Ovens & King Football League
The Ovens & King Football League is a minor country Australian rules football league based in Northeastern Victoria in the vicinity of Wangaratta and more recently Benalla.
History
The Ovens & King Football League was formed on the 13th of June 1903, after a handful of men met at The Bulls Head Hotel in Wangaratta to consider forming a football competition. One week later, the first matches of the Ovens & King Football Association were played. The competition changed its name to the Ovens and King Football League after the 1928 season.Today, more than 100 years later, teams from Benalla, Bright, Greta, Glenrowan, King Valley, Milawa, Moyhu, North Wangaratta, Tarrawingee and Whorouly participate in seniors, reserves and five netball grades.
Located in the rich Ovens Valley and King Valley of northeast Victoria, the league has produced a number of elite football who have gone on to play in the AFL, including the cousins Nigel and Matthew Lappin, ruckman Mark Porter and most recently Michael Newton, Barry Hall St Kilda/Sydney/Western Bulldogs and Brendan Fevola Carlton and Brisbane Lions.
Community support is strong in the Ovens and King districts with crowds attending games usually greater than most neighbouring competitions. The local football is an important social outlet for many local communities and finals matches draw especially strong crowd numbers.
In 2010, the league added Tatong, Swanpool, Goorambat and Bonnie Doon, who had previously played in the now-defunct Benalla & District Football League. After four years of heavy losses, Swanpool and Tatong were thrown out of the competition by AFL County Victoria, ending nearly 100 years of tradition. A two-way merge proposed by the clubs was rejected, as was a transfer to the Picola District FL.
Clubs
Thirds's clubs (2011-present)
Since the 2011 season most clubs have fielded joint teams in the Thirds competition, while still remaining as independent clubs at both Senior & Reserves level.- Previously run as "Under 18's competition" this was changed to be run as "Under 19's competition" starting with the 2019 season.
| Senior Club's | Nickname | Third's Side | Jumper |
| Benalla All Blacks | Panthers | No affiliation | - |
| Bonnie Doon | Bombers | No affiliation | - |
| Bright | Mountain Men | Alpine Eagles | |
| Glenrowan | Kelly Tigers | No affiliation | - |
| Goorambat & District | Bats | No affiliation | - |
| Greta | Blues | Southern Suns | |
| King Valley | Kangaroos | Southern Suns | |
| Milawa | Demons | Snow Road Saints | |
| Moyhu | Grasshoppers | No affiliation | - |
| North Wangaratta | Hawks | No affiliation | - |
| Tarrawingee | Bulldogs | Londrigan Bulls | |
| Whorouly | Lions | Snow Road Saints |
Former Affiliation:
- Benalla All Blacks FNC = Benalla United.
- Bonnie Doon FNC = Bonnie Doon Bombers.
- Glenrowan FNC = Snow Road Saints.
- Goorambat & District FNC = Benalla United.
- Moyhu FNC = River Renegades.
- North Wangaratta FNC = River Renegades.
Premiers
- 2011: Benalla All Blacks FNC
- 2012: Alpine Eagles
- 2013: Londrigan Bulls
- 2014: Alpine Eagles
- 2015: Snow Road Saints
- 2016: Alpine Eagles
- 2017: Londrigan Bulls
Former
- Beechworth "Bombers" FC: 1912-1922; 1929-2003
- Bogong FC: 1954-1959
- Carboor FC: 1903.
