North Eastern Football Union

The North Eastern Football Union (NEFU) was an Australian Rules football competition in North-Eastern Tasmania, Australia.

History Competition football began in North-Eastern Tasmania in the early 1900s during the region's tin mining boom. There were many small associations existing in the area from Scottsdale to Goulds Country. The volatility of the mining and logging industries in the region had a resultant effect on the football scene, with the number of active clubs and associations varying greatly from year to year in the years leading up to World War II.

The NEFU had its origins in the North East Coast Football Association, formed in 1907 by the Derby, Branxholm, Pioneer and Moorina clubs. The fledgling competition would change its name to the North Eastern Football Association a year later. The early years of the Association featured only sporadic competition. World War I forced football in the region into recess between 1915 and 1918. Additionally, some years the Association did not form at all, with football between clubs in the Scottsdale and Dorset region taking place in the form of competition for the Blundstone Cup - a challenge competition in which clubs could challenge the holder of the cup, donated by the Hobart-based Blundstone company, in order to win the right to hold it. Between 1910-1911 and 1919-1921 Blundstone Cup competition was the only form of organised football in the area.

The North-Eastern Association was re-established in 1922 with four clubs - Branxholm, Derby, Derby Militia and Ringarooma. By 1924 the competition had expanded to 6 clubs with the addition of Legerwood and Winnaleah. The increased standard of football created a desire in the region for an all-encompassing "Union" of football in the Scottsdale-Dorset area, culminating in the admission of Scottsdale in 1925, on the condition that they split into two teams to ensure a fair competition, which was accepted. The name of the competition was changed to "North Eastern Football Union" to reflect this new addition. Branxholm and Legerwood chose to amalgamate prior to the 1925 season to ensure they would be able to field a competitive side from players in their selection radius. The combined club became known as Wanderers.

Although the new Union was initially successful, a shortage of players forced Wanderers and Winnaleah into recess in 1927, leaving the Union with only 4 clubs. This prompted Scottsdale to leave and re-form their own association in 1929. The North Eastern Football Association name was re-adopted in 1930 to reflect Scottsdale's departure.

The Great Depression brought about a fall in the fortunes of the NEFA in the early 1930s, with the 1932 season featuring just three clubs after Derby left to form its own association. However by 1936 they had returned and the number of clubs had rebounded to six. An attempt to establish an 8-team competition featuring clubs between Scottsdale and Pioneer did not succeed, however the competition was reconstituted as the North Eastern Football Union, with six clubs - Alberton, Derby, Legerwood, Pioneer, Warrentinna and Winnaleah - participating. Scottsdale re-joined a year later, while Warrentinna and Legerwood merged to re-form the Wanderers club. The Union went into recess due to World War II in 1941.

Following the re-establishment of football in 1945, the NEFU entered a period of relative stability, with the only major change for the next two decades being the departure of Scottsdale to the NTFA in 1948. Legerwood replaced them the following year. During this period the Wanderers club became known primarily as Branxholm owing to playing its games there, with the Wanderers name becoming the club's nickname.

Legerwood folded after the 1964 season, followed by Derby in 1972 and Pioneer-Gladstone in 1978. The re-formed Bridport club joined in 1967, followed by Scottsdale Crows in 1982, Lilydale from the Tamar Football Association in 1985 and St Helens from the Fingal District Football Association in 1993. The addition of Fingal from recess in 1997 saw the NEFU's number of clubs peak at 8 in the early 2000s. This would not last, however. Fingal folded again after the 2001 season and Lilydale departed for the NTFA in 2011. The lack of population in the area caused the historic Ringarooma and Branxholm clubs to fold after the 2011 and 2015 seasons respectively, sounding the death knell for the NEFU. After Bridport and St Helens left for the NTFA in 2017, the only remaining clubs were Winnaleah and the Scottsdale Crows. In a farcical situation, Winnaleah defeated the Crows in all 12 home and away matches and the grand final. The Crows folded soon after. Winnaleah applied to join the NTFA but were rejected, so the club were forced to fold at the season's end, bringing an end to over 100 years of competition.

