Goulburn Valley Football Association
The Goulburn Valley Football Association was 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.
This football competition was separate to the Goulburn Valley District Football Association that was formed in 1893, that is still active today and now called the Goulburn Valley Football League.
History
The original GVFA was a football association that catered for the smaller rural towns of the Goulburn Valley region until 1931, when it was superseded by the Murray Football League when it was first established in 1931.There was another Goulburn Valley Football Association, in 1890 and 1891, comprising the following teams – Baldwinsville, Mooroopna, Shepparton, Tatura and Undera, with Mooroopna winning the title in 1890 and Undera defeating Mooroopna to win the 1891 – Elder's Hotel Medals.
The 1891 draw involved the following teams - Nathalia, Numurkah, Wunghnu, Yarroweyah.
Between 1901 and 1906, Drumanure Football Club won six consecutive premierships.
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!
In 1911, a Goulburn Valley Junior Football Association was established with the following clubs competing – Boomanoomana, Burramine South, Cobram, Katamatite and Muckatah.
Between 1904 and 1920, the GVFA comprised enough teams to divide it into two divisions 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.
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.
GVFA Grand Final Results
| Year | Premiers | Score | Runners up | Score | Venue / Comments |
| 1888 | Numurkah | No G Final | Muckatah | No G Final | Numurkah only lost 1 game |
| 1889 | Numurkah | 4.8 – 32 | Cobram | 0.3 – 3 | At Cobram |
| 1890 | Numurkah | 4.10 – 34 | Yarroweyah | 1.7 – 13 | At Numurkah |
| 1891 | Yarroweyah | 3.12 – 30 | Congupna | 1.1 – 7 | At Congupna |
| 1892 | Shepparton | 6.6 – 42 | Congupna | 3.4 – 22 | At Shepparton |
| 1893 | Katunga | ? | GVDFA formed | ||
| 1894 | Katunga | ? | |||
| 1895 | Katunga | Muckatah | At Nathalia | ||
| 1896 | Nathalia | ? | |||
| 1897 | Nathalia | 5.8 – 38 | Congupna | 2.6 – 18 | At Nathalia |
| 1898 | Muckatah | 5.5 – 35 | Congupna | 1.2 – 8 | At Muckatah |
| 1899 | Katunga | No G Final | Drumanure | No G Final | Katunga declared premiers |
| 1900 | Muckatah | 6.6 – 42 | Waaia | 4.3 – 27 | At Numurkah |
| 1901 | Drumanure | 9.18 – 72 | Numurkah | 2.3 – 15 | At Wunghnu |
| 1902 | Drumanure | ? G Final | Muckatah | ? G Final | |
| 1903 | Drumanure | 6.8 – 44 | Congupna | 1.3 – 9 | At Numurkah |
| 1904 | Drumanure | 4.9 – 33 | Tallygaroopna | 1.7 – 13 | At Numurkah |
| 1905 | Drumanure | 7.10 – 52 | Muckatah | 7.9 – 51 | At Numurkah |
| 1906 | Drumanure | 4.8 – 32 | Cobram | 3.10 – 28 | At Numurkah |
| 1907 | Cobram | 5.6 – 36 | Numurkah | 5.5 – 35 | At Numurkah |
| 1908 | Drumanure | 4.5 – 29 | Muckatah | 2.11 – 23 | At Numurkah |
| 1909 | Cobram | 5.5 – 35 | Muckatah | 2.16 – 28 | At Numurkah |
| 1910 | Muckatah | 6.8 – 44 | Drumanure | 2.5 – 17 | At Cobram |
| 1911 | Muckatah | 11.15 – 81 | Numurkah | 5.14 – 44 | At Drumanure. MFC unbeaten. |
| 1912 | Muckatah | 10.13 – 73 | Numurkah | 7.12 – 54 | At Cobram |
| 1913 | Cobram | 18.21 – 129 | Tallygaroopna | 3.6 – 24 | At Numurkah |
| 1914 | Cobram | 6.8 – 44 | Muckatah | 3.4 – 22 | At Numurkah |
| 1915 | Tallygaroopna | No G Final | Muckatah | No G Final | Season abandoned |
| 1916 | In recess WW1 | ||||
| 1917 | In recess WW1 | ||||
| 1918 | In recess WW1 | ||||
| 1919 | ? | Influenza Pandemic | |||
| 1920 | Numurkah | 5.6 – 36 | Cobram | 4.7 – 31 | At Numurkah |
| 1921 | Muckatah | 7.15 – 57 | Drumanure | 8.2 – 50 | At Numurkah |
| 1922 | Numurkah | 9.13 – 67 | Nathalia | 8.8 – 56 | At Numurkah |
| 1923 | Nathalia | 12.10 – 82 | Cobram | 11.13 – 79 | At Nathalia |
| 1924 | Numurkah | 9.14 – 68 | Nathalia | 9.8 – 62 | At Cobram |
| 1925 | Numurkah | 12.8 – 80 | Muckatah | 7.9 – 51 | At Strathmerton |
| 1926 | Numurkah | 11.12 – 78 | Muckatah | 8.2 – 50 | At Strathmerton |
| 1927 | Nathalia | 12.12 – 84 | Muckatah | 10.9 – 69 | At Numurkah |
| 1928 | Cobram | 27.16 – 162 | Wunghnu | 8.8 – 56 | At Strathmerton |
| 1929 | Cobram | 7.9 – 51 | Nathalia | 5.7 – 37 | At Numurkah |
| 1930 | Nathalia | 13.14 – 86 | Shepparton Imperials | 9.8 – 62 | At Numurkah |
| Year | Premiers | Score | Runner Up | Score | Venue / Comments |