Coreen & District Football League

The Coreen & District Football League was an Australian rules football competition in the Coreen district of the Riverina in New South Wales, initially formed in 1909. The netball competition commenced in 1972 in line with the football fixture. The league was disbanded at the end of the 2007 season after 99 years of competition.

History: 1901 to 1931

It appears that the Coreen & District Football Association superseded the Federal Football Association and was formed after a meeting at Matt O'Brien's Burraja Hotel in April, 1909, from the following teams of – Burrajaa, Coreen, Redlands, Ringwood and Shannonvale. The Urana District Football Association was also formed in 1909 and catered for the Daysdale, Oaklands and Urana football clubs. Over the years the Coreen and District Football Association appears to have had a number of minor name changes to its title, swapping between "Shire" and "District" depending on the journalist's review of a meeting or what the newspaper editor chose as the association's name at that particular time or the title may have been abbreviated in the newspaper. It is difficult to accurately state what the official title of the association was without viewing the official minutes of meetings. What is of particular importance is the actual club's that competed in the association each year. In 1915, there was some opposition from locals expressing their opinion that young men playing football, would be better off serving their King and Country in the trenches to fight the enemies of the Empire, but the season was completed before going into recess from 1916 to 1918 due to WW1. In 1917, former Coreen Settler's FC captain, Ambrose Charles Filliponi was killed in action in France. The most radical change came in 1931, when the Coreen & DFA folded and three clubs joined the Corowa & District Football Association, then in 1936, the Corowa & DFA officially changed its title to the Coreen & DFA. More details below in the "History:1930 to 2007" section. Coreen FC played in nine consecutive grand finals between 1924 and 1931, winning three Coreen & DFA premierships in 1926, 1929 and 1930. There were a number of football associations formed in the early 1900s that local club's played in prior joining the Coreen & District Football Association in 1909. These associations played a vital role in providing football competitions in the Riverina and along the Murray River in local football's formative years prior to the Coreen & DFA being established in 1909. There was a Riverina football competition established in 1905 around the Corowa and Mulwala area called the Federal Football Association. In 1906 the Corowa and District Football Association was formed and the following teams entered this competition – Balldale, Burryjaa, Corowa, Howlong and Wahgunyah. Corowa Football Club went onto win the premiership, finishing on top of the ladder, with seven wins from eight games. In 1907, Burrajaa joined the Federal FA, and the Corowa & DFA premiership was won by the Wahgunyah Football Club. In 1908, Corowa and Wahgunyah joined the Ovens & Murray Football Association, while Howlong FC won the Ovens & Murray Junior Football Association premiership in 1908. Note: The football club of Burrajaa, Burryjaa, Burryja, was spelt in a variety of ways in various newspapers between 1900 and 1950, with the most recent spelling of the club being settled as – "Buraja".

Teams in the Coreen & DFL: 1909 to 1930

The season of 1930 ended in dispute. Oaklands had played a man named Kennedy, with whom didn't meet the associations residency rules. A protest by the Coreen club led to the forfeiture of points and thus expulsion from the finals. Oaklands appealed the decision but the matter was not heard until long after the season and finals had been played. Eventually the appeal by Oaklands was upheld. Ill will between clubs led to Urana and Oaklands withdrawing from the association and joining another competition. The remaining clubs knowing that a three team competition wasn't ideal so they sort to play elsewhere.

Premierships: 1909 to 1930

Coreen & DFA Clubs: 1909 to 1930

History:1930 to 2007

The 1930 season of Coreen & District Football Association competition coincided with the first season of the Corowa and District Football Association, with Balldale winning the first of three consecutive Corowa & DFA premierships. As a result of a protest by the Oaklands FC and then an appeal to the Wagga Football Council and NSW National Football League as to the make up of the 1930 Coreen and District Football Association finals series and participating teams, due to a dispute over the eligibility of an Oaklands player, the Coreen & DFA folded after a delegates meeting in May, 1931, when it was moved 'that the forming of the association be temporarily suspended' with Coreen, Daysdale and Rand then joining the Corowa & DFA competition in 1931. Balldale then went on to defeat Coreen in the 1931 Corowa & District FA grand final. The Corowa and District competition ran from 1930 until 1935 when it took on the Coreen & District FA's name at its 1936 Annual General Meeting. In 1930, Mr. Jack Anderson – Balldale FC and W Hall – Howlong FC tied for the Pearce Medal for the best and fairest player award in the Corowa & District Football Association Corowa Stars played in the Corowa & District FA from 1930 to 1933. Corowa Stars decided to reform after their 1934 – AGM, but it appears they never got up and going and did not enter a team in any local competition and ultimately folded. Rand were undefeated during their 1937 premiership year. In 1944, there was a Coreen & District Junior Patriotic Football Association with Rennie defeating Coreen in the grand final at Coreen. There was a Coreen & District Junior Football League in 1945 with Oaklands defeating Rennie in the grand final which was played at Coreen. The Coreen & District Football Association reformed in April, 1946 after WW2 from the following six clubs – Coreen, Daysdale, Hopefield, Oaklands, Rennie and Urana. In 1953, Coreen FC President, Jack Kingston was re-elected for the 49th year. Daysdale played in six consecutive grand finals between 1961 and 1966, winning three premierships in 1961, 1962 and 1964. The junior (Under 16) competition commenced in 1975 and proved to be a very worth while breeding ground for future players, with several going onto to play VFL / AFL football, such as – John Longmire, Adam Houlihan, Damian Houlihan and Taylor Duryea. In 1994 the league comprised ten clubs: Coleambally, Coreen, Daysdale, Hopefield-Buraja, Jerilderie, Oaklands, Rand, Rennie, Urana and Victorian club Wahgunyah. It was also in that year that the Daysdale FC celebrated their 100th anniversary and they went onto win the senior football premiership. Jerilderie played in seven consecutive grand finals between 1995 and 2001, but only won two in 1999 and 2001. The Billabong Crows FC were formed when the Oaklands Football Club and Urana Football Club, both of which had been long standing rivals in the Coreen & District Football League, elected to merge in 2004. The six remaining Coreen & DFL clubs joined the following leagues during the 2007 post-season.

Former Clubs: 1930–2006

Premierships: Football: 1930 to 2007

Senior Premierships: 1930–2007

Reserves: 1976–2007

Thirds / Under 16s: 1980–2007

Fourths / Under 13s: 2006–2007

Senior Football Awards

Most goals in a senior C&DFL match Most goals in a finals series

Reserves Football Awards

This Coreen & DFL Reserves competition commenced in 1980.

Thirds Football Awards

This Coreen & DFL Thirds (Under16's) football competition commenced in 1975.

2005 Ladder

FINALS

2006 Ladder