Katandra Football Club


The Katandra Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Kats, is an Australian rules football and netball club based in the small Victorian town of Katandra West. The club teams currently compete in the Picola & District Football League.

History

After much talk in the district for many years the Katandra Football club was founded in 1911 and the initial club colours were blue and white. Their first opponents were Rockville and Pine Grove.
Reforming after World War I in May 1922, the club played on an oval next to the Memorial Hall and played in the Dookie & District Football Association from 1922 to 1925.
Katandra FC reformed in late 1934 and applied to join the Goulburn Valley Second Eighteens Football Association for the 1935 season, but were rejected.
In 1935 the club reformed to play in the Chaney Cup, prior to joining the Goulburn Valley Second Eighteens Football Association in 1936.
The new Katandra West Sports Ground was officially opened by Sir John Gladstone Black McDonald in March 1937.
In July, 1946, former Richmond player and Katandra captain, Eddie Ford collided with an Ardmona player, but played out the game and went home, but later became ill. Ford was taken to the Mooroopna Hospital, where he later died.
In 2005, the senior football team were undefeated minor premiers, but then lost Qualifying Final, won First Semi Final, then lost the Preliminary Final.
Despite the blemish of 2012, the club has experienced success over the past decade. Winning premierships in all grades of football and many grades of netball. The most recent Senior premiership was in 2004. The A Grade netball team won their first premiership in 2009 and were able to follow this by being Runners Up in 2011 and winning the 2012 pennant. The Senior team recently completed a remarkable feat of completing 8 seasons with no worse finish than being Preliminary Finalists. This 8 season streak included 2 Premierships, 3 Runners Up and 3 Preliminary Finals losses. Unfortunately, the proud club has not competed in finals since 2010 and received its first wooden spoon in 2012 after finishing last in the eight team PDFL-South East competition.
The club changed leagues following an administration disagreement between the AFL Goulburn-Valley and the Picola & District Football League.
The club wanted to remain under the AFL umbrella for player development and insurance so they joined the Murray Football League. They rejoined the Picola & District Football League in 2020.
Past players to play AFL include Footscray ruckman Les Bartlett, Melbourne back pocket Rod Grinter and Carlton best and fairest winner and former Carlton coach, David Teague.

Football competitions timeline

Katandra FC have played in the following football competitions.
;Seniors
;Under 17's
;Seniors
The club was runner-up in the –
Picola & District Football League
  • 2006, 2007, 2008
Tungamah Football League
  • 1970, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1989, 1991
Benalla Tungamah Football League
  • 1960
Central Goulburn Valley Football League
  • 1952
Katandra Football Association
  • 1929 - Drumanure: 1.0 - 6 d Katandra: 0.0 - 0. Katandra did not show up for the grand final.
  • 1912 - Dookie: 2.8 - 20 d Katandra: 2.3 - 15

    Football Statistics

;Seniors
  • Wooden Spoon
  • *Picola & District Football League :
  • **2012: 8th -
  • **2013: 8th -
  • **2017: 8th -
  • Most consecutive losses
  • * 24: From round 15, 2012 to round 3, 2014.

    Football League: Best & Fairest winners

;Seniors
The following footballers played with Katandra, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut.
The following footballers played senior VFL / AFL football prior to playing and / or coaching with Katandra with the year indicating their first season at Katandra.
;Senior Football
  • - 1950 & 1958: Undefeated Premiers

    Netball

As of 2025 the club fields the following netball sides in the Picola & DFNL competitions -
A, B, C, C Reserve, Under 17's, 15's and 13's.
;Premierships
  • Picola & District Football League
  • *A. Grade
  • **2009, 2013, 2014,
  • B. Grade
  • *2000, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016
  • C. Grade
  • *2002, 2009, 2013,
  • C. Reserve
  • *1998, 2001, 2016, 2024,
Under 17's
  • *2003
  • Under 13's
  • *2001, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022,