20]

At the O&MFA's 1936 Annual General Meeting, it was announced that the Border United FC would merge with the Albury Football Club as both clubs were in debt and also due to a lack of players. The newly merged team took on the name of the Albury Football Club.[21] This left the City of Albury with only one football team.

Post-World War II

[edit]

In 1940, the league went into recess after round 10 for the duration of World War II, before full competition resumed in 1946. In 1945, Rutherglen, played in the Chiltern & District Football Association and Wodonga played in the Albury Border Football Association in 1945. In 1947 North Albury was admitted, followed by Wangaratta Rovers and Myrtleford, who were admitted from the Ovens & King Football League in 1950. Wangaratta won four consecutive premierships between 1949 and 1953, under captain coach, Mac Holten.

The Wangaratta Rovers would go on to dominate the O&M for the remainder of the 20th Century, winning fifteen premierships to date, a number only recently overhauled by Albury with their own streak of flags.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the league began to gain a reputation within Victoria as being the strongest competition outside the then VFL and VFA. The best players were often recruited from the O&M to play for one of the "city" clubs, but it was not uncommon for a VFL player to retire from the "big" league and play in the O&M or another country league, and perhaps start a coaching career there as well, often at the same time as a playing coach. One notable example of this, as far as the O&M was concerned, was Bob Rose, who left Collingwood as a player in 1955 and became captain coach of the Wangaratta Rovers and lead them to two premierships in 1958 and 1960, after which he returned to Collingwood to continue his coaching career.

1970s and 1980s

[edit]

In 1968, the VFL introduced country recruitment zones throughout Victoria and Riverina, which limited the areas from which each VFL club could recruit. The O&MFL was allocated to North Melbourne, and thus quite a few of the better players from the O&M came to play for the Kangaroos, contributing in part to that club's rise to success in the 1970s. These included Mick Nolan, Xavier Tanner, Gary Cowton, Peter Chisnall and John Byrne and later John Longmire, who had a good season with Corowa-Rutherglen as a goal kicking forward in O&M seniors in 1987. The zoning system was discontinued in the late 1980s as the VFL/AFL introduced a draft system.

The Wangaratta Rovers dominated the 1970s, playing in ten grand finals between 1970 and 1980, winning seven premierships and finishing third in 1973.

In 1974 the O&MFL was disaffiliated by the Victorian Country Football League (VCFL) when the O&MFL refused to accept an application from the Lavington Football Club to join the league. By this stage the football club was based at the Lavington Sports Club, an established licensed club, and was strong enough to field teams in both the Tallangatta League and Hume Football League the following year.

The makeup of the competition remained stable until 1979, when Corowa and Rutherglen merged into Corowa-Rutherglen, and the Lavington Football Club was finally admitted from the Farrer Football League, so the number of clubs remained at ten.

Lavington's home ground, the Lavington Sports Club Oval, provided an ideal venue for many sports as the sports club gradually developed it after its construction in the 1970s. The league has designated it as the venue for most of the league's grand finals since the 1980s. Recently, added assistance for the staging of the grand final through regional promotion and in-kind sponsorship has been provided by the Albury City Council.

In 1983, after an unsuccessful debut season playing for Hawthorn the previous year, Gary Ablett played for Myrtleford in the O&M for a year, before he was recruited by Geelong where he recommenced his career in the VFL/AFL and established himself as one of the code's best players, being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

By the late 1980s, the Wodonga Demons of the Tallangatta League had made a number of bids to join the O&M, and in 1989 were accepted into the competition to serve the west of the city of Wodonga, based at Birralee Park. They changed their name to the Wodonga Raiders Football Club so as to not cause confusion with the Benalla Demons and the long established Wodonga Football Club.

1990 "Bloodbath" Grand Final

[edit]

Around a minute after the start of the 1990 grand final between Lavington and Wodonga, a brawl began players, which lasted for around three minutes.[22] Fifteen players received a combined total of 68 matches in suspensions following the match − a combined 46 for Lavington players and 22 for Wodonga players.[23]

Footage of the brawls, which was broadcast live Prime Television, was shown across Australia and around the world, and it has been described as the OMFL's "darkest day".[24][25]

Wodonga won the match by 20 points, despite having trailed at the first three breaks, marking the club's fifth senior premiership. This was the second premiership for Jeff Gieschen as Wodonga coach, having coached the club to a victory in 1987, and he later went on to coach West Perth and Richmond.[26]

Recent years

[edit]

In 1998, after a string of unsuccessful seasons in the O&M, Benalla moved to the Goulburn Valley Football League. In 2000 the Penrith Panthers Leagues Club, financiers of the Penrith Panthers National Rugby League team, merged with the Lavington Sports Club. As a result, the Lavington Football Club changed their nickname from the Blues to the Panthers, added "Panthers" to their title, and adopted a guernsey in the same colours as the NRL Panthers, but in the Port Adelaide AFL pattern.

Also around this time, the Wagga Tigers Football Club, which had dominated the Riverina Football League, made a bid to join the O&MFL; however, partially due to concerns from the league's southern clubs about travel times, the bid was rejected. The Wagga Tigers then successfully bid to join AFL Canberra.

In 2000 the O&MFL, in an association with the AFL North Melbourne Football Club, fielded a team in the Victorian Football League called the Murray Kangaroos, playing home games between Coburg and Lavington. However, due to concerns from O&M clubs about player availability, the Kangaroos about travel time, and poor attendances compared with O&M league games, the venture was discontinued after three seasons and the Kangaroos subsequently set up an affiliation with the established VFL club Port Melbourne.

The league operates with a $125,000 salary cap. The Wangaratta Magpies exceeded this in 2022, and the club was stripped of its 2022 premiership flag, a first in country football, among other penalties.[27]

Clubs

[edit]

Current clubs

[edit]
Club Colours Moniker Home ground(s) Former League Established Joined O&M Senior Flags Most Recent
Albury
Tigers Albury Sportsground. Albury, New South Wales 1876 1896 22 2018
Corowa-Rutherglen
Roos John Foord Oval [note 1], Corowa, New South Wales 1979 [note 2] 1979 2 2003
Lavington
Panthers Lavington Sports Ground. Hamilton Valley, New South Wales FFL 1880s 1979 5 2019
Myrtleford
Saints McNamara Reserve. Myrtleford, Victoria O&KFL 1896 1950 1 1970
North Albury
Hoppers Bunton Park. North Albury, New South Wales CDFL 1943 1947 6 2002
Wangaratta
Magpies Norm Minns Oval. Wangaratta, Victoria O&KFL 1877 1893 15 2017
Wangaratta Rovers
Hawks W.J. Findlay Oval. Wangaratta, Victoria O&KFL 1922 1950 16 2024
Wodonga
Bulldogs Martin Park. Wodonga, Victoria CDFL 1878 1936 7 2004
Wodonga Raiders
Raiders Birallee Park. West Wodonga, Victoria TDFL 1953 [note 3] 1989 1 1998
Yarrawonga
Pigeons J.C. Lowe Oval. [note 4], Yarrawonga, Victoria BMFL 1889 1929 6 2023

Former clubs

[edit]
Club Color Moniker Home ground(s) Former League Estab. Years in O&M Flags Fate
Balldale
Balldale Cricket Ground, Balldale 1906 1909, 1912-1913 0 Moved to Coreen & District FA in 1914
Barnawartha
Tigers Havelock Street Recreation Reserve, Barnawartha 1894[28] 1911 0 Moved to Chiltern & District FA in 1920
Beechworth
Bombers Baarmutha Park, Beechworth O&KFL 1861 1893–98, 1900–02, 1907, 1915, 1924–28 3 Moved to Ovens & King FL in 1929
Benalla
Demons Benalla Showgrounds, Benalla EDFL 1896 1922–1928, 1946–1997 4 Moved to Goulburn Valley FL in 1998
Benalla Rovers
Rovers Benalla Show Grounds, Benalla 1920 1929 & 1930 0 Absorbed by Benalla in 1931
Border United FC (Corowa / Wahgunyah)
Morris Park, Corowa 1876 1895–1905, 1913–15, 1919, 1946–47 0 De-merged into Corowa and Wahgunyah
Border United FC (East Albury / Weir United)
Greens Albury Sportsground, Albury 1933 1933–1935 1 Absorbed by Albury in 1936
Chiltern
Swans Chiltern Football Ground, Chiltern 1906 1893–1903 & 1906–1908 0 Moved to Chiltern & District FA in 1912
Corowa
Spiders John Foord Oval, Corowa 1877 1908–12, 1921–40, 1948–78 2 Merged with Rutherglen to form Corowa-Rutherglen in 1979
East Albury FC
Rovers Alexandra Park, East Albury 1929–1932 0 Merged back into Albury in 1933, also merged with Weir United to form Border United
Eldorado
Eldorado Recreation Reserve, Eldorado 1893 0 Moved to Ovens & King FL
Excelsior
Magpies The Freehold [29] 1908 1896–1906, 1908–1912 1 Folded
Great Southern Southern Ground, Rutherglen 1898–1902, 1905–07 0 Moved to Chiltern & District FA in 1912
Howlong
Spiders Howlong Oval, Howlong 1898 1911–1914 & 1919 1 Moved to Chiltern & District FA in 1920
Hume Weir
Magpies Wodonga Racecourse, Wodonga ABFA 1921 1924–29 0 Merged with Ebden Rovers to form Weir United in 1930
Lake Moodemere
Rovers Lake Moodemere Recreation Reserve, Rutherglen 1903–06, 1909–10 0 Folded
Lake Rovers Maroon and blue Rovers Barkly Park, Rutherglen 1911[30]–15, 1919, 1921–23 0 Merged with Rutherglen in 1924
Lilliput Lilliput Recreation Reserve, Lilliput 1889 1894 0 Folded
Rutherglen (1893)
Redlegs Barkly Park, Rutherglen 1893 1893–1910, 1912–15, 1919, 1921–78 15 Merged with Corowa to form Corowa-Rutherglen in 1979
South Albury Waites Park, South Albury 1898–1907 [citation needed] 0 Folded
Springhurst Red, white and blue[31] Springhurst Recreation Reserve, Springhurst CDFL 1893 1921 0 Moved to Chiltern & District FA in 1922
St. Patrick's (Albury)
Saints Xavier High School Oval, North Albury 1919 1921–29 6 Folded, still compete as a junior club
United Miners Gold Seekers Prentice Freehold Mine, Rutherglen 1894 1894–95, 1911–12 0 Folded
Wahgunyah Wahgunyah Football Ground, Wahgunyah CDFL 1908 1908, 1921 0 Moved to Chiltern & District FA in 1922
Weir United Westerners Hume Dam, Lake Hume Village 1930 1930–32 2 Merged with East Albury to form Border United in 1933
West Albury
Uiver Park, West Albury 1929–32 1 Merged back into Albury in 1933
West End (Wangaratta) Wareena Park, Wangaratta 1892[32] 1893 0 Folded
Notes
  1. ^ Played at the Barkly Park on few occasions.
  2. ^ From the merger of Corowa + Rutherglen clubs.
  3. ^ As Kergunyah FC.
  4. ^ The club has also used the Lonsdale Reserve in few occasions.

