The East Tamar Football Association was an Australian rules football competition based in the Tamar Valley region of northern Tasmania, featuring clubs based on the east side of the Tamar River.
History The East Tamar Football Association began competition in 1946, featuring George Town, Karoola, Lefroy and Lilydale as the inaugural clubs. The formation of the ETFA marked the first region-wide association to be formed. Prior to World War II, small associations, including the George Town Football Association and the Lilydale Football Association had existed only for brief periods, with clubs instead choosing to play challenge matches against a combination from clubs based in Launceston and those in the wider East Tamar region. Hillwood re-formed and joined the ETFA in 1947 to make it a 5-team competition. Lefroy won three premierships in a row between 1947 and 1949 but were forced to fold halfway through the 1951 season after the ceasing of mining operations saw a number of their players leave the area. Karoola also dropped out after 1951 and were replaced by Lebrina.
The newly-formed Rocherlea club joined in 1953. Lebrina dropped out in the late 1950s and were replaced by a re-formed Karoola. Newstead, a club based in Launceston, joined in 1960 but did not see out the decade. Hillwood dominated the second decade of the competition, winning 3 premierships in a row between 1959–61 and again between 1966–1968. Despite this, the club was forced into recess before the 1970 season due to player and committee member shortages. This left the ETFA with only four clubs. The newly-opened Batman Bridge allowed for much easier travel between the two sides of the Tamar River, and it was decided to merge with the West Tamar Football Association. George Town, Lilydale and Karoola joined the newly formed Tamar Football Association, while Rocherlea joined the closer TAFL Northern Division.
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years inETFAETFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsGeorge Town(1946–49)(1950–53, 57–64)(1954–56)(1965–69)SeagullsGeorge Town Sports Complex, George TownGTFA19271946–196941957, 1958, 1963, 1965Formed Tamar FA in 1970HillwoodSharks, Apple-SnatchersHillwood Recreation Reserve, HillwoodGTFA19271946–196981955, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968Entered recess in 1970. Re-formed in Tamar FA in 1980KaroolaKaroola Recreation Ground, Karoola–19291946–1951, ?-19692 1946, 1962Entered recess in 1952. Formed Tamar FA in 1970LilydaleMagpiesLilydale Recreation Ground, LilydaleSNLFA19211946–19696 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1969Formed Tamar FA in 1970RocherleaTigers, RockapesRocherlea Football Oval, Rocherlea–19511953–196911954Moved to TAFL Northern Division in 1970
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years inETFAETFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsLebrinaLebrina Recreation Ground, Lebrina–19201952–?0 –Folded at unknown date after 1954LefroyLefroy Recreation Ground, LefroyGTFA19201946–19513 1947, 1948, 1949Folded during 1961 seasonNewsteadNewstead Park, Newstead–19601960–?0 –Folded at unknown date before 1969
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-upNotes1946Karoola7.12 (54) – 5.15 (45)Lilydale1947Lefroy9.11 (65) – 4.9 (33)Lilydale1948Lefroy12.5 (77) – 9.8 (62)Karoola1949Lefroy10.10 (70) – 8.8 (56)Lilydale1950Lilydale9.7 (61) – 9.5 (59)Karoola1951Lilydale8.10 (58) – 4.6 (30)Hillwood1952Lilydale6.11 (47) – 5.10 (40)Lebrina1953Lilydale13.13 (91) – 9.2 (56)Lebrina1954Rocherlea11.13 (79) – 10.11 (71)Lilydale1955Hillwood12.12 (84) – 10.8 (68)Lilydale1956Lilydale7.11 (53) – 5.5 (35)Hillwood1957George Town7.5 (47) – 4.4 (28)Lilydale1958George Town14.12 (96) – 5.13 (43)Lilydale1959Hillwood12.11 (83) – 7.11 (53)Lilydale1960Hillwood13.4 (82) – 9.8 (62)Lilydale1961Hillwood13.12 (90) – 11.15 (81)Karoola1962Karoola9.10 (64) – 8.9 (57)Lilydale1963George Town14.16 (100) – 12.13 (85)Lilydale1964Hillwood8.13 (61) – 3.8 (26)Karoola1965George Town16.11 (107) – 6.7 (43)Lilydale1966Hillwood13.17 (95) – 3.12 (30)George Town1967Hillwood11.15 (81) – 10.9 (69)Rocherlea1968Hillwood16.10 (106) – 6.15 (51)George Town1969Lilydale10.6 (66) – 7.3 (45)Hillwood
References