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.[1]
The original GVFA was a football association that catered for the smaller rural towns of the Goulburn Valley region until 1931,[2] when it was superseded by the Murray Football League when it was first established in 1931.[3]
There was another Goulburn Valley Football Association, in 1890[4] and 1891, comprising the following teams – Baldwinsville, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Tatura and Undera, with Mooroopna winning the title in 1890[5] and Undera defeating Mooroopna to win the 1891 – Elder's Hotel (Undera) Medals.[6]
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![7]
In 1911, a Goulburn Valley Junior Football Association was established with the following clubs competing – Boomanoomana, Burramine South, Cobram, Katamatite and Muckatah.[8]
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.[9]
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.[10]
Goulburn Valley Second Eighteens Football Association (1926–1936) and renaming
The Goulburn Valley Second Eighteens Football Association (GVSEFA) superseded the Ardmona Central Junior Football Association,[11] and was established in 1926 from the following Goulburn Valley clubs – Ardmona, Dookie, Mooroopna, Shepparton East and Undera, with Mr Brophy as president and Mr J Pearson as secretary as the initial office bearers.
This competition ran for eleven seasons, from 1926 to 1936 and was a completely separate competition to the Goulburn Valley Football Association.
At the AGM of the GVSEFA in 1937 it was proposed to change the name of the association to just the Goulburn Valley Football Association and this was approved at the next delegates meeting in March, where it was also agreed to retain the junior status of the competition in favour of a senior football competition. 1937.[13][14]
During this era, the "new" GVFA was played on Saturdays and the Goulburn Valley Football League was played on Wednesdays, with the new GVFA a more Shepparton based competition, with the grand final being played on the Shepparton Recreation Reserve (now Deakin Reserve) each year.[15]
In 1940, Shepparton Imperials' committee decide to drop the "Imperials" from its name and would be known as just the Shepparton Football Club.[16]
The GVFA went into recess between 1942 and 1944 due to World War II. During the late stages of World War II, the GVFA was revived in 1945, with the following teams competing – Ardmona, Dookie, Dookie College, Katandra, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Shepparton East, SPC and Tatura. Sheppparton East defeated SPC in the grand final[17] and John McLeish from Dookie College won the 1945 – GVFA Best and Fairest / Shepparton Advertiser Trophy.
Shepparton Imperials: 1927, 1928, 1929, (1930 – GVFA), 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 & 1936 (9). Joined the Goulburn Valley Football Association in 1937.
Tallygaroopna: 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 & 1936 (7). Joined the Goulburn Valley Football Association in 1937.
Tatura: 1933, 1934, 1935 (3)
Toolamba: 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 & 1936 (6). Joined the Goulburn Valley Football Association in 1937.
Undera: 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 & 1936 (11). Joined the Goulburn Valley Football Association in 1937.
Wunghnu: 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 (6). Joined the Goulburn Valley Football Association in 1937.
^"1914 - GVFA - AGM". Numurkah Standard and Wunghnu, Cobram, Yarroweyah and Strathmerton Advocate. 22 April 1914. p. 2. Retrieved 23 April 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.