The club monikers listed above for former clubs are the ones they currently use and may not be their monikers used when playing in the Ovens and Murray league.

Club Mergers
  • 1877: Corowa FC & Wahgunyah FC merged between 1877 & 1905, then 1914 & 1919, and 1944 & 1947 and were known as Border United FC (Corowa based).
  • 1907: Lake Moodemere and Rutherglen FC merged just prior to the start of the 1907 O&MFA season[33] and were then known as Rutherglen FC.
  • 1924: Albury FC and the Diggers FC merge and apply for admission into the Ovens and Murray Football League as Albury FC.
  • 1924: Lake Rovers Football Club amalgamated with the Rutherglen Football Club and be known as Rutherglen FC.
  • 1929: Benalla FC and Benalla Rovers FC merged to become Benalla Rovers FC,[34] before changing back to Benalla FC in 1931.[35]
  • 1930: Hume Weir Football Club and Ebden Rovers Football Club merged to become the Weir United Football Club.
  • 1930: Wangaratta FC (O&MFL) and Wangaratta Rovers FC (O&KFL) merged in 1930 and entered one team in the O&MFL & another team in the O&KFL. Wangaratta Rovers reformed as a stand-alone club in 1945 and entered a team in the O&KFL, before joining the O&MFL in 1950.
  • 1933: East Albury Football Club and Weir United Football Club merge to become the Border United Football Club (Albury based) and wore green and white jumpers.
  • 1933: West Albury Football Club changed its name to the Albury Football Club and remained in the West Albury colours of maroon and blue.
  • 1936: Border United FC would merge with the Albury Football Club and be known as Albury FC.
  • 1979: Corowa FC and Rutherglen FC merge to become Corowa / Rutherglen FC.

League honour boards

[edit]

Premierships

[edit]
Premiers: Year By Year
Season Seniors
(Football 1893–)
Reserves
(Football 1953–)
Thirds
(Football 1973–)
A Grade
(Netball 1993–)
B Grade
(Netball 1993–)
C Grade
(Netball 1996–)
D Grade
(Netball 2012–)
E Grade
(Netball 2023–)
Rutherglen & District Football Association (1893–1913) [36]
1893 Beechworth (1)
1894 Beechworth (2)
1895 Rutherglen (1)
1896 Rutherglen (2)
1897 Beechworth (3)
1898 Rutherglen (3)
1899 Rutherglen (4)
1900 Excelsior (1)
1901 Rutherglen (5)
1902 Albury (1)
1903 Rutherglen (6)
1904 Rutherglen (7)
1905 Lake Rovers (1)
1906 Lake Rovers (2)
1907 Rutherglen (8)
1908 Albury (2)
1909 Rutherglen (9)
1910 Rutherglen (10)
1911 Howlong (1)
1912 Rutherglen (11)
1913 Albury (3)
Ovens & Murray Football Association (1914-1925) [37]
1914 Rutherglen (12)
1915 Rutherglen (13)
1916 Association in recess (World War I)
1917 Association in recess (World War I)
1918 Association in recess (World War I)
1919 Lake Rovers (3)
1920 Association in recess (Only two clubs)
1921 St Patricks (1)
1922 St Patricks (2)
1923 St Patricks (3)
1924 St Patricks (4)
1925 Wangaratta (1)
Ovens & Murray Football League (1926-1992) [38]
1926 St Patricks (5)
1927 St Patricks (6)
1928 Albury (4)
1929 West Albury (1)
1930 Weir United (1)
1931 Weir United (2)
1932 Corowa (1)
1933 Wangaratta (2)
1934 Border United (1)
E.A.-W.U.
1935 Rutherglen (14)
1936 Wangaratta (3)
1937 Albury (5)
1938 Wangaratta (4)
1939 Albury (6)
1940 Albury (7)
1941 League in recess (World War II)
1942 League in recess (World War II)
1943 League in recess (World War II)
1944 League in recess (World War II)
1945 League in recess (World War II)
1946 Wangaratta (5)
1947 Albury (8)
1948 North Albury (1)
1949 Wangaratta (6)
1950 Wangaratta (7)
1951 Wangaratta (8)
1952 Wangaratta (9)
1953 Benalla (1) Corowa (1)
1954 Rutherglen (15) North Albury (1)
1955 North Albury (2) Benalla (1)
1956 Albury (9) Wodonga (1)
1957 Wangaratta (10) Wodonga (2)
1958 Wang. Rovers (1) Wang. Rovers (1)
1959 Yarrawonga (1) Wangaratta (1)
1960 Wang. Rovers (2) Wodonga (3)
1961 Wangaratta (11) Wodonga (4)
1962 Benalla (2) Wangaratta (2)
1963 Benalla (3) Myrtleford (1)
1964 Wang. Rovers (3) Yarrawonga (1)
1965 Wang. Rovers (4) Albury (1)
1966 Albury (10) Myrtleford (2)
1967 Wodonga (1) Wangaratta (3)
1968 Corowa (2) Wangaratta (4)
1969 Wodonga (2) Wodonga (5)
1970 Myrtleford (1) Wodonga (6)
1971 Wang. Rovers (5) Wodonga (7)
1972 Wang. Rovers (6) Benalla (2)
1973 Benalla (4) Yarrawonga (2) Albury (1)
1974 Wang. Rovers (7) Yarrawonga (3) Benalla (1)
1975 Wang. Rovers (8) Yarrawonga (4) Wangaratta (1)
1976 Wangaratta (12) Wang. Rovers (2) Wangaratta (2)
1977 Wang. Rovers (9) Wang. Rovers (3) Wodonga (1)
1978 Wang. Rovers (10) Benalla (3) Wodonga (2)
1979 Wang. Rovers (11) Wodonga (8) Wodonga (3)
1980 North Albury (3) Wang. Rovers (4) Wang. Rovers (1)
1981 Wodonga (3) Wodonga (9) Wodonga (4)
1982 Albury (11) Lavington (1) Wodonga (5)
1983 Lavington (1) Wang. Rovers (5) Cor.-R'glen (1)
1984 North Albury (4) Wang. Rovers (6) Cor.-R'glen (2)
1985 Albury (12) Wangaratta (5) Wang. Rovers (2)
1986 Lavington (2) Cor.-R'glen (1) Wodonga (6)
1987 Wodonga (4) Wodonga (10) Wodonga (7)
1988 Wang. Rovers (12) Yarrawonga (5) Wang. Rovers (3)
1989 Yarrawonga (2) Wodonga (11) Wod. Raiders (1)
1990 Wodonga (5) Wodonga (12) Myrtleford (1)
1991 Wang. Rovers (13) Wod. Raiders (1) Wodonga (8)
1992 Wodonga (6) Cor.-R'glen (2) Wangaratta (3)
Ovens & Murray Football League / Ovens & Murray Netball Association (1993-2008) [39]
1993 Wang. Rovers (14) Wodonga (13) Lavington (1) Wang. Rovers (1) Cor.-R'glen (1)
1994 Wang. Rovers (15) Wodonga (14) Wod. Raiders (2) Wang. Rovers (2) North Albury (1)
1995 Albury (13) Wodonga (15) Wang. Rovers (4) Myrtleford (1) Cor.-R'glen (2)
1996 Albury (14) Albury (2) Wang. Rovers (5) North Albury (1) North Albury (2) Wang. Rovers (1)
1997 Albury (15) Wod. Raiders (2) Benalla (2) Myrtleford (2) Yarrawonga (1) Lavington (1)
1998 Wod. Raiders (1) Wod. Raiders (2) Wang. Rovers (6) Lavington (1) North Albury (3) Albury (1)
1999 North Albury (5) Wod. Raiders (3) Wang. Rovers (7) North Albury (2) Wang. Rovers (1) Yarrawonga (1)
2000 Cor.-R'glen (1) North Albury (2) Cor.-R'glen (3) Myrtleford (3) Albury (1) Albury (2)
2001 Lavington (3) Wodonga (16) Wodonga (9) Yarrawonga (1) Yarrawonga (2) North Albury (1)
2002 North Albury (6) Wod. Raiders (4) Wang. Rovers (8) Wodonga (1) Myrtleford (1) North Albury (2)
2003 Cor.-R'glen (2) Wod. Raiders (5) Wang. Rovers (9) Myrtleford (4) Yarrawonga (3) Albury (3)
2004 Wodonga (7) Wodonga (17) Wodonga (9) Wodonga (2) Yarrawonga (4) North Albury (3)
2005 Lavington (4) Wodonga (18) Wodonga (10) Wang. Rovers (3) Wodonga (1) North Albury (4)
2006 Yarrawonga (3) Wodonga (19) Wodonga (11) Wang. Rovers (4) North Albury (4) North Albury (5)
2007 Wangaratta (13) Wang. Rovers (7) Wodonga (12) North Albury (3) Wodonga (2) North Albury (6)
2008 Wangaratta (14) Albury (3) Wang. Rovers (10) North Albury (4) Myrtleford (2) North Albury (7)
Ovens & Murray Football Netball League (2009-) [40]
2009 Albury (16) Albury (4) Lavington (2) Yarrawonga (2) Yarrawonga (5) Wangaratta (1)
2010 Albury (17) Albury (5) Wod. Raiders (3) Yarrawonga (3) Albury (2) North Albury (8)
2011 Albury (18) Yarrawonga (6) Wangaratta (4) Yarrawonga (4) Albury (3) North Albury (9)
2012 Yarrawonga (4) Yarrawonga (7) Wangaratta (5) Yarrawonga (5) North Albury (5) Wangaratta (2) North Albury (1)
2013 Yarrawonga (5) Albury (6) Albury (2) Lavington (2) North Albury (6) Albury (4) Lavington (1)
2014 Albury (19) Albury (7) Wangaratta (6) Yarrawonga (6) North Albury (7) Lavington (2) North Albury (2)
2015 Albury (20) Lavington (2) Wangaratta (7) Wodonga (3) North Albury (8) Lavington (3) North Albury (3)
2016 Albury (21) Yarrawonga (8) Yarrawonga (1) Yarrawonga (7) Yarrawonga (6) North Albury (10) Wangaratta (1)
2017 Wangaratta (15) Wod. Raiders (6) Albury (3) Yarrawonga (8) North Albury (9) Lavington (4) Yarrawonga (1)
2018 Albury (22) Yarrawonga (9) Wang. Rovers (11) Wangaratta (1) Wangaratta (1) North Albury (11) North Albury (4)
2019 Lavington (5) Yarrawonga (10) Myrtleford (2) Wangaratta (2) Cor.-R'glen (3) Yarrawonga (2) Wang. Rovers (1)
2020 League in recess (COVID-19)
2021 Season abandoned (COVID-19) [41][42]
2022 Withheld (a) Yarrawonga (11) Wangaratta (8) Yarrawonga (9) Lavington (1) Lavington (5) Wodonga (1)
2023 Yarrawonga (6) Albury (8) Lavington (3) Lavington (3) Wod. Raiders (1) Yarrawonga (3) Wod. Raiders (1) Wodonga (1)
Notes
(a): Wangaratta Magpies were stripped of their 2022 senior premiership due to salary cap breaches under the AFL Victoria Player Points System and Allowable Player Payments Rules. The premiership was withheld by the OMNFL rather than awarding it to the runners up, Yarrawonga Pigeons, following the precedent set by the National Rugby League after the Melbourne Storm salary cap breach.[43]
(1): This number represents the number of premierships won.
  • Records: by competition level
    • Most premierships
      • Seniors
        • (22) Albury
      • Reserves
        • (19) Wodonga
      • Thirds
        • (12) Wodonga & Wangaratta Rovers
      • A Grade
        • (9) Yarrawonga
      • B Grade
        • (9) North Albury
      • C Grade
        • (11) North Albury
      • D Grade
        • (4) North Albury
    • Most premierships in a row
      • Seniors
        • (4) St. Patrick (1921, 1922, 1923, 1924)
        • (4) Wangaratta (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952)
      • Reserves
        • (3) Wodonga (1969, 1970, 1971)
        • (3) Yarrawonga (1973, 1974, 1975)
        • (3) Wodonga (1993, 1994, 1995)
        • (3) Wodonga Raiders (1997, 1998, 1999)
        • (3) Wodonga (2004, 2005, 2006)
        • (3) Albury (2008, 2009, 2010)
      • Thirds
        • (4) Wodonga (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
      • A Grade
        • (4) Yarrawonga (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
      • B Grade
        • (4) North Albury (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
      • C Grade
        • (5) North Albury (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
      • D Grade
        • (2) North Albury (2014, 2015)