- Chiltern "Swans" FC: 1954-2002
- Eldorado FC: 1907-1922; 1925-1954
- Myrtleford FC: 1927-1949
- Rutherglen-Corowa "Cats" FC: 1992-2003
- Swanpool "Swans" FC: 2010-2013
- Tatong "Magpies" FC: 2010-2013
- Wangaratta FC: 1903-1921; 1931-1932
- Wangaratta Rainbows FC: 1903-1941
- Wangaratta Rovers FC: 1925-1930 & 1945-1949,
- Wangaratta Waratahs FC: 1933-1939
Premiership history
Senior Football Premiers
- 1903 WANGARATTA RAINBOWS
- 1904 MOYHU
- 1905 WANGARATTA
- 1906 WANGARATTA
- 1907 ELDORADO
- 1908 ELDORADO
- 1909 MOYHU
- 1910 MOYHU
- 1911 MOYHU
- 1912 BEECHWORTH
- 1913 BEECHWORTH
- 1914 BEECHWORTH
- 1915-1918 play suspended
- 1919 ELDORADO
- 1920 WANGARATTA
- 1921 ELDORADO
- 1922 ELDORADO
- 1923 MILAWA
- 1924 MILAWA
- 1925 WHOROULY
- 1926 WHOROULY
- 1927 MILAWA
- 1928 ELDORADO
- 1929 MOYHU
- 1930 MOYHU
- 1931 WANGARATTA
- 1932 WANGARATTA
- 1933 MOYHU
- 1934 MOYHU
- 1935 WARATAHS
- 1936 MYRTLEFORD
- 1937 BEECHWORTH
- 1938 BEECHWORTH
- 1939 BEECHWORTH
- 1940 MILAWA
- 1941-1944 play suspended
- 1945 MYRTLEFORD
- 1946 GRETA
- 1947 MOYHU
- 1948 WANGARATTA ROVERS
- 1949 MYRTLEFORD
- 1950 BEECHWORTH
- 1951 BEECHWORTH
- 1952 WHOROULY
- 1953 TARRAWINGEE
- 1954 GRETA
- 1955 BOGONG
- 1956 BEECHWORTH
- 1957 CHILTERN
- 1958 CHILTERN
- 1959 MOYHU
- 1960 MOYHU
- 1961 BEECHWORTH
- 1962 MOYHU
- 1963 TARRAWINGEE
- 1964 TARRAWINGEE
- 1965 GRETA
- 1966 GRETA
- 1967 GRETA
- 1968 CHILTERN
- 1969 MILAWA
- 1970 KING VALLEY
- 1971 CHILTERN
- 1972 CHILTERN
- 1973 NORTH WANGARATTA
- 1974 BEECHWORTH
- 1975 TARRAWINGEE
- 1976 NORTH WANGARATTA
- 1977 WHOROULY
- 1978 WHOROULY
- 1979 BEECHWORTH
- 1980 GRETA
- 1981 KING VALLEY
- 1982 CHILTERN
- 1983 CHILTERN
- 1984 MILAWA
- 1985 MILAWA
- 1986 BRIGHT
- 1987 BRIGHT
- 1988 MOYHU
- 1989 WHOROULY
- 1990 TARRAWINGEE
- 1991 MILAWA
- 1992 BRIGHT
- 1993 GRETA
- 1994 CHILTERN
- 1995 GRETA
- 1996 CHILTERN
- 1997 NORTH WANGARATTA
- 1998 CHILTERN
- 1999 GRETA
- 2000 BEECHWORTH
- 2001 BEECHWORTH
- 2002 MOYHU
- 2003 MOYHU
- 2004 BRIGHT
- 2005 MOYHU
- 2006 MOYHU
- 2007 WHOROULY
- 2008 TARRAWINGEE
- 2009 MILAWA
- 2010 TARRAWINGEE
- 2011 MOYHU
- 2012 NORTH WANGARATTA
- 2013 MILAWA
- 2014 GLENROWAN
- 2015 GLENROWAN
- 2016 GLENROWAN
- 2017 GLENROWAN
- 2018 TARRAWINGEE
- 2019 MILAWA
- 2020 League in recess due to COVID19 pandemic
Back-To-Back Premiers: Senior
- 1905-1906: WANGARATTA
- 1907-1908: ELDORADO
- 1921-1922: ELDORADO
- 1923-1924: MILAWA
- 1925-1926: WHOROULY
- 1929-1930: MOYHU
- 1931-1932: WANGARATTA
- 1933-1934: MOYHU
- 1950-1951: BEECHWORTH
- 1957-1958: CHILTERN
- 1959-1960: MOYHU
