Benalla Tungamah Football League

**Benalla Tungamah Football League**
General Information
Founded	1938; as the Benalla Tungamah Football League
Name Changes	1967 – Tungamah Football League
	1996 – Goulburn Valley Football League – Division Two
	1999 – Central Goulburn Football League
Folded	2005; after 67 seasons

The Benalla Tungamah Football League (TBFL) was established in May, 1938, from the following North Eastern Victoria, Australian rules football clubs – Benalla, Devenish, Katamatite, St. James, Tungamah and Yabba – Dookie.^[2]

History[]

The Benalla Tungamah Football League (BTFL) was established in May, 1938, from the following North Eastern Victorian, Australian rules football clubs – Benalla, Devenish, Katamatite, St. James, Tungamah and Yabba – Dookie.

This newly formed league came about when Mulwala Football Club left the to join the Coreen & District Football League in 1938.^[3]

The BTFL went into recess from 1940 to 1947 due to World War II and was reformed in March, 1948.^[4]

In 1951, 12 teams competed in the BTFL.^[5]

Benalla made six grand finals in their seven years in the BTFL, winning three premierships, before Benalla and Wangaratta reserves sides both entered the Ovens and Murray Football League's newly formed seconds competition in 1953.

The BTFL changed its name to the Tungamah Football League in 1967.

In 1996, the league changed its name to the Goulburn Valley Football League – Division Two competition. The GVFL absorbed the clubs from the Tungamah Football League and had a second division for three years (1996–1998).

Then in 1999, the league's name was changed to the Central Goulburn Football Netball League, which lasted until 2005, when club's went into other competitions under the demise of the VCFL. The CGFNL had four grades of football – Seniors, Reserves, Under 17's and Under 14's, plus five grades of netball – A, B, B Reserve, D & E Grade.

The Lawless family donated a medal to the senior football best and fairest winners from 1954 to 2005, across the four different football league names.

Interestingly, Alexandra's George Steiner won three league best and fairest Lawless Medals, one in each of the following – Tungamah Football League – 1994, Goulburn Valley – Division Two – 1996 and Central Goulburn Football League – 2000.

Clubs[]

Benalla Tungamah Football League (1938 to 1966)

Benalla Seniors: 1938 & 1939. Joined the Goulburn Valley Football League in 1940.
Benalla Reserves: 1948 to 1952. Joined the Ovens & Murray Football League in 1953.
Congupna: 1962 to 1966
: 1938 to 1952. Joined the Benalla & District Football League in 1953.
Dookie: 1949 to 1966
Dookie College: 1953 to 1966
Dookie Yabba: 1938 & 1939. Joined the Goulburn Valley Football Association in 1940.^[6]
1952
Katamatite: 1938 & 1939, 1956 to 1966
Katrandra: 1953 to 1966
Mulwala: 1949 to 1966
North Wangaratta: 1951 & 1952. Joined the Benalla & District Football League in 1953.
St. James: 1938 to 1955. Merged with Devenish to form Devenish United FC & entered the Benalla & District Football League in 1955.
Tungamah: 1938 to 1966
Violet Town: 1950 to 1966
Wangaratta Reserves: 1949 to 1952. Joined the Ovens & Murray Football League in 1953.
: 1951 to 1966

Tungamah Football League (1967 to 1995)

: 1986 to 1995
: 1981 to 1995
Congupna: 1967 to 1995
Dookie: 1967 to 1976. Merged with Dookie College to form Dookie United in 1977.
Dookie College: 1967 to 1976. Merged with Dookie to form Dookie United in 1977.
Dookie United: 1977 to 1995
Katamatite: 1967 to 1994. Joined the Picola & District Football League in 1995.
Katrandra: 1967 to 1995. Joined the Picola & District Football League in 1996.
Mansfield: 1977 to 1995
Mulwala: 1967 to 1986. Joined the Murray Football League in 1987.
Shepparton East: 1968 to 1995
Thornton Eildon: 1995
Tungamah: 1967 to 1994. Joined the Picola & District Football League in 1995.
Violet Town: 1967 to 1977. Joined the Benalla & District Football League in 1978.
: 1967 to 1970. Wilby FC folds up after the 1970 season.

