# Albury & District Football League

The Albury & District Football League was established at a delegates meeting in Culcairn in 1930 from the following Australian Rules Football clubs – Albury Rovers, Culcairn, Henty and Holbrook and folded after the 1957 football season.

## History

The Albury & District Football League was established at a delegates meeting in Culcairn in 1930 from the following Australian Rules Football clubs – Albury Rovers, Culcairn, Henty and Holbrook. The first season saw 12 games played, plus semi finals and a grand final which was won by Henty.
Brocklesby had a famous grand final victory over Henty to win the 1939 Albury & District Football League premiership after Wally Crooks kicked a goal after the siren, from a free kick to win by two points, under captain / coach, Jim Steigenberger. Henty then lodged an appeal to the Albury & DFL, which was defeated then appealed to the Murray District Football Council, which was then upheld, awarding the premiership to Henty. Brocklesby then appealed that decision to the Victorian Country Football League, which was up held, allowing Brocklesby to finally be declared the 1939 premiers. Brocklesby's full forward, Shadrach "Shady" James kicked 82 goals in the home and away series plus 16 goals in the finals, for a total of 98 goals in 17 games in 1939.
In August 1943, Mr. A D S Vivian, the league's foundation president from 1930 to 1935 died in Sydney. Vivian was the driving force behind the Albury Rovers FC and a former club president too. He was the vice president of the NSW branch of the National Football League.
In 1950 the Albury & District Football League introduced a Reserve Grade Competition,
North Melbourne visited Bolton Park, Wagga in 1952 and defeated a combined Albury & DFL side, with North's Jock Spencer kicking 18 goals.
The 1952 A&DFL Reserves competition was divided into two division – North (Wagga) and South (Albury).
Culcairn's Henry "Splinter" Liston licked 91 goals in the 1953 home and away series, plus 8 more in the finals, to finish on 99 goals!
In June 1954 the Albury & DFL played an inter-league match against the South Western DFL at Wagga, resulting in a win to Albury & DFL, 12.20 – 92 to 10.7 – 67.
Culcairn's Henry "Splinter" Liston kicked 102 goals in 1954, which included the finals series.
In 1955, Ron Clegg was captain-coach of the North Wagga Football Club in the Albury & DFL, winning the £50 – Border Mail Newspaper / Albury & DFL Footballer of the Year Award, before returning to South Melbourne in 1956.
In 1957 the Farrer Football League was first formed as a breakaway from the Albury & District Football League. Culcairn, Henty, Holbrook and Mangoplah-Cookardinia United competed in the first season. In 1958 all remaining clubs from the Albury & District Football League moved across to the Farrer Football League.

## Former clubs

* Albury Catholic Young Men's Club (CYMC): 1934. The club changed its name to St. Patrick's FC in 1935.
* Albury Rovers: 1930–1940, 1946. Joined in 1930, after being runners up to Granya in the 1929 Tallangatta & District Football League. Merged with East Albury in 1947 to form East Albury Rovers.
* Brocklesby: 1931–1932, 1933 and 1934 – Central Hume Football Association), 1935–1940. Initially joined from the Riverina Football Association in 1931. Joined the Hume Football League in 1945 and played there until 2005.
* Cookardinia: 1934–1940, 1946–1954. Mangoplah and Cookardinia football clubs decide to merge prior to the 1955 season.
* Culcairn: 1930–1940, 1946–1956. Joined the Farrer Football League in 1957 and played there until 1991. Initially joined from the Riverina Football Association in 1930.
* East Albury Rovers:1947. Joined the Hume Football League in 1948. and folded in 1951.
* Henty: 1930–1940, 1946–1956. Joined the Farrer Football League in 1957 and played there until 1979. Initially joined from the Riverina Football Association in 1930.
* Holbrook: 1930–1940, 1946–1956. Joined the Farrer Football League in 1957 and played there until 1980. Initially joined from the Riverina Football Association in 1930.
* Mangoplah: 1937–1940, 1946–1954. Mangoplah and Cookardinia football clubs decide to merge prior to the 1955 season.
* Mangoplah / Cookardinia United: 1955 and 1956. Joined the Farrer Football League in 1957 and played there until 1981.
* Marrar: 1952–1956. Played in the A&DFL Seconds competition. Joined the Central Riverina Football League in 1957.
* North Wagga: 1950–1957. Joined the Riverina Football League in 1958 after a merger with the North Wagga Stars FC.
* Rand: 1939–1940. Joined the Hume Football League in 1945 and played there until 1983.
* RAAF 2nds: 1950 -
* St. Patrick's: 1935 and 1936. Club disbanded in April, 1937.
* The Rock: 1938–1940. (Played in the Milbrulong and District League from 1945–1947), 1948–1957.
* Turvey Park 2nds: 1953 and 1954. Joined the Farrer Football League in 1958.
* Wagga: 1949–1957. Joined the Farrer Football League in 1958 and played there until 1959.
* Woomargama / Mullengandra: 1948. The club withdrew in 1949 and went into recess.
* (Albury & DFL went into recess between 1941 and 1945 due to WW2)