- 1963-1964: TARRAWINGEE
- 1971-1972: CHILTERN
- 1977-1978: WHOROULY
- 1982-1983: CHILTERN
- 1984-1985: MILLAWA
- 1986-1987: BRIGHT
- 2000-2001: BEECHWORTH
- 2002-2003: MOYHU
- 2005-2006: MOYHU
Three-peat Premiers: Senior
- 1909-1910-1911: MOYHU
- 1912-1913-1914: BEECHWORTH
- 1937-1938-1939: BEECHWORTH
- 1965-1966-1967: GRETA
Four-peat Premiers: Senior
- 2014-2015-2016-2017: GLENROWAN
2009
- Seniors: Milawa
- Reserves: Tarrawingee
- Thirds: Milawa
- A Grade: Tarrawingee
- B Grade: Tarrawingee
- C Grade: Bright
- U/17 Grade: Glenrowan
2008
- Seniors: Tarrawingee
- Reserves: Bright
- Thirds: Milawa
- A Grade: Milawa
- B Grade: Tarrawingee
- C Grade: North Wangaratta
2007
- Seniors: Whorouly
- Reserves: Whorouly
- Thirds: Whorouly
- A Grade: Moyhu
- B Grade: Milawa
- C Grade: Tarrawingee
2006
- Seniors: Mohyu
- Reserves: Whorouly
- Thirds: Tarrawingee
- A Grade: Mohyu
- B Grade: Milawa
- C Grade: Bright
2007 Ladder
| Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Elimination | Moyhu | 12 | 14 | 86 | King Valley | 11 | 8 | 74 |
| Qualifying | Bright | 20 | 15 | 135 | Tarrawingee | 10 | 10 | 70 |
| 1st Semi | Moyhu | 9 | 10 | 64 | Tarrawingee | 6 | 10 | 46 |
| 2nd Semi | Bright | 16 | 11 | 107 | Whorouly | 13 | 10 | 88 |
| Preliminary | Whorouly | 12 | 13 | 85 | Moyhu | 9 | 9 | 63 |
| Grand | Whorouly | 14 | 13 | 97 | Bright | 12 | 6 | 78 |
2008 Ladder
FINALS| Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Elimination | Moyhu | 13 | 12 | 90 | Milawa | 11 | 13 | 79 |
| Qualifying | Bright | 15 | 25 | 115 | Whorouly | 10 | 8 | 68 |
| 1st Semi | Whorouly | 10 | 21 | 81 | Moyhu | 1 | 3 | 9* |
| 2nd Semi | Tarrawingee | 12 | 20 | 92 | Bright | 5 | 13 | 43 |
| Preliminary | Bright | 18 | 11 | 119 | Whorouly | 14 | 17 | 101 |
| Grand | Tarrawingee | 14 | 10 | 94 | Bright | 8 | 11 | 59 |
Note: Moyhu lost fifteen points in the First Semi-Final against Whorouly after a head count.
2009 Ladder
FINALS| Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Elimination | Moyhu | 14 | 12 | 96 | Bright | 13 | 8 | 86 |
| Qualifying | Milawa | 17 | 12 | 114 | Glenrowan | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 1st Semi | Moyhu | 12 | 11 | 83 | Glenrowan | 10 | 8 | 68 |
| 2nd Semi | Tarrawingee | 8 | 7 | 55 | Milawa | 5 | 10 | 40 |
| Preliminary | Milawa | 14 | 15 | 99 | Moyhu | 12 | 6 | 78 |
| Grand | Milawa | 14 | 7 | 91 | Tarrawingee | 12 | 10 | 82 |
2010 Ladder
2011 Ladder
2012 Ladder
2013 Ladder
2014 Ladder
League Hall Of Fame
- 2008: Fay Morgan, Fred Baker, Allan Dickson, Kevin Allen.