Goulburn Valley Football League – Division Two (1996 to 1998)

: 1996 to 1998
: 1996 to 1998
Congupna: 1996 only. Joined the Murray Football League in 1997.
Dookie United: 1996 to 1998
Mansfield: 1996 & 1997. Entered the GVFNL – Division One in 1998.
Rumbalara: 1997 & 1998
Shepparton East: 1996 to 1998
Thornton Eildon: 1996 to 1998
Violet Town: 1996 to 1998
Yea: 1998

Central Goulburn Football League (1999 to 2005)

: 1999 to 2005. Re-joined the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League in 2006.
: 1999 to 2004. Entered the Ovens & King Football League in 2005.
Dookie United: 1999 to 2005. Joined the Picola & District Football League in 2006.
Rumbalara: 1999 to 2005. Joined the Murray Football League in 2006.
Shepparton East: 1999 to 2005. Joined the Picola & District Football League in 2006.
Thornton Eildon: 1999 to 2005. Re-joined the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League in 2006.
Violet Town: 1999 to 2005. Joined the Kyabram & District Football League in 2006.
Yea: 1999 to 2005. Played in the Kyabram & District Football League in 2006 and 2007, then joined the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League in 2008.

Honourboard[]

Benalla – Tungamah Football League

1938 to 1966.
Senior Football

Year	Premiers	Score	Runners Up	Score	Venue	Most Goals	Club	Comments
1938	Tungamah	11.12 – 78	Benalla 1sts	9.8 – 62	St. James			^[7]
1939	Benalla 1sts	15.16 – 106	Dookie Yabba	6.13 – 49	Devenish			^[8] Undefeated Premiers
1940–47	BTFL in recess							BTFL in recess. WW2
1948	St. James	10.8 – 68	Benalla 2nds	2.5 – 17	Devenish			^[9]
1949	St. James	10.12 – 72	Benalla 2nds	7.15 – 57	Devenish			^[10]
1950	Benalla 2nds	8.16 – 64	Dookie	8.13 – 61	?			^[11]
1951	Wangaratta 2nds	21.17 – 143	Burramine	2.3 – 15	Benalla Showgrounds			^[12]
1952	Benalla 2nds	13.12 – 90	Violet Town	11.16 – 82	?			^[13]^[14]
1953	Burramine	8.21 – 69	Dookie College	8.2 – 50	Tungamah			^[15]^[16]
1954	Burramine	11.8 – 74	Dookie College	9.11 – 65	St. James	P O'Kane – 68	Burramine	^[17]
1955	Katandra	?	Burramine	?	?
1956	Katandra	12.11 – 83	Mulwala	7.7 – 49	?
1957	Katandra	11.8 – 74	Dookie College	10.8 68
1958	Katandra	9.9 – 63	Mulwala	6.4 – 40	?
1959	Mulwala	12.16 – 88	Violet Town	6.10 – 46	?
1960	Violet Town	?	Katandra	?	?
1961	Violet Town	14.17 – 101	Mulwala	6.12 – 48	?
1962	Dookie	?	Congupna	?	?
1963	Congupna	10.9 – 69	Mulwala	4.11 – 35	?
1964	Congupna	12.15 – 87	Tungamah	8.14 – 62	?			Seniors
	Katandra	6.4 – 40	Congupna	4.3 – 27.				Seconds
1965	Dookie	11.9 – 75	Congupna	7.10 – 52	?
1966	Katandra	9.5 – 59	Katamatite	6.9 – 51	?

