The West Tamar Football Association was an Australian rules football competition based in the Tamar Valley region of northern Tasmania, featuring clubs based on the west side of the Tamar River.
History The West Tamar Football Association began competition in 1911, with competing clubs being Sidmouth, Glengarry, Sugar Loaf and Exeter. The pre-war years of the competition are not well recorded, with only one premiership, won by Exeter in 1912, known. By 1915 the competition consisted of Exeter, Sidmouth and Rosevears. It was forced into recess a year later due to WWII, but returned in 1919 with the same clubs. Beaconsfield, which had its own association prior to the War, entered a team in 1920 for the first time. Bridgenorth joined the Association for the first time in 1925. The 1925 grand final ended in confusion when it could not be determined what the correct final score was. Both goal umpires, as well as several spectators, had determined different final scores for the game. Despite the scoreboard awarding them the win, Beaconsfield allowed the match to be replayed, which saw Rosevears claim victory and the premiership.
Dwindling player numbers saw Exeter combine with Rosevears to form the Tamar Rovers in 1931. Exeter would return as a standalone club a year later. 1935 saw Bridgenorth drop out and be replaced with a re-formed Rosevears, however the entire competition would enter recess in 1937 owing to most clubs not having sufficient numbers. The competition would be revived in 1938 with Sidmouth, Beaconsfield, Lochiel Rovers (later Exeter) and Rowella participating but would again enter recess in 1941 due to the onset of WWII.
Competition was resumed in 1946 with Rowella replaced by a re-formed Bridgenorth. Rowella and the newly-formed Beauty Point would join in 1947, followed by Frankford in 1949. Frankford would depart after the 1951 season to leave the WTFA with six clubs. Rowella were replaced by Rosevears at some point during the 1950s. Sidmouth folded after the 1962 season, leaving the competition with only 5 clubs. The opening of the Batman Bridge in 1968 made it much easier to travel across the Tamar River, prompting the WTFA to merge with the similarly struggling East Tamar Football Association in 1970 to form the Tamar Football Association.
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years inWTFAWTFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsBeaconsfield(1946)(1953)Beaconsfield Football Ground, Beaconsfield–19001920-1936, 1938-196991922, 1927, 1931, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1965Recess in 1937. Formed Tamar FA in 1970Beauty Point(1950s)(?-1969)TigersBeauty Point Recreation Ground, Beauty Point–19481948-196931957, 1962, 1964Formed Tamar FAin 1970Bridgenorth(1948)(?-1969)ParrotsBridgenorth Recreation Ground, Bridgenorth–19231925-1934, 1946-196910 1929, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1967In recess between 1935-45. Formed Tamar FA in 1970Exeter (?-1939)(1940-69)MagpiesExeter Showgrounds, Exeter–19103 1912, 1954, 1955Merged with Rosevears to form Tamar Rovers in 1931. Recess in 1937. Formed Tamar FA in 1970RosevearsRosevears Recreation Ground, Rosevears–190961923, 1926, 1930, 1966, 1968, 1969Merged with Exeter to form Tamar Rovers in 1931. Entered recess after 1936 season. Formed Tamar FA in 1970
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years inWTFAWTFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsFrankfordFrankford Recreation Ground, Frankford–19491949-19510 -Folded after 1951 seasonGlengarry–19110 -Left league after 1911 season, folded in 1913Rowella–19381938-1940, 1947-?0 -Folded at unknown date after 1954Sidmouth(1936)(?-1962)RobinsSidmouth Recreation Ground, Sidmouth–19071911-1912, 1915, 1919-1936, 1938-1962121921, 1926, 1928, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1945, 1946, 1961Recess in 1937. Folded after 1962 seasonSugar Loaf–1911-19120 -Folded after 1912 seasonTamar RoversExeter Showgrounds, Exeter and Rosevears Recreation Ground, Rosevears–193019300 -Replaced by a re-formed Exeter in 1931Tamar Valley–19130 -Folded after 1913 season
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-upNotes1911?1912Exeter1913?1914?1915?1916-18Recess - WWI1919?1920?1921Sidmouth5.9 (39) - 1.11 (17)Rosevears1922Beaconsfield1923Rosevears9.11 (65) - 4.6 (30)Sidmouth1924?1925BeaconsfieldRosevearsRosevears9.11 (64) - 8.14 (62)BeaconsfieldReplay - Rosevears contested original result1926Sidmouth6.7 (43) - 6.6 (42)Rosevears1927BeaconsfieldBridgenorth1928Sidmouth10.8 (68) - 6.13 (49)Bridgenorth1929Bridgenorth9.7 (61) - 5.11 (41)Rosevears1930Rosevears11.9 (75) - 10.9 (69)Beaconsfield1931Beaconsfield8.15 (63) - 7.10 (52)Sidmouth1932Sidmouth13.13 (91) - 13.9 (87)Bridgenorth1933Beaconsfield13.13 (91) - 13.11 (89)Sidmouth1934Sidmouth19.14 (128) - 13.18 (96)Bridgenorth1935Sidmouth12.13 (85) - 2.1 (13)Beaconsfield1936Sidmouth1937Recess1938Sidmouth9.16 (70) - 9.15 (69)Lochiel Rovers1939Sidmouth20.17 (137) - 9.6 (60)Rowella1940Sidmouth14.14 (97) - 8.19 (67)Beaconsfield1941-44Recess - WWII1945Sidmouth1946Sidmouth15.16 (106) - 12.20 (92)Beaconsfield1947Beaconsfield17.21 (123) - 13.20 (98)Bridgenorth1948Beaconsfield17.16 (108) - 10.12 (72)Sidmouth1949Bridgenorth15.6 (96) - 11.13 (79)Beaconsfield1950Bridgenorth9.22 (76) - 3.11 (29)Beaconsfield1951Bridgenorth9.19 (73) - 5.7 (37)Sidmouth1952Bridgenorth12.7 (70) - 9.16 (70)Beaconsfield1953Beaconsfield14.14 (98) - 6.7 (43)Bridgenorth1954Exeter7.12 (54) - 3.13 (31)Bridgenorth1955Exeter14.18 (102) - 2.2 (14)Beaconsfield1956Bridgenorth13.13 (91) - 10.9 (69)Beauty Point1957Beauty Point12.19 (91) - 13.9 (87)Beaconsfield1958Beaconsfield19. 14 (128) - 11.14 (80)Bridgenorth1959Bridgenorth15.12 (102) - 11.10 (76)Beaconsfield1960Bridgenorth9.15 (69) - 7.9 (51)Sidmouth1961Sidmouth8.11 (59) - 6.10 (46)Beaconsfield1962Beauty Point12.6 (78)?1963Bridgenorth16.16 (112) - 11.14 (80)Beaconsfield1964Beauty Point21.16 (142) - 8.14 (62)Beaconsfield1965Beaconsfield14.11 (95) - 12.11 (81)Bridgenorth1966Rosevears9.12 (66) - 8.15 (63)Beaconsfield1967Bridgenorth10.3 (63) - 6.19 (55)Beaconsfield1968Rosevears4.13 (37) - 4.8 (32)Exeter1969Rosevears16.21 (117) - 5.13 (43)Exeter
References