- 2007: Ray Price, Vin Shelley, Ken Stewart.
- 2006: Richie Shanley, Ray Burns, Clem Goonan, Jim Skinns.
League Life Members
G. Ray Barker
Ron Marks
John Keogh
Cyril C. Johnson
Harold H. Wellington
Bert H.G. Harman
J R Mummery
William Smith
Clyde Baker
Albert A. Clarke
Jack M. Wood
D.P. Jones
H. Peter Nolan
Ken Stewart
Angry J.A. Ferguson
Fred Jensen
E.J Lester
Fred Baker
Vin Shelley
D.R. Schultz
Les O`Keefe
Bill Lowen Bright
William. O`Brien Greta
Rob Forrest Beechworth
Rowdy Lappin Chiltern
Rick Walter North Wangaratta
Ross Nightingale Bright
Gary Bussell King Valley
Trevor Blair Tarrawingee
Mark Allan Milawa
Brendan Allan Milawa
Lionel Schutt Moyhu
Allan Dickson
Andrew Smith Glenrowan
Mal Dinsdale Tarrawingee
Geoff Robinson Milawa
Russell Ferguson Milawa
Steve Masin Whorouly
Peter Hawkins Moyhu
Bruce Nightingale
Ab Gillett Bright
John Munari
Patrick O'Shea
Peter Jones
Scott Douglas
Robert Burrowes
Paul Hogan
Senior Football Best and Fairest / Clyde Baker Medal Winners
1932 Ron Black1933 Keith Parris
1934 Arthur Mills
1935 Ron Black
1936 Jack Parrish
1937 Maurie Valli
1938 Ron Reah
1939 Ron Reah
1940 ?
1941 Lionel Wallace
1942 to 1945 World War 2. O&KFL in recess
1946 Jock Gardner
1947 Jock Gardner
1948 Ian Thomas
1949 Jack Sullivan
1950 A. `Mick` Jess
1951 Jock Gardner
1952 Doug Ferguson
1953 Ray Warford
1954 Tim Lowe
1955 Ray Warford
1956 Ray Warford, Tim Lowe, Greg Hogan
1957 Bill Pinder
1958 Clem Goonan
1959 K. Spink
1960 Colin Barnes
1961 Colin Barnes
1962 Ken Dixon
1963 Ron Critchley
1964 Eddie Hooper
1965 Rob Comensoli
1966 Les Butler
1967 Rob Comensoli
1968 Bill McAuliffe
1969 Alan McDonald
1970 Stuart Elkington
1971 Garry Holmes
1972 Mick Lloyd
1973 Eddie Flynn
1974 John Lappin
1975 Rob Parolin
1976 Vic Christou
1977 John Rutten
1978 Neville Pollard, John Lappin, Terry Wadley
1979 Con Madden
1980 Neville Pollard
1981 Richie Allen
1982 John Lappin
1983 Neale McMonigle & Neil Ferguson
1984 Geoff Lacey & Greg Taylor
1985 Con Madden
1986 Peter Duncan
1987 Mark Ottery
1988 Tony Gleeson
1989 Peter Lappin
1990 Tony Gleeson
1991 Fred Pane
1992 Laurie Larsen
1993 Mark Johns
1994 Mark Porter
1995 Paul Hogan
1996 Tony Gayfer
1997 Des Smith
1998 Colin McClounan
1999 Rod Milthorpe
2000 Shane Driscoll
2001 Scott Francis & Andy Mihaljevic
2002 Adam Clarke & John Allen
2003 Ty Baxter
2004 Stuart Cooper
2005 Richard Bull
2006 Tom Hazell
2007 Anthony Welsh
2008 Mathew Kelly & Finton Eames
2009 Steve Nightingale
2010 Steve Nightingale
