The Goulburn Valley Football Association (GVFA) was an Australian rules football competition that was first established in 1888 in the Goulburn Valley of Victoria, Australia, with the foundation clubs being Cobram, Muckatah, Nathalia, Numurkah, Wunghnu and Yarroweyah.inksL

This football competition was separate to the Goulburn Valley District Football Association that was formed in 1893, that is still active today and now called the Goulburn Valley Football League.

History

The original GVFA was a football association that catered for the smaller rural towns of the Goulburn Valley region until 1931, when it was superseded by the Murray Football League when it was first established in 1931.

There was another Goulburn Valley Football Association, in 1890 and 1891, comprising the following teams – Baldwinsville, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Tatura and Undera, with Mooroopna winning the title in 1890 and Undera defeating Mooroopna to win the 1891 – Elder's Hotel (Undera) Medals.

The 1891 draw involved the following teams - Nathalia, Numurkah, Wunghnu, Yarroweyah.

Between 1901 and 1906, Drumanure Football Club won six consecutive premierships.

In 1911, Muckatah went through the season undefeated when the Muckatah Bombers defeated Numurkah in the grand final on "the pretty tree embowered Drumanure ground" and Muckatah player, George Grant had the distinction of playing in three premiership teams in 1911, with Essendon Football Club VFA team, Tocumwal and Muckatah!

In 1911, a Goulburn Valley Junior Football Association was established with the following clubs competing – Boomanoomana, Burramine South, Cobram, Katamatite and Muckatah.

Between 1904 and 1920, the GVFA comprised enough teams to divide it into two divisions (North and South) to minimise travel for clubs to away matches, which was a big issue around 1900. At its peak the GVFA comprised 14 teams in 1906.

The GVFA went into recess from 1916 to 1918 due to World War I.

In 1932, an attempt was made to revive the GVFA, but a lack of interest from clubs meant the association permanently closed down.

Clubs

Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in GVFAPremiershipsFate Total YearsCobram (1888)(1908)TigersScott Reserve, Cobram FDFA 1887 1891-1892, 1904-1910, 1912-1914, 1919-1930 61907, 1909, 1913, 1914, 1928, 1929Formed Murray FL in 1931NathaliaNathalia Recreation Reserve, Nathalia W&MRFA 1887 1888-1889, 1892, 1895-1897, 1900, 1906, 1921-1930 51896, 1897, 1923, 1927, 1930Returned to Western & Moira Ridings FA in 1931Numurkah(1888-?)(?)BluesNumurkah Showgrounds, Numurkah – 1882 1888-1930 81888, 1889, 1890, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926Formed Murray FL in 1931Shepparton ImperialsFuchsiasDeakin Reserve, SheppartonGVSEFA192619300 -Returned to Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA in 1931 StrathmertonBulldogsStrathmerton Recreation Reserve, Strathmerton FDFA 1888 1903-1910, 1913-1915, 1919-1930 0-Formed Murray FL in 1931TocumwalBloodsTocumwal Recreation Reserve, TocumwalSRFA, FDFA18941905, 1907, 1909, 1912, 1920, 19300 -Returned to Southern Riverina FA in 1913 and 1921. Formed Murray FL in 1931Wunghnu(1888-?)(?-1930)MagpiesWunghnu Recreation Reserve, Wunghnu – 1888 1888-1890, 1892, 1896-1897, 1899, 1901-1911, 1913-1915, 1919-1923, 1928-1930 0-Merged with Drumanure to form Drumghnu in 1924, de-merged in 1928. Moved to Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA in 1931

Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in GVFAPremiershipsFate Total YearsBaroogaBarooga Recreation Reserve, Barooga FDFA 1894 1907-1908 0-Entered recess in 1909; re-formed in Southern Riverina FA in 1929Barwo – 1906 1906 0-?Boomanoomana RoversBarooga Recreation Reserve, Barooga GVJFA 1911 1914, 1919-21 0-Folded in 1921 Bunbartha Dark with light sashBunbartha Recreation Reserve, Bunbartha – 1910 1910-11, 1919-21 0-Excluded from GVFA in 1922. Played in Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA between 1928 and 1929Burramine/Boosey 1888 1910 0-Folded. Burramine later re-formed in the Benalla-Yarrawonga Line FL in 1923CongupnaCongupna Recreation Reserve, Congupna –18911891-1892, 1897-1906 0-Folded in 1906Drumanure Katunga Recreation Reserve, Katunga –1896 1896-1923 71901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1908Merged with Wunghnu to form Drumghnu in 1924. Moved to Katandra District FA when Drumghnu de-merged in 1928Drumghnu – 1924 1924-1928 0-De-merged into Wunghnu and Drumanure in 1929Kaarimba – 1896 1896-1902 0-FoldedKatamatiteKatamatite Recreation Reserve, Katamatite FDFA 1888 1906-1909, 1914, 1920-1921 0-Excluded from GVFA in 1922. Re-formed in Dookie FA in 1924KatungaKatunga Recreation Reserve, Katunga – 1893 1893-1907, 1911-1915, 1919 41893, 1894, 1895, 1899Folded in 1919. Re-formed in 1950 in Picola & District FLKoonoomooKoonoomoo Recreation Reserve, Koonoomoo – 1904 1904-1908 0-Folded MuckatahBombersYarroweyah Recreation Reserve, YarroweyahFDFA18881888, 1895, 1898-1900, 1902-192951898, 1900, 1910, 1911, 1912Moved to Katamatite District FA in 1930Naring Dip – 1905 1905-1906 0-FoldedShepparton MaroonsDeakin Reserve, Shepparton GVFL 1896 1892, 1915 11892Returned to Goulburn Valley FL in 1915Tallygaroopna RedlegsTallygaroopna Recreation Reserve, Tallygaroopna – 1894 1904-1905, 1907-1915, 1919-1929 11915Moved to Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA in 1930Waaia BombersWaaia Recreation Reserve, Waaia W&MRFA 1894 1896, 1898-1902, 1906-1908, 1911, 1921-1922 0-Returned to Western & Moira Ridings FA in 1923Yarroweyah Yarroweyah Recreation Reserve, Yarroweyah – 1888 1888-189211891Moved to Murray Border FA in 1894

