The Esk-Deloraine Football Association was an Australian rules football competition based in the Northern Midlands and Meander Valley regions of Tasmania. The competition ran from 1984 to 1997.
History The EDFA was formed in 1984, when the long-standing Esk and Deloraine Football Associations merged to form a larger competition. Both competitions had been reduced to 5 clubs, with Meander folding after the 1981 Deloraine FA season and Deloraine departing the Esk FA to join the more powerful NTFA in 1984. With clubs struggling to field two sides it was decided that merging the two competitions would be best for football in the area. Mole Creek and Chudleigh merged prior to the beginning of the season, leaving the competition with 9 teams for its first season.
The first half of the competition's existence was dominated by the Perth Rovers, who won 6 premierships in 7 years between 1984 and 1990, including 5 in a row from 1986 to 1990. Elizabeth Town departed for the NWFA after the 1985 season, while Red Hills folded after 1988. The demise of the Fingal District FA saw Campbell Town, Fingal and St Marys join the EDFA prior to the 1993 season, however Fingal and St Marys struggled during their time in the EDFA, merging in 1995 to form the Valley Saints for 1 season before entering recess a year later.
The EDFA folded after the 1997 season, with most clubs joining the newly-formed Northern Tasmanian Football Association aside from Mole Creek, who joined the NWFA and Westbury, who folded at season's end.
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in EDFAEDFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsBracknellRedlegsBracknell Recreation Ground, BracknellEFA19201984-199731985, 1994, 1997Moved to NTFA in 1998Campbell TownRobinsCampbell Town Recreation Ground, Campbell TownFDFA18861993-19970 -Moved to NTFA in 1998CressyBulldogsCressy Recreation Ground, CressyEFA19211984-199711995Moved to NTFA in 1998EvandaleEelsMorven Park, EvandaleEFA19011984-199721992, 1993Moved to NTFA in 1998HagleyMagpiesHagley Recreation Ground, HagleyDFA19011984-199711991Moved to NTFA in 1998Mole Creek BulldogsMole Creek Recreation Ground, Mole CreekDFA19201984-19970 -Moved to NWFA in 1998Perth RoversMagpiesPerth Recreation Ground, PerthEFA18801984-199761984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990Moved to NTFA in 1998St MarysTigersSt Marys Recreation Ground, St MarysFDFA18901993-1994, 19970 -Merged with Fingal to form Valley Saints in 1995, re-formed in 1997. Moved to NTFA in 1998WestburyTigersWestbury Recreation Ground, WestburyEFA19021984-199711996Folded after 1997 season
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in EDFAEDFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsElizabeth Town(1984)(1985)EaglesRailton Recreation Reserve, RailtonDFA19251984-19850 -Moved to NWFA in 1986FingalBluesFingal Recreation Ground, FingalFDFA18841993-19940 -Merged with St Marys to form Valley Saints in 1995. Re-formed in NEFU in 1997Red HillsWrens, Blues, HillsRed Hills Recreation Ground, Red HillsDFA19481984-19880 -Folded after 1988 seasonValley SaintsSaintsFingal Recreation Ground, Fingal and St Marys Recreation Ground, St Marys–199519950 -Entered recess in 1996, both St Marys and Fingal re-formed in 1997.
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-Up1984Perth Rovers14.10 (94) - 6.12 (48)Westbury1985Bracknell19.14 (128) - 9.13 (67)Perth Rovers1986Perth Rovers8.12 (60) - 6.6 (42)Hagley1987Perth Rovers15.17 (107) - 6.6 (42)Bracknell1988Perth Rovers17.9 (111) - 10.6 (66)Cressy1989Perth Rovers28.3 (146) - 16.7 (103)Evandale1990Perth Rovers11.16 (82) - 11.12 (78)Bracknell1991Hagley14.10 (94) - 8.10 (58)Evandale1992Evandale20.9 (129) - 17.6 (108)Hagley1993Evandale25.11 (161) - 17.5 (107)Hagley1994Bracknell13.14 (92) - 7.15 (57)Hagley1995Cressy11.16 (82) - 9.15 (69)Evandale1996Westbury14.13 (97) - 13.7 (85)Hagley1997Bracknell15.10 (100) - 11.8 (74)Hagley
References