# Chiltern & District Football Association

The Chiltern & District Football Association was first established in 1912 from six Australian Rules Football clubs—Barnawartha, Chiltern, Chiltern Valley, Christmastown, Southern and Wodonga—in North Eastern Victoria, Australia, and was an active competition until 1956 when it was wound up.

## History

The Chiltern & District Football Association was first established in 1912 from six Australian Rules Football clubs—Barnawartha, Chiltern, Chiltern Valley, Christmastown, Southern and Wodonga.
The Southern Football Club was made up of employees from the Great Southern Mine from South Rutherglen.
1500 spectators attended the inaugural grand final match at the Chiltern Park Oval to watch Chiltern Valley defeat Wodonga in 1912.
In 1913, there was much speculation about which club won the minor premiership, with Wodonga FC claiming they had the most goals and points for the season. Three matches were deemed void due to protests and clubs were ordered to replay these matches, just before the finals too. The Southern FC refused to play Wodonga in a semi-final due to an appeal not being decided on, while the other semi-final matches was played with Brown's Plain defeating United Miners. Finally, the C&DFA Delegates decided to abandoned the season.
The club jumper colours worn in 1919 were as follows - Chiltern: red and white, Chiltern Valley: yellow and blue, Rutherglen: green and gold, Springhurst: blue and white, Wahgunyah: black and white. Rutherglen's senior team played in the Ovens and Murray Football League in 1919.
In 1920, when the Ovens and Murray Football League went into recess, three of the four competing clubs, Howlong, Lake Rovers and Rutherglen joined the C&DFL and the fourth club, Corowa joined the Coreen & District Football League. In June 1920, there was a match between the C&DFA and the Albury Border Football Association.
Both semi-final matches In 1929 had to be replayed after appeals were lodged by both Chiltern and Rutherglen.
In 1932, A Costin - Howlong & H Scott - Wodonga, tied on 12 votes each for the Rudduck & Co Best and Fairest Award, with Costin eventually winning on a countback.
The 1933 C&DFA grand final saw Wodonga defeat Beechworth Wanderers. Wodonga's Clive Bohr was judged as the best and fairest player in the grand final.
In 1937, Barnawartha's, Leslie A. Winnett, won the Chiltern & DFA best and fairest Award, the Hooper Cup.
The C&DFA club jumper colours in 1939 were: Albury - blue and gold; Balldale, royal Blue and gold braces; Barnawartha - yellow and black; Chiltern - red and white; Corowa - black and red; Howlong - red and blue; Springhurst - red, white and blue.
Towards the end of World War II, the C&DFA was re-established in 1945 from five teams—Barnawartha, Beechworth, Chiltern, Howlong and Rutherglen—with Chiltern defeating Howlong by eight points in the grand final.
In August 1950, Gerry O’Neill kicked 24 goals against Springhurst in round 16, to bring his goal tally to 116 for the season. O'Neill finished the 1950 season with 139 goals, after kicking nine goals in the grand final win against Howlong.
On the 13th July 1953, Gerry O'Neill had kicked 103 goals for the season.

## Clubs
### Final

| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | CDFA Senior Premierships | CDFA Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | Total | Years | Fate |
| Bandiana (Army) | | | Bandiana Recreation Reserve, Bandiana | T&DFL | 1947 | 1947-1950, 1953-1956 | 0 | - | Moved to Yackandandah & District FL in 1952 and Tallangatta & District FL in 1957 |
| Barnawartha | | Tigers | Barnawartha Recreation Reserve, Barnawartha | R&DFA | 1911 | 1912-1915, 1920-1940, 1945-1956 | 4 | 1921, 1923, 1925, 1956 | Moved to Tallangatta & District FL in 1957 |
| Bethanga | | Bombers | Bethanga Recreation Reserve, Bethanga | T&DFL | 1904 | 1956 | 0 | - | Returned to Tallangatta & District FL in 1957 |
| Lavington | | Saints | Urana Road Oval, Lavington | CHFL | 1924 | 1946-1956 | 0 | - | Entered recess in 1957. Moved to Tallangatta & District FL in 1958 |
| Springhurst | | | Springhurst Recreation Reserve, Springhurst | OMFL | 1893 | 1924, 1926-1927, 1930, 1933-1937, 1939, 1950-1956 | 1 | 1920 | Folded in 1957 |
| St Patrick's | | Saints | Xavier High School Oval, North Albury | A&DFL | 1919 | 1954-1956 | 0 | - | Folded in 1957 |
| Wahgunyah | | Magpies | Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve, Wahgunyah | CDFA, CFA | 1908 | 1931-1937, 1950, 1953-1956 | 4 | 1919, 1924, 1954, 1955 | Returned to Coreen & District FL in 1957 |
| Yackandandah | | | Butson Park, Yackandandah | Y&DFL | 1884 | 1933-1935, 1954, 1956 | 0 | - | Moved to Tallangatta & District FL in 1957 |