Records

[edit]

Football: Seniors

[edit]
  • Most flags in a row:
    • 4, St. Patrick (1921, 1922, 1923, 1924).
    • 4, Wangaratta (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952).
  • Most grand finals in a row:
    • 10: Albury: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.
    • 7: Wangaratta Rovers: 1970, 1971, 1972, (1973 - 3rd), 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980.(10 grand finals in 11 years)
    • 5: Wangaratta: 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926.

(bold: premiership years)

Senior Football Premierships (1893-present)

[edit]
Year Premier Score Runners-Up Score
1893 Beechworth 30 Rutherglen 28
1894 Beechworth 38 Rutherglen 32
1895 Rutherglen 42 Beechworth 38
1896 Rutherglen 40 Beechworth 38
1897 Play Off Beechworth 3.4-22 Rutherglen 1.7-13
1898 Rutherglen 40 Beechworth, Excelsior 36
1899 Rutherglen 44 Albury 32
1900 Excelsior 36 Border United 32
1901 Rutherglen 44 Albury 36
1902 Albury 40 Corowa 32
1903 Rutherglen 28 Corowa 24
1904 Rutherglen 32 Corowa 24
1905 Lake Rovers 20 Excelsior 12
1906 Lake Rovers 20 Chiltern 14
1907 Play Off Rutherglen 7.14-56 Albury 4.4-28
1908 Play Off Albury 10.4-64 Rutherglen 9.8-62
1909 Play Off Rutherglen 10.10-70 Albury 5.7-37
1910 Rutherglen 24 Albury, Excelsior 12
1911 Howlong 7.11-53 Barnawartha 1.1-7
1912 Rutherglen 7.4-46 Albury 6.4-40
1913 Albury 7.6-48 Rutherglen 5.10-40
1914 Rutherglen 9.11-65 Border United 6.16-52
1915 Rutherglen 8.5-53 Lake Rovers 2.6-18
1916 Recess during WWI . . .
1917 Recess during WWI . . .
1918 Recess during WWI . . .
1919 Lake Rovers 6.7-43 Howlong 4.4-28
1920 League in recess . . .
1921 St Patricks 7.19-61 Corowa 2.3-15
1922 St Patricks 6.9-45 Wangaratta 5.13-43
1923 St Patricks 10.13-73 Wangaratta 8.8-56
1924 St Patricks 12 Wangaratta 8
1925 Wangaratta 10.11-71 Hume Weir 7.8-50
1926 St Patricks 18.20-128 Wangaratta 6.9-35
1927 St Patricks 12.29-101 Albury 7.11-53
1928 Albury 12.8-80 St Patricks 8.16-60
1929 West Albury 17.16-118 East Albury 15.14-104
1930 Weir United 11.17-83 West Albury 7.9-51
1931 Weir United 9.14-68 West Albury 4.7-31
1932 Corowa 11.14-80 West Albury 10.16-76
1933 Wangaratta 11.5-71 Border United 10.10-70
1934 Border United 11.22-88 Corowa 9.9-63
1935 Rutherglen 13.10-88 Border United 10.22-82
1936 Wangaratta 11.18-84 Rutherglen 9.10-64
1937 Albury 16.13-109 Yarrawonga 9.9-63
1938 Wangaratta 12.15-87 Yarrawonga 7.16-58
1939 Albury 12.12-84 Wodonga 11.15-81
1940 Albury 13.14-92 Yarrawonga 10.16-76
1941 Recess during World War II .
1942 Recess during World War II .
1943 Recess during World War II .
1944 Recess during World War II .
1945 Recess during World War II .
1946 Wangaratta 14.10-94 Albury 13.11-89
1947 Albury 11.18-84 Benalla 10.9-69
1948 North Albury 9.16-70 Albury 8.16-64
1949 Wangaratta 11.16-82 Wodonga 6.14-50
1950 Wangaratta 11.20-86 North Albury 10.10-70
1951 Wangaratta 16.7-103 Wodonga 12.7-79
1952 Wangaratta 13.11-89 Rutherglen 10.9-69
1953 Benalla 8.10-58 Albury 6.15-51
1954 Rutherglen 15.17-107 Benalla 10.10-70
1955 North Albury 13.15-93 Wangaratta 13.5-83
1956 Albury 15.15-105 North Albury 11.6-72
1957 Wangaratta 10.15-75 Albury 10.13-73
1958 Wangaratta Rovers 15.9-99 Wodonga 7.8-50
1959 Yarrawonga 17.10-112 Wangaratta Rovers 16.8-104
1960 Wangaratta Rovers 11.17-83 Wodonga 8.13-61
1961 Wangaratta 17.15-117 Benalla 7.12-54
1962 Benalla 7.14-56 Wangaratta Rovers 6.10-46
1963 Benalla 17.13-115 Corowa 8.3-51
1964 Wangaratta Rovers 12.12-84 Wangaratta 9.7-61
1965 Wangaratta Rovers 14.9-93 Wangaratta 13.12-90
1966 Albury 14.11-95 Wangaratta 5.10-40
1967 Wodonga 11.17-83 Wangaratta Rovers 9.11-65
1968 Corowa 14.11-95 Wodonga 12.16-88
1969 Wodonga 14.19-103 Wangaratta 9.15-69
1970 Myrtleford 18.15-123 Wangaratta Rovers 16.10-106
1971 Wangaratta Rovers 16.11-107 Yarrawonga 13.10-88
1972 Wangaratta Rovers 12.20-92 Yarrawonga 11.9-75
1973 Benalla 12.12-85 North Albury 11.11-77
1974 Wangaratta Rovers 23.10-148 Yarrawonga 13.9-87
1975 Wangaratta Rovers 8.12-60 North Albury 5.11-41
1976 Wangaratta 17.11-113 Wangaratta Rovers 11.10-76
1977 Wangaratta Rovers 20.16-136 Wangaratta 12.12-84
1978 Wangaratta Rovers 15.18-108 Benalla 7.12-54
1979 Wangaratta Rovers 19.12-126 Wodonga 14.12-96
1980 North Albury 17.11-113 Wangaratta Rovers 14.9-93
1981 Wodonga 19.11-125 Albury 14.14-98
1982 Albury 21.15-141 Lavington 16.11-107
1983 Lavington 18.18-126 Albury 12.16-88
1984 North Albury 14.16-100 Wodonga 14.13-97
1985 Albury 16.8-104 Lavington 15.11-101
1986 Lavington 19.5-119 North Albury 10.10-70
1987 Wodonga 29.22-196 Lavington 13.11-89
1988 Wangaratta Rovers 14.17-101 Lavington 11.9-75
1989 Yarrawonga 17.11-113 Wodonga 14.13-97
1990 Wodonga 10.22-82 Lavington 8.14-62
1991 Wangaratta Rovers 17.16-118 Yarrawonga 7.7-49
1992 Wodonga 16.16-112 Corowa-Rutherglen 14.6-90
1993 Wangaratta Rovers 18.13-121 Wodonga 12.9-81
1994 Wangaratta Rovers 14.14-98 Wodonga 5.9-39
1995 Albury 5.13-43 Wodonga 6.3-39
1996 Albury 13.16-94 Lavington 10.11-71
1997 Albury 13.8-86 Wodonga Raiders 11.13-79
1998 Wodonga Raiders 19.12-126 Lavington 8.14-62
1999 North Albury 17.12-114 Albury 14.3-87
2000 Corowa-Rutherglen 27.18-180 North Albury 11.6-72
2001 Lavington 21.21-147 Myrtleford 13.9-87
2002 North Albury 21.11-137 Wangaratta Rovers 13.11-89
2003 Corowa-Rutherglen 16.14-110 Wodonga 10.15-75
2004 Wodonga 16.17-113 North Albury 11.6-72
2005 Lavington 10.12-72 Myrtleford 11.5-71
2006 Yarrawonga 15.11-101 Myrtleford 10.8-68
2007 Wangaratta 15.10-100 North Albury 6.13-49
2008 Wangaratta 12.14-86 Lavington 7.12-54
2009 Albury 22.13-145 Yarrawonga 9.14-68
2010 Albury 13.11-89 Yarrawonga 11.13-79
2011 Albury 15.13-103 Yarrawonga 14.10-94
2012 Yarrawonga 14.9-93 Albury 12.9-81
2013 Yarrawonga 13.12-90 Albury 8.6-54
2014 Albury 13.13-91 Yarrawonga 12.12-84
2015 Albury 17.11.113 Lavington 11.18.84
2016 Albury 9.17.71 Lavington 4.7.31
2017 Wangaratta 16.9.105 Albury 13.6.84
2018 Albury 11.12.78 Wangaratta 10.10.70
2019 Lavington 14.14.98 Wangaratta 9.10.64
2020 Season abandoned due to the COVID pandemic
2021 14 rounds played.[44] No finals > COVID-19
2022 Wangaratta* 12.14.86 Yarrawonga 13.5.83
2023 Yarrawonga 11.10.76 Albury 10.12.72
2024 Wangaratta Rovers 11.6.72 Yarrawonga 9.15.69
*No premiership awarded

