# Goulburn Valley Football Association

The Goulburn Valley Football Association (GVFA) is an Australian rules football competition that was first established in 1888 in the Goulburn Valley of Victoria, Australia, with the foundation clubs being Cobram, Muckatah, Nathalia, Numurkah, Wunghnu and Yarroweyah.
This football competition was separate to the Goulburn Valley District Football Association that was formed in 1893, that is still active today and now called the Goulburn Valley Football League.

## History

The original GVFA was a football association that catered for the smaller rural towns of the Goulburn Valley region until 1931, when it was superseded by the Murray Football League when it was first established in 1931.
There was another Goulburn Valley Football Association, in 1890 and 1891, comprising the following teams – Baldwinsville, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Tatura and Undera, with Mooroopna winning the title in 1890 and Undera defeating Mooroopna to win the 1891 – Elder's Hotel (Undera) Medals.
Between 1901 and 1906, Drumanure Football Club won six consecutive premierships.
In 1911, Muckatah went through the season undefeated when the Muckatah Bombers defeated Numurkah in the grand final on "the pretty tree embowered Drumanure ground" and Muckatah player, George Grant had the distinction of playing in three premiership teams in 1911, with Essendon Football Club VFA team, Tocumwal and Muckatah!
In 1911, a Goulburn Valley Junior Football Association was established with the following clubs competing – Boomanoomana, Burramine South, Cobram, Katamatite and Muckatah.
Between 1904 and 1920, the GVFA comprised enough teams to divide it into two divisions (North and South) to minimise travel for clubs to away matches, which was a big issue around 1900. At its peak the GVFA comprised 14 teams in 1906.
The GVFA went into recess from 1916 to 1918 due to World War I.
In 1932, an attempt was made to revive the GVFA, but a lack of interest from clubs meant the association permanently closed down.

## Clubs
### Final

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in GVFA | Premierships | Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in GVFA | Total | Years | Fate |
| Cobram | | Tigers | Scott Reserve, Cobram | FDFA | 1887 | 1891-1892, 1904-1910, 1912-1914, 1919-1930 | 6 | 1907, 1909, 1913, 1914, 1928, 1929 | Formed Murray FL in 1931 |
| Nathalia | | Purples | Nathalia Recreation Reserve, Nathalia | W&MRFA | 1887 | 1888-1889, 1892, 1895-1897, 1900, 1906, 1921-1930 | 5 | 1896, 1897, 1923, 1927, 1930 | Returned to Western & Moira Ridings FA in 1931 |
| Numurkah | | Blues | Numurkah Showgrounds, Numurkah | – | 1882 | 1888-1930 | 8 | 1888, 1889, 1890, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926 | Formed Murray FL in 1931 |
| Shepparton Imperials | | Fuchsias | Deakin Reserve, Shepparton | GVSEFA | 1926 | 1930 | 0 | - | Moved to Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA in 1931 |
| Strathmerton | | Bulldogs | Strathmerton Recreation Reserve, Strathmerton | FDFA | 1888 | 1903-1910, 1913-1915, 1919-1930 | 0 | - | Formed Murray FL in 1931 |
| Tocumwal | | Bloods | Tocumwal Recreation Reserve, Tocumwal | SRFA, FDFA | 1894 | 1905, 1907, 1909, 1912, 1920, 1930 | 0 | - | Returned to Southern Riverina FA in 1913 and 1921. Formed Murray FL in 1931 |
| Wunghnu | | Magpies | Wunghnu Recreation Reserve, Wunghnu | – | 1888 | 1888-1990, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999, 1901-1911, 1913-1915, 1919-1923, 1928-1930 | 0 | - | Merged with Drumanure to form Drumghnu in 1924, de-merged in 1928. Moved to Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA in 1931 |

