# Wangaratta Rovers Football Club

The Wangaratta Rovers, officially known as the Wangaratta Rovers Football & Netball Club, is an Australian rules football club based in Wangaratta, Victoria and play in the Ovens & Murray Football League. Their nickname is the Hawks. Their home ground is W.J. Findlay Oval in Wangaratta. Their playing guernsey consists of gold and brown stripes on the front and gold on the back.

## History

Wangaratta Rovers were initially formed in 1922 and competed in the Wangaratta District Football Association (WDFA) from 1922 to 1924, then moved across to the Ovens and King Football League (O&KFL) from 1925 to 1929. Wangaratta Rovers lost both the 1922 and the 1923 WDFA grand finals to Milawa.
Wangaratta Rovers actually merged with the Wangaratta Football Club in 1930, who then entered one team in the Ovens and Murray Football League and one team in the O&KFL.
The Wangaratta Rovers re-formed in 1945 and competed in the O&KFL from 1945 to 1949, winning the 1948 premiership and losing to Myrtleford in the 1949 O&KFL grand final, before joining the Ovens & Murray Football League in 1950.

## Football Premierships
### Seniors

* Ovens and King Football League (1)
** 1948
* Ovens and Murray Football League (16)
** 1958, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2024.

### Reserves

* Ovens and Murray Football League (8)
** 1958, 1962, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 2007.

### Under 18 / Thirds

* Ovens and Murray Football League (12)
** 1980, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2018, 2024.

## Netball Premiership
### A. Grade

* Ovens and Murray Football League (4)
** 1993, 1994, 2005, 2006,

### B. Grade

* Ovens and Murray Football League (1)
** 1999

### C. Grade

* Ovens and Murray Football League (1)
** 1996,

### 16 & Under

* Ovens and Murray Football League (1)
** 2019

## League Best & Fairest Award Winners
### Seniors

* Ovens & Murray Football League - Morris Medal
** 1958 & 1960 - Bob Rose
** 1966 - Neville Hogan
** 1975 - Andrew Scott
** 1991, 1997, 1999, 2001 & 2003 - Robert Walker

### Reserves

* Ovens & Murray Football League
** 1969 - Alan Daniel
** 1975 - Barry Clarke
** 1979 - Malcom Dalton
** 1982 - Ian Gambold
** 1989 - Andrew Robinson
** 2021 - Mitchell Booth
** 2024 - Noah Amery

### Thirds / Under 18's

* Ovens & Murray Football League
** 1984 - Chris O'Connor
** 1989 - Daine Hochfeld* (Polled the most votes, but was disqualified due to an abusive language suspension)
** 1996 - Daniel McLaughlin
** 2002 - Jamie Allan
** 2005 - Ben Reid
** 2007 - Zac O'Brien
** 2016 & 2017 - Paul Sanderson
** 2018 - Ed Dayman
** 2019 - Alessandro Belci
** 2023 - Riley Allan

## VFL / AFL Players

The following footballers played with Wangaratta Rovers, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut.
* 1929 - Gil Patrick - Footscray
* 1950 - Mac Hill - Collingwood
* 1956 - Alan Dale - St. Kilda
* 1959 - Kevin Dellar - Essendon
* 1959 - Les Gregory - St. Kilda
* 1964 - Barrie Beattie - Footscray
* 1964 - Graeme Leydin - Essendon
* 1967 - Mike Hallahan - Fitzroy
* 1968 - Norm Bussell - Hawthorn
* 1972 - Phil Doherty - North Melbourne
* 1973 - Mick Nolan - North Melbourne
* 1975 - John Byrne - North Melbourne
* 1985 - Rohan Robertson - North Melbourne
* 1985 - Shane Robertson - North Melbourne
* 1987 - Paul Bryce - North Melbourne
* 1987 - Craig Patrick - North Melbourne, Pick No.35
* 1988 - Scott Williamson - West Coast Eagles, Pick No.44
* 1989 - Joe Wilson - Brisbane Bears, Pick No.51
* 1990 - Tim Rieniets - Carlton
* 1990 - Robert Hickmott - Melbourne
* 1990 - Scott Williamson - Melbourne, No. 31 (1990 Pre season draft)
* 1991 - Dean Harding - Fitzroy
* 2001 - Andrew Hill - Collingwood, No.39 (2001 AFL Rookie Draft)
* 2002 - Sean O'Keeffe - Carlton
* 2003 - Karl Norman - Carlton
* 2004 - Luke Mullins - St. Kilda
* 2006 - Alipate Carlile - Port Adelaide
* 2007 - Ben Reid - Collingwood
* 2010 - Sam Reid - Sydney Swans
* 2014 - Zac O'Brien - Brisbane Lions
* 2021 - Nick Murray - Adelaide Crows
* 2022 - Brayden George - North Melbourne
* 2023 - Darcy Wilson - St. Kilda
* 2024 - Toby Murray - Adelaide Crows
The following footballers played senior VFL / AFL football prior to playing and / or coaching with Wangaratta Rovers with the year indicating their first season at WRFNC.
* 1950 - Ken Bodger - Hawthorn
* 1954 - Alan Dale - St. Kilda
* 1956 - Bob Rose - Collingwood
* 1962 - Graeme Leydin - Essendon
* 1964 - Ken Boyd - South Melbourne
* 1964 - Frank Hogan - South Melbourne
* 1965 - Bob Hempel - Footscray
* 1967 - Ian Brewer - Collingwood
* 1975 - Andrew Scott - Hawthorn
* 1981 - Phil Seaton - Melbourne
* 1983 - Gerry McCarthy - Hawthorn & Fitzroy
* 1987 - Peter Tossol - Melbourne
* 2001 - Nick Trask - Brisbane Bears
* 2012 - Barry Hall - St. Kilda, Sydney Swans & Footscray
* 2014 - Daniel Archer - St. Kilda
* 2014 - Jarrad Boumann - Hawthorn
* 2014 - James Mulligan - Footscray
* 2019 - Daryn Cresswell - Sydney Swans
* 2021 - Matt Jones - Melbourne
* 2021 - Sam Murray - Collingwood
* 2024 - Lochie O'Brien - Carlton
* 2024 - Eddie Betts - Carlton & Adelaide Crows