For Grand Final records in all grades click here

Current finals system

[edit]

Since 1972 the OMFL has used the "McIntyre system". The final series is played over four weekends, with the grand final traditionally being played on the third weekend of September. Also normally there is no home ground advantage is awarded any teams, instead the O&M board deems where the finals will be held, with all finals for both Football & Netball are played at the one venue during each final day. The Grand Final since 1995 has been held at Lavington Sports Ground ("Lavington Panthers Oval") in the Albury suburb of Hamilton Valley.

Qualifying finalMajor Semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand Final
"C"1st on LadderHome"F"Winner Major Semi-FinalHome
Winner Qualifying FinalAwayWinner Preliminary FinalAway
"A"2nd on LadderHome"E"Loser Major Semi-FinalHome
3rd on LadderAwayMinor Semi-finalWinner Minor Semi-FinalAway
"D"Loser Qualifying FinalHome
"B"4th on LadderHomeWinner Elimination FinalAway
5th on LadderAway

2024 Finals Series

[edit]
Qualifying and elimination finalsMajor Semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand Final
1 Yarrawonga17.9 (111) Yarrawonga9.15 (69)
Wangaratta Rovers5.10 (40) Wangaratta Rovers11.6 (72)
2 Wangaratta Rovers12.11 (83) Wangaratta Rovers16.9 (105)
3 Wangaratta5.9 (39)Minor Semi-final North Albury11.4 (70)
Wangaratta12.8 (80)
4 North Albury11.5 (71) North Albury12.10 (82)
5 Wodonga10.8 (68)

O&MFNL – Club Championships

[edit]

Cleaver E. Bunton Football Championships

[edit]

From 1953 to 1972 total points were based on the most ladder points across the seniors and reserves grades of O&MFL football. Unsure what year this award was first given.

From 1973 onwards, this award is based on the most ladder points across all three grades of O&MFL football.

  • 1964: Wangaratta
  • 1965: Albury
  • 1966: Wangaratta
  • 1967: Wangaratta
  • 1968: Myrtleford
  • 1969: Wodonga
  • 1970: Wodonga
  • 1971: Benalla
  • 1972: Benalla
  • 1973: ?
  • 1974: Yarrawonga
  • 1975: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 1976: ?
  • 1977: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 1978: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 1979: Wodonga
  • 1980:
  • 1981:
  • 1982: Wodonga
  • 1983: Albury
  • 1984: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 1985: Albury
  • 1986: Wodonga
  • 1987: Wodonga
  • 1988: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 1989: Wodonga
  • 1990: Wodonga
  • 1991: Wodonga
  • 1992: Wodonga
  • 1993: Wodonga
  • 1994: Wodonga
  • 1995: Albury
  • 1996: Albury
  • 1997: Wodonga Raiders
  • 1998: Wodonga Raiders
  • 1999: Albury
  • 2000: Albury & Corowa Rutherglen
  • 2001: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2002: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2003: Wodonga Raiders
  • 2004: Wodonga
  • 2005: Wodonga
  • 2006: Wodonga & Wangaratta
  • 2007: Wodonga
  • 2008: Albury
  • 2009: Albury
  • 2010: Albury
  • 2011: Albury
  • 2012: Albury
  • 2013: Albury
  • 2014: Albury
  • 2015: Albury
  • 2016: Albury
  • 2017: Albury
  • 2018: Albury
  • 2019: Albury
  • 2020: O&M in recess. COVID-19
  • 2021: Albury
  • 2022: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2023: Albury
  • 2024: Wangaratta Rovers

Anne Lawrence Netball Championships

[edit]
  • 1997: North Albury
  • 1998: North Albury
  • 1999: Yarrawonga
  • 2000: Albury
  • 2001: Albury
  • 2002: Yarrawonga
  • 2003: Yarrawonga
  • 2004: Wodonga
  • 2005: North Albury
  • 2006: North Albury
  • 2007: North Albury
  • 2008: North Albury
  • 2009: North Albury
  • 2010: North Albury
  • 2011: North Albury
  • 2012: North Albury
  • 2013: Lavington
  • 2014: North Albury
  • 2015: North Albury
  • 2016: Lavington
  • 2017: Lavington & North Albury
  • 2018: North Albury
  • 2019: Corowa Rutherglen
  • 2020: O&M in recess. COVID-19
  • 2021: Yarrawonga
  • 2022: Corowa Rutherglen
  • 2023: Wodonga Raiders
  • 2024: wodonga Raiders

Overall Club Championship

[edit]
  • 2010: Yarrawonga
  • 2011: Albury
  • 2012: Lavington
  • 2013: Albury & Lavington
  • 2014: Albury
  • 2015: Albury
  • 2016: Lavington
  • 2017: Albury
  • 2018: Yarrawonga
  • 2019: Wangaratta
  • 2020: O&M in recess. COVID-19
  • 2021: Albury
  • 2022: Yarrawonga
  • 2023: Wangaratta
  • 2024: Wangaratta

Awards

[edit]

Football: Seniors Best and fairest

[edit]

The Morris Medal is given for the best and fairest senior player in the O&MFL during the home and away season at a vote count held in the week preceding the grand final. The award is similar to the AFL's Brownlow Medal, with match day umpires awarding 3, 2 and 1 votes to the best players in each match. The medal has been donated by C H Morris & Sons Wines of Rutherglen since 1933.[45]

The player who has won the most Morris Medals is Robbie Walker, who won five whilst playing for the Wangaratta Rovers, followed by Jim Sandral (Corowa) and John Brunner (Yarrawonga) with three apiece.

In 2000 the O&MFNL awarded retrospective Morris Medals to senior competition footballers (but not to reserves and thirds grade players) who had polled the same number of votes as the winner, but finished second under the count-back system in years gone by and been denied the honour of a medal. The players who received these medals were - Lance Oswald 1957, Bob Rose 1958, Jim Sandral 1964, Alby Dunn 1965, Jack O'Halloran 1975, Mike Andrews 1976, Greg O'Brien 1976 and Ken Boundy 1977.

Football: Reserves Best and Fairest

[edit]

The Reserves Leo Burke Medal is awarded for the best and fairest seconds football player in the O&MFL during the home and away season. This award was originally called the Ralph Marks Award from 1953 to 1963. Marks was a former president of North Albury and an O&MFL official. Marks was the O&MFL Secretary from 1970 to 1975. This award was then called the Les Cuddon Award from 1964 to 1975, who was an O&MFL official from Rutherglen. Leo Burke from Burke's Hotel, Yarrawonga then took over as the award donor in 1975.[53]

  • 1954 – K Teakle won on a countback. Aitken & Purss, both polled 9 votes in this award, but lost on a count back and have never received a retrospective medal like others have in the Morris Medal.
  • 1957 – Norm Hawking (Rutherglen) also won the 1951 O&MFL Morris Medal too.
  • 1968 – Norm Hogan won on a countback. Alan Benton lost on a count back and has never received a retrospective medal like others have in the Morris Medal.
  • 1969 – Alan Daniel won on a countback. Flower lost on a count back and has never received a retrospective medal like others have in the Morris Medal.
  • 1971 winner, Terry Burgess & 1996 winner, Scott Burgess are father and son.
  • 2013 – Ben Dower (Albury) was ineligible to win after being suspended during the home and away series.
  • 2022 – Xavier Leslie (Yarrawonga) also won the 2013 O&MFNL Morris Medal too.