### Former

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in GVFA | Premierships | Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in GVFA | Total | Years | Fate |
| Barooga | | | Barooga Recreation Reserve, Barooga | FDFA | 1894 | 1907-1908 | 0 | - | Entered recess in 1909; re-formed in Southern Riverina FA in 1929 |
| Barwo | | | | – | 1906 | 1906 | 0 | - | ? |
| Boomanoomana Rovers | | | Barooga Recreation Reserve, Barooga | GVJFA | 1911 | 1914, 1919-21 | 0 | - | Folded in 1921 |
| Bunbartha | | | Bunbartha Recreation Reserve, Bunbartha | – | 1910 | 1910-11, 1919-21 | 0 | - | Excluded from GVFA in 1922. Played in Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA between 1928 and 1929 |
| Burramine/Boosey | | | | | 1888 | 1910 | 0 | - | Folded. Burramine later re-formed in the Benalla-Yarrawonga Line FL in 1923 |
| Congupna | | | Congupna Recreation Reserve, Congupna | – | 1891 | 1891-1892, 1897-1906 | 0 | - | Folded in 1906 |
| Drumanure | | | | – | 1896 | 1896-1923 | 7 | 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1908 | Merged with Wunghnu to form Drumghnu in 1924. Moved to Katandra District FA when Drumghnu de-merged in 1928 |
| Drumghnu | | | | – | 1924 | 1924-1928 | 0 | - | De-merged into Wunghnu and Drumanure in 1929 |
| Kaarimba | | | | – | 1896 | 1896-1902 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Katamatite | | | Katamatite Recreation Reserve, Katamatite | FDFA | 1888 | 1906-1909, 1914, 1920-1921 | 0 | - | Excluded from GVFA in 1922. Re-formed in Dookie FA in 1924 |
| Katunga | | | Katunga Recreation Reserve, Katunga | – | 1893 | 1893-1907, 1911-1915, 1919 | 4 | 1893, 1894, 1895, 1899 | Folded in 1919. Re-formed in 1950 in Picola & District FL |
| Koonoomoo | | | Koonoomoo Recreation Reserve, Koonoomoo | – | 1904 | 1904-1908 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Muckatah | | | Yarroweyah Recreation Reserve, Yarroweyah | FDFA | 1888 | 1888, 1895, 1898-1900, 1902-1929 | 5 | 1898, 1900, 1910, 1911, 1912 | Moved to Katamatite District FA in 1930 |
| Naring Dip | | | | – | 1905 | 1905-1906 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Shepparton | | Maroons | Deakin Reserve, Shepparton | GVFL | 1896 | 1892, 1915 | 1 | 1892 | Returned to Goulburn Valley FL in 1915 |
| Tallygaroopna | | Redlegs | Tallygaroopna Recreation Reserve, Tallygaroopna | – | 1894 | 1904-1905, 1907-1915, 1919-1929 | 1 | 1915 | Moved to Goulburn Valley Second Eighteen FA in 1930 |
| Waaia | | Bombers | Waaia Recreation Reserve, Waaia | W&MRFA | 1894 | 1896, 1898-1902, 1906-1908, 1911, 1921-1922 | 0 | - | Returned to Western & Moira Ridings FA in 1923 |
| Yarroweyah | | | Yarroweyah Recreation Reserve, Yarroweyah | – | 1888 | 1888-1892 | 1 | 1891 | Moved to Murray Border FA in 1894 |