## Grand Finals
### Seniors

| Year | Premiers | Score | Runners Up | Score | Captain | Coach | Venue | Gate | Premiership Cup |
| 1930 | Henty | 14.12 – 96 | Holbrook | 8.14 – 62 | | | Culcairn | | Kennedy Gold Cup |
| 1931 | Holbrook | 13.11 – 89 | Brocklesby | 5.7 – 37 | Cec Field | | Culcairn | | Kennedy Memorial Cup |
| 1932 | Holbrook | 9.11 – 65 | Albury Rovers | 8.10 – 58 | | | Culcairn | | Kennedy Memorial Cup |
| 1933 | Albury Rovers | 16.12 – 108 | Henty | 9.10 – 64 | Charlie Kolb | Charlie Kolb | Albury Showgrounds | £40 | Kennedy Memorial Cup |
| 1934 | Holbrook | 10.11 – 71 | Albury Rovers | 7.14 – 56 | | | Culcairn | £55 | Kennedy Memorial Cup |
| 1935 | Henty | 18.14 – 122 | Holbrook | 18.12 – 120 | W W Paech | W W Paech | Culcairn | £67 | Ballarat Brewery Cup |
| 1936 | Culcairn | 12.13 – 85 | Henty | 11.13 – 79 | Jack Clarke | Jack Clarke | Cookardinia | £56 | |
| 1937 | Henty | 14.12 – 96 | Mangoplah | 11.10 – 76 | W W Paech | W W Paech | Culcairn | £127 | Shugg Cup |
| 1938 | Mangoplah | 20.10 – 130 | Culcairn | 12.11 – 83 | Russell Madden | Russell Madden | Henty | £120 | Mackie Cup |
| 1939 | Brocklesby | 14.10 – 94 | Henty | 13.14 – 92 | Jim Steigenberger | Jim Steigenberger | Culcairn | | |
| 1940 | Mangoplah | 16.18 – 114 | Culcairn | 13.13 – 78 | Ray Roberson | Ray Roberson | Cookardinia | | Mrs F A Parker Cup |
| 1941-5 | | | | | | | | | In recess – WW2 |
| 1946 | Mangoplah | 12.13 – 85 | Culcairn | 9.20 – 74 | Allan Klimpsch | Ray Roberson | Henty | £184 | |
| 1947 | Mangoplah | 16.11 – 107 | Holbrook | 14.10 – 94 | Ray Roberson | Ray Roberson | Culcairn | £204 | |
| 1948 | Mangoplah | 18.13 – 121 | The Rock | 11.18 – 84 | Ray Roberson | Ray Roberson | Culcairn | £169 | Cannon Cup |
| 1949 | Mangoplah | 14.15 – 99 | Wagga | 9.18 – 72 | Allan Klimpsch | Allan Klimpsch | Culcairn | £394 | Cannon Cup |
| 1950 | Mangoplah | 12.9 – 81 | Holbrook | 11.11 – 77 | Allan Klimpsch | Allan Klimpsch | The Rock | £406 | Cannon Cup |
| 1951 | Holbrook | 12.9 – 81 | Culcairn | 9.8 – 62 | | | Mangoplah | £400 | |
| 1952 | Culcairn | 8.20 – 68 | Wagga | 9.9 – 63 | Ted Hill | Ted Hill | Mangoplah | £499 | |
| 1953 | Culcairn | 8.13 – 61 | Wagga | 6.9 – 45 | Frank O'Leary | Frank O'Leary | The Rock | £777 | |
| 1954 | Culcairn | 19.30 – 144 | Wagga | 4.9 – 33 | Frank O'Leary | Frank O'Leary | Henty | £650 | |
| 1955 | Holbrook | 11.9 – 75 | M C U | 8.9 – 57 | Stan Rule | Stan Rule | Culcairn | | |
| 1956 | M C U | 12.11 – 83 | The Rock | 7.13 – 55 | Bill Byrne | Bill Byrne | | | |
| 1957 | Wagga | 14.14 – 98 | The Rock | 5.12 – 42 | | | | | |
* MCU – Mangoplah Cookardinia United FC
* Cannon Cup: Donated by John Cannon from the Culcairn Hotel.