Tungamah Football League

1967 to 1995

Year	Premiers	Score	Runners Up	Score	Venue	Most Goals	Club	Comments
1967	Wilby	11.16 – 82	Congupna	7.12 – 58	Mulwala
1968	Mulwala	13.17 – 95	Wilby	5.8 – 38
1969	Mulwala	15.15 – 105	Dookie College	10.11 – 71
1970	Dookie College	13.8 – 86	Katandra	11.11 – 77
1971	Congupna		Katandra
1972	Shepparton East	13.12 – 90	Katandra	10.13 – 73	Dookie
1973	Katandra
1974	Katandra	11.9 – 75	Mulwala	8.12 – 60
1975	Katandra	19.23 – 137	Congupna	?
1976	Tungamah		Shepparton East		Congupna	Les Parish	Tungamah
1977	Katandra	15.12 – 72	Dookie United	14. ?
1978	Congupna
1979	Katamatite	17.11 – 113	Katandra	14.15 – 99	Dookie
1980	Shepparton East	19.13 – 127	Katandra	13.12 – 90
1981	Benalla All Blacks	20.11 – 131	Shepparton East	13.10 – 88
1982	Shepparton East	18.14 – 110	Congupna	14.12 – 96
1983	Katandra	20.18 – 136	Mansfield	14.13 – 97
1984	Katandra	18.15 – 123	Benalla All Blacks	14.9 – 93
1985	Shepparton East	19.10 – 124	Benalla All Blacks	11.14 – 80		B Frampton: 90	All Blacks
1986	Tungamah	13.11 – 89	Katandra	10.13 – 73
1987	Mansfield	18.7 – 115	Alexandra	11.15 – 81	Dookie
1988	Alexandra	15.16 – 106	Shepparton East	10.10 – 70	Benalla			^[18]
1989	Mansfield	12.19 – 91	Katandra	8.9 – 57		W Armstrong: 59	All Blacks
1990	Katandra
1991	Congupna		Katandra
1992	Katandra
1993	Congupna
1994	Shepparton East
1995	Shepparton East		Benalla All Blacks

Goulburn Valley Football League: Division Two

1996 to 1998

Year	Premiers	Score	Runners Up	Score	Venue	Comments
1996	Mansfield
1997	Alexandra	20.13 – 133	Mansfield	19.12 – 126	Dookie
1998	Rumbalara	21.18 – 124	Alexandra	14.10 – 94
1999						GVFL – Div 2, changed to CGFL

Central Goulburn Football League

1999 to 2005

Year	Premiers	Score	Runners Up	Score	Venue	Most Goals	Club
1999	Rumbalara	16.11 – 107	Shepparton East	11.12 – 78
2000	Alexandra	12.9 – 81	Yea	8.14 – 62	Dookie
2001	Shepparton East	19.12 – 126	Yea	10.10 – 70
2002	Rumbalara	17.9 – 111	Yea	16.9 – 105
2003	Yea
2004	Shepparton East		? Violet Town
2005	Yea	9.12 – 66	Rumbalara	8.9 – 57		B.Firebrace: 62	Rumbalara

Senior Football Best & Fairest Awards[]

Benalla Tungamah Football League

1938 to 1966
The Lawless Family Medal

The Lawless Family Medal for the BTFL senior football best and fairest award was first donated in 1954, by John J. Lawless – Senior, with the winner receiving a canteen of cutlery.

Year	Winner	Club	Votes	Runners Up	Club	Votes	Comments
1954	N Elliott	Tungamah	28	Harry Brittain &	Katandra	22	^[19]
				Les Squires	Mulwala	21
1955	Les Squires	Mulwala		R Hood	Dookie College		^[20]
1956	Harry Brittain	Katandra
1957	Jim Clancy	Burramine
1958	Laurie Gleeson	Burramine
1959	Malcom Hughes	Burramine
1960	N Trewin	Katamatite
1961	H Davidson	Violet Town
1962	Jim Clancy	Burramine
1963	Harry Brittain	Congupna
1964	T Donovan	Mulwala
1965	E Donovan	Dookie College		William Saunders	Tungamah
1966	Lance McMillan	Violet Town

Tungamah Football League

1967 to 1995
The Lawless Family Medal

Year	Winner	Club
1967	T Murphy	Katamatite
1968	Terry Putt	Dookie
1969	R Henderson &	Shepparton East
	T Murphy	Katamatite
1970	J Walduck	Dookie College
1971	D Read	Dookie College
1972	V Edwards &	Violet Town
	R Henderson	Shepparton East
1973	S Jacques	Shepparton East
1974	S Jacques	Shepparton East
1975	S Jacques	Shepparton East
1976	Les Parish	Tungamah
1977	B Cooper	Mulwala
1978	Bernie Lonergan	Katamatite
1979	P J Cooper &	Tungamah
	Andy Alterton	Katamatite
1980	Damian Drum	Congupna
1981	P J Cooper	Tungamah
1982	Andy Alterton	Katamatite
1983	Chris Drum	Congupna
1984	John Brunner	Benalla All Blacks
1985	John Brunner	Benalla All Blacks
1986	Gary Cameron &	Katamatite
	John Tossol	Alexandra
1987	Bruce McCormack	Mansfield
1988	Bruce McCormack	Mansfield
1989	John Tossol	Alexandra
1990	G Currie	Benalla All Blacks
1991	G Mifka &	Tungamah
	Andrew Walker	Alexandra
1992	Noel Coutts	Violet Town
1993	John Keady &	Shepparton East
	John Martinello	Benalla All Blacks
1994	George Steiner	Alexandra
1995	S Joyce	Congupna