Football: Under 18 / Thirds Best and Fairest

[edit]

The Thirds / Under 18 competition commenced in 1973 and the Leo Dean Medal is awarded for the best and fairest thirds football player in the O&MFL during the home and away season. This award was originally called the 3NE Award for the Thirds competition inaugural year in 1973 to 1984.

Leo Andrew Dean was a talented young former Wangaratta player who tragically died on Monday, 3 September 1984, at 20 years of age[61] and this award is in memory of him.[62]

  • 1983 – Rod Brewster (Benalla) won on a countback. Michael Moore (Myrtleford) lost on a count back, but did receive a retrospective medal in 2023.
  • 1985 – John Pulling (Corowa Rutherglen) won on a countback. Paul Greaves (Benalla) lost on a count back, but did receive a retrospective medal in 2023.
  • 1989 – Daine Hochfeld (Wangaratta Rovers) polled the most votes, but was deemed ineligible due to a two-week suspension for abusive language during the home and away series.
  • 1991 – Craig McBrien (Lavington) polled 13 x three votes.
  • 1998 – Myrtleford brothers, Greg, Mark and Justin Knobel have all won a O&MFNL Thirds best and fairest award.
  • Leo Dean Medalists, Ryan McKenzie and Jamie Allan, both went onto win a senior O&MFNL football best and fairest, Morris Medal.

O&MFNL – Rising Star of the Year

[edit]

The O&MFNL Rookie of the Year was first awarded in 1987.

  • Rookie of the Year 1987 to 1994
  • The Richard Hamilton Award (Rising Star of the Year) was first awarded in 2003.
  • 1987: John Longmire: Corowa Rutherglen
  • 1988: Chris Naish: Wangaratta
  • 1989: Ben Doolan: Albury
  • 1990: Clinton Cole: North Albury
  • 1991: Damian Houlihan: Corowa Rutherglen
  • 1992: Adrian Whitehead: Wodonga
  • 1993: Trent Montgomery: Wangaratta
  • 1994: Matthew Fowler: Albury
  • 1995: No award ?
  • 1996: No award ?
  • 1997: No award ?
  • 1998: David Willett: Corowa Rutherglen
  • 1999: Joshua Cross: Albury
  • 2000: Cory Brown: Lavington
  • 2001: Matthew Prendergast: Lavington
  • 2002: Andrew Carey: Myrtleford
  • 2003: Matthew Dwyer: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2004: Daine Porter: Wangaratta
  • 2005: Mark Tyrell: Yarrawonga
  • 2006: Craig Lieschke: Wodonga
  • 2007: Jack Ziebell: Wodonga
  • 2008: Todd Bryant: Wodonga Raiders
  • 2009: Jared Worsteling: Wodonga
  • 2010: Luke McNeil: Lavington
  • 2011: Nico Sedgwick: Lavington
  • 2012: Hayden Filliponi: Corowa Rutherglen
  • 2013: Alex Marklew: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2014: Josh Minogue: North Albury
  • 2015: Marcus Hargreaves: Yarrawonga
  • 2016: Brad Melville Wangaratta
  • 2017: Joe Richards Wangaratta
  • 2018: Darcy Chellew: Myrtleford
  • 2019: Ky Williamson: Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2020: O&M in recess. COVID-19
  • 2021: Josh Mathey: Wodonga
  • 2022: Isaac McGrath: Albury
  • 2023: Nelson Bowey: Wodonga Raiders
  • 2024: Jack Costello: Lavington

Leading Football Goal Kicker

[edit]
Most times leading goalkickers
Most centuries of goals kicked
Most career goals kicked

O&MFL Grand Final – Best on ground

[edit]

2007 to 2020 season senior football ladders

[edit]

O&MFL Representative Match Results

[edit]

Senior Football

Percy Rowe, 1926 O&MFL captain
Mac Holten, 1953 O&MFL captain
Bob Rose: 1957 O&MFL captain / coach
Brendan Fevola: 2014 & 2015 O&MFL coach

The first known representative match was in 1914 when a team from the Albury, Corowa and Howlong clubs (O&M – NSW) played against a team made of Lake Rovers, Mount Ophir and Rutherglen (O&M – Vic), with the Victorian side defeating NSW by two points on the Albury Sportsground, in the State of Origin match.

In 1958, the O&MFL picked two separate teams, with one team playing the Farrer Football League and the other team playing the Riverina Football League, with both games played on the weekend of the 4 and 5 July 1958.

Caltex had the naming rights of the Victorian Country Championships matches in the 1960s. The 16 league series would run over a two-year period, with knock out matches in the first season, followed by semi finals and a grand final in the following season.[91]

In 1974, the O&MFL were disaffiliated with the VCFL, when the O&MFL refused to accept an application from the Lavington Football Club to join the league and were not allowed to compete in the Victorian Country Championships in 1974. The VCFL Country Championships was put on hold from 1975 to 1977. The O&MFL were re-affiliated with VCFL in 1976.

In 1998, the VAFA defeated the O&MFL at Waverley Park to win the Smokefree Victorian Challenge match, as a curtain raiser to the AFL Ansett Cup Pre season grand final, then the O&MFL turned the tables on the VAFA the following year in the same challenge match at the same venue.[92]

From 2004 to 2006 the championships were decided at a carnival round-robin competition at one venue over a single weekend, with each of the four sides playing the others in matches of two twenty-minute halves. The team on top of the ladder, after these three matches, were declared the winner. Leagues not represented in the top four pools of four participated in other inter-league matches organised by the VCFL.

In 2007, there was no statewide VCFL Championships, just a rivalry round was played between close by leagues, (with the O&MFL playing the GVFL), with the round robin format returning in 2008.

The O&M have gone onto win the first division of the Victorian Country Football League interleague championship fourteen times, the most recent victory being in 2009.

The O&MFL representative teams wears a gold guernsey, emblazoned with a monogram-style black "O&M" initials, with black shorts and black socks.[93]\

VCFL League Rankings

In 2009 the VCFL decided to rank each country football league, with the O&MFL initially ranked number one.

The Metropolitan and Country Football Championships merged in 2016 to create a statewide competition, with the rankings reorganised to include metropolitan leagues in 2017.

The O&MFL were ranked number five in Victoria in the 2019 VCFL Country Championships.[94]

As of 2020, AFL Victoria decided to scrap its traditional interleague competition, but leagues could decide amongst themselves, if they wish to play or not.[95]

  • 2009 – 1
  • 2010 – 3
  • 2011 – 5
  • 2012 – 5[96]
  • 2013 – 3[97]
  • 2014 – 5[98]
  • 2015 – 4[99][100]
  • 2016 – 5[101]
  • 2017 – 6[102]
  • 2018 – 4[103]
  • 2019 – 5[104]
  • 2020 – AFL Victoria abandon the Victorian Country Football Championships. No interleague competition > COVID-19.

The Ash Wilson Trophy

The Ovens & Murray Football League and the Goulburn Valley Football League have played for this trophy since 2001, to honour two long serving players - GVFL's Stephen Ash and OMFL's Mick Wilson, but the league's have been competing against each other in inter league football matches since 1930, when they first met at the Wangaratta Showgrounds, with the OMFL winning 17 and the GVFL winning 10 matches.[105]