2011 Nathan Waite
2012 Adam Williams
2013 Adam Williams
2014 Daniel Godsmark
2015 Ben Bond
2016 Kaine Herbert
2017 Jeremy Wilson
2018 Chris Dube
2019 Jamie Allan & Nick Lebish
Senior Leading Goal Kicking Winners
1903 Bob Condron1906 N.Pinkerton 7 plus
1907 H.Walker 16 plus
1909 Laidler 10 plus
1910 Cupples 16 plus
1911 N.Pinkerton
1913 H.Hill 10 plus
1914 H.Hill 15 plus
1919 Ivo Atkinson
1920 Ivo Atkinson 32 plus
1921 Flegg 21 plus
1922 Andy “Andyfox” Ferguson
1923 Andy “Andyfox” Ferguson
1924 R. McNamara 24 plus
1925 A. Ferguson 31 plus
1926 Ossie Carter 26
1928 A. Ferguson 81
1929 Norm Wallace 46 plus
1930 Eric Johnstone 35 plus
1931 Bert Carey 85
1932 Bert Carey 76
1933 Neville Justice 58 plus
1934 Syd Wortmann 79 plus
1935 Ford Barton 46 plus
1936 Norm Wallace 70 plus
1937 Ford Barton 37 plus
1938 Len Jordon 53 plus
1939 Sidney Londrigan 41
1940 Jim Corker 30 plus
1941 Ernie Ward 59
1945 Jock Gardner 35 plus
1946 Len Ablett 108
1947 Jim Corker 47 plus
1948 A. “Wally” Cunneen 64 plus
1949 A. “Wally” Cunneen 52 plus
1950 ?
1951 Lex Nicholl 37 plus
1952 Doug Ferguson 75
1954 Gerald O’Neill 87
1955 John Farmer 86 plus
1956 Ron Howes 103
1957 Ron Howes 71
1959 Ivan Chant 54
1960 Ted McSweeney 62
1961 Ted McSweeney 71
1962 Maurie Hogan 96
1963 Maurie Hogan 78
1964 John Farmer 68
1965 Brian McDonald 63
1966 Bob Stone 73
1967 Bob Stone 57
1968 Bill Cassidy 76
1969 Bob McWaters 112
1970 Ray Hooper 102
1971 Ray Hooper 109
1972 Bob McWaters 111
1973 Graham Hill 92
1974 Graham Hill 115
1975 Graham Hill 110
1976 Dave Piggott 89
1977 Alan Sewell 126
1978 Alan Sewell 104
1979 Ron “Jock” Lappin 88
1980 Glenn Daws 61
1981 Glenn Daws 68 plus
1982 Steve Thompson 123
1983 Jim McNamara 88
1984 John Michelini 114
1985 Graham Hill 110
1986 Mal Dinsdale 74
........ Vere Mounsey 74
1987 Mick Worthington 106
1988 John Iwanuch 113
1989 Tim Wallace 85 plus
1990 Chris Long 106
1991 Mark Higgs 76
1992 Mark O’Connor 71
1993 Peter Smith 81
1994 Damian Lord 107
1995 Alan Millard 84
1996 Ray Robbins 81
1997 Peter Busch 101
1998 Darren Bate 100
1999 Dale Andrews 93
2000 Darren Bate 79
2001 Darren Bate 117
2002 Darren Bate 97
2003 Shane Moore 103
2004 Shane Moore 108
2005 Shane Moore 132
2006 Shane Moore 103
2007 Shane Moore 81
2008 Brendan Sessions 135
2009 Brendan Sessions 116
2010 Daniel West 96
2011 Duane Haebich 108
........ Daniel Lewis 117
2012 Richard Leahy 147
2013 Brendan Sessions 105
2014 Hamish Moore 136
2015 Josh Evans 92
2016 Kyle Raven 107
2017 Justin Hoggan 104