The Esperance Football Association was an Australian rules football competition based in southern Tasmania.
History The Esperance Football Association was formed in 1922 by the Dover, Raminea and Navvies (Ida Bay) clubs. Prior to the formation of the EFA, football in the Esperance area had mostly consisted of challenge matches against teams from the Huon region owing to the isolation and low population of the area. Records of the early years of the competition are spotty. By 1925 Southport had entered in place of Navvies. Catamaran played one season in 1927, replacing Raminea. Raminea would re-form for the 1929 season, forming a three-club core that would last for much of the competition's existence. The Association was known as the Southport Football Association in 1926, and between 1933 and 1935 was known as the Southern Football Association. Surges Bay joined in 1934 but would only last two seasons, departing after the 1935 season. The EFA entered recess in 1941 due to loss of players to WWII conscription.
The EFA re-formed in 1945 with Dover, Raminea and Southport again the participating clubs. Surges Bay returned to the competition in 1948 but again would only last two seasons before folding. Dover won four premierships in a row from 1946-1949. Glendevie joined the competition in 1952 and won the premiership in their first season. They would go on to dominate the competition over the next 10 years, winning 7 premierships between 1956 and 1963, including 5 in a row from 1956 to 1960.
By the late 1960s the EFA began to struggle as the lack of population in the region stretched the four clubs' ability to fill out their teams. A proposition was put to the Huon Football Association in late 1967 that the four clubs merge to form a combined Esperance team, based at Dover. This was rejected in the summer of 1968, and the EFA folded soon after.
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in EFAKnown EFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsDoverTigersDover Football Ground, Dover19221922-1927, 1929, 1932-1951, 1953-1967111932, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1955, 1961, 1966, 1967Recess in 1952. Folded after 1967 seasonGlendevieRobinsSurges Bay Oval, Surges Bay19501952-196781952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963Folded after 1967 seasonRamineaRoosRaminea Football Ground, Raminea19221922-1925, 1929, 1932-196741939, 1954, 1964, 1965Folded after 1967 seasonSouthportNaviesSouthport Football Ground, Southport19091925-1927, 1929, 1932-1940, 1946-196641940, 1950, 1951, 1953Folded after 1967 season
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in EFAKnown EFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsCatamaranLocated in Catamaran192719270 -Folded after 1927 seasonNavviesLocated in Ida Bay192219220 -Folded after 1922 seasonSurges BaySurges Bay Oval, Surges Bay19341934-1935, 1948-19490 -Recess between 1936-47. Folded after 1949 season
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-upNotesEsperance Football Association1922?1923?1924?1925?Southport Football Association1926??Esperance Football Association1927??1928EFA in recess1929??1930EFA in recess19311932Dover?Southern Football Association1933??1934??1935??Esperance Football Association1936DoverSouthport1937??1938Dover11.18 (84) - 11.7 (73)Southport1939Raminea12.9 (81) - 7.13 (54)Dover1940SouthportDover1941-44EFA in recess (WWII)19451946Dover11.21 (87) - 9.9 (63)Southport1947Dover15.19 (109) - 8.9 (57)Southport1948DoverSouthport1949Dover16.18 (114) - 12.12 (84)Southport1950Southport12.18 (90) - 12.15 (87)Dover1951Southport7.10 (52) - 7.10 (52)DoverDrawn grand finalSouthport14.16 (100) - 12.8 (80)DoverReplay1952Glendevie?1953Southport5.21 (51) - 5.15 (45)Glendevie1954Raminea15.14 (104) - 8.9 (57)Southport1955Dover13.10 (88) - 11.8 (74)Glendevie1956Glendevie15.13 (103) - 13.18 (96)Dover1957Glendevie15.14 (104) - 13.8 (86)Southport1958Glendevie9.19 (73) - 10.12 (72)Raminea1959Glendevie15.7 (97) - 12.23 (95)Southport1960Glendevie13.15 (93) - 10.12 (72)Dover1961Dover9.22 (76) - 8.12 (60)Raminea1962Glendevie10.5 (65) - 9.10 (64)Dover1963Glendevie21.20 (146) - 15.18 (108)Raminea1964Raminea14.16 (100) - 7.6 (48)Glendevie1965Raminea17.12 (114) - 12.7 (79)Glendevie1966Dover12.15 (87) - 13.6 (84)Glendevie1967Dover9.11 (65) - 7.15 (57)Glendevie
References