VCFL Championships

  • VCFL Championships – Division One:
    • 1954, 1955, 1957, 1967/68, 1985, 1987, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2009.[106]
  • Runners Up
    • 1956, 1965/66, 1970, 1980, 1982, 2009.
  • Division Two Champions
    • 1994
  • Highest Score by the O&MFL
    • 1971 – O&MFL: 30.15 – 195 v Farrer FL No.2 team: 12.8 – 80
  • Lowest Score by the O&MFL
    • 1970 – Hampden FL: 9.19 – 73 d O&MFL: 3.12 – 30 (VCFL grand final in Warrnambool).
  • Most O&M Rep games
    • 33: John Smith (Did the O&MFNL play 33 rep games during Smith's career span in the O&MFNL?).[107]
    • 23: Mick Wilson (1990–2000)[108]
  • Most Goals in a match
    • 11 – Norm Minns: 1955 – O&M v Benalla Tungamah FL (VCFL semi final)
    • 11 – Adam Prior: 2014 – O&M v Hampden FL
    • 9 – Terry Bartel: 1971 – O&M v Farrer FL
Year Captain Coach Venue O&M Score Match Result O&M Opposition Match Score Comments
1914 Albury Sportsground 12.9 – 81 (Vic) defeated O&MFA – NSW 10.16 – 76 O&M Vic v O&M NSW[109]
1922 R Williams Wangaratta 8.6 – 54 lost to Carlton 14.14 – 98 Gate: £114[110][111][112]
1926 Percy Rowe Albury Showground 13.13 – 91 lost to Victorian FL 16.11 – 107 Gate: £185 [113][114][115]
1928 Harry Hunter Wang Showgrounds 15.14 – 104 lost to Victorian FL 16.15 – 111 Gate: £86[116][117]
1930 Ernie Loveless Wang Showgrounds 15.13 – 103 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 16.14 – 110 [118]
1933 Albury Showgrounds 8.18 - 66 defeated Albury & DFL 8.15 - 63 12/8/33[119]
1933 Albury Showground 21.16 – 142 lost to Richmond FC 24.16 – 160 [120]
1934 Frank Cleary Tatura 11.10 – 76 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 7.14 – 56 Gate: £16[121][122]
1946 Albury Sportsground 4.7 – 35 lost to Footscray FC 25.22 – 172 June'46[123][124]
1946 Albury Sportsground 10.7 – 67 lost to Richmond FC 29.18 – 192 [125]
1949 Mac Holten 13.13 - 91 lost to Footscray FC 15.9 - 99 4/9/49
1949 Bill King Bill King Corowa 18.10 – 118 lost to Essendon FC 8.5 – 53 [126][127]
1952 Mac Holten Leeton Showgrounds 24.16 – 160 defeated SWDFL 7.10 – 52 10/6/52[128]
1952 Mac Holten Trumper Park, Sydney 17.24 – 126 defeated Sydney FL 7.15 – 57 14/6/52[129]
1952 Corowa 11.12 - 78 lost to Richmond 13.11 - 89 [130]
1953 Mac Holten Park Oval, Echuca 11.13 – 79 defeated Bendigo FL 11.11 – 77 [131]
1954 Marty McDonnell Marty McDonnell Ballarat 9.18 – 73 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 5.7 – 37 [132]
1954 Greg Tate[133] Marty McDonnell Eastern Oval, Ballarat 11.11 – 77 defeated Bendigo FL 8.21 – 69 VCFL Champions[134]
1954 Marty McDonnell Marty McDonnell Albury Sportsground 8.9 – 57 lost to East Perth FC 13.13 – 91 18/7/1954[135][136]
1954 Mac Holten ? Wangaratta Showgrounds 7.10 – 52 lost to Melbourne FC 20.19 – 139 [137] 2/10/1954
1955 Tim Robb Tim Robb Wangaratta Cricket Ground 15.20 – 110 defeated Murray FL 10.8 – 68
1955 Tim Robb Tim Robb Albury Sportsground 29.20 – 194 defeated Benalla Tungamah FL 13.12 – 90 Semi-final
1955 Tim Robb Tim Robb Albury Sportsground 14.18.102 defeated Ballarat FL 10.13.73 G Final. VCFL Champions[138]
1956 Doug Palmer Doug Palmer Bendigo 29.18 – 192 defeated Sunraysia FL 14.12 – 96
1956 Doug Palmer Doug Palmer QEO, Bendigo 8.6 – 54 lost to Ballarat FL 9.13 – 67 Grand Final[139]
1957 Bob Rose Bob Rose Albury 17.24 – 126 defeated Sunraysia FL 15.14 – 104
1957 Bob Rose Bob Rose Albury 14.21 – 105 defeated Ballarat FL 10.16 – 76 VCFL Champions[140]
1958 Bob Rose Bob Rose Leeton, NSW 21.11 – 137 defeated Riverina FL 14.15 – 99 5/7/58[141]
1958 Des Healey Des Healey Albury, NSW 23.25 – 163 defeated Farrer FL 10.13 – 73 4/7/58
1959 No rep football
1960 No rep football ?
1961 Bob Rose Bob Rose Narrandera 13.21 – 99 defeated Southern Riverina FL 10.13 – 73 Rd.1 10/6/61
1961 Bob Rose Bob Rose Wang Showgrounds 13.11 – 89 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 8.8 – 56 Rd.2 12/6/61
1961 Corowa, NSW 10.15 – 75 lost to Essendon 18.11 – 119 17/9/1961
1962 Bob Rose Bendigo 9.12 – 66 lost to Bendigo FL 12.8 – 80 Semi-final
1962 Corowa, NSW 13.13 – 91 lost to Collingwood 19.21 – 136
1963 Lionel Ryan Bill Stephen Albury, NSW 13.12.90 lost to SWDFL 15.18.108 Rd.1. 8/6/63[142]
1964 No games in 1964
1965 John Hoiles John Hoiles Shepparton 9.16 – 70 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 8.5 – 53 Rd.1. 13/6/65
1965 John Hoiles John Hoiles Albury, NSW 13.11.89 defeated SWDFL 9.11.65 Rd.2. 24/7/65
1966 Murray Weideman Ken Boyd Albury Sportsground 17.20 – 122 defeated Bendigo FL 8.10 – 58 S Final. 11/6/66
1966 John Hoiles Ken Boyd Wang Showgrounds 12.16 – 88 lost to Hampden FL 14.7 – 91 Grand Final. 7/7/66
1967 Murray Weideman Murray Weideman Wang Showgrounds 15.18 – 108 defeated Warranga North East FL 7.6 – 48 Rd.1
1967 Murray Weideman Murray Weideman City Oval, Wangaratta 16.15 – 111 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 10.12 – 72 Rd.2
1968 Mick Bone Mick Bone Yallourn 15.13 – 103 defeated La Trobe FL 9.15 – 69 S Final.[143]
1968 Mick Bone Mick Bone Horsham City Oval 15.13 – 103 defeated Wimmera FL 10.8 – 68 VCFL Champions
1969 Mick Bone Mick Bone Albury Sportsground 19.22. – 136 defeated SWDFL 10.14 – 74 13/7/69. Rd.1[144]
1970 Mick Bone Mick Bone City Oval, Wangaratta 15.14 – 104 defeated Bendigo FL 13.10 – 88 Semi-final
1970 Mick Bone Mick Bone Reid Oval, Warrnambool 3.12 – 30 lost to Hampden FL 9.19 – 73 Grand Final
1971 Martin Cross Martin Cross Yerong Creek, NSW 30.15 – 195 defeated Farrer FL 12.7 – 79 Rd.1
1971 Martin Cross Martin Cross Yerong Creek, NSW 18.14 – 122 defeated Farrer FL No.2 team 12.8 – 80 No.2 teams
1971 Martin Cross Martin Cross Wangaratta Showgrounds 22.4 – 136 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 8.10 – 58 Rd.2
1972 Neville Hogan Neville Hogan QE Oval, Bendigo 7.15 – 57 lost to Bendigo FL 16.13 – 109 S Final. 10/6/72
1973 Neville Hogan Neville Hogan Yarrawonga 25.18.168 defeated Murray FL 14.10.94 Rd.1
1973 Neville Hogan Neville Hogan Corowa, NSW 15.2.92 defeated SWDFL 11.15.81 Rd.2. 22/7/73[145]
1974 Were due to play in S Final O&M barred from VCFL in '74
1975 City Oval, Wangaratta 24.23 – 167 defeated Victorian FA 17.9 – 111
1976 Martin Park, Wodonga 7.9 – 51 lost to North Melbourne 22.10 – 142 7/3/76
1976 Bill Sammon Bunton Park, Nth Albury 17.14.116 lost to Victorian FA 19.11 – 125 25/4/76
1977 Phil Nolan Gaimain, NSW 15.19 – 109 defeated SWDFL 13.14 – 92 15/5/77
1978 Neville Hogan Martin Park, Wodonga 18.26 – 124 defeated SWDFL 11.10 – 76 [146]
1978 Neville Hogan Benalla Showgrounds 15.8 – 98 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 17.12 – 114
1979 Peter Chisnall Wang Showgrounds 12.19 – 91 defeated Tungamah FL 6.9 – 45 Rd.1
1979 Peter Chisnall Shepparton 12.14 – 86 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 11.10 – 76 Zone Final
1979 Peter Chisnell North Albury 11.17 – 83 lost to LaTrobe Valley FL 16.14 – 110 Semi-final
1980 Daryl Smith Daryl Smith 19.11 – 125 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 14.9 – 93
1980 Daryl Smith Daryl Smith Sale 15.13 – 103 lost to LaTrobe Valley FL 19.17 – 131 Grand Final
1981 Col Travaskis Col Travaskis 19.11 – 125 defeated SWDFL 14.19.103 10/5/81 [147]
1981 Col Travaskis Col Travaskis Shepparton 14.19 – 103 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 12.11 – 83 Zone Final
1981 Col Travaskis Col Travaskis Wang Showgrounds 12.23.95 lost to Western Border FL 15.11 – 101 Semi final
1982 Noel Long 14.29 – 113 defeated Bendigo FL 12.19 – 91
1982 Noel Long 23.20 – 158 defeated North Central FL 21.16 – 142
1982 Noel Long 8.20 – 68 lost to Ballarat FL 13.18 – 96 Grand Final
1983 Deakin Reserve, Shepparton 10.12 – 72 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 13.18 – 96 Rd.1
1983 Lavington, NSW 15.15 – 105 defeated Bendigo FL 14.11 – 95 Rd.2
1984 O&M did not compete
1985 Rod Coelli John Byrne Narrandera, NSW 24.21 – 165 defeated Riverina FL 8.6 – 54 Rd.1 19.5.85[148]
1985 Rod Coelli John Byrne Donald, Vic 21.16 – 142 defeated North Central FL 13.8 – 86 S Final 8/6/85
1985 Rod Coelli John Byrne Wangaratta 20.21 – 141 defeated Ballarat FL 13.7 – 85 G Final VCFL Champions
1986 Denis Sandral John Byrne Albury 19.16 – 130 defeated Diamond Valley 12.17 – 87 25/4/86
1986 Denis Sandral John Byrne Bendigo 14.17 – 101 lost to Bendigo FL 20.15 – 135 Rd.1, 11/5/86
1987 John Byrne Albury Sportsground 21.16 – 142 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 12.15 – 87 Rd.1 10/5/87
1987 John Byrne Traralgon 25.23 – 173 defeated LaTrobe Valley FL 14.8 – 92 S Final 5/6/87
1987 John Byrne Mildura 22.13 – 145 defeated Sunraysia FL 11.15 – 81 G Final VCFL Champions
1988 Rod Coelli John Byrne Wang Showgrounds 14.7.91 lost to Geelong FL 16.17 – 113 7/5/88
1989 Denis Sandral John Byrne Morwell 14.14 – 98 defeated LaTrobe Valley FL 14.11 – 95 Rd.1. 7/5/89
1989 Denis Sandral John Byrne Lavington 7.12 – 54 lost to Bendigo FL 10.10 – 70 S Final. 10/6/89
1990 Denis Sandral Kevin Neale Wang Showgrounds 19.13 – 127 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 15.11 – 101 Rd.1. 6/5/90
1990 Denis Sandral Kevin Neale Lavington, NSW 14.14 – 90 lost to Bendigo FL 17.6 – 108 S Final. 9/6/90
1991 Albury 16.22.118 defeated LaTrobe Valley FL 16.10 – 106
1992 Peter Tossol 13.7.85 defeated Bendigo FL 10.11.71
1992 Peter Tossol Geelong 11.15 – 81 lost to Geelong FL 17.17 – 119
1993 Rob Walker Ray Card 9.12 – 66 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 21.12 – 138
1994 Peter Tossol 17.9.111 defeated Riddell FL 6.13.49 Relegated to Div 2 in '94
1994 Peter Tossol 15.14.104 defeated Mornington Peninsula 10.9.69
1994 Peter Tossol 12.8.80 defeated North Central FL 9.15.69 Div 2: VCFL Champions
1995 Peter Tossol 11.10.76 defeated Bendigo FL 9.14.68
1995 Peter Tossol 5.6.36 lost to Gippsland LaTrobe 9.9.63
1996 Rob Walker Peter Tossol 18.16.124 defeated Hampden FL 10.12.72
1996 Rob Walker Peter Tossol 18.14.122 defeated Mid Murray FL 15.18.108
1996 Rob Walker Peter Tossol Martin Park, Wodonga 15.12 – 102 defeated Geelong FL 14.10 – 94 VCFL Champions
1997 Craig Fruend Bob Craig 17.20.122 defeated Footscray & DFL 7.8 – 50
1997 Craig Fruend Bob Craig 19.16.130 defeated Bendigo FL 19.7.121
1997 Craig Fruend Bob Craig Geelong 8.18 – 66 defeated Geelong FL 6.4 – 40 VCFL Champions
1998 Bob Craig AFL Park, Waverley 11.12 – 78 lost to Victorian Amateurs FL 12.9 – 81
1998 Bob Craig 21.20 – 146 defeated Central Murray FL 14.11 – 95
1998 Bob Craig 12.13.85 defeated Murray FL 7.12.54 June'98
1998 Bob Craig Wodonga 14.13 – 97 defeated Geelong FL 12.17 – 89 VCFL Champions
1999 Bob Craig AFL Park, Waverley 9.9 – 63 defeated Victorian Amateurs FL 8.7 – 55 [149]
1999 Mick Wilson Bob Craig J C Lowe Oval, Yarrawonga 12.16 – 88 defeated Murray FL 8.15 – 63 [150]
1999 Mick Wilson Bob Craig Moe 10.16 – 76 defeated Gippsland LaTrobe FL 11.9 – 75 VCFL Champions
2000 Bob Craig 9.10 – 64 defeated Eastern FL 5.12.42
2000 Mick Wilson Bob Craig 15.9 – 99 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 14.27 – 111
2001 Paul Spargo 16.12.108 defeated Murray FL 9.6.60 Rd.1
2001 Paul Spargo 22.16 – 148 defeated Hampden FL 13.12 – 90 S Final
2001 Paul Spargo Lavington Sportsground 22.18 – 150 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 14.9 – 93 G Final. VCFL Champions
2002 Brad Thompson Peter Seymour Yarrawonga 17.18 – 120 defeated West Gippsland LaTrobe FL 9.13.67 Rd.1
2002 Brad Thompson Peter Seymour Warrnambool 13.14.92 lost to Hampden FL 14.12.96 Semi-final
2003 Tim Hargreaves Mick Wilson W J Findlay Oval, Wang 4.14 – 38 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 8.5 – 53 wet day/low scores
2004 Mick Wilson Shepparton 6.9 – 45 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 9.4 – 58 2 x 20 min halves
2004 Mick Wilson Shepparton defeated Mornington Peninsula FL 2 x 20 min halves
2004 Mick Wilson Shepparton 2.5 – 17 lost to Geelong FL 9.2 – 56 2 x 20 min halves
2005 Mick Wilson Geelong 3.4 – 22 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 11.8 – 74 2 x 20 min halves
2005 Mick Wilson Geelong 7.2 – 44 lost to Geelong FL 7.8 – 50 2 x 20 min halves
2005 Mick Wilson Geelong ? defeated Ballarat FL ? 2 x 20 min halves
2006 Dale Carmody Richard Bence Lavington, NSW ? defeated West Gippsland FL by 28 points 2 x 20 min halves
2006 Dale Carmody Richard Bence Lavington, NSW 11.5 – 71 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 2.4 – 16 2 x 20 min halves
2006 Dale Carmody Richard Bence Lavington, NSW 8.11 – 59 defeated Ballarat FL 7.8 – 50 VCFL Champions
2007 Tim Hargreaves Richard Bence Wang Showgrounds 12.10 – 82 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 12.7 – 79 No VCFL Championships in '07
2008 Corey Lambert Deakin Reserve, Shepparton 10.2 – 62 defeated Hampden FL 3.4 – 22 30/05/08
2008 Corey Lambert Deakin Reserve, Shepparton 6.5 – 41 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 6.6 – 42 31/05/08
2008 Corey Lambert Deakin Reserve, Shepparton 6.10 – 46 defeated Ballarat FL 6.4 – 40 1/6/08. VCFL Champions
2009 Robbie Jackson Deakin Reserve, Shepparton 20.7 – 127 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 12.8 – 80 VCFL Champions [151]
2010 Robbie Jackson Lavington Sportsground 9.10 – 64 lost to Goulburn Valley FL 12.16 – 88 [152]
2011 Matt Pendergast Frankston Park 13.13 – 91 lost to Mornington Peninsula FL 13.15 – 93 [153]
2012 Matt Pendergast Princes Park, Carlton 18.6 – 114 defeated Hampden FL 10.6 – 66 [154]
2013 Craig Ednie Matt Pendergast Princes Park, Carlton 7.13 – 55 lost to Peninsula FL 15.10 – 100 [155]
2014 Craig Ednie Brendan Fevola Wang Showgrounds 29.16 – 190 defeated Hampden FL 10.5 – 65 [156][157]
2015 Craig Ednie Brendan Fevola Albury Sportsground 10.10 – 70 lost to Peninsula FL 11.14 – 80 [158][159]
2016 Jon Henry & Reid Oval, Warrnambool 20.14 – 134 defeated Hampden FL 9.14 – 68 [160]
Darren Spencer
2017 Jon Henry & Martin Park, Wodonga 12.14 – 86 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 11.13 – 79 [161][162]
Darren Spencer
2018 Jon Henry & J C Lowe Oval, Yarrawonga 21.14 – 140 defeated Western Region F L 9.10 – 64 [163][164]
Brad Murray
2019 Jon Henry & Olympic Park, Rosebud 10.11 – 71 lost to Mornington Peninsula Nepean FL 16.16 - 112 [165][166]
Brad Murray
2020 O&M in recess Damian Sexton Albury O&M were to play Hampden FL No rep football>COVID-19
2021 Damian Sexton O&M were to play GVFNL No rep football>COVID-19[167]
2022 Damian Sexton Mooroopna Main Oval 18.11 – 119 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 9.10 - 64
2023 Leigh Williams Damian Sexton Albury Sports Ground 13.14 – 92 defeated Goulburn Valley FL 13.7 - 85
2024 Damian Sexton Deakin Reserve 7.6 - 48 lost Goulburn Valley FL 8.15 - 63 25/5/24
Year Captain Coach Venue O&M Score Match Result O&M Opposition Match Score Comments

