The Farrer Football Netball League (FFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing nine clubs based in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The league features three grades in the Australian rules football competition, with these being First-Grade, Reserve-Grade and Under 17s. In the netball competition there are four grades, with these being A-Grade, A-Reserve Grade, B-Grade and C-Grade.
The Farrer FNL is named after William Farrer, a leading English Australian agronomist and plant breeder. Farrer is best remembered as the originator of the "Federation" strain of wheat, distributed in 1903. His work resulted in significant improvements in both the quality and crop yields of Australia's national wheat harvest, a contribution for which he earned the title 'father of the Australian wheat industry'.
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 FFNL Grand Final, which is traditionally held at Maher Oval in Wagga Wagga.
History Breakaway The Farrer Football League first formed in 1957 as a breakaway from the Albury & District Football League. Culcairn, Henty, Holbrook and Mangoplah-Cookardinia United competed in the first season. In 1958 all remaining clubs from the Albury & District Football League moved across to the new league.
The Farrer FL senior football best and fairest medal was called the Baz Medal, which was first donated in 1952 by Mr. Mick Baz of Culcairn as the award in the Albury & District Football League, which was carried on into the Farrer FL.
In 1976, the Farrer FL won the NSW State Championships series held at Finley in June, defeating the Sydney Football League and the South West District FL.
The name of the best and fairest award from 1982 onwards has been the Gerald Clear Award.
Restructure It was in 1982 that the Farrer Football League amalgamated with the South West Football League (New South Wales) and the Central Riverina Football League in order to create the Riverina Football League and the Riverina District Football League, with the latter changing its name to the Farrer Football League in 1985. It was between 1983 and 1994 that the Riverina District/Farrer Football League maintained a two division system, with a promotion / relegation system in force during that time.
Timeframe
1930–1957: Albury & District Football League 1957–1981: Farrer Football League 1982: Riverina District Football League 1983–1984: Riverina District Football League – Division One 1983–1984: Riverina District Football League – Division Two 1985–1994: Farrer Football League – Division One 1985–1994: Farrer Football League – Division Two 1995–: Farrer Football League
Notable players The following former Farrer FL players played senior VFL / AFL football, with the year indicating their VFL / AFL debut. Farrer Football League
1966: Doug Priest – Holbrook to South Melbourne 1969: John Pitura – Wagga to South Melbourne 1975: Colin Hounsell Collingullie to South Melbourne 1979: Wayne Carroll – Mangoplah Cookardinia United to South Melbourne 1980: Greg Smith – East Wagga to South Melbourne 1981: Brett Scott – The Rock-Yerong Creek to South Melbourne 1987: Michael Phyland – Mangoplah Cookardinia United to Sydney
1989: Glenn Page – Collingullie to Sydney 1995: Jason Wild – Collingullie to Collingwood 2000: Ben Fixter – Rivcoll to Sydney 2011: Luke Breust – Temora to Hawthorn 2011: Issac Smith – Temora to Hawthorn 2013: Jake Barrett – Temora to GWS
Current clubs
ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer leagueEst.Years in FFLFFL Senior Premierships Total Years Barellan United Two Blues Barellan Sportsground, Barellan CRFL, NRFNL1970 1982-1992, 2015- 1 1987 Charles Sturt University Bushpigs Peter Hastie Oval, Charles Sturt UniversityCRFL1972 2 , 2001 Coleambally Blues Coleambally Sports Grounds, ColeamballyC&DFL1965 2011- 0 – East Wagga-Kooringal Hawks Gumly Oval, Gumly Gumly CRFL, RFNL1946 1977-1981, 2010- 2 2016, 2026 Marrar Bombers Langtry Oval, Marrar CRFL1918 1982- 5 1995, 1996, 2017, 2018, 2022 North Wagga Saints McPherson Oval, North Wagga Wagga RFNL1957 1958-1981; 1985-2006; 2010- 5 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2019 Northern Jets Jets Ardlethan Recreation Ground, Ardlethan and Ariah Park Recreation Ground, Ariah Park –2004 2004- 2 2005, 2007 Temora Kangaroos Nixon Park, Temora CRFL, RFNL1949 1961-1994; 2002- 4 2012, 2013, 2014, 2025 The Rock-Yerong Creek Magpies Victoria Park, The Rock –1962 1962- 10 1986, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2023, 2024 Previous clubs ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer leagueEst.Years in FFLFFL Senior PremiershipsFate Total Years Ardlethan StarsArdlethan Recreation Ground, ArdlethanRFNL1907 1987-2003 0 - Merged with Ariah Park-Mirrool to form Northern Jets following 2003 season Ariah Park-Mirrool Brown BombersAriah Park Recreation Ground, Ariah ParkRFNL1953 1991-2003 0 - Merged with Ardlethan to form Northern Jets following 2003 season Boree Creek Creekers, MagpiesBoree Creak Recreation Reserve, Boree CreekCRFL1886 0 - Folded after 1982 season Collingullie DemonsCrossroads Oval, CollingullieCRFL1906 1965-1979 2 1969, 1974 Merged with Ashmont to form Collingullie-Ashmont following 1979 seasonCollingullie-AshmontDemonsCrossroads Oval, Collingullie–19801980-199421982, 1984,Moved to Riverina FNL following 1994 season Collingullie-Ashmont-Kapooka DemonsCrossroads Oval, Collingullie–1998 1998-2010 6 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010 Moved to Riverina FNL after 2010 season Cootamundra BluesClarke Oval, CootamundraSWDFL1960 2 Moved to AFL Canberra following 2003 season Culcairn LionsCulcairn Sportsground, CulcairnA&DFL1895 1957-1980 2 1963, 1968 Moved to Tallangatta & District FL after 1980 season Henty Swans, SwampiesHenty Showground, HentyA&DFL1895 1957-1979 0 - Moved to Hume FL after 1979 season Holbrook BrookersHolbrook Sports Complex, HolbrookA&DFL1882 1957-1980 2 1964, 1970 Moved to Tallangatta & District FL after 1980 season Lavington BluesLavington Sports Ground, Hamilton ValleyHFL1918 1977-1978 0 - Moved to Ovens & Murray FL after 1978 season Lockhart BulldogsLockhart Recreation Ground, LockhartA&DFL1898 1958-1981 1 1960 Moved to Hume FL after 1982 season Junee BulldogsLaurie Daley Oval, JuneeA&DFL, CRFL1919 1 Played in Central Riverina FL between 1960-81. In recess between 1988 and 1995. Folded after 1997 season Mangoplah Cookardinia United GoannasMangoplah Sports Ground, MangoplahA&DFL1955 1957-1994 12 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993 Moved to Riverina FNL after 1994 season Royal Australian Air Force CatsRAAF Base Oval, Forest HillCRFL1948 0 - Merged with North Wagga to form North Wagga-RAAF following 1996 season South Wagga-Tolland DonsMaher Oval, Glenfield ParkCRFL1971 4 Folded after 1997 season The RockMagpiesVictoria Park, The RockA&DFLc.1920s 1958-1961 0 - Merged with Yerong Creek to form The Rock-Yerong Creek following 1961 seasonTumut-TalbingoHawksTumut Recreation Reserve, TumutUMFL19700 -Folded midway through 1987 season Uranquinty-Kapooka Rosellas, KapookaCRFLc.1920s 1 Merged with Collingullie-Ashmont to form Collingullie-Ashmont-Kapooka following 1998 season Wagga TigersRobertson Oval, Wagga WaggaA&DFL1928 1958-1981 9 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981 Moved to Riverina FNL after 1981 season Whitton-Yanco TigersWhitton Recreation Ground, WhittonCRFL1890s 3 Merged with Leeton to form Leeton-Whitton following 1994 season Yerong CreekYerong Creek Sports Ground, Yerong CreekA&DFLc.1910s 1957-1961 0 - Merged with The Rock to form The Rock-Yerong Creek following 1961 season
Leading & century goal kickers / League Best & Fairest Winners Seniors The Farrer FL senior football best and fairest medal was called the Baz Medal, which was first donated in 1952 by Mr. Mick Baz of Culcairn Cash Store as the award in the Albury & District Football League, which was carried on into the Farrer FL.