### Most Senior Premierships / Runners Up

| Club | Most Premierships | Runners Up |
| Mangoplah | 7 | 2 |
| Holbrook | 5 | 4 |
| Culcairn | 4 | 4 |
| Henty | 3 | 3 |
| Albury Rovers | 1 | 2 |
| Brocklesby | 1 | 1 |
| M C U | 1 | 1 |
| Wagga | 1 | 4 |
| The Rock | | 2 |
| Totals | 23 | 23 |

### Reserves

The Albury & DFL Reserves competition ran from 1950 to 1957.
| Year | Premiers | Score | Runners Up | Score | Premiership Cup |
| 1950 | RAAF Blues | 11.12 – 78 | Henty | 4.11 – 35 | |
| 1951 | Holbrook | | | | |
| 1952 | Marrar | 105 | Army | 66 | |
| 1953 | Culcairn | v | Holbrook | | Unsure who won 2nds G Final |
| 1954 | Turvey Park | 8.12 – 60 | Culcairn | 4.8 – 32 | |
| 1955 | Culcairn | 11.4 – 70 | M C U | 7.10 – 52 | |
| 1956 | Wagga | 3.17 – 35 | Culcairn | 4.6 – 30 | |
| 1957 | Wagga | d | The Rock | | |

## League Best & Fairest Award

* In 1932, Mr. D M Stavley of Wodonga donated a medal for the best and fairest player to be decided on by the umpires votes.
* The Carlton Brewery Medal was first donated in 1936.
* The Baz Medal was first donated in 1952 by Mr. Mick Baz of Culcairn.
| Year | Winner | Club | Votes | Runner Up | Club | Votes |
| 1930 | no record of award | | | | | |
| 1931 | no record of award | | | | | |
| | Stavley Gold Medal | | | | | |
| 1932 | W Carroll | Culcairn | | | | |
| 1933 | Charlie Kolb | Albury Rovers | | | | |
| 1934 | Dinny Ryan | Albury Rovers | | | | |
| 1935 | Tom Eames | Albury Rovers | | | | |
| | Carlton Brewery Medal | | | | | |
| 1936 | Ron Nolan | Cookardinia | | Bert Clarke | Brocklesby | |
| 1937 | Merv Cooper | Mangoplah | 31 | Vin Smith | Brocklesby | 22 |
| 1938 | Jim Kendall | Holbrook | 27 | Merv Cooper | Mangoplah | 22 |
| | Albert Bert Clay * | Henty | 27 | Vin Smith | Brocklesby | 22 |
| 1939 | Albert Bert Clay | Henty | 21 | Jim Kendall | Holbrook | 19 |
| 1940 | A R "Ray" Roberson | Mangoplah | | | | |
| 1941-5 | | | | | | In recess WW2 |
| 1946 | Alan Papworth | Culcairn | | Charlie Craig | Cookardinia | |
| 1947 | Charlie Craig | Cookardinia | 17 | G Bedggood | Henty | 15 |
| 1948 | J Mullarvey | Woomargrama | | | | |
| 1949 | Brian Brennan | Holbrook | | | | |
| 1950 | Des Donkin | The Rock | 16 | H Clark | Mangoplah | 15 |
| | Brian Brennan * | Holbrook | 16 | Charlie Craig | Cookardinia | 15 |
| 1951 | Jim Stockton | North Wagga | 29 | Brian Brennan & | Holbrook | 18 |
| | | | | Ron Bunyan | Cookardinia | 18 |
| | Baz Medal | | | | | |
| 1952 | Ron Bunyan | Cookardinia | | | | |
| | Tim Robb * | The Rock | | | | |
| 1953 | Merv Pieper | North Wagga | | Tim Robb | The Rock | |
| 1954 | Harry Gardiner | Culcairn | 16 | Neale Rutzou & | Wagga | 14 |
| | | | | Sid Ruhe | Henty | 14 |
| 1955 | Len Wornes | Holbrook | 20 | Ron Bunyan | M C U | 17 |
| 1956 | Hayden Hensel | Culcairn | | | | |
| 1957 | E Feeney | The Rock | | | | |
* 1938 – Albert Clay (Henty) lost on a count back.
* 1950 – Brian Brennan (Holbrook) lost on a count back.
* 1952 – Tim Robb (The Rock) lost on a count back.