The Norm Minns Medal

Norm Minns (08/01/1925-29/12/1987) was a former Wangaratta and O&MFL player and captain / coach of Benalla and Corowa. He was also a long time O&MFL selector and life member.

The Norm Minns Medal is awarded to the O&MFL best player in senior representative football and was first awarded in 1997.

  • 1997 – Guy Rigoni – Myrtleford
  • 1998 – Brett Kirk – North Albury
  • 1999 – Tim Hargreaves – Yarrawonga
  • 1999 – Travis McLean – Albury
  • 2000 – Tim Hargreaves – Yarrawonga
  • 2001 – Rod Skender – Myrtleford
  • 2002 – Travis Hodgson – North Albury
  • 2003 – Kade Stevens – Lavington
  • 2004 – Jarrod Twitt – Wodonga
  • 2005 – Peter Taylor – Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2006 – Craig Ednie – Yarrawonga
  • 2007 – Scott Oswald – Yarrawonga
  • 2008 – Matt Prendergast – Lavington
  • 2009 – David Clarke – Corowa Rutherglen
  • 2010 – Matt Pendergast – Lavington
  • 2011 – Michael Stevens – Yarrawonga
  • 2012 – Judd Porter – Wangaratta
  • 2013 – Jarrod Thompson – Yarrawonga
  • 2014 – Joel Mackie – North Albury
  • 2015 – Sam Carpenter – Corowa Rutherglen
  • 2016 – Daniel Cross – Albury
  • 2017 – Jono Spina – Lavington
  • 2018 – Mark Whiley – Yarrawonga
  • 2019 – Nathan Cooper – Wangaratta Rovers
  • 2020 – O&MFL in recess. COVID-19
  • 2021 – No rep football
  • 2022 – Issac Muller - Wodonga Raiders
  • 2023 - Jim Grills - Albury
  • 2024 - Perry Lewis Smith - Yarrawonga

The Peter Johnston Medal

Peter Johnston was a former North Albury FC and O&MFNL official and life member of both organisations.

This medal is awarded to the best Under 18 O&MFNL footballer in representative matches.

Ovens & Murray Hall of Fame

[edit]

The Ovens & Murray Hall of Fame was established in 2005, to recognise and promote the outstanding achievements of some of the league's greatest players, dedicated administrators and club support staff and long serving media representatives.

As of the 2022 ceremony there have been 87 inductees, including three netballers.

Only six people have received the additional honour of being promoted to "Legend" status.

Netball

[edit]

History

The netball competition's were added to the Ovens & Murray Football League from the 1993 season, with A and B. Grade. The C. Grade competition was established in 1996, with the 17 and under competition commencing in 2012.

