Wangaratta & District Junior Football Association - 1920 to ?
Wangaratta Town Junior Football Association - 1924 to ?
Wangaratta Junior Football League - 1938 to 2003.
Wangaratta & District Junior Football League - 2004 to present day.
Their is documented evidence of junior football taking place around Wangaratta in the mid 1880s & after 1900, mainly between local schools, along with the establishment of some junior football clubs, a West End Juvenile FC - 1885, and also based at small rural north east towns, but without evidence of a structured junior competition.
The Wangaratta & District Junior Football Association conducted games between - Oxley, Peechelba, Wangandary & Wangaratta, with Wangaratta - 3.5 - 23 defeating Oxley - 0.5 - 5 in the 1920 grand final at South Wangaratta.
The Wangaratta Town Junior FA was established in 1924 as an under 20 competition, with the High School FC finishing on top & being declared the premiers. West End FC defeated Wang High School FC in the 1925 WTJFA Grand Final. See article below.
There is not a lot of junior football history in local newspapers between the mid 1920's & 1937.
The current WJFL was originally established in 1938, under the guidance of both the Wangaratta (O&MFL) & Waratahs (O&KFL) Football Clubs, with four teams initially established, with the town being divided into four sections / boundaries for player allocations.
These four teams were - S.1 - Ovens Rovers, S.2 - Centrals, S.3 - Imperials & S.4 - South Wanderers.
Unfortunately the league went into recess during World War Two between 1943 & 1946. During the war years of 1943 to 1946, junior football was still played in the area to entertain the boys still here , but with no premiership points played for.
The league then refomed at the start of the 1947 season & has been going strong ever since.
In 1993, a Under 15 competition was introduced into the W&DJFL & then in 1996 an Under 13 competition was established.
In 2003 one of the biggest changes in league came about when Bright, Myrtleford & Whorouly & in 2004, Devils & Corowa / Rutherglen were admitted and in 2003 the W&DJFL went back to a two division competiton, with Division One - Under 16's & Division Two - Under 14's.
The League's name then changed from the Wangaratta JFL to the Wangaratta & District JFL in 2004.
With the unfortunate demise of the Benalla & DJFL competitions, Benalla Giants, Benalla Saints & Mansfield teams entered the W&DJFL in both U/16's & U/14's competitions in 2014.
In 2015, the W&DJFL intoduced an Under 12's competition, with the six Wangaratta teams, plus Bright & Myrtleford.
The Division One / Under 16's best & fairest medal is called the McCormack Medal & the Division Two / Under 14 best & fairest medal is called the Farrell Medal, after long serving secretary - Mr. Ken Farrell.
The Division 3 / Under 12's best & fairest medal is called the Kevin Mahoney Medal after long serving former WJFL Presdient & Combined Churches coach, Kevin Mahoney.
Below is a list of teams that have competed in the W&DJFL since 1938.
| W&DJFL TEAM |
YEARS IN W&DJFL |
| Benalla Giants |
2014 onwards |
| Benalla Saints |
2014 onwards |
| Bright |
2003 onwards |
| Centrals (S.2) |
1938 onwards |
| Champagnat College |
1957 & 58, 1964 - 76. |
| College |
1980 onwards |
| Combined Churches # |
1952 - 1998 |
| Corowa / Rutherglen |
2004 - 2005 |
| Devils |
2005 - ? |
| Glenrowan |
1973 - 1976 |
| Hostel |
1957 - 61 |
| Imperials (S.3) |
1938 onwards |
| Junior Magpies |
1942 onwards ? |
| Kangaroos # |
1999 onwards |
| Mansfield |
2014 onwards |
| Myrtleford |
1960 - 72, 2003 ? onwards |
| Ovens Rovers (S.1) |
1938 - 41 ? |
| South Wanderers (S.4) |
1938 - 1974 |
| Springhurst |
1959 - 1963 |
| Swans |
? - 2009 |
| Tigers |
1962 onwards |
| Whorouly |
2003 - 05 ? |
# - In 1999 Combined Churches changed their name to the Kangaroos FC
WDJFL - Competition Age Groups since 1938
Under 19 competition
- 1938 only. WDJFL in recess between 1943 & 1946 due to World War Two.
Under 18 competition
Under 17 competition
- 1976 to 1992.
- Then two divisions were introduced into the W&DJFL at the start of the 1993 season.
- Division 1 / Under 17 - 1993 to 2002
- Division 1 / Under 17 - 2020 to present day
Under 15 competition
- Division 2 / Under 15 competition from - 1993 to 2002
Under 13 Competition
- Division 3 / Under 13 competition introduced in 1996 to 2002
Under 16 competition
- The age groups were lowered at the start of the 2003 season & with only two divisions -
- Division 1 - Under 16 competition from - 2003 to present
- Division 1 - Under 17 competition from 2020 to present.
Under 14 Competition
- Division 2 / Under 14 competition from - 2003 to present
Under 12 Competition
- Division 3 / Under 12 competition from - 2015 to present
----------------------------------------------------------------
From - The Argus newspaper, 27th April, 1925.
From the - Wangaratta Chronicle newspaper - 7th May 1938.
North East Junior Football Carnival - Honourboard
| YEAR |
U/16 PREMIERS |
U/16's - MVP |
U/14 PREMIERS |
U/14's - MVP |
| 2006 |
|
|
|
|
| 2007 |
|
|
|
|
| 2008 |
|
|
|
|
| 2009 |
|
|
|
|
| 2010 |
|
|
|
|
| 2011 |
|
|
|
|
| 2012 |
Benalla |
Isaac Willett - Wang |
Seymour |
Zac Elliott - Wang |
| 2013 |
Albury / Wodonga |
Bryce Ralph - Wang |
Albury Red |
Tom O'Brien - Albury Black |
| 2014 |
Albury / Wodonga |
Billy Robertson - Alb/Wod |
Albury Red |
Fraser Ellis - Wang Blue |
| 2015 |
Albury Red |
MacCauley Lonergan - Albury Black |
Albury Black |
Keegan Grant - Seymour |
| 2016 |
Albury Red |
Aiden Johnson - Albury Black |
Albury Red |
Ryley Bouker: Wang Green |
| 2017 |
Albury Red |
Jack Maddock - Tallangatta |
Albury Red |
Codie Kipping - Seymour |
| 2018 |
Wangaratta White |
Max Glass - Albury/Wodonga |
Albury / Wod Red |
Finn Osbourne: Tallangatta |
| 2019 |
Wangarartta Green |
Ryan Eyers - Albury / Wodonga Red |
Albury / Wod Red |
Lachie Miotto: Wang Green |
| |
|
|
|
|