## GVFA Grand Final Results

| Year | Premiers | Score | Runners Up | Score | Venue / Comments |
| 1888 | Numurkah | No G Final | Muckatah | No G Final | Numurkah only lost 1 game |
| 1889 | Numurkah | 4.8 – 32 | Cobram | 0.3 – 3 | At Cobram |
| 1890 | Numurkah | 4.10 – 34 | Yarroweyah | 1.7 – 13 | At Numurkah |
| 1891 | Yarroweyah | 3.12 – 30 | Congupna | 1.1 – 7 | At Congupna |
| 1892 | Shepparton | 6.6 – 42 | Congupna | 3.4 – 22 | At Shepparton |
| 1893 | Katunga | | ? | | GVDFA formed |
| 1894 | Katunga | | ? | | |
| 1895 | Katunga | | Muckatah | | At Nathalia |
| 1896 | Nathalia | | ? | | |
| 1897 | Nathalia | 5.8 – 38 | Congupna | 2.6 – 18 | At Nathalia |
| 1898 | Muckatah | 5.5 – 35 | Congupna | 1.2 – 8 | At Muckatah |
| 1899 | Katunga | No G Final | Drumanure | No G Final | Katunga declared premiers |
| 1900 | Muckatah | 6.6 – 42 | Waaia | 4.3 – 27 | At Numurkah |
| 1901 | Drumanure | 9.18 – 72 | Numurkah | 2.3 – 15 | At Wunghnu |
| 1902 | Drumanure | ? G Final | Muckatah | ? G Final | |
| 1903 | Drumanure | 6.8 – 44 | Congupna | 1.3 – 9 | At Numurkah |
| 1904 | Drumanure | 4.9 – 33 | Tallygaroopna | 1.7 – 13 | At Numurkah |
| 1905 | Drumanure | 7.10 – 52 | Muckatah | 7.9 – 51 | At Numurkah |
| 1906 | Drumanure | 4.8 – 32 | Cobram | 3.10 – 28 | At Numurkah |
| 1907 | Cobram | 5.6 – 36 | Numurkah | 5.5 – 35 | At Numurkah |
| 1908 | Drumanure | 4.5 – 29 | Muckatah | 2.11 – 23 | At Numurkah |
| 1909 | Cobram | 5.5 – 35 | Muckatah | 2.16 – 28 | At Numurkah |
| 1910 | Muckatah | 6.8 – 44 | Drumanure | 2.5 – 17 | At Cobram |
| 1911 | Muckatah | 11.15 – 81 | Numurkah | 5.14 – 44 | At Drumanure. MFC unbeaten. |
| 1912 | Muckatah | 10.13 – 73 | Numurkah | 7.12 – 54 | At Cobram |
| 1913 | Cobram | 18.21 – 129 | Tallygaroopna | 3.6 – 24 | At Numurkah |
| 1914 | Cobram | 6.8 – 44 | Muckatah | 3.4 – 22 | At Numurkah |
| 1915 | Tallygaroopna | No G Final | Muckatah | No G Final | Season abandoned |
| 1916 | | | | | In recess WW1 |
| 1917 | | | | | In recess WW1 |
| 1918 | | | | | In recess WW1 |
| 1919 | ? | | | | Influenza Pandemic |
| 1920 | Numurkah | 5.6 – 36 | Cobram | 4.7 – 31 | At Numurkah |
| 1921 | Muckatah | 7.15 – 57 | Drumanure | 8.2 – 50 | At Numurkah |
| 1922 | Numurkah | 9.13 – 67 | Nathalia | 8.8 – 56 | At Numurkah |
| 1923 | Nathalia | 12.10 – 82 | Cobram | 11.13 – 79 | At Nathalia |
| 1924 | Numurkah | 9.14 – 68 | Nathalia | 9.8 – 62 | At Cobram |
| 1925 | Numurkah | 12.8 – 80 | Muckatah | 7.9 – 51 | At Strathmerton |
| 1926 | Numurkah | 11.12 – 78 | Muckatah | 8.2 – 50 | At Strathmerton |
| 1927 | Nathalia | 12.12 – 84 | Muckatah | 10.9 – 69 | At Numurkah |
| 1928 | Cobram | 27.16 – 162 | Wunghnu | 8.8 – 56 | At Strathmerton |
| 1929 | Cobram | 7.9 – 51 | Nathalia | 5.7 – 37 | At Numurkah |
| 1930 | Nathalia | 13.14 – 86 | Shepparton Imperials | 9.8 – 62 | At Numurkah |
| Year | Premiers | Score | Runner Up | Score | Venue / Comments |