Clubs

Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in NEFUNEFU PremierhipsFateTotalYearsScottsdale Crows(1982-?)(?-2017)CrowsScottsdale Recreation Ground, Scottsdale–19821982-20173 1989, 1990, 2006Folded after 2017 seasonWinnaleah(1925)(c.1940s-90s)(2000s-17)MagpiesWinnaleah Sports Ground, WinnaleahCFA19051924-1926, 1929-1932, 1936-2017141932, 1940, 1945, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1985, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017Recess between 1926-29. and 1933-35. Folded after 2017 season

Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in NEFUNEFU PremierhipsFateTotalYearsAlbertonRingarooma Sports Ground, Ringarooma–19301933-19382 1933, 1937Folded after 1938 seasonBranxholm (1931)(?-2015)WanderersBranxholm Recreation Ground, Branxholm–1910 181934, 1938, 1948, 1951, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1987, 1995, 1996, 2014Merged with Legerwood to form Wanderers in 1925. Recess in 1936. Folded after 2015 seasonBranxholm RoversBranxholm Recreation Ground, Branxholm–192319230 -Merged with Branxholm Stars to re-form Branxholm in 1924Branxholm StarsBranxholm Recreation Ground, Branxholm–192319230 -Merged with Branxholm Rovers to re-form Branxholm in 1924BridportSeagullsBridport Oval, BridportMSFA19341967-201681973, 1982, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2013, 2015Moved to NTFA after 2016 seasonDerby(1912, 28)(1925)(?-1972)Miners, Two BluesDerby Oval, DerbyDFA19061907-1909, 1912-1914, 1922-1931, 1936-1972101907, 1909, 1912, 1936, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1960Played in Derby FA between 1932-35. Folded after 1972 seasonDerby CityDerby Oval, Derby–19131913-1914, 1923-19242 1913, 1914Folded after 1924 season. Re-formed in Derby FA in 1932.Derby MilitiaDerby Oval, Derby–192219220 -Folded after 1922 seasonEast Coast Swans (1993-2012)(2013-15)SwansSt Helens Recreation Reserve, St HelensFDFA19101993-20162 1997, 2000Moved to NTFA after 2016 seasonFingalCountry BluesFingal Recreation Ground, FingalNTFA18841997-200111998Entered recess after 2001 season, later re-formed in NTFAForester juniors191319220 -Played 1 season in the junior grade in 1922GladstoneGladstone Recreation Ground, GladstoneCFA19361939, 19470 -Merged with Pioneer to form Pioneer-Gladstone in 1948Legerwood(1923)(1950s)Legerwood Football Ground, Legerwood–19231923-1924, 1933-1937, 1949-196421924, 1952Merged with Branxholm to form Wanderers in 1925. Merged with Warrentinna to form Wanderers in 1938. Folded after 1964 seasonLilydaleDemonsLilydale Recreation Ground, LilydaleTFA19211985-201071986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 2007, 2009, 2010Moved to NTFA after 2010 seasonMoorina Moorina Recreation Ground, Moorina–19021907-1908, 1912-19130 -Entered recess in 1909 and 1914North ScottsdaleScottsdale Recreation Ground, Scottsdale–192519250 -Merged with Scottsdale Central to re-form Scottsdale in 1926PioneerPioneer Football Ground, PioneerCFA19071907-1909, 1912-1914, 1926-1930, 1937-19471 19081931-32 unknown, formed Coasters' FA in 1933. Merged with Gladstone to form Pioneer-Gladstone after 1947 seadonPioneer-GladstonePioneer Football Ground, Pioneer–19481948-197841967, 1976, 1977, 1978Folded after 1978 seasonRingarooma(1925-?)(?-1960s)('60s-2011)RobinsRingarooma Sports Ground, Ringarooma –19111912, 1922-1936, 1939-2011151922, 1923, 1930, 1931, 1955, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1991, 2008Entered recess in 1913 and 1937-38. Folded after 2011 seasonScottsdale(1926-?)(?-1948)Scottsdale Recreation Ground, Scottsdale–18891926-1928, 1938-194851926, 1927, 1928, 1946, 1947Moved to NTFA after 1948 seasonScottsdale CentralScottsdale Recreation Ground, Scottsdale–192519250 -Merged with North Scottsdale to re-form Scottsdale in 1926SpringfieldDemonsSpringfield Recreation Ground, SpringfieldMSFA19221945-19470 -Moved to Scottsdale FA in 1948Wanderers(1925)(1928)Branxholm Recreation Ground, Branxholm and Legerwood Football Ground, Legerwood–19251925-19302 1925, 1929Replaced by Branxholm after 1931 seasonWarrentinnaWarrentinna Football Ground, WarrentinnaMSFA193619370 -Merged with Legerwood to form Wanderers in 1938West ScottsdaleScottsdale Recreation Ground, Scottsdale–19461946-19470 -Moved to Scottsdale FA in 1948