## VFL Players

The following footballers from the Albury & DFL went onto to play senior VFL football, with the year indicating their VFL debut.
* 1934 – Dinny Ryan – Albury Rovers to Fitzroy
* 1940 – Albert Clay – Henty to Fitzroy
* 1940 – Shadrach "Shady" James – Brocklesby to Fitzroy
* 1941 – Ivor Clay – Henty to Fitzroy
* 1950 – Neale Rutzou – Wagga to Fitzroy
* 1957 – Percy Appleyard – Culcairn to South Melbourne
* 1957 – Bill Byrne – Mangoplah / Cookardinia United to Melbourne

## Office Bearers

| Year | President | Secretary | Treasurer |
| 1930 | A D S Vivian | Gordon Davidson | A Smith |
| 1931 | A D S Vivian | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1932 | A D S Vivian | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1933 | A D S Vivian | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1934 | A D S Vivian | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1935 | A D S Vivian | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1936 | G A Gray | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1937 | T E Kendall | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1938 | T E Kendall | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1940 | T E Kendall | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1941-5 | | | In recess – WW2 |
| 1946 | J J Newman | Gordon Davidson | Gordon Davidson |
| 1947 | J J Newman | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1948 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1949 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1950 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1951 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1952 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1953 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1954 | David Cox | Alan F Fifield | L Wilksch |
| 1955 | | | |
| 1956 | | | |
| 1957 | | | |

## Links

* 1930 to 1956 – Albury & District Football League Premierships & Best & Fairest Lists
* 1937 – Albury & DFL Premiers: Henty FC team photo
* 1938 – Albury & DFL team: Holbrook FC team photo
* 1939 – Albury & DFL team: Rand FC team photo
* 1939 – Mangoplah FC & The Rock FC team photos
* 1939 – Albury & DFL semi final team: Brocklesby FC team photo
* 1939 – Albury & DFL semi Final team: Henty FC team photo
* 1940 – Albury & DFL Premiers: Mangoplah FC team photo
* 1947 – Albury & DFL team: Cookardinia FC team photo
* 1947 – Albury & DFL team: Culcairn FC team photo
* 1947 – Albury & DFL Runners Up: Holbrook FC team photo
* 1948 – Albury & DFL grand final teams: Mangoplah FC & The Rock FC team photos
* 1949 – Albury & DFL Premiers: Mangoplah FC team photo
* 1950 – Albury & DFL Runners Up: Holbrook FC team photo
* 1951 – Albury & DFL Premiers: Holbrook FC team photo
* 1951 – Albury & DFL Runners Up: Culcairn FC team photo
* 1952 – Albury & DFL Premiers: Culcairn FC team photo
* 1953 – Albury & DFL Premiers: Culcairn FC team photo
* The Farrer Football Netball League
* Riverina Football Association
* South West Football League (New South Wales)
* Australian rules football in New South Wales