The Reporter District Football Association (RDFA), also known simply simply as the Reporter Football Association (RFA), was an Australian rules football competition based around the Melbourne suburb of Box Hill. History The RDFA was formed in 1903 by EFG Hodges, the proprietor of the Reporter newspaper. Six clubs − Bayswater, Box Hill, Canterbury, Ferntree Gully, Mitcham and Ringwood − participated in the inaugural season. Mitcham were the inaugural premiers after defeating Box Hill in the grand final, after both club finished the season with an equal win-loss record.
In 1928, the RDFA was absorbed into the Ringwood District Football League, which eventually became part of the present-day Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL).
The competition was also known as the Box Hill Reporter District Football Association (BHRDFA) or the Box Hill Reporter District Football League (BHRDFL or RDFL).
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in RDFARDFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsBalwyn juniorsBalwyn Park, Balwyn–190919270 -?Box Hill Stars StarsWhitehorse Reserve, Box HillESJFA18941903-1904, 1908, 1912-1914, 1920-19270 -Moved to VSDFL in 1928MitchamTricoloursWalker Park, Mitcham–18881903-1907, 1909-1910, 1913-192761903, 1904, 1914, 1915, 1919, 1921Moved to Ringwood District FA in 1928Ringwood juniorsMagpiesJubilee Park, Ringwood–189919270 -Withdrew after 10 roundsSurrey Hills (1909)Surrey Park, Box HillMJFA18871907, 1909-1912, 1923-192711927Moved to MAFA in 1928TunstallNunawading Recreation Reserve, Nunawading–192719270 -Moved to Ringwood District FA in 1928
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in RDFARDFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsAuburnVictoria Road Reserve, Hawthorn East–19201920-192621925, 1926Moved to VSDFL in 1927BalwynBalwyn Park, Balwyn–19091922-19260 -Moved to VSDFL in 1927BayswaterBayswater Park, Bayswater–189519030 -Entered recess in 1904.BlackburnBurnersMorton Park, BlackburnESJFA18901907-192521910, 1922Recess in 1926. Formed Ringwood District FA in 1927Burwood(1909)–19041904-1905, 1908-1912, 1915-192311905Moved to MAFA in 1924Camberwell(1909)Camberwell Sports Ground, CamberwellESJFA18861905, 1907-191141907, 1908, 1909, 1911Recess in 1912. Re-formed in VJFA in 1913.CanterburyCanterbury Sports Ground, Surrey Hills–18811903-1904, 1915-192411920Recess between 1906-14 Moved to VSDFL in 1925Croydon(1909)(1919-23)Croydon Oval, CroydonYVFA19061909-1911, 1919, 19230 -Played merged with Kilsyth in 1912. Moved to Yarra Valley FA in 1920 and 1924Croydon-Kilsyth–191219120 -De-merged into Croydon and KilsythDeepdeneDeepdene Park, Deepdene–19111911-1912, 19140 -Recess in 1913. Folded after 1914 seasonDoncasterSchramms Reserve, Doncaster–19021909-1912, 1919, 1921-1922, 19260 -Recess in 1913-18, 1920 and 1923-25. Formed Ringwood District FA in 1927East BurwoodEast Burwood Reserve, East Burwood–19101911, 1913-19140 -Recess from 1915-24, re-formed in Scoresby District FA in 1925Ferntree GullyWally Tew Reserve, Ferntree Gully–18921903-1905, 1910-1920, 1923 21912, 1913Unaffiliated between 1906-09. Joined Mountaineer FA in 1921 and 1924.KewVictoria Park, KewMJFA18761912-19190 -Moved to VJFA in 19120Kilsyth (1)Pinks Reserve, Kilsyth–19111911, 19130 -Played merged with Croydon in 1912. Folded after 1913 seasonLilydaleLilydale Recreation Reserve, LilydaleYVFA187219120 -Moved to Yarra Flats FA in 1913RingwoodMagpiesJubilee Park, Ringwood–18991903-1904, 1907, 1910-192621923, 1924Recess in 1905-06 and 1908-09. Formed Ringwood District FA in 1927 Rose of Camberwell–190919090 -Disqualified for rough conduct during 1909 season and subsequently foldedVermontVermont Recreation Reserve, Vermont–19191920-19260 -Formed Ringwood District FA in 1927WarrandyteBloodsWarrandyte Reserve, Warrandyte–19061907, 1909-1913, 1919-19210 -Recess in 1908 and 1914-18. Moved to Diamond Valley FA in 1922.
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunner-upNotes1903Mitcham7.3 (45) - 2.9 (21)Box HillNo grand final - Mitcham won first place play-off1904Mitcham5.11 (41) - 5.9 (38)BurwoodNo grand final - Mitcham won first place play-off1905BurwoodFerntree GullyNo grand final1906RDFA in recess1907CamberwellMitchamNo grand final1908CamberwellNo grand final1909CamberwellNo grand final1910Blackburn6.7 (43) - 1.5 (11)CamberwellSectional finals system introduced1911Camberwell3.14 (32) - 4.6 (30)Burwood1912Ferntree Gully6.7 (43) - 5.10 (40)Burwood1913Ferntree Gully8.17 (65) - 9.8 (62)MitchamFinal four system introduced1914Mitcham8.9 (57) - 4.7 (31)Kew1915Mitcham4.11 (35) - 4.6 (30)Blackburn1916-18RDFA in recess (WWI)1919Mitcham5.6 (36) - 4.7 (31)Canterbury1920Canterbury6.13 (49) - 7.6 (48)Mitcham1921Mitcham10.7 (67) - 3.6 (24)Burwood1922Blackburn11.6 (72) - 9.11 (65)Ringwood1923Ringwood7.11 (53) - 4.9 (33)Blackburn1924Ringwood8.8 (56) - 6.9 (45)Blackburn1925Auburn12.11 (83) - 3.8 (26)Blackburn1926Auburn16.14 (110) - 1.7 (13)Balwyn1927Surrey Hills14.12 (96) - 3.3 (21)Box Hill Stars
References