Goulburn Valley Football League – Division Two

1996 to 1998
The Lawless Family Medal

Year	Winner	Club
1996	George Steiner	Alexandra
1997	Denis Sheahan	Mansfield
1998	Chris Pollard	Yea

1999 to 2005
The Lawless Family Medal

Year	Winner	Club
1999	Chris Ludeman	Dookie United
2000	George Steiner	Alexandra
2001	Noel Coutts	Violet Town
2002	Leighthen Briggs &	Rumbalara
	Luke Maher	Dookie United
2003	Matthew Sharpe	Violet Town
2004	Michael Bretherton	Alexandra
2005	Scott Greig	Dookie United

External links[]

References[]

^ Footypedia
^ "1938 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Draw". Benalla Ensign. 10 June 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1938 - Benalla Mulwala Football League - AGM". The Age. 4 May 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 25 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1948 - League reformed". Benalla Ensign. 19 March 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1951 - Benalla Tungamah Football League - Draw". Benalla Ensign. 5 April 1951. p. 6. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1940 - Dookie Yabba FC join the GVFA". Shepparton Advertiser. 26 April 1940. p. 1. Retrieved 29 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1938 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 7 October 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1939 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 29 September 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1948 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 10 September 1948. p. 6. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1949 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 23 September 1949. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1950 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 7 September 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1951 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 4 October 1951. p. 9. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1952 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 18 September 1952. p. 10. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1952 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Premiership Shield". Benalla Ensign. 16 October 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1953 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 24 September 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1953 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match preview". Benalla Ensign. 24 September 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1954 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 30 September 1954. p. 11. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1988 - Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Alexandra Football Club. Alexandra Standard newspaper. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
^ "1954 - BTFL - Lawless Medal". Benalla Ensign. 2 September 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
^ "1955 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Lawless Medal". The Argus. 2 September 1955. p. 22. Retrieved 28 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[1] Footypedia

[2] "1938 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Draw". Benalla Ensign. 10 June 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[3] "1938 - Benalla Mulwala Football League - AGM". The Age. 4 May 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 25 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[4] "1948 - League reformed". Benalla Ensign. 19 March 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[5] "1951 - Benalla Tungamah Football League - Draw". Benalla Ensign. 5 April 1951. p. 6. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[6] "1940 - Dookie Yabba FC join the GVFA". Shepparton Advertiser. 26 April 1940. p. 1. Retrieved 29 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[7] "1938 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 7 October 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[8] "1939 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 29 September 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[9] "1948 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 10 September 1948. p. 6. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[10] "1949 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 23 September 1949. p. 3. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[11] "1950 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 7 September 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[12] "1951 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 4 October 1951. p. 9. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[13] "1952 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 18 September 1952. p. 10. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[14] "1952 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Premiership Shield". Benalla Ensign. 16 October 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[15] "1953 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 24 September 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[16] "1953 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match preview". Benalla Ensign. 24 September 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 21 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[17] "1954 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Benalla Ensign. 30 September 1954. p. 11. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[18] "1988 - Tungamah FL - Grand Final match review". Alexandra Football Club. Alexandra Standard newspaper. Retrieved 4 July 2020.

[19] "1954 - BTFL - Lawless Medal". Benalla Ensign. 2 September 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[20] "1955 - Benalla Tungamah FL - Lawless Medal". The Argus. 2 September 1955. p. 22. Retrieved 28 June 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

General Information
Founded	1938 as the Benalla Tungamah Football League^[1]
Name Changes	1967 – Tungamah Football League
	1996 – Goulburn Valley Football League – Division Two
	1999 – Central Goulburn Football League
Folded	2005 after 67 seasons