The Toni Wilson Medal is awarded for the best and fairest A-Grade netball player in the OMFNL during the home and away season.[169] Wilson (the older sister of Mick Nolan) was the first President of the O&M Netball Association and instrumental in getting the netball competition formed in 1993.[170]

Minor grades

[edit]

Junior development

[edit]

More successful has been the Murray Bushrangers TAC Cup Under 18s side, who play their home games in Wangaratta; prior to the AFL national draft and the inception of the TAC Cup, young players in the area would usually play through the grades with their local club, with less likelihood of being scouted by the recruitment staff from AFL clubs. Although there has been some concern from clubs about these players being removed from the local competition, the ones that do not get drafted usually return to their home clubs to play locally once they come of age.

Even in that case, there is some chance that a late-maturing "older" player in their early 20s will be drafted by an AFL club. Several notable examples to be drafted directly from the O&MFL include, Guy Rigoni (Myrtleford/Melbourne), Brett Kirk (North Albury/Sydney Swans) and Karl Norman.

All clubs field sides in the under 18s competition, aside from Myrtleford, which fields a joint team with the "Bright Football Club" wearing navy blue and gold colours & the club will be known as the "Alpine Eagles", and they would also field an under 18s joint team in the "Ovens & King Football League" also wearing navy blue and gold colours & the club will be known as the Alpine Eagles. However the Alpine Eagles alliance between Myrtleford and Bright had strained over the last few seasons before finally after the 2013 season The Myrtleford under-18s announced that they will stop wearing navy blue and gold colours of the "Alpine Eagles" and will be returning to the red, white and black colours & the club will be known as the "Myrtleford Saints", ending their almost 10-year partnership with Bright, in place since the early 2000s.

Albury Wodonga Junior Football League

[edit]
Albury Wodonga Junior Football League
League Website
Club Moniker Home ground(s) Under 16 Under 14
Cup / Shield
Under 12
Albury Juniors
Club Website
Tigers Albury Sports Ground (Albury) Yes Yes / Yes Yes
Corowa-Rutherglen Juniors
Club Website
Roos John Foord Oval (Corowa) Yes Yes / No Yes
Lavington Juniors
Club Website
Panthers Lavington Sports Ground (Lavington) Yes No / Yes Yes
North Albury Juniors
Club Website
Hoppers Bunton Park (North Albury) Yes No / Yes Yes
Scots School Juniors FC
Club Website
Scots Scots School Oval (Albury) Yes No / Yes No
St Patricks Juniors FC
Club Website
Saints Xavier High School Oval (Albury) Yes Yes / No Yes
Wodonga Juniors
Club Website
Bulldogs John Flower Oval (Wodonga) Yes Yes / Yes Yes
Wodonga Raiders Juniors
Club Website
Raiders Birallee Park (Wodonga) Yes Yes / Yes Yes
Yarrawonga Juniors
Club Website
Pigeons J.C. Lowe Oval (Yarrawonga) Yes Yes / No Yes

Notes: Team field by club for that age group; "Yes=Yes" & "No=No".

Wangaratta & District Junior Football League

[edit]

The W&DJFL was established in 1938 and currently has three divisions of football in the Under 12's, Under 14's and Under 17's. All the Wangaratta-based club's in the Wangaratta & District Junior Football League club's are independent incorporated local community sports club's and are not affiliated with any O&MFNL or O&KFNL clubs.

Some of the former W&DJFL players that went onto play VFL / AFL senior football were - John Brady, Lance Oswald, Ian Rowland, Sam Kekovich, Mick Nolan, Mark Browning, Dennis Carroll, Darren Steele, Chris Naish, Steve Johnson, Alipate Carlile, Ben Reid, Sam Reid, Jack Crisp, Dominic Bedendo, Joe Richards and Darcy Wilson

AFLNEB Youth Girls League

[edit]

O&MFNL Players / Stawell Gift Winners

[edit]

The following O&MFNL footballers / netballers have won the prestigious Stawell Gift. The year below indicates what year each O&MFNL player won their Stawell Gift.

Stawell Gift – Hall of Fame Inductees

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1893 - O&MFA Ladder". Ovens and Murray Advertiser. 10 June 1893. p. 8 – via Trove Newspapers.
  2. ^ "O&MFA Premierships". Ovens and Murray Football League. O&MFNL. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  3. ^ "1910 - O&MFA Draw". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 15 July 1910. p. 23 – via Trove Newspapers.
  4. ^ "1911 - Rutherglen & DFA - Delegates Meeting". The Corowa Free Press Newspaper. 2 May 1911. p. 3 – via Trove Newspapers.
  5. ^ "1911 - Rutherglen & DFA - Delegates Meeting". Wodonga and Towong Sentinel. 5 May 1911. p. 3 – via Trove Newspapers.
  6. ^ "1912 - Rutherglen & DFA - Delegates Meeting". The Corowa Free Press. 3 May 1912. p. 6 – via Trove Newspapers.
  7. ^ "1913 - Rutherglen & DFA - Delegates Meeting". The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times. 2 May 1913. p. 4 – via Trove Newspapers.
  8. ^ "1913 - Rutherglen & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times. 1 September 1913. p. 4 – via Trove Newspapers.
  9. ^ "1914 - O&MFA Draw". The Chiltern Federal Standard. 1 May 1914. p. 3 – via Trove Newspapers.
  10. ^ "1915 - O&MFA Grand Final match review". Rutherglen Sun and Chiltern Valley Advertiser. 24 August 1915. p. 3 – via Trove Newspapers.
  11. ^ "1919 - O&MFA - Draw". The Corowa Free Press Newspaper. 16 May 1919. p. 2 – via Trove Newspapers.
  12. ^ "1919 - Albury FC Meeting". The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times. 8 May 1919. p. 4 – via Trove Newspapers.
  13. ^ "1919 - Albury Senior Football Association - Grand Final match review". The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times. 29 September 1919. p. 4 – via Trove Newspapers.
  14. ^ "1920 - O&MFA - AGM Notes". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 30 April 1920. p. 6 – via Trove Newspapers.
  15. ^ "1920 - O&MFA - AGM review". The Corowa Free Press. 16 April 1920. p. 3 – via Trove Newspapers.
  16. ^ "1924 - Lake Rovers FC & Rutherglen FC merge". Benalla Standard. 4 April 1924. p. 5 – via Trove Newspapers.
  17. ^ "1924 - Albury FC & Diggers FC merge". The Sydney Sunday Times. 30 March 1924. p. 7.
  18. ^ Daffey, Paul (12 July 2003). "Bunton push recalls a club's soul". The Age. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
  19. ^ "1933 - Border United entering O & M League". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 17 March 1933. p. 12 – via Trove Newspapers.
  20. ^ "1933 - O&MFL - 6 teams to compete". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. 5 May 1933. p. 33 – via Trove Newspapers.
  21. ^ "1936 - O&MFA - AGM review". The Corowa Free Press. 31 March 1936. p. 4 – via Trove Newspapers.
  22. ^ NewsDNARaw (31 May 2023). "1990 Ovens and Murray Bloodbath grand final". news.com.au. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  23. ^ Johnston, David (1 June 2023). "Ovens and Murray: 1990 grand final documentary to premiere in July". The Weekly Times. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  24. ^ "A Brief History". GameDay. SS&A OVENS & MURRAY FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024.
  25. ^ Cram, Matt (13 May 2010). "O&M "Bloodbath": True victory denied". Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  26. ^ "Country Footy Living Legends: The best of the bush". The Weekly Times. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  27. ^ David Johnston (28 March 2023). "Wangaratta Magpies stripped of 2022 flag due to salary cap breach". The Weekly Times. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  28. ^ "1894 - Barthawartha". The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express (NSW). 6 July 1894. p. 16. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  29. ^ "Excelsior FC – Home ground". Ovens and Murray Advertiser. 28 July 1900 – via Trove Newspapers.
  30. ^ "1911 - Lake Rovers". The Corowa Free Press (NSW). 5 May 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  31. ^ "1933 - Springhurst". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW). 13 October 1933. p. 40. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  32. ^ "1892 - Wangaratta Football Association". Flickr. Wangaratta Chronicle. 20 August 1892. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  33. ^ "1907 - O & M Association". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW). 17 May 1907. p. 23. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  34. ^ "1929 - Football". The North Eastern Ensign (Benalla, Vic). 19 April 1929. p. 3. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  35. ^ "1931 - Rovers". Benalla Standard. 3 April 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  36. ^ http://footypedia.au/00000185.htm Association's name from 1893 until 1913 on Footypedia.au
  37. ^ http://footypedia.au/00000189.htm Association's name from 1914 until 1925 on Footypedia.au
  38. ^ http://footypedia.au/00001412.htm Leagues's name from 1926 until 1992 on Footypedia.au
  39. ^ https://omfnl.com.au/about/ Ovens & Murray Netball Association established in 1993
  40. ^ https://omfnl.com.au/about/ Ovens & Murray Netball Association merges with Ovens & Murray Football League to establish the Ovens & Murray Football Netball League
  41. ^ https://websites.mygameday.app/comp_info.cgi?round=17&a=ROUND&client=0-6190-0-577913-0&pool=1 The Ovens & Murray Football Netball League season was abandoned after 13 rounds
  42. ^ https://www.facebook.com/OMFNL1893/photos/a.114737860794426/169263652008513/ The Ovens & Murray Football Netball League stated that no Premiers were to be awarded for 2021, but acknowledged the minor premiers at the point of abandonment
  43. ^ (last name), (first name) (28 March 2023). "Magpies Stripped of Flag". 1494 2AY. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  44. ^ "2021 - O&MFL Results". Gameday. O&MFNL. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  45. ^ "1933 - Best & Fairest Player". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW). 5 May 1933. p. 33. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  46. ^ "Best and Fairest Seniors – Morris Medal – Ovens and Murray Football and Netball League". Omfnl.com.au. 20 June 2014. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  47. ^ "1933 - Best & Fairest". The Corowa Free Press (NSW). 25 August 1933. p. 6. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  48. ^ "1933 - Wangaratta Forward wins medal". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW). 25 August 1933. p. 6. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  49. ^ "1925 - Euroa's Captain". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic). 5 September 1925. p. 93. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
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