The Riverina Football Netball League (RFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing nine clubs based in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The league features three grades in the Australian rules football competition, with these being First-Grade, Reserve-Grade and Under 17s. In the netball competition, there are five grades, with these being A-Grade, A Reserve-Grade, B-Grade, C-Grade and Under 17s. Governed by AFL Riverina, the league is the only major country league in New South Wales, and was formerly a VFL recruiting zone for South Melbourne from 1968 to 1986. Currently a home and away season consisting of eighteen rounds is played. The best five teams then play off according to the McIntyre system, culminating in the RFNL Grand Final, which is traditionally hosted by Narrandera.

History

The Riverina Football League was formed in 1982 when the South West Football League (New South Wales), the Central Riverina Football League and the Farrer Football League amalgamated in order to create the Riverina Football League and the Riverina District Football League, with the latter changing its name to the Farrer Football League in 1985.

Current clubs

Former clubs

Timeline of clubs

Season structure

Pre-season

The Riverina Football League like most country leagues does not have a formal Pre-season competition. As part of their Pre-season preparation clubs will often schedule between one and two practice matches with clubs from other leagues prior to the season beginning. These matches could take on different structures and were primarily conducted on a non-official basis with limited match officials and scores not being recorded.

Premiership season

The Riverina home-and-away season at present lasts for 18 rounds for a total of 16 matches and 2 byes per team. The season starts in mid April and ends in late August. Each team plays each other team twice – once at home and once away. Teams receive four premiership points for a win or bye and two premiership points for a draw. Ladder finishing positions are based on the number of premiership points won, and "percentage" (calculated as the ratio of points scored to points conceded throughout the season) is used as a tie-breaker when teams finish with equal premiership points.

Finals series

The Riverina football finals consisted of a 'Top-5' finals system. The winning team receives a silver premiership cup, a premiership flag – a new one of each is manufactured each year. The flag has been presented since the league began and is traditionally unfurled at the team's first home game of the following season. Additionally, each player in the grand final-winning team receives a premiership medallion. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020 season a number of clubs did not participate. The remaining clubs took part in a six-round season and a 'Top-4' finals structure.

Finals structure

2024 Finals Series

Notable players

The following footballers went onto play senior VFL football from the following clubs / leagues with the year indicating their VFL debut. Footballers from the Riverina Football League who were drafted AFL, but did not play senior AFL football include:

Premiers

First-Grade

Reserve-Grade

Under 17s/18s

Under 18s

Under 17s

Under 17.5s

Final standings

2008 Ladder

2009 Ladder

2010 Ladder

2011 Ladder

2012 Ladder

2013 Ladder

2014 Ladder

2015 Ladder

2016 Ladder

2017 Ladder

2018 Ladder

2019 Ladder

2020 Ladder

2021 Ladder

Season abandoned due to Co-vid pandemic

2022 Ladder

2023 Ladder