GVFA Grand Final Results

YearPremiersScoreRunners upScoreVenue / Comments1888 Numurkah No G Final Muckatah No G Final Numurkah only lost 1 game1889 Numurkah 4.8 – 32 Cobram 0.3 – 3 At Cobram 1890 Numurkah 4.10 – 34 Yarroweyah 1.7 – 13 At Numurkah 1891 Yarroweyah 3.12 – 30 Congupna 1.1 – 7 At Congupna 1892 Shepparton6.6 – 42 Congupna 3.4 – 22 At Shepparton 1893Katunga ? GVDFA formed1894Katunga ? 1895Katunga Muckatah At Nathalia 1896Nathalia ? 1897Nathalia 5.8 – 38 Congupna 2.6 – 18 At Nathalia1898Muckatah 5.5 – 35 Congupna 1.2 – 8 At Muckatah1899Katunga No G Final Drumanure No G Final Katunga declared premiers1900Muckatah 6.6 – 42 Waaia 4.3 – 27 At Numurkah1901Drumanure 9.18 – 72 Numurkah 2.3 – 15 At Wunghnu1902Drumanure ? G Final Muckatah ? G Final 1903Drumanure 6.8 – 44 Congupna 1.3 – 9 At Numurkah1904Drumanure 4.9 – 33 Tallygaroopna 1.7 – 13 At Numurkah1905Drumanure 7.10 – 52 Muckatah 7.9 – 51 At Numurkah1906Drumanure 4.8 – 32 Cobram 3.10 – 28 At Numurkah1907Cobram 5.6 – 36 Numurkah 5.5 – 35 At Numurkah1908 Drumanure 4.5 – 29 Muckatah 2.11 – 23 At Numurkah1909 Cobram 5.5 – 35 Muckatah 2.16 – 28 At Numurkah1910 Muckatah 6.8 – 44 Drumanure 2.5 – 17 At Cobram1911 Muckatah 11.15 – 81 Numurkah 5.14 – 44 At Drumanure. MFC unbeaten.1912 Muckatah 10.13 – 73 Numurkah 7.12 – 54 At Cobram1913 Cobram 18.21 – 129 Tallygaroopna 3.6 – 24 At Numurkah1914 Cobram 6.8 – 44 Muckatah 3.4 – 22 At Numurkah1915 Tallygaroopna No G Final Muckatah No G Final Season abandoned1916 In recess WW11917 In recess WW11918 In recess WW11919? Influenza Pandemic1920Numurkah 5.6 – 36 Cobram 4.7 – 31 At Numurkah1921Muckatah 7.15 – 57 Drumanure 8.2 – 50 At Numurkah1922 Numurkah 9.13 – 67 Nathalia 8.8 – 56 At Numurkah1923 Nathalia 12.10 – 82 Cobram 11.13 – 79 At Nathalia1924 Numurkah 9.14 – 68 Nathalia 9.8 – 62 At Cobram1925 Numurkah 12.8 – 80 Muckatah 7.9 – 51 At Strathmerton1926 Numurkah 11.12 – 78 Muckatah 8.2 – 50 At Strathmerton1927 Nathalia 12.12 – 84 Muckatah 10.9 – 69 At Numurkah1928 Cobram 27.16 – 162 Wunghnu 8.8 – 56 At Strathmerton1929 Cobram 7.9 – 51 Nathalia 5.7 – 37 At Numurkah1930 Nathalia 13.14 – 86 Shepparton Imperials 9.8 – 62 At NumurkahYear Premiers Score Runner Up Score Venue / Comments

References