The Riana Football Association was the final name of an Australian rules football competition based around the town of Penguin in north-west Tasmania.

History The Riana Football Association began as the Pine Road Football Association in 1911, servicing Penguin and the small towns based south of it. In addition to this name, the Association was known as the West Pine Football Association and the Penguin Football Association in its early years. The original line-up of clubs featured Ellenton, Penguin, Riana and Stowport. Stowport were replaced by Pine Road in 1912, who were in turn replaced by South Riana in 1913. The PRFA entered recess in 1915 due to WWI.

The PRFA was revived in 1919, however the season was left unfinished and the premiership not awarded due to the effects of the influenza outbreak on the clubs' ability to field teams. Penguin departed for the stronger North West Football Union in 1922. They were replaced by Ashwater, who only lasted two seasons before folding. The Association adopted the Riana FA name for the first time in 1924, but would only last one season before entering recess in 1925.

1928 saw the Association revived under the Cuprona FA name, with Cuprona, Natone, Pines and South Riana competing. By 1931 Pines had dropped out and Riana had re-formed and joined the CFA, along with Penguin Juniors. Stockport joined from the Burnie Football Association in 1932. They won two premierships in their first two season in the CFA but returned to the BFA after losing the 1934 grand final. Cuprona entered recess in 1937 and Penguin Juniors were replaced by West Pine in 1938. The Association became known as the Penguin Football Association in 1937 bu by 1939 the Riana FA name had re-appeared. The 1939 grand final between Riana and Natone saw a bizarre game played in which neither team was able to score a goal due to the deplorable conditions in which the game has played. The game had already been delayed by a week due to poor conditions but it appears that the weather only worsened during this time. Light snow was reported to have fallen during the final break, causing the beginning of the final quarter to be delayed. The final score saw Riana win 0.8 (8) to 0.4 (4), marking the only senior grand final in Tasmanian and likely Australian history to have been won with no goals scored by the winning team. The RFA entered recess a year later due to the onset of WWII.

Competition resumed in 1945 under the Natone Football Association name. The Association returned to 6 clubs, with Riana, South Riana and Natone joined by a re-formed Cuprona, Stockport and a newly-formed club from Upper Natone. Stowport folded after losing the 1946 grand final and were replaced by a new club from Sulphur Creek in 1948. Curpona won three premierships in a row from 1948 to 1950, but entered recess again for a year in 1954. Sulphur Creek also folded before the 1954 season. The Riana FA name returned along with Cuprona in 1955. The competition continued until the end of the 1964 season, by which time Upper Natone had folded and Riana was struggling for numbers. They would be absorbed by South Riana and transfer to the Leven FA in 1965, while Cuprona and Natone moved to the Darwin FA.

Clubs

Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer leagueEst.Years in RFAKnown RFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsCuprona Wivenhoe–19111911-1922, 1924, 1928-1936, 1945-1953, c.1955-196481922, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963In recess in 1923, 1925-27, 1937-44 and 1954. Moved to Darwin FA in 1965Natone (1949)(?-1964)MagpiesNatone Recreation Ground, Natone–19211921-1923, 1928-196451929, 1931, 1938, 1955, 1964Recess between 1924-27. Moved to Darwin FA in 1965Riana Riana Football Ground, Riana–19111911-1924, 1929-196481911, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1952, 1959, 1961Recess between 1924-28. Absorbed by South Riana in 1965South Riana (1955)(1958)South Riana Football Ground, South Riana–19131913-1924, 1928-196461924, 1928, 1930, 1945, 1946, 1962Recess between 1925-27. Moved to Leven FA in 1965

Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer leagueEst.Years in RFAKnown RFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsAshwaterAshwater Football Ground, Penguin–19221922-19230 -Folded after 1923 seasonPenguinDial Park, Penguin–18901911-192121913, 1921Moved to NWFU in 1922Penguin juniorsTwo BluesDial Park, Penguin–18901924, 1929-19370 -?StowportTigersStowport Football Ground, StowportBFA19031911, 1932-1934, 1945-194621932, 1933Entered recess in 1912. Returned to Burnie FA in 1935. Folded after 1946 seasonSulphur CreekSulphur Creek Recreation Ground, Sulphur Creek–19481948-19530 -Folded after 1963 seasonUpper Natone(1945-?)(1950s)Upper Natone Recreation Ground, Upper Natone–19451945-?41947, 1953, 1954, 1956Folded at unknown date between 1956 and 1964West Pine –19121912, 1928, 1930-1931, 1938-19390 -Folded after 1939 season

Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-upNotesPine Road FA1911Riana?1912??1913Penguin?19141915-18Association in recess (WWI)1919Premiership not awarded due to influenza outbreak1920??1921Penguin?1922Cuprona?1923??Riana Football Association1924South Riana6.9 (44) - 4.5 (29)Riana1925-27Association in recessCuprona Football Association1928South Riana3.4 (22) - 2.5 (17)Upper Natone1929Natone3.8 (26) - 3.0 (18)Riana1930South RianaNatone1931Natone8.12 (60) - 7.6 (48)South Riana1932Stowport6.3 (39) - 1.6 (12)Riana1933Stowport8.5 (53) - 1.12 (18)Natone1934Riana5.5 (35) - 4.4 (26)Stowport1935Riana4.6 (30) - 2.6 (18)Penguin juniors1936Riana9.10 (64) - 4.11 (35)CupronaPenguin Football Association1937Riana9.5 (59) - 4.5 (29)South Riana1938Natone10.6 (66) - 8.5 (53)RianaRiana Football Association1939Riana0.8 (8) - 0.4 (4)NatonePlayed in "deplorable conditions" at Cuprona.1940-44RFA in recess (WWII)Natone Football Association1945South Riana9.17 (71) - 5.2 (32)Natone1946South Riana5.6 (36) - 4.7 (31)Stowport1947Upper Natone7.2 (44) - 6.5 (41)Cuprona1948Cuprona13.8 (86) - 9.7 (61)South Riana1949Cuprona10.11 (71) - 3.12 (36)Natone1950CupronaSouth Riana1951?1952Riana8.3 (51) - 5.9 (39)Upper Natone1953Upper Natone?1954Upper Natone8.9 (57) - 5.3 (33)South RianaRiana Football Association1955Natone9.10 (64) - 5.8 (38)South Riana1956Upper Natone9.11 (65) - 4.3 (27)Riana1957Cuprona14.23 (107) - 11.11 (77)South Riana1958Cuprona5.9 (39) - 5.4 (34)South Riana1959Riana9.13 (67) - 4.4 (28)Cuprona1960Cuprona15.8 (98) - 7.15 (57)South Riana1961Riana7.8 (50) - 7.7 (49)Cuprona1962South Riana12.16 (88) - 9.11 (65)Cuprona1963Cuprona7.9 (51) - 3.3 (21)Riana1964Natone10.10 (70) - 5.4 (34)Cuprona

References