### Former

| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | CDFA Senior Premierships | CDFA Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | Total | Years | Fate |
| Albury Rovers | | | | ABFA, A&DFL | 1926 | 1928, 1939 | 1 | 1928 | Folded |
| Balldale | | | Balldale Cricket Ground, Balldale | CDFA, HFL | 1906 | 1935-1940, 1946 | 0 | - | Moved to Hume FL in 1947 |
| Beechworth Reserves | | Bombers | Baarmutha Park, Beechworth | MBFL, Y&DFL | 1861 | 1945, 1954 | 0 | - | Moved to Ovens & King FL in 1955 |
| Beechworth Wanderers | | Wanderers | | – | | 1930-1935 | 1 | 1932 | Merged with Beechworth to form Beechworth United in 1936 |
| Browns Plains | | | | – | | 1913-1914 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Chiltern | | Swans | Chiltern Recreation and Sports Reserve, Chiltern | R&DFA | 1860s | 1912-1915, 1919-1940, 1945-1953 | 13 | 1914, 1922, 1924, 1929, 1936, 1940, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953 | Moved to Ovens & King FL in 1954 |
| Chiltern Valley | | | Chiltern Valley Recreation Reserve, Chiltern Valley | – | | 1912-1913, 1915, 1919-1920 | 1 | 1912 | Folded after 1920 season |
| Christmastown | | | Christmastown Recreation Reserve, Cornishtown | – | | 1912, 1915-1916 | 1 | 1916 | Folded after 1916 season |
| Corowa Rovers | | Rovers | | – | 1938 | 1938-1939 | 0 | - | Folded in 1940 due to WWII |
| Corowa Stars (original) | | Stars | | – | 1926 | 1926-1929 | 1 | 1927 | Moved to Corowa & District FA in 1930 |
| Corowa Stars | | Stars | | – | 1949 | 1949-1952 | 1 | 1952 | Moved to Ovens & Murray FL in 1953 as Corowa's reserves side |
| Gooramadda | | | | – | | 1920, 1922 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Granya | | | Bungil Park, Granya | T&DFL | 1886 | 1936 | 0 | - | Entered recess in 1937. Re-formed in Dederang & District FA in 1939 |
| Great Southern | | | Southern Ground, Rutherglen | O&MFL | 1898 | 1912-1913 | 0 | - | Folded in 1914 |
| Howlong | | | Howlong Oval, Howlong | O&MFL, CDFA | 1898 | 1915-1916, 1923-1929, 1931-1952 | 4 | 1915, 1937, 1938, 1939 | Moved to Ovens & Murray FL in 1919, Corowa & District FA in 1930 and Hume FL in 1953 |
| Howlong Juniors | | | | – | | 1920-1922 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Howlong United | | | | – | | 1920-1923 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Kiewa Valley | | | Kiewa Memorial Park, Kiewa | T&DFL | 1895 | 1934-1936 | 1 | 1934 | Moved to Dederang & District FA in 1937 |
| Lake Rovers | | Rovers | Barkly Park, Rutherglen | O&MFL | 1911 | 1920 | 0 | - | Returned to Ovens & Murray FL in 1921 |
| Mitta Mitta | | | Magorra Park, Mitta Mitta | T&DFL | 1880s | 1936 | 0 | - | Entered recess in 1937. Re-formed in Kiewa & Mitta FA in 1940 |
| Mount Ophir | | | The Freehold, Rutherglen | – | 1914 | 1914 | 0 | - | Folded in 1915 |
| North Albury | | Hoppers | Bunton Park, North Albury | – | 1943 | 1946 | 1 | 1946 | Moved to Ovens & Murray FL in 1947 |
| Rutherglen | | Redlegs | Barkly Park, Rutherglen | O&MFL | 1893 | 1920, 1945 | 0 | - | Returned to Ovens & Murray FL in 1920 and 1945 |
| Rutherglen Rovers | | | Barkly Park, Rutherglen | – | 1924 | 1924-1933 | 2 | 1930, 1931 | Folded |
| St Patrick's Reserves | | Saints | Xavier High School Oval, North Albury | – | 1919 | 1923-1924 | 0 | - | |
| South Albury | | | Waites Park, South Albury | ABFA | 1940s | 1949-1952 | 0 | - | Folded in 1952. Re-formed in Tallangatta & District FL in 1977 |
| Tallangatta | | Magpies | Rowen Park, Tallangatta | T&DFL | 1885 | 1935-1936 | 0 | - | Entered recess in 1937. Re-formed in Dederang & District FA in 1939 |
| United Miners | | Gold Seekers | Prentice Freehold Mine, Rutherglen | O&MFL | 1894 | 1913-1915 | 1 | 1913 | Folded |
| Wangaratta Rovers Reserves | | Hawks | WJ Findlay Oval, Wangaratta | – | 1922 | 1952 | 0 | - | Moved to Ovens & Murray FL in 1953 |
| Wodonga | | Maroons | Martin Park, Wodonga | TSFA, ABFA, T&DFL | 1878 | 1912-1913, 1915, 1930-1935 | 2 | 1933, 1935 | Moved to Wodonga & District FA in 1914 and to Ovens & Murray FL in 1936 |
| Wodonga Reserves | | Maroons | Martin Park, Wodonga | – | 1878 | 1940 | 0 | - | Moved to Ovens & Murray FL |
| Wodonga Rovers (original) | | | | T&DFL | | 1924-1928, 1930 | 1 | 1926 | Folded |
| Wodonga Rovers | | | Martin Park, Wodonga | – | 1947 | 1947-1952 | 0 | - | Moved to Ovens & Murray FL in 1953 as Wodonga's reserves side |