2007 Ladder North Eastern FU Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Lilydale 15 3 0 1 2503 839 298.33% 62 1st Semi St Helens 17 9 111 Winnaleah 16 6 102 Scottsdale Crows 11 3 5 0 1921 1446 132.85% 44 2nd Semi Lilydale 12 8 80 Scottsdale 8 13 61 Winnaleah 9 3 7 0 1623 1496 108.49% 36 Preliminary Scottsdale 19 20 134 St Helens 7 7 49 St Helens 7 3 9 0 1433 1720 83.31% 28 Grand Lilydale 23 11 149 Scottsdale 15 8 98 Bridport 7 3 9 0 1542 1886 81.76% 28 Branxholm 4 3 11 1 1264 1786 70.77% 18 Ringarooma 2 3 14 0 1195 2308 51.78% 8

2008 Ladder North Eastern FU Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Lilydale 16 0 0 0 2931 756 387.70% 64 1st Semi St Helens 13 10 88 Scottsdale 11 10 76 Ringarooma 14 0 2 0 2382 1132 210.42% 56 2nd Semi Lilydale 19 13 127 Ringarooma 9 15 69 Scottsdale Crows 10 0 6 0 1769 1531 115.55% 40 Preliminary Ringarooma 12 13 85 St Helens 10 13 73 St Helens 7 0 9 0 1740 1554 111.97% 28 Grand Ringarooma 16 8 104 Lilydale 10 8 68 Winnaleah 7 0 9 0 1263 1920 65.78% 28 Bridport 2 0 14 0 1094 2403 45.53% 8 Branxholm 0 0 16 0 838 2721 30.80% 0

2009 Ladder North Eastern FU Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Lilydale 13 0 2 1 2413 953 253.20% 54 1st Semi Ringarooma 14 14 98 Branxholm 3 7 25 Winnaleah 13 0 3 0 1677 1119 149.87% 52 2nd Semi Lilydale 14 14 98 Winnaleah 5 8 38 Ringarooma 10 0 5 1 1814 1050 172.76% 42 Preliminary Winnaleah 6 6 42 Ringarooma 2 9 21 Branxholm 10 0 6 0 1713 1236 138.59% 40 Grand Lilydale 21 17 143 Winnaleah 8 6 54 St Helens 5 0 11 0 1187 1621 73.23% 20 Bridport 2 0 14 0 998 1987 50.23% 8 Scottsdale Crows 2 0 14 0 613 2449 25.03% 8

2010 Ladder North Eastern FU Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Lilydale 14 3 2 0 2394 897 266.89% 56 1st Semi Ringarooma 15 8 98 Branxholm 10 13 73 St Helens 12 3 4 0 1728 1264 136.71% 48 2nd Semi Lilydale 19 18 132 St Helens 12 9 81 Branxholm 8 3 7 1 1541 1533 100.52% 34 Preliminary Ringarooma 6 8 44 St Helens 3 9 27 Ringarooma 8 3 7 1 1300 1304 99.69% 34 Grand Lilydale 12 7 79 Ringarooma 11 7 73 Winnaleah 7 3 9 0 1317 1452 90.70% 28 Bridport 6 3 10 0 1375 1720 79.94% 24 Scottsdale Crows 0 3 16 0 779 2264 34.41% 0

2011 Ladder North Eastern FU Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Ringarooma 14 0 2 0 1909 908 210.24% 56 1st Semi Winnaleah 7 10 52 Bridport 6 6 42 Branxholm 13 0 3 0 1552 913 169.99% 52 2nd Semi Ringarooma 12 12 84 Branxholm 6 9 45 Winnaleah 8 0 8 0 1346 1257 107.08% 32 Preliminary Winnaleah 17 7 109 Branxholm 8 8 56 Bridport 7 0 9 0 1318 1490 88.46% 28 Grand Winnaleah 13 9 87 Ringarooma 9 6 60 St Helens 6 0 10 0 1260 1584 79.55% 24 Scottsdale Crows 0 0 16 0 711 1944 36.57% 0

2012 Ladder North Eastern FU Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts