TDFL History
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TDFL History The Tallangatta and District Football League was officially formed in 1945 comprising six teams-Bethanga, Fernvale, Granya, Mitta/Eskdale, Sandy Creek and Tallangatta and kicked off on the 21st April 1945. At the same time the Dederang and District league became the Yackandandah League with the inclusion of Tawonga, Kergunyah and Kiewa joining Yackandandah, Mudgegonga, Dederang. A new rule was enforced that year-all club guernsey numbers had to be no smaller than 8 inches. The 1945 season saw the Tallangatta Magpies defeat Fernvale in the Grand Final at Sandy Creek on the 21st July to become the Leagues first official Premiers. On August 31st 1946 at Sandy Creek, Granya defeated Mitta 12.8.80 to 8.7.55 in the Grand Final in their first of three flags. In 1947 Sandy Creek left the League and joined the Yackandandah League. The same year Bullioh Valley applied to join the Tallangatta and District Football League filling the void left by Sandy Creek. That same year Granya achieved the rare distinction of back- to-back premierships by defeating Tallangatta. A knock out competition was run at the end of the 1947 season with 14 teams competing at Tallangatta’s Ormidale Oval. Tallangatta, Mitta Valley, Sandy Creek, Bullioh United, Myrtleford, Granya/Fernvale, Walbundrie, Tawonga, Wodonga Ex-servicemen, Corryong, Wodonga, Mansfield, Albury and Newport. Albury defeated Myrtleford in the competition to become district champions. A visiting Essendon team played Mitta Valley just defeating Mitta in a practice match the same year. In 1948 Bethanga dropped out of the League reducing the competition to six teams. Bert Kennedy was non-playing coach of Bullioh Valley in 1948. Fernvale defeated Tallangatta in the Grand Final avenging their 1945 Grand Final Loss to the Magpies. The 1949 season saw Mitta Town drop out of the League and Bethanga rejoin the competition. After being runner-up the two previous years Tallangatta led by Capt/Coach Dan Walsh finally broke through by defeating archrivals Bullioh Valley in the 1949 Grand Final. 1950 saw the return of Sandy Creek and Mitta Town reformed. Bullioh Valley won their first and last Flag defeating Granya by 1 point at Sandy Creek. In 1951 Bethanga did not field a team and Mitta Valley changed its name back to Eskdale. The 1951 premiers were Granya over Tallangatta. In 1952 Granya dropped out and Bandiana formed a football club joining the League but only for one year. Bethanga and Kiewa rejoining the League and Eskdale merged with Mitta Town and become Mitta United winning the 52 Premiership against Bullioh. Some of the 1952 finals were played at Bandiana with the Grand Final at Sandy Creek. In 1953 the TDFL was boosted by the return of Granya and the formation of a team from RAEME replacing Bandiana. Kergunyah gained acceptance after previously playing in the Yackandandah Association saw the TDFL boast 11 teams. Mitta United defeated Granya in the 1953 Grand Final winning back to back. The once powerful Granya Football Club disbanded in 1954 and during that same period Tawonga joined the League from The Yack Association and the Tallangatta Magpies defeated Kiewa in the Grand Final that year. RAEME dropped out, Dederang departed the Yack Association joining the TDFL in 1955 and the powerful Kergunyah team went on to defeat Mitta United in the 1955 Grand Final in the first of three consecutive flags. The 1956 season was racked with controversy with Bethanga joining the Chiltern League, the Yackandandah League folded and at the conclusion of the 1956 season the Chiltern League folded causing an upheaval in local footy. The 1956 TDFL consisted of Tallangatta, Mitta United, Fernvale, Bullioh, Sandy Creek, Tawonga, Dederang, Kergunyah and Kiewa. On September 8th at Sandy Creek Kergunyah defeated Kiewa in the 1956 Grand Final by 80 points with the final score Kergunyah-18.13.121 to Kiewa- 5.11.41. In 1957 Yackandandah playing in Geelong colours and Bethanga playing in Essendon colours rejoined the League but saw Fernvale Football club fold. Most of the teams from the now defunct Chiltern League did not field teams in 1957. Kergunyah-11.14.80 defeated Mitta United by 42 points -5.8.38 in the 1957 Grand Final and the same year a Kiewa Valley representative team coached by Bethanga coach Bob Wise defeated a Mitta Valley rep team coached by Joe Rattcliffe. Mitta Valley went down by 2 points played at Sandy Creek. Both rep teams consisted of players from all the TDFL teams. The Tallangatta and District Footy League expanded rapidly in 1958 with the admission of Bandiana, Barnawartha and Lavington from the Chiltern League and saw the merger of Bethanga/Granya Bombers boosting the league to twelve clubs. Bullioh and Dederang drew the Preliminary Final that year with Dederang winning the replay and moving into the Grand Final. Dederang won the 1958 Flag in a close one downing Mitta United by 4 points 11.5.71 to 10.7.67. at the creek. In 1959 the league dropped to ten teams as Sandy Creek and Bullioh withdrew from the League and the Bethanga/Granya Club changed its name to Murray United playing their home games at Granya as the Bethanga ground was being graded and top dressed. Murray United was coached by Alf Deane who coached Dederang in last years Premiership. However, Murray United did not have a very successful season winning just one game forfeiting two games as they struggled with numbers in a long and drawn out season for the bombers. That year the finals were played at various grounds with the second semi at Bandiana (coach-J. OConnell), the Prelim at Yackandandah (coach-Rex Grant) and the Grand Final at the Urana Rd Oval, Lavingtons (coach-Percy Appleyard), home ground at the time. Mitta United was coached by John Marks and had a perfect season as undefeated premiers defeating Kiewa by 21 points. The final score in the 1959 Grand Final was Mitta United-9.14.68 to Kiewa-6.11.47. Ex Barnawartha/Bethanga Coach Bob Wise coached Kiewa for 3 years from 1958 to 1960 when at 33 he retired. At the half time break of the 1959 Tallangatta League Grand Final between Kiewa and Mitta United his two wingmen came in at half time, showered, dressed and took off to a wedding. Colin Coulston and Graham Jenkins. Bob was on the bench with hamstring problems and couldn’t play so with two players short it cost them the game. It’s been 43 years since that Grand Final and he’s never forgiven nor ever will forgive the two players involved and is still very bitter about the incident. Other 1959 Coaches. Kergunyah-Paul Crowe, Barnawartha-Merv Shultz, Dederang-Wally Sealy, Tallangatta-Max Mason, Murray United-Alf Deane. That year Neville Hadley from Kiewa won the league best and fairest on a countback from J ODonnell from Bandiana each on 22 votes. The following year in 1960 saw the return of Sandy Creek and Bullioh who were coached by ex Wodonga player Phil Livingstone. Bogong joined the League but Murray United went into recess in March 1960 which saw the end of Granya who would not field a team again and Bethanga would not field a team again till 1976. With these inclusions and exclusions, the 1960 Tallangatta and District Football league consisting of twelve clubs was recognized as one of Victoria’s premier Leagues. Mitta United-9.15.69 defeated Lavington Saints-6.7.43 in the 1960 Grand Final which was played at Tallangatta and Bogongs Eric Tye won the TDFL best and fairest that year. Lavington was coached by Keith Murray and Kergunyah was coached by non-playing Jack Jones. The 1961 season saw Mitta United once again defeat Lavington this time by 37 points. The score line was Mitta United-10.10. 70 to Lavington-3.15.33 at Tallangatta. In 1962 Bogong went through the home and away season undefeated and drew with Dederang in the Grand Final vying for the Johnny Marks Trophy but lost the replay by 15 points. Scores from the drawn game showed that both combatants did not give an inch for the entire game. With Bogong kicking 4.13.37 to Dederangs-5.7.37 Bogong almost kicked themselves out of it. Scores from the replay -Dederang 10.13.73 to Bogong 8.10.58. 1963 saw Bogong lose another Grand Final by a heartbreaking 1 point to Mitta United from 6.14.50 to 7.7.49 at Sandy Creek. In 1964 Bogong merged with Tawonga to become Bogong/Tawonga. The same year Bullioh changed their colours to red, white and blue and Bandiana withdrew from the League. Yackandandah defeated Lavington 9.6.60 to 8.8.56 at Sandy Creek. Bandiana returned to the League in 1965 and saw Bogong-6.14.50 lose the Grand Final by 4 points against Lavington-8.6.54. 1966 Bogong were again the bridesmaid by 7 points against nemesis Lavington. The final score at Tallangatta was Lavington-9.13.67 to Bogong-9.6.60. The 1967 Premiers were Mitta United-11.9.75 to Dederang-8.6.54 at Tallangatta. The 1968 season saw Yackandandah stand out which knocked the League back to 11 teams causing a bye. Also, that year the reserve grade competition started. Mitta United- 11.9.75 defeated Dederang-11.8.74 again in the Grand Final this time by 1 point at Sandy Creek. The reserve grade Grand Final results Lavington-12.11.83 defeated Tallangatta-5.9.39 to become the Leagues first Reserve Grade Premiers.