## C&DFA - Honourboard

| Year | Actual Teams | Premiers | Score | Runners Up | Score | Grand Final Venue / Notes |
| 1912 | 6 | Chiltern Valley | 5.8 - 38 | Wodonga | 4.2 - 26 | At Chiltern Park |
| 1913 | 9 | | | | | No finals due to protests |
| 1914 | 7 | Chiltern | 5.11 - 41 | Mt. Ophir | 5.6 - 36 | Chiltern Park |
| 1915 | 7 | Howlong | 2.9 - 19 | Wodonga | 0.5 - 5 | Chiltern Park |
| 1916 | 4 | Christmastown | 7.13 - 55 | Chiltern Valley | 7.4 - 46 | Chiltern Park |
| 1917&18 | | | | | | In recess, World War 1 |
| 1919 | 5 | Wahgunyah | 4.11 - 35 | Chiltern Valley | 2.8 - 20 | Chiltern Park |
| 1920 | 10 | Springhurst * | 5.13 - 43 | Lake Rovers | 4.8 - 32 | * Undefeated. 2 Divisions |
| 1921 | | Barnawartha | 5.5 - 35 | Howlong | 3.6 - 24 | |
| 1922 | 6 | Chiltern | 4.8 - 32 | Barnawartha | 2.5 - 17 | Barnawartha |
| 1923 | 6 | Barnawartha | 3.11 - 29 | Howlong | 2.6 - 18 | |
| 1924 | 8 | Chiltern | 6.14 - 50 | Wahgunyah | 7.8 - 50 | Drawn Grand Final at Corowa |
| | | Wahgunyah | 12.10 - 82 | Chiltern | 7.7 - 49 | Grand Final Replay at Rutherglen |
| 1925 | 6 | Barnawartha | 3.7 - 35 | Howlong | 2.5 - 17 | Chiltern Park |
| 1926 | 8 | Wodonga Rovers | 12.11 - 83 | Wahgunyah | 6.8 - 44 | Rutherglen |
| 1927 | 8 | Corowa Stars | 11.6 - 72 | Wodonga Rovers | 10.10 - 70 | Chiltern Park |
| 1928 | 8 | Albury Rovers | 13.22 - 100 | Wodonga Rovers | 8.9 - 57 | Chiltern Park |
| 1929 | 6 | Chiltern | 9.14 - 68 | Rutherglen Rovers | 5.10 - 40 | Chiltern Park |
| 1930 | 5 | Rutherglen Rovers | 9.11 - 65 | Chiltern | 8.12 - 60 | ? |
| 1931 | 7 | Rutherglen Rovers | 8.13 - 61 | Wodonga | 7.14 - 56 | Chiltern Park |
| 1932 | 7 | Beechworth Wanderers | 8.14 - 62 | Rutherglen Rovers | 9.7 - 61 | Chiltern Park |
| 1933 | 9 | Wodonga | 16.9 - 105 | Beechworth Wanderers | 7.9 - 51 | Barnawartha |
| 1934 | 9 | Kiewa Valley | 10.12 - 72 | Wodonga | 8.12 - 60 | Beechworth |
| 1935 | 11 | Wodonga | 11.19 - 85 | Kiewa | 12.11 - 83 | Barnawartha |
| 1936 | 10 | Chiltern | 7.11 - 53 | Kiewa | 7.8 - 50 | Barnawartha. 2 Divisions |
| 1937 | 6 | Howlong | 16.13 - 109 | Chiltern | 13.10 - 88 | Balldale. |
| 1938 | 5 | Howlong | 13.17 - 95 | Chiltern | 12.1 - 73 | Barnawartha |
| 1939 | 7 | Howlong | 20.22 - 144 | Corowa Rovers | 9.11 - 65 | Barnawartha |
| 1940 | 5 | Chiltern | 15.12 - 102 | Howlong | 7.10 - 52 | Barnawartha |
| 1941-44 | | | | | | In recess, World War 2 |
| 1945 | 5 | Chiltern | 11.10 - 76 | Howlong | 9.14 - 68 | Rutherglen |
| 1946 | 6 | North Albury | 12.15 - 87 | Chiltern | 4.17 - 41 | Howlong |
| 1947 | 6 | Chiltern | 15.10 - 100 | Howlong | 14.13 - 97 | Barnwartha |
| 1948 | 6 | Chiltern | 16.12 - 108 | Howlong | 10.10 - 70 | Wodonga |
| 1949 | 8 | Chiltern | 7.3 - 45 | South Albury | 6.6 - 42 | Albury |
| 1950 | 10 | Chiltern | 14.12 - 96 | Howlong | 7.13 - 55 | Barnawartha |
| 1951 | 10 | Chiltern | 9.8 - 62 | Howlong | 4.13 - 37 | Barnawartha |
| 1952 | 10 | Corowa Stars | 17.17 - 119 | Chiltern | 16.8 - 104 | Wodonga |
| 1953 | 6 | Chiltern | 12.12 - 84 | Barnawartha | 8.12 - 60 | Springhurst |
| 1954 | 8 | Wahgunyah | 13.9 - 87 | Barnawartha | 12.15 - 87 | Drawn Grand Final at Lavington |
| | | Wahgunyah | 8.12 - 60 | Barnawartha | 7.15 - 57 | Grand Final Replay at Bandiana |
| 1955 | | Wahgunyah | 14.13 - 97 | Lavington | 6.10 - 46 | Barnawartha |
| 1956 | 8 | Barnawartha | 11.15 - 81 | Lavington | 10.7 - 67 | Bandiana |
| Year | Actual Teams | Premiers | Score | Runners Up | Score | Grand Final Venue / Notes |

### Most Chiltern & DFA - Premierships / Runners Up

| Club | Most Premierships | Runners Up | Draws | Grand Finals |
| Chiltern | 12 | 6 | 1 | 18 |
| Howlong | 4 | 9 | | 13 |
| Barnawartha | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Wahgunyah | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Wodonga | 2 | 4 | | 6 |
| Rutherglen Rovers | 2 | 2 | | 4 |
| Corowa Stars | 2 | | | 2 |
| Chiltern Valley | 1 | 2 | | 3 |
| Wodonga Rovers | 1 | 2 | | 3 |
| Beechworth Wanderers | 1 | 1 | | 2 |
| Albury Rovers | 1 | | | 1 |
| Christmastown | 1 | | | 1 |
| Kiewa Valley | 1 | | | 1 |
| North Albury | 1 | | | 1 |
| Springhurst | 1 | | | 1 |
| Kiewa | | 2 | | 2 |
| Lavington | | 2 | | 2 |
| Corowa Rovers | | 1 | | 1 |
| Lake Rovers | | 1 | | 1 |
| Mount Ophir | | 1 | | 1 |
| South Albury | | 1 | | 1 |
| TOTAL | 38 | 38 | 4 | 80 |

## Chiltern & District Football Association - Best and Fairest Award

| Year | Award Name | Winner | Club | Votes | Runners Up | Club | Votes |
| 1932 | Rudduck & Co | A Costin | Howlong | 12 | H Scott | Wodonga | 12 |
| 1933 | | | | | | | |
| 1934 | | | | | | | |
| 1935 | | | | | | | |
| 1936 | | | | | | | |
| 1937 | Hooper Cup | Leslie A. Winnett | Barnawartha | | | | |
| 1938 | | | | | | | |
| 1939 | Azzi Medal | Clive Walter | Howlong | 15 | Frank "Gunboat" Smith | Corowa Rovers | 12 |
| 1940 | Azzi Medal | Gerry O’Neill | Chiltern | 16 | Harry Salmon | Howlong | 12 |
| 1941-44 | World War 2 | | | | | | |
| 1945 | Azzi Medal | Harry Salmon | Howlong | 17 | R. Bob Sharman | Barnawartha | 12 |
| 1946 | Azzi Medal | Harry Salmon | Howlong | 14 | A Peake | Chiltern | 8 |
| 1947 | Huggins Medal | Brian O'Shaunessy | Lavington | 14 | Norm Minns | Chiltern | 12 |
| 1948 | Huggins Medal | R. Bob Sharman | Chiltern | 17 | Stan Romeo | Lavington | 16 |
| 1949 | Huggins Medal | John Ziebath | Howlong | 29 | R. Bob Sharman | Chiltern | 23 |
| 1950 | Huggins Medal | K Greenshields | Springhurst | | D M Crisfield | Corowa Stars | |
| 1951 | Huggins Medal | R. Bob Sharman | Chiltern | 16 | John Ziebath | Howlong | 14 |
| 1952 | Huggins Medal | Rob Bocquet | Howlong | 21 | Jack Hennessy | South Albury | 18 |
| 1953 | Huggins Medal | Ron Howes | Chiltern | ? | Alan Curtis | Lavington | ? |
| 1954 | Huggins Medal | Jack Dinsdale | Springhurst | 22 | John Voss | Wahgunyah | 20 |
| 1955 | Huggins Medal | | | | | | |
| 1956 | Huggins Medal | | | | | | |
The C&DFA - Azzi Medal was initially donated by Mr. Kelly Joseph Azzi. Mr. Azzi was the Balldale FC Delegate and C&DFA Vice President back in 1939. When Balldale FC joined the Hume Football League in 1947, Mr. Azzi then donated the inaugural best and fairest award medal in the Hume Football League and the award has remained as the Azzi Medal ever since. The Huggins Medal was donated by Mr. Mervyn C Huggins, the C&DFA President.

## Notable C&DFA Records

Notable Records :
| Record | Record | Details | Year |
| Highest Score | 297 Points | Chiltern 47.15 - 297 (v Springhurst) | 1950 |
| Most Goals in a Match | 24 Goals | Gerry O'Neill: Chiltern v Springhurst | 1950 |
| Most Goals in a Season | 139 Goals | Gerry O'Neill: Chiltern FC | 1950 |
| Most Consecutive Premierships | 5 | Chiltern FC | 1947–1951 |
| Most Consecutive Grand Finals | 9 | Chiltern FC | 1945 - 1953 |
| Highest Grand Final Score | 20.22 - 144 | Howlong FC | 1939 |

## VFL Players

The following footballers played in the Chiltern & DFA prior to making their VFL debut, with the year indicating their VFL debut.
* 1920 - Percy Rowe - Christmastown to Lake Rovers (O&MFL) to Collingwood.
* 1930 - Frank Wells - Chiltern to North Melbourne
* 1930 - L Williamson - Chiltern to St. Kilda Reserves
* 1942 - Frank Anderson - Balldale to North Melbourne
* 1943 - Gerry O'Neal - Chiltern to Footscray
* 1944 - Les Gregory - Howlong to Carlton
* 1947 - Laurie Raine - Chiltern to Footscray
* 1954 - Jim Forsyth - Chiltern to Carlton Reserves

## Chiltern & DFA - Life Members

* Mervyn C. Huggins