The ** Ovens & King Football Netball League** is a minor country Australian rules football and netball league based in North-Eastern Victoria in the vicinity of Wangaratta and more recently Benalla.

History

The Ovens & King Football League was formed on the 13th of June 1903, after a handful of men met at The Bulls Head Hotel in Wangaratta to consider forming a football competition. One week later, the first matches of the Ovens & King Football Association were played. The competition changed its name to the Ovens and King Football League after the 1928 season. Today, more than 100 years later, teams from Benalla, Bright, Greta, King Valley, Milawa, Moyhu, North Wangaratta, Tarrawingee and Whorouly participate in seniors, reserves and five netball grades. Located in the rich Ovens Valley and King Valley of northeast Victoria, the league has produced a number of elite football who have gone on to play in the AFL, including the cousins Nigel (Brisbane Lions) and Matthew Lappin (St Kilda/Carlton), ruckman Mark Porter (Kangaroos/Carlton) and most recently Michael Newton (Melbourne), Ben Reid (Collingwood) and Sam Reid (Sydney Swans). Community support is strong in the Ovens and King districts with crowds attending games usually greater than most neighbouring competitions. The local football is an important social outlet for many local communities and finals matches draw especially strong crowd numbers. In 2010, the league added Tatong, Swanpool, Goorambat and Bonnie Doon, who had previously played in the now-defunct Benalla & District Football League. After four years of heavy losses, Swanpool and Tatong were thrown out of the competition by AFL County Victoria, ending nearly 100 years of tradition. A two-way merge proposed by the clubs was rejected, as was a transfer to the Picola District FL. In 2019 Glenrowan were forced into recess following a player, coach and volunteer shortage.

Names history

Clubs

Current

Former

Premiership History

Senior Football Grand Finals

A Grade Netball Grand Finals

League Hall Of Fame

This pretigious honour for O&KFNL players & officials was first awarded in 2006.

League Life Members

Charlie H. Butler (Sec) G. Ray Barker (Pres) Ron Marks (Tribunal) John Keogh (Auditor) Cyril C. Johnson (Tribunal) Harold H. Wellington (Tribunal) Bert H.G. Harman (Reporter) J R Mummery (Delegate) William Smith (Sponsor etc.) Clyde Baker (Sec) Albert (Bert) A. Clarke (Pres) Jack M. Wood (Tribunal) D.P. Jones (Auditor) H. Peter Nolan (Pres) Ken Stewart (Delegate) Angry J.A. Ferguson (Auditor) Fred Jensen (Delegate) E.J (Ted) Lester (Delegate) Fred Baker (Sec) Vin Shelley (Pres) D.R. (Toby) Schultz (Tribunal) Les OKeefe (Tribunal) Bill Lowen (300 games) Bright William. OBrien (300 games) Greta Rob Forrest (300 games) Beechworth Rowdy Lappin (300 games) Chiltern Rex Walter (300 games) North Wangaratta Ross Nightingale (300 games) Bright Gary Bussell (300 games) King Valley Trevor Blair (300 games) Tarrawingee Mark Allan (300 games) Milawa Brendan Allan (300 games) Milawa Lionel Schutt (300 games) Milawa, North Wang, Tarrawingee, Moyhu Allan Dickson (League President) Andrew Smith (300 games) Greta, Glenrowan Mal Dinsdale (400 games) Tarrawingee Geoff Robinson (400 games) Milawa Russell Ferguson (400 games) Milawa Steve Masin (300 games) Whorouly Peter Hawkins (400 games) Moyhu Bruce Nightingale (300 games) Ab (Alan) Gillett (300 games) Bright John Munari Moyhu Patrick O'Shea (Bright) Peter Jones (Bright) Scott Douglas (Moyhu) Robert Burrowes (Moyhu, King Valley) Paul Hogan (Greta)

Senior Football Best and Fairest / Clyde Baker Medal Winners

Senior Leading Goal Kicking Winners

Football